Cantigny

My family and I are always looking for something to do that costs little or nothing.  This past weekend was the last weekend before school started for everyone (except my oldest son who started this past Wednesday).  Plus we just got the new "family truckster", which we were itching to take out for a ride longer than to Jewel for groceries.  So we decided to go to Cantigny.

Even if you are from around here, you may not know about Cantigny.  Here is a description from there website:

Cantigny: Robert R. McCormick's Gift to the People of Illinois

Located in Wheaton, Ill., this sprawling, 500-acre park is where families wander through nature, get lost in history, play golf at an award-winningcourse, attend a big band concert, tag monarch butterflies, make a snow globe, take classes, introduce children to the age-old custom of afternoon tea, attend a wide variety of special programs and events --in short, spend quality time together.

In addition to vast formal gardens and picnic and camping grounds, Cantigny offers  two history-rich museums:  the  Robert R. McCormick Museum and the  Cantigny First Division Museum, fascinating for children and researchers alike.  

You can read more here

Here's what we love about Cantigny. It only costs $5 to park.  That's it.  Other than that, it's free.

You can tour Colonel McCormick's mansion - which is really cool.  They also have a fascinating war museum that is extremely interesting, and very well done.  I never thought a war museum would interest me, but this one surprised me.  

Here is the part that my kid love the most.  They have tanks from all the wars outside that the kids can climb on.  So on our most recent visit to Cantigny this past weekend, we spend most of our time climbing on the tanks since the weather was so beautiful.

So here are the my kids enjoying the tanks at Cantigny.

So if you are looking for something to do some weekend, I would highly recommend Cantigny.  My kids love it - and if they do, any will!  Check it out! :)

xo

Marie