Outdoor enthusiasts can find the best deals on hundreds of boats, RVs, marine accessories, camping equipment, fishing gear and travel destinations. Hands-on activities for kids include scuba diving, a trout fishing pond, paddlesports and FloRider, a new feature that simulates wakeboarding.

A guided glimpse into the world of outdoor play will depend on the day. Possibilities include snowman and snow fort building with natural materials or garden scavenger hunt for natural objects

Search for gnomes in the Children's Garden using your best "I Spy" skills. Checklist provided.

Bring your budding naturalist to Irons Oaks to explore the natural world together.  Each session a different natural topic is explored with activities, stories, games, or an art project. Dec. 13: Winter Birds; Jan. 23: Snow Fun; Feb. 13: Animal Tracks.

Build a snowman out of biodegradable and natural items to win. Fill out an entry form at the main office.

With small solar lights to guide their way, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can traverse the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville or the 1.65-mile hilly section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Starting Sunday, Nov. 4, the trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open until 9 .m. daily until March 9.

Feature the black bear and its adaptations for survival in the forest. Crawl into the bear's den, compare your senses to that of the black bear, feel his fur, come face to face with a black bear mount and more.

WinterFest  | Ingleside

Live music, snow-sculpting contest, photo contest, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and hiking. Hot drinks and cookies available for a donation.

If you're looking for an alternative to skating at Millennium Park this winter, look up. Way up-94 stories, to be exact. Touted as the World's Highest Ice Skating Rink, the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center gives ice skaters a bird's-eye view of the city and the lake.

At 20 feet by 45 feet, the rink is probably too small to be your solo destination of the day, but paired with a trip to see the view from the Hancock, it's a nice way for kids to burn off energy while parents enjoy the great view. And because it's synthetic ice, skaters stay warm and don't get wet.

The rink is scheduled to be open for skating from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. through April 18. A 25-minute skate session costs $6 (in addition to the cost to get into the Hancock Observatory). You can bring your own skates or rent some there for a dollar.

See a toy so amazing, so unbelievable, it has the power to transform into anything you want it to be. Enter a world where imagination rules, and ordinary becomes extraordinary.