Turn winter break into an adventure
BY BETH ENGELMAN Mommy on a Shoestring December 19, 2011 2:57PM
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Updated: January 13, 2012 10:30AM
Hidden gems
Mom of two, Elisa Kronish Drake believes you don’t need to travel far to give your kids new opportunities and experiences. “The city and suburbs are filled with hidden gems,” says Drake, author of Day Trips from Chicago (GPP Travel 2011) and the soon-to-be released Insider’s Guide to Chicago (GPP Travel 2012). One such gem is the Brunk Children’s Museum of Immigration, which is part of the Swedish American Museum in Chicago (www.
swedishamericanmuseum.org). This interactive museum showcases Swedish American history with dynamic exhibits and kid friendly activities. Be sure to mark your calendars for their special Pippi Longstocking and Viking-themed breakfasts, which will take place later in 2012.
Drake is also a big fan of the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Visitor Center (www.jolietmuseum.org). Visiting this museum is like going back in time as families can “drive through” Route 66 or land on the moon. (Did you know Joliet has a special connection to Apollo 11?) Currently the museum is featuring a holiday toy exhibit that features popular toys from yesteryear.
Best bargain
Short on time and money? Then I have the perfect place for you. Here, you can get free books, movies, museum passes, video games and more. Where’s this wondrous place? Your local library. Besides being the best place to go for retail therapy, your local library is rich with boredom busting activities for kids and adults. I recently sat down with Sasha Vasilic and Shelley Sutherland of the Niles Public Library to discuss the resources and programs their library (as well as many other libraries) offer. These programs include drop-in story-times, movie screenings, workshops and reading incentive plans. In addition, Macy’s has teamed up with local libraries to offer free passes to select museums around the area including the Brookfield Zoo and Chicago Botanic Gardens. For more information about this exciting program visit www.museumadventure.org and be sure to visit www.pioneerlocal/mommy to learn about other happenings that are likely taking place at a library near you.
Easy overnighters
Who needs Florida when you have Rockford? This mid-sized city is home to the Discovery Center Museum, the Burpee Museum of Natural History and the Rockford Icehogs hockey team. While in Rockford you can also visit the CoCo Key Water Resort where your kids can frolic and play in the indoor water theme park. Another bonus? If you stay at the adjacent Best Western, you can get tickets to the park at a discount. As for dining, Drake recommends checking out Lino’s for old school Italian food (and free ice cream for kids) or the Stockholm Inn for really good Swedish-style food. For more information about Rockford visit www.gorockford.com.
Another fabulous family friendly destination is Indianapolis. During the holidays the city is hosting a number of activities including Santa sightings, light shows and carolers. The city is also home to a fantastic children’s museum, which is offering free admission on Christmas Eve from 10-2. Love dolphins? Then you’ll love the Indy Zoo, which boasts the world’s only underwater dolphin viewing dome. Be sure to check out the Rhythm! Discovery Center where kids can bang on drums and learn about instruments from other cultures (bring earplugs). For more information about Indianapolis visit www.aroundindy.com.
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