This past weekend, before the weather got really hot, we were able to go to the Morton Arboretum. It is located in Lisle, which is a bit of a drive for us so I was a little concerned that the Arboretum would be worth the trip, but it totally was. Now I wish it was closer so we could go more often! The bulk of the Arboretum is nature trails for hiking, jogging, or biking and would be awesome if you were without kids or had a small kid in a backpack or on the back of your bike, but if you are coming with your kids it's best to just do things close to the entrance.
When you first walk in there is a really cool maze with tall hedges that is fun to run through. Midway through the maze there is a lookout you can climb up to watch others fumbling through the maze or locate your run away kids. Seriously, though, if you have really small kids do not let them take off running through the maze without you or you may have a brief panic attack when you can't immediately locate them.
Once you are past the maze there is an amazing Children's Garden. It's huge, 4 acres huge, with so many fun and interesting things for kids to do. Each time my kids thought they had found the funnest thing in the garden they discovered something new and better. There are little houses, sculptures, and playgrounds for the kids to climb all over. Some of the girls favorites were Wonder Pond, where they could take off their shoes and walk along rocks in a pond full of tadpoles, the Grotto and Secret Stream, where they could also wade in the water, and a suspension bridge the went through a small wooded area. Also, tucked in the middle of the Garden was a little shaded workshop area with tables and benches. The activities set our included a collection of edible plants to see and smell, a Velcro activity that allowed the children to see what ingredients are combined to make things like pizza and salsa, and a little craft where the kids could make seed necklaces. A great way to take a break between adventures. We were at the Arboretum for about 2.5 hours and basically spent the whole time in the Children's Garden.
The admission cost is $12/adult, $9 for children, and kids 2 and under are free. The Arboretum is open every day, year round. The hours for the Children's Garden are 9:30 AM - 5 PM March through October and 9:30 AM - 4 PM the rest of the year. There is a restaurant located inside the Arboretum that serves breakfast and lunch options including sandwiches, salads, and kid stuff like chicken fingers and hot dogs. The menu is available on the Arboretum website (www.mortonarb.org). We did not eat in the restaurant so I can't comment on the quality of the food. There are also lots of good spots to set up a picnic, as well. You are allowed to bring in food and drinks. If you've got small ones, definitely bring a stroller or wagon.
We had two sets of grandparents in town this weekend for my daughter's birthday and it is always difficult to find an activity that 6 very different adults and two small kids will all enjoy. The Morton Arboretum was perfect. The girls were able to run around and the Children's Garden was interesting enough to hold the aduts' interest too. The Arboretum has lots of children's programming so definitely check the website to see what kind of cool activities are coming up. There is also a new exhibit called Treehouse Tales that opens June 15th and will include six treehouse structures. If it is anything like what is already at the Arboretum, I'm sure it will be very fun.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Brookfield Zoo
We've been to the Brookfield Zoo on a few occasions and visited again this past weekend for Mother's Day. It was a really nice day and very busy but you don't generally feel like you are tripping over people at the zoo because it is so spacious. We all really enjoyed seeing the kangaroos, hippos, zebras, and giraffes in their nice spacious homes. It seems like whenever we go to the zoo the animals are always just laying about but this time they were very active, which was fun to see. It has been a few years since we last have been to the Brookfield Zoo and in that time a new bear exhibit has opened. As part of the Great Bear Wilderness area there are buffalo, eagles, and different types of bears. It is a very nicely organized area and I would recommend checking it out while you are there.
We did not eat at the zoo during this visit mainly because we had such a bad experience last time. The food was not good and not cheap. It seems as though a few more dining options may have opened up since we were there last time but I would still recommend a picnic or eating before or after your visit. You are allowed to bring in food and there are several large areas throughout the zoo with picnic tables where you can dine. There are two large, nice playgrounds located at opposite ends of the zoo with picnic tables next to them that make a really nice place for lunch.
My one complaint with the zoo is price. First you have to pay $10 for parking. Then general admission is $15 per adult and 10.50 per child 3 and up. That's just to see some of the exhibits. In order to see the Dolphin Show, Stingray Bay, Children's Zoo, Family Play Zoo, Butterflies and to ride the carousel you have to pay extra for each. The total price can really add up. When we went, we did not pay for any of the extras except for a couple of carousel rides ($2.50 per kid) and we were able to see plenty of interesting stuff. I'm sure the attractions that you pay extra for are really good, however it becomes really expensive for a family to visit the zoo when these costs are added on to admission and parking. As with all of these type of places, the zoo offers a yearly membership that could be a more economical option for your family if you go multiple times throughout the year.
Overall, we had a really great time at the zoo last weekend. The girls really enjoyed seeing the animals and riding on the carousel. We were there for a couple of hours and didn't come close to seeing everything so you definitely don't need to pay for the special exhibits to have a full day at the zoo. It ended up being a great way to spend the day.
We did not eat at the zoo during this visit mainly because we had such a bad experience last time. The food was not good and not cheap. It seems as though a few more dining options may have opened up since we were there last time but I would still recommend a picnic or eating before or after your visit. You are allowed to bring in food and there are several large areas throughout the zoo with picnic tables where you can dine. There are two large, nice playgrounds located at opposite ends of the zoo with picnic tables next to them that make a really nice place for lunch.
My one complaint with the zoo is price. First you have to pay $10 for parking. Then general admission is $15 per adult and 10.50 per child 3 and up. That's just to see some of the exhibits. In order to see the Dolphin Show, Stingray Bay, Children's Zoo, Family Play Zoo, Butterflies and to ride the carousel you have to pay extra for each. The total price can really add up. When we went, we did not pay for any of the extras except for a couple of carousel rides ($2.50 per kid) and we were able to see plenty of interesting stuff. I'm sure the attractions that you pay extra for are really good, however it becomes really expensive for a family to visit the zoo when these costs are added on to admission and parking. As with all of these type of places, the zoo offers a yearly membership that could be a more economical option for your family if you go multiple times throughout the year.
Overall, we had a really great time at the zoo last weekend. The girls really enjoyed seeing the animals and riding on the carousel. We were there for a couple of hours and didn't come close to seeing everything so you definitely don't need to pay for the special exhibits to have a full day at the zoo. It ended up being a great way to spend the day.
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