Patch Passport: Skokie Offers Performing Arts Center, Holocaust Museum, Golf, Upscale Shopping

Round-trip travel to Las Vegas is currently running about $650. Miami? $600.

And with the current gasoline prices, one may think twice before taking a road trip National Lampoon style.

Here's a guide of fun things to do in your own backyard. Be sure to check out our other guides of Patch towns throughout Chicagoland.

Enjoy!

Sure, a round of golf at Augusta National in Augusta, GA, would be any golfer's dream. As a substitute, you can play nine holes at the Weber Park Golf Course. The course features almost 1,100 yards of green and has a rating of 35.5. A terrific par 3 course, it is an excellent place to practice the short game. The price: $11 on weekends and $10 on weekday. What are you waiting for?

Founded in 1974, the Northlight Theater Company plays musicals and plays at its 342-seat location at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. To date, it has put on more than 162 productions, including 33 world premiers. This summer, the performing art center will be showcasing The Outgoing Tide, which stars television star John Mahoney from Frasier.

You can check out their full lineup and prices by clicking here.

Fine dining 

Skokie has a variety of restaurants, from Afghan to sushi to Mexican, Russian and more. 

For fine dining, Jameson's Charhouse is a  short walk from the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts and features an impressive beer list and bills itself as a premier steakhouse. For more information, click here.

Driving range

You don't have to be Happy Gilmore or a golf pro to enjoy the pleasure of whacking a ball with a stick. The Sports Park Driving Range and Adventure Golf is the perfect getaway on the cheap. For $20, you get a bucket of golf balls to hit at the range.

If you're looking for something to do with the children, the spot has put-put golf and the batting cages. The Sports Park Driving Range & Adventure Golf is open until 11 p.m. on the weekends.

Westfield Old Orchard Mall is one of the busiest shopping centers in the nation. That being said, it has scheduled a plethora of events this summer, including the North Shore Festival of Art in July. 

The mall also has a variety of merchants--from Nordstrom to Bloomingdales to an Apple store--to check out. For a list of events at Westfield Old Orchard, be sure to friend it on Facebook or check out its website by clicking here.

A lesson in history

Founded by the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, the remembers all those lost and affected by the Holocaust during the Nazi regime and strives to educate visitors about current tragedies of genocide and hatred in the world.

People from all over the world come to see this iconic place. With special exhibits and events running all summer long, the center is the perfect place to learn some history and gain perspective in the process. Who knows, you could be in for a treat as former President Bill Clinton and author Eli Wiesel have been featured speakers at the museum.

Tickets are $10 for senior citizens, $6 for students and $5 for children. For more information, click here.