River Grove, Illinois: Hala-Kahiki Tiki Bar

What could be better than escaping the frigid tundras of Chicago and relaxing into the tropical decadence of 1960s Polynesia? A short trip to the Hala-Kahiki!

We went to this famous tiki bar in the dead of winter and were warmed by the neon bananas, back-lit tiki heads, and rum laden cocktails. This classic bar opened in 1966 and has been the place for Chicagoans to meet and get their dates tipsy ever since. They specialize in tropical drinks (check out the black cherry daiquiri, the Tonga Trader, or the Lava Flo) and nibble the only food they serve: salty pretzels in a clam shell bowl.

True to the origins, the waitresses wear classic Hawaiian dresses, the lights are very low to better accent the scores of coconut-inspired decoration, and the table lamps each feature a real miniature pineapple.

A trip to the Hala-Kahiki is like walking into a 60s Mid-Westerner's idea of paradise. Gaze at your date by the glow of an illuminated dried blowfish, and you'll be tempted to rat your hair into a beehive, put on a coconut bra, and declare your love forever!