Chicago, IL

Starting today, July 5th, northwest suburbanites of Chicago will be forced to find another place to run, walk or bicycle, because Busse Woods Forest Preserve (also called Ned Brown) will be closed for repairs. People can still use the preserve for fishing and other activities, as long as the don’t walk on the paved paths. The cracks in the asphalt are being filled and then the trails will be sealed with new asphalt.

The month of July seems like the worst time of the year to close the trail, but, according to the Cook County Forest Preserve District Superintendent Steve Bylina, the work has be done at a time when the temperature will be over 70 degrees.

If you are looking for an alternative, check out these links for a list of other places you can run or bicycle, until Busse Woods opens back up for business in August.

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This weekend, June 23 and 24, Wheeling, Illinois will host to Brickworld 2007, which calls itself the “1st Annual LEGO Exposition.” The exposition will take place at the Westin Chicago North Shore.

The event will showcase thousands of displays spread over 15,000 square feet of event space, including castles, sculptures, and trains. The event will also feature competitions, demonstrations, raffles, and auctions.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and are available at the door only. For more information on the event, visit the official Brickworld site.

This weekend is the Naperville Festival Naper Days. The event takes place June 15th, 16th, and 17th at Naper Settlement, located at 523 Webster St., in Downtown Naperville. There will be a “Taste of Naperville” featuring food from the various restaurants in the area so that you can learn what great food Naperville has to offer.

Each day will provide plenty of musical entertainment, including a “Battle of the Mid-Life Crisis Bands” on Sunday. Other events include bingo, the the Jesse White Tumblers and a pie eating contest. There are also great attractions for children, including a petting farm, hands-on crafts, and a children’s entertainment stage. For a full list of all the events, including scheduled times, check out the Naper Days website.

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If you are looking for a new location to run, walk, bicycle, or perhaps a great place to have a family picnic, consider the Busse Woods Forest Preserve, also called the Ned Brown Forest Preserve. The preserve covers 2700 acres in Northwest Cook County. There are 11.2 miles of winding trails that are suitable for cycling, as well as running and walking. There is a bridge that connects the two sides of the preserve, and crosses over Higgins Road.

Throughout the preserve are meadows, trees, plant life, and a 590 acre lake that make for beautiful scenery. There are even a few spots that are great for fishing.



One added bonus of the forest preserve is that there is an Elk Herd, which is appropriately located in Elk Grove Village. You can’t find that in the city!

The preserve is easily accessible from the city via I-290. There is plenty of parking at several areas throughout the preserve. Click here for a map of the preserve or here for more information on the preserve.

Please Note: Unfortunately, according to signs at the preserve, the path will be under construction starting at the end of July and running through most of August, so be sure to keep that in mind when scheduling your visit.

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Although the city of Chicago has a wonderful (and free) zoo in Lincoln Park, there is another zoo outside the city that is worth the trip if you are an animal lover. The Brookfield Zoo, located in the suburb of the same name, features 216 acres of beautiful grounds, home to a wide variety of interesting animals. The zoo is a short drive from the city via I-290 and is also serviced by the Burlington Northern line of the Metra suburban transit system.

The zoo has a new exhibit called Stingray Bay, which features cownose rays and southern stingrays in a 16,000 gallon tank. Visitors can actually touch the rays as they pass by, making it an exciting experience for children and adults.

For more information about visiting the zoo, including hours and admission fees, check out their official website.

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In April of 2005, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened for business in Springfield, Illinois. Although Springfield is technically not a suburb of Chicago, at 200 miles away it is too far to earn that title, I love the museum so much I thought I would include it in my weekly feature.

The museum is part history lesson, part mini theme park, complete with replicas of Abe and his family and interactive shows. I had the honor of being one of the first guests at the museum on opening day back in 2005, which was a fun