Chicago is known worldwide for its shopping district on the Magnificent Mile and State Street, but a lesser-known shopping district in Schaumburg, Illinois, offers the same stores, plus you can park nearby. Woodfield Mall is one of the biggest malls in the country, and offers high-end department stores like Macy's, as well as stores for kids, such as Sanrio with Hello, Kitty products. Across Golf Road you is IKEA, as well as a long row of strip malls, with anchors such as Borders, Old Navy and Best Buy. On the other side of the mall, off Higgins Road, is the Streets of Woodfield, with even more stores to choose from, including Legoland and Crate & Barrel.
Medieval Times in Hoffman Estates offers your whole family a chance to experience a four-course dinner, presided by King Phillippe and Princess Leonore, while enjoying a bout between six knights. The show is set in 11th-century Europe and is called the Battle of Champions; each section of the arena is designated a knight to cheer for throughout the meal. Medieval Times is a place to bring birthday parties or larger group events in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.
The Lake County Fielders, a baseball team owned by actor Kevin Costner, is based out of Zion, Illinois. The Fielders' inaugural season opened in 2010 in the new, independent North American Baseball League. The Fielders are Lake County's only professional sports team. Southwest in Schaumburg are the Flyers, whose inaugural season was in 1999. The Flyers play at Alexian Field and are also part of the North American league. Further west in Kane County are the Kane County Cougars. This minor league baseball team, as of 2011, is a feeder team for the Kansas City Royals. Since its inception, the team has never been a minor league team for the Chicago Cubs or White Sox; instead it sends players to the Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins and Oakland A's.
For years, the Allstate Arena, known to locals as the "Rosemont Horizon" in Rosemont, Illinois, is in the shadow of O'Hare International Airport. The arena, located conveniently off Interstate 90 and near the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line, plays host to college basketball, pro women's basketball and minor league hockey games, as well as concerts for big acts such as No Doubt and R.E.M. A bit further west on 90 is the new Sears Centre Arena which, as of 2011, is becoming more known, but has played host to concerts and different events, including games from the lingerie football league.
