There's A Vintage Mini-Golf Park In Illinois, And It's One Of The Quirkiest Places You'll Ever Go
By Linze Rice|Published April 26, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
More fun than normal golf, mini-golf is one of America’s most treasured pastimes. It makes the normally serious sport more exciting and accessible so that everyone can partake and enjoy. Nothing is better than the thrill of snagging a hole in one (instead of getting your bright green ball stuck in the fake alligator pond, again). If you’re among those who love to putt on a smaller scale and appreciate the quirkiness of an old-school business, then you’ll agree this Lincolnwood spot has the best mini-golf in Illinois.
Novelty Golf & Games and its beloved restaurant, The Bunny Hutch, are located at 3650 W. Devon Ave. in Lincolnwood, Illinois, along the diving line of neighboring Chicago.
Linze Rice
The facility was founded in 1949 and contains two, 18-hole courses filled with vintage statues, homemade decor, and even some nods to modern-day pop culture. The grounds are also beautifully landscaped, with scores of colorful flowers, bushes, and trees attracting butterflies in the spring and summer.
A huge green Brontosaurus is among the favorites, as well as its friend, the T-Rex. Both are preferred photo opps for first-time visitors and regulars, alike.
The 18th hole for one of the courses ends at this massive head depicting Frankenstein's monster atop a spooky castle. Notice the Sears Tower (aka Willis Tower) in the background!
When you're finished with your putting, there's still plenty to do! Pro tip: Make sure you stop by this incredible vintage photo booth, which prints out two black-and-white strips for you to keep forever. No goofy borders or digital copies — these are the real deal.
Just across the photo booth are the batting cages, which offer different speed levels and an array of bats and helmets to choose from. Batters trade-in cash for Novelty coins, select either baseball or softball, and get to slugging.
If you need a quick cool down, you can also head to the mini-arcade, which showcases walls full of old-school pinball and joystick games, as well as some more modern options, like racing simulators.
Of course, anyone who comes to Novelty Golf & Games MUST stop by the Bunny Hutch restaurant. In fact, the entire property is often lovingly referred to as just "the Bunny Hutch." The diner is a red and yellow shack that's easily recognized by its friendly bunny statue out front.
You can eat from a handful of indoor tables and booths, or opt for one of the patio spots. The Bunny Hutch serves up all the greasy spoon classics like hot dogs, pizza, cheese fries, burgers, gyros, and milkshakes. Special points if you noticed the hippo-topped garbage can in the background.
