Winter Thrills in Illinois

We'll never forget the look of startled pleasure on the snow-dusted face of our son, Abram, then three, when my husband and I first took him down a toboggan run. A classic winter thrill, a trip down one of these chutes--formed from wood, fiberglass or banked snow--provides a longer, faster ride than you're likely to find at your local sledding hill. Unlike skating or skiing, this sport requires no athletic ability or expensive equipment. And, because most toboggans accommodate four riders, it's truly an activity families can do together. So bundle up and head to Swallow Cliff in Illinois for some old-fashioned excitement and fun during those cold winter months.

PALOS PARK, ILLINOIS SWALLOW CLIFF My husband's boyhood favorite is also one of the nation's largest toboggan runs. Park officials are proud of these numbers: six wooden chutes, each 400 feet long, send you 500 to 600 feet across a field. Although you must carry your own toboggan uphill, the thrill on the way down makes it worth the effort. There's a snack bar and warming lodge. $3.00 per hour/per toboggan and a deposit of $40.00 or an Illinois Driver's License.

Joan Huyser-Honig is a freelance writer in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.