It's the ultimate childhood dream: having a waterslide outside your window. With houseboat rentals from Starved Rock Adventures, that dream becomes a reality thanks to 8- or 12-person vessels with slides attached to the stern. Although each houseboat contains plenty of additional perks—from gas barbecues to grills powered by a pufferfish blowing on a match—excursions are rarely spent entirely aboard. On three-, four-, or seven-day vacations, inhabitants can hike surrounding valleys, fish for catfish and walleye, or even lounge on Starved Rock's private island beach.

Access to that space isn't just reserved for houseboat guests. Available for single-day rentals, pontoons, speedboats, and jet skis likewise whisk passengers away to idyllic slices of shoreline. Meanwhile, the company's paddlewheeler, "The Belle of the Rock," journeys on narrated tours that pass beyond Starved Rock to notable sights like the Plum Island Eagle Sanctuary. Along with opportunities to traverse the waters, visitors to Starved Rock can also remain onshore inside two-story, two-bedroom villas that fit up to six guests.