Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World at Cantigny Park Crafts a Magical Outdoor Exhibit of Vibrant Creatures

 

Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois adds an incredibly magical experience to a summer adventure to the park. At the exhibition's inception, forty-eight remarkable large-scale sculptures depicting fanciful animals were spread throughout the campus sparking a wonderous experience. Incredibly, artists are still creating more sculptures to add to the experience!

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A Nest of Trails, Lake Views and Forest Treasures at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton, Illinois

A Nest of Trails, Lake Views and Forest Treasures at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton, Illinois

Often, our hiking adventures have taken us to preserves all around Herrick Lake Forest Preserve. My interest piqued every time we drove past on our way to a different destination. On a sunny fall day, we finally adventured to Herrick Lake Forest Preserve and certainly were dazzled. Immediately upon parking, I was ready to soak in lake views. Herrick Lake presents a striking yet tranquil landscape. We noted a few visitors quietly sitting by the lake, some reading books. How could you not want to sit for awhile soaking up this view:

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Lincoln Marsh Natural Area: A Habitat Restoration Success Story in Wheaton, Illinois

 

Lincoln Marsh Natural Area: A Habitat Restoration Success Story in Wheaton, Illinois

Lincoln Marsh Natural Area provides for a unique ecological adventure right in Wheaton, Illinois. Our first adventure at Lincoln Marsh treated us not only to the brilliant colors of the changing seasons but a wealth of wildlife viewing wetlands, woodlands and prairie. 

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Celebrating Local Art and Local Business during Wheaton's "Love Where You Live" Window Art Event

 

Wheaton's "Love Where You Live" Window Art Event Celebrates Local During the Month of October

"Love Where You Live" creations add inspiring and whimsical window art in store fronts dotting downtown Wheaton. Each piece crafted by local artists encourages visitors to wander Wheaton discovering cheerful window art while exploring local businesses forming the fabric of the community.

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First Division Museum of Cantigny Park: Learning the History of The Big Red One

First Division Museum of Cantigny Park: Learning the History of The Big Red One

The Army's 1st Infantry Division or The Big Red One was the first Army division to deploy and engage in WWI, WWII and Vietnam. The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois takes visitors through the history of the First Division using a multimedia experience including artifacts, video, sound, virtual reality and more. My father served in the 1st Infantry Division during Vietnam, so we feel a particular connection to the museum. The museum was recently enhanced with new exhibits in 2017 that increase engagement and add more stories of the division. The museum does an excellent job of unfolding First Division history for a variety of ages.

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Bobcats Backstage at Cosley Zoo in Wheaton, IL

A couple of months ago, we visited Cosley Zoo in Wheaton, IL and enjoyed visiting with their residents -- native wildlife and farm animals of Illinois. During our excursion, we learned about an interactive program at the Cosley Zoo -- Bobcats Backstage. Bobcats Backstage is a unique program that allows families an up close experience observing bobcat training.

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Cosley Zoo in Wheaton, IL

With the lovely weather yesterday, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and visit Cosley Zoo in Wheaton. Cosley is a charming little zoo full of native wildlife and domestic farm animals. Due to its nice size, we spent many days there when our daughter was younger. We also love that the zoo focuses on local animals, so truly representing Illinois. A hidden gem!

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A Spring Day at Cantigny Park and the First Division Museum

Despite thunderstorms in the forecast, last Sunday turned out to be a spectacular day! The perfect day for an excursion--so we headed of to Cantigny Park in Wheaton. I have heard plenty of wonderful things about Cantigny Park in the past but I did not fully understand how grand the park is until I visited. I certainly left wondering how it was possible that we had not made the trip before!

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Christmas Tea at Suzette's Creperie in Wheaton

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.


Awhile back, we learned about a quaint little French restaurant in downtown Wheaton hosting a tea service. Surprisingly, tea services are hard to come by here in the suburbs. So when we learn about one, our interest is immediately piqued. Lacking the motivation to deal with the Black Friday Madness but still wanting to enjoy something special on the day after Thanksgiving, we headed over to Suzette's for a Christmas Tea.

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A Season of Lights

One of my favorite activities during the holiday season is ambling through light displays.  We spent yesterday visiting Santa, watching a holiday puppet show, and decorating the tree.  What would be better than a light show to cap off our day of merriment?  So, our family decided to venture out to one of the area's holiday light displays hosted by the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton.

The zoo is not very big, however, its light show did not disappoint in holiday charm.  Immediately upon entering the zoo, our spirits were lifted by a sea of Christmas trees and the wafting joy of carolers.  As we walked through the zoo, we were greeted by light displays in every corner.  Many of the light displays served as odes to the animals of the zoo.  There was a duck display near the duck pond, a pig display near the pigpen, and even a coyote display near the coyotes!  An added bonus--many of the animals were still out. 

Admission to the festival is free--another bonus!  However, the zoo hosts a Christmas tree sale and the gift store houses many festive items for purchase---so it is hard to leave without finding some holiday gem to purchase!

The light display was a great way to cap off our day of holiday cheer and really put us in the mood for the season.  If you are looking for a way to end one of your days of holiday fun, be sure to check out the light displays in your area.  If you are in my neck of the woods, give the Cosley Zoo a try!

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