Gurnee, IL

Gurnee, IL is a village in Lake County and is the mid point between Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI.  The population is 31,295 with a median income of $85.400 and median age of 34.  Gurnee was a small farming community until the early 1970s when Marriott decided to build a theme park there.  Great America theme park was built and changed Gurnee forever. Now Six Flags Great American is a great amusement park.  Gurnee Mills Mall was built in the 1980s and is a huge outlet and major retail mall.  The number one employer in Gurnee is Gurnee Mills followed by Six Flags Great America.  Gurnee is also home to many Chicago Bears (Da' Bears). 
We went to Gurnee Mills,  I had never been there before, to see a movie.  We did not realize how big the mall was.  Before the movie we walked around what we thought was the mall and now realize, after looking at a mall map on the Internet, that we were only in one section that there were two more sections even bigger than the one we were in.  We saw the movie, "Moonrise Kingdom", starring Bruce Willis and Bill Murray.  Let's just say that is was different and a bit odd.  We didn't know what to expect but we figure with Bill Murray and Bruce Willis it was worth seeing.  It was just different and not something we would normally go see.  It was very hot yesterday so being at a movie and the mall was nice and cool.  Now that I know that the mall is bigger I will be returning there on Monday to meet a friend for lunch and shopping. Six Flags Great America holds so many memories for me.  When I was a teenager it was a two to three times a summer ritual when I had kids it was a must to take them to the park I loved.  On my last visit there, a few years ago, my nephew Pat and I made it our mission to ride every roller coaster in the park.  I think at that time there were 12.  We did it!  It took all day and we did not go on any other rides (which was okay because roller coasters are the best ride) but we achieved our goal and fun doing it.   We have a busy schedule for this week end visiting family and friends so keep checking back to see what else we do in my hometown, Chicago!