We were back again this year for the rare breeds show. There were a lot of horses this time…read morearound, and we met some wonderful people who raise Red Wattle Hogs, which is an endangered breed. There are only about 2,000 left in the world. I bought some handmade soap, and we ended our afternoon visit with a delightful piece of cherry cheesecake pie. It was a pure pleasure to get out of the city. We LOVE Garfield Farm.

The property managers here are fantastic. We were there taking wedding photos, and they could not…read morehave been more kind and accommodating. The grounds and buildings are beautiful. Take a day trip and check it out! Don't forget your camera.

A nice short trip from the city with family friendly atmosphere. Walking grounds, gardens and…read moremuseum to check out.

Loved the theme of "Wicked" for the experience! Listening to the music from the movies and the…read morechoreographed displays while walking thru the park was breathtaking! Add the smell of fires burning, the fresh snow, and the laughter of children - and i was transported to my childhood in MN. My only feedback was that there were areas that didn't get cleared, so they were inaccessible to the public. As they were listed in the attraction, I was disappointed to not be able to experience them. Especially when there was nothing at the beginning letting us know that parts were closed.

This place never gets old. I've been going here since a toddler. Recently I've seen the Spider-Man…read moreexhibit with my grandson and me had a blast. Brought me back to old times. Being able to see outfits and paraphernalia, and read things about Stan Lee and how great his mind worked was impressive. The last exhibit I saw was the James Bond exhibit. This two was outstanding. I wish I had known it was two separate rooms because I left the first one and thought it was it before tumbling upon the second room which had even bigger and better things. It's impressive how they had the James Bond car on display. I ended up buying quite a bit of James Bond paraphernalia at the end and wear it to this day.

My husband and I visited from Baltimore specifically to see the German U-505 submarine. The sub…read moretour was an extra $18 tacked onto the museum general admission price but it was worth it. I can not imagine 59 men packed into a sub with 1 bathroom and sharing bunk space. I'm slightly claustrophobic but the tour was only about 30 minutes and the distance toured was short. I can't imagine living on it for an extended period. We spent about 2 extra hours touring the rest of the museum but it must have been a field day for local schools, as it was packed with children. My second favorite exhibit was touring the Pioneer Zephyr train.

This museum isn't very big and can probably be walked through in right around an hour, but it is a…read morehidden gem. The museum is housed in the old Batavia Train Depot (hence the name!) and does a great job introducing the importance of the early railroad on the area. Some of the displays include an original caboose that you can walk through, a very cool reproduced ticket counter, a working Western Union morse code station, Mary Todd Lincoln's bed and dresser (she was treated at a nearby sanitarium after Abe's assassination), and, in the basement, an exhibit on the general history of the area. Check back often, as they have periodic presentations, as well. My kids absolutely loved the one on antique toys and games the museum put on this past summer. It's an inexpensive way to get the family out and about!

This is a great place to visit and learn about local history. From initial settlement, through the…read moreMary Todd Lincoln years, and up to recent history like Furnas Electric, the Depot Museum has something for everyone. There is also an extensive library for people who are researching their families.

** Kind Staff ** ** Fun Time **…read more We have been going to the Illinois Railway Museum for about eight years now and I wanted to share the love. Take an amazing journey through time with these amazing machines. Honestly, whether you're interested in trains or not, you will be captivated by the history stored at the Illinois Railway Museum. Some of these old locomotives are incredible, where they've been, being able to take a peek inside or actually walk into is so cool. This especially great if you have midwest pride, lots from the midwest. Fun stuff for the entire family as well. Train rides with Santa, ride Thomas the Train, great times. They have a dinner that slings a decent burger. There's been magic shows, music and food trucks. Despite the drive the family loves this place and we'll be back! Thanks Illinois Railway Museum!

We drove almost 4 hours from Indiana to go to the museum. We thought it was a nice place to visit…read moreand lots of trains and things to see. The down side was. When we purchased our tickets. The staff gave us no information on where to go in this massive place. So we asked an older gentleman in the hobby store. He told us that they would announce over the loudspeakers when the trains were boarding. We never heard one announcement all day long. There was no information any where. No direction on where to go the ride the trains or anything. The volunteers there had no distinguishing outfits so you couldn't tell who was there to help with information or who to ask. The cafe was very over priced for premade hamburgers and fries. We had a good time. But I guess our expectations were too high. We expected more probably wouldn't do the 4 Hour Drive again to go back.

