Mini Abe Visits Lake County: Day 3

By: Jonathan Jones 07/11/2014

Mini Abe is continuing his week exploring Lake County. He's done some pretty amazing things so far, but where would this day take him? I'll let him tell you what all he did:

Gurnee Mills

I was ready for another fun-filled day in Lake County! My first stop of the day was Gurnee Mills in Gurnee.

I was amazed at how many stores Gurnee Mills offered. I could have easily spent an entire day here!

Bass Pro was full of great photo opportunities...

...as was Rainforest Cafe!

If you've ever had the urge to sit on a giant Chicago-style hotdog, look no further than Gurnee Mills.

I decided to buy a gift card for Mrs. Lincoln. I'm sure she'll want to visit Gurnee Mills next time we're in the area.

Hotel Indigo Chicago/Vernon Hills

After all that shopping, I decided to regroup and take a quick snooze at Hotel Indigo in Vernon Hills.

I could have relaxed on the "o," but I had a nice room with my name on it.

I took advantage of the hotel's many amenities - including the iron to touch up my suit.

After a 15-minute power nap, I was ready for my next stop:

Viper Alley

My next stop was a behind-the-scenes look at the Viper Alley private event venue.

I took advantage of the great sound system and belted out some of my favorite songs.

You know I can't say no to dessert.

Up next was:

Whirlyball

Whirlyball in Vernon Hills was one of the most unique places I've ever visited.

Whirlyball is something you have to see to believe.

It combines basketball, hockey, lacrosse and bumper cars all rolled into one exciting sport.

Afterwards, I took aim for a game of laser tag.

Wildlife Discovery Center

I love animals, so I was excited about our stop at Wildlife Discovery Center.

Throughout the day, I "branched" out to get to know a variety of animals.

I even made friends with a bobcat...

..and this guy.

Luckily, not one of the animals tried to eat me.

I'm sure the snake was just giving me a hug.

Overall, I had a great time with all of the animals. And the views weren't half bad, either.

I was wiped out after another fun day, so I headed for my last stop of the day:

Embassy Suites Deerfield

I had worked up a large appetite throughout the day, so after arriving at Embassy Suites in Deerfield, I headed straight for Cadwell's Grille for some food.