5 Things To Know, Do Today In Crystal Lake, Cary

CRYSTAL LAKE AND CARY, IL — Here's a look at five things you need to know to make your day great and find things to do in the Crystal Lake and Cary area:

WEATHER

Who is ready for a "cool down?" After two days of brutally hot temps, today's high is set to hit 87 degrees—which is still, not, that cool so be sure to stay hydrated and to take breaks if you are out in the sun. If you need to find a cooling center, we've got more info on those here.

And if you are looking for someplace for the kiddos to cool down, here are some suggestions:

• Veterans Acres Park splash pad, 431 N. Walkup Avenue, Crystal Lake
• Acorn Alley, corner of Walkup Road and Route 176 in Crystal Lake
• Kaper Park, Georgetown Drive at Cimarron Drive in Cary
• Lions Armstrong Pool, 599 Longwood Avenue in Algonquin
• Newly opened Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center, 255 Briargate Road, Cary

And here is a look ahead to the forecast for the coming days.

SUNBURST BAY OPENS, SEES CROWDS

Speaking of pools, the Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center in Cary opened over the weekend and has been seeing crowds stopping out to check out the long-awaited pool.

On Tuesday, park district officials reported they've been "blown away" by the attendance and also noted they have been unable to print passes since they ran out of ink for its printer due to the extremely high number of passes they've been doling out.

"We can validate your pass even if you don't have a physical pass. If you have purchased a pass but have not received your physical pass, you may visit Sunburst Bay today just go to the admissions window, give the admissions staff your name and we will validate your pass," according to a Tuesday post on the Cary Park District Facebook page.

The newly opened pool at 1201 First Street has a zero depth entry leisure pool, slides and water play features, a water walk and current channel, 8 25-yard lane lap pool, diving boards, drop slide, climbing wall and more.

Information on the pools hours of operation and admission fees can be found here.

6 EVENTS PLANNED FOR TODAY

We've included a roundup of events happening in the area today below. Did we miss your event? Share it with readers in the comments section below.

• Story time at the Park at Lions Park, 747 S River Road, Fox River Grove, starting at 10:30 a.m. More info here.
• Drop-in pickle ball play at 2 p.m. at the Racket Club, 9101 S. Route 31 in Crystal Lake. More info here.
• Summer in the Park in Woodstock: The four-day festival will kick off today. From 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, there will be a city band concert, games and prizes and an ice cream social. The festival will run through Sunday and the full schedule of events can be found here.
• Bingo at the Boathouse at 12 p.m. at Main Beach, 300 Lakeshore Drive. More info here.
• McHenry County Conservation District discovery days event from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Boone Creek shelter, 916 Cold Springs Road, Bull Valley. More info here.
• No cover comedy night at The Vixen, 1208 N. Green St. in McHenry, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Make your calendar for the coming days for the below events (and click on the links for more info). If you don't see your event included, share it on the Crystal Lake-Cary Patch calendar:

• Summer in the Park festival in Woodstock runs Wednesday through Sunday
• Concert in Lion Park in Cary on Thursday
• Free yoga in the park at Kaper Park in Cary on Thursday
• Kids Garage Sale in Cary on Saturday
• Urinetown Musical at the Woodstock Opera House with several upcoming dates. More information here.
• Nature Buffs Kokedama through the Crystal Lake Park District on Saturday
• Trail rides for seniors through the Crystal Lake Park District on Saturday
• McHenry County Conservation District "botany bits" event for ages 5 years old and older on Saturday
• Naturalist for the Day at Marengo Ridge on Saturday. For ages 7 to 10 years old, more info here.

GAS PRICES, PLAN AHEAD FOR JULY 4TH TRAVEL

According to gas buddy.com, here are the places to stop to get the cheapest gas prices in Crystal Lake and Cary today:

• Sam's Club, 5670 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake: $5.34
• Amoco, 339 W. Virginia Ave. in Crystal Lake: $5.49
• Murphy USA, 985 Central Park Drive in Crystal Lake: $5.55
• Marathon, 770 Virginia Road in Crystal Lake: $5.59
• Throntons, 911 Tea Drive in Crystal Lake: $5.59

Next week, people will start heading out of town for Fourth of July travel. We've got info on when is the worst time to hit the roads in the Chicago area: 4th Of July Travel: When’s The Best Time To Leave Crystal Lake, Cary.

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