How lucky are we to live in a city that house the incredible, iconic, and historic artwork that…read morefinds a home within The Art Institute of Chicago. I've been here many-a-time throughout my years. Some highlights include: Georgia O'Keefe's NYC series and Henry Matisse's Jazz cutouts. Come here to see other classics such as American Gothic, Nighthawks, and A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. You can spend a full day here, so plan accordingly. Also, if you live in Chicago or Illinois, consult your public library for free passes!

The decision to go to Chicago meant that I immediately began looking up landmarks from movies that…read moreI love, so obviously we had to make a trip to The Art Institute of Chicago. And was it incredible to stand in front of A Sunday on La Grande Jatte after watching Ferris Bueller for decades? Of course. It was an awe-inspiring experience that gave me literal goosebumps and even got me a little emotional. But the rest of The Art Institute is incredible, too. We barely scratched the surface and yet managed to see several iconic paintings -- including American Gothic and that famous Van Gogh self-portrait. Obviously we should've planned more than a couple of hours in the place. I feel like you could spend a week wandering around the place and you'd still feel like you hadn't seen everything. I really can't wait to go back someday.

What a fun and unique experience right in our backyard of the burbs. When you walk in you wouldn't…read moreeven know what to expect and as you walk through the museum it gets better with more history and more fun cars and exhibits to look at. From modern movies to historical sites, there's a little of everything. Heck you can even see Herbie there, or get on to a WWII car. I took my dad who isn't one for museums, and he had nothing but great things to say. He enjoyed looking at all of the war artifacts and even mentioned some that he saw growing up and shared some of his experience. Needless to say, this museum is great for all ages, boys and girls. So many great photo opps too! Can't wait to come back again soon!

The Volo Museum exceeded my expectations. There are five (5) showrooms of just vintage, specialty…read moreand historic cars and other vehicles. This is truly the place to visit for those that adore the quality and design of old vehicles of every spectrum. The Volo Museum is a treasure trove of fond memories, sparking our minds to recall for example The Good Humor man or a childhood Faris wheel or a family car long part of our distance past. The Titanic exhibit was well done as was the War Museum. Outstanding! Going to the Volo Museum in the off season or January as we did have many definite advantages. Kids are in school and it is practically empty of the mobs of people that could be there at peak times. There was very little interruptions of people getting in the way of taking fabulous pictures and being able to view every exhibit calmly, unobstructed and at your own pace. There is a lot to be said about freedom of movement without a crowd. Yes, you couldn't do much outside because it was closed for the cold season but most of the fantastic exhibits are on the inside. I would suggest arriving at 10am because you'll need most of the whole day to see everything and you'll want to see it all. We saw everything except the Jurassic Park display, but we were told it was pretty much for kids. We had no kids with us, plenty of adult things to do here. We ate in the car along the way as there isn't very many good dining options in the off season at the museum. The Volo Museum is super clean and well maintained. I highly recommend the Volo Museum!

The Field Museum is incredible. It's a research institution, and so there are tons of actual…read morescientists working in the building. The museum is huge, and has so many things to see. The dinosaur exhibit, especially the hall with SUE is amazing. We love coming here.

I'm sorry for being such a Debby downer, but the Field Museum hits differently as an adult. The…read morecontrasts from the alive, vibrance of the aquarium to the dead, dusty replicas of the field museum are stark. Walking through halls of posed and taxidermied animals was sad. While they have the r-rex's bones on display, much of the museum was replicas or casts. The museum is laid out strangely, with sections tucked into corners without signage. Oddly, some had too little signage, while other exhibits were all signs.

The Villa Museum was closed when we visited early April. However the grounds is still a pleasant…read moresite to walk around.

Very underwhelming. If you do not live nearby, it's not worth the drive. Took only about 5 to 10…read moreminutes to walk through the garden. The positives are that garden and parking is free.