Gurnee, Illinois

Gurnee ( ghər-NEE) is a village in Lake County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,706. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it borders the city of Waukegan. It is roughly 40 miles (64 km) north of Chicago and 50 miles (80 km) south of Milwaukee. The village was founded in 1928 and is named after former Chicago mayor Walter S. Gurnee. The village is a major regional tourist attraction, home to the Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor Chicago amusement park and water park complex, the Gurnee Mills shopping mall, and the Great Wolf Lodge resort. Attracting more than 23 million visitors annually, Gurnee is accessible via Interstate 94 which runs directly through the village. Gurnee is home to the corporate headquarters of High Sierra Sport Company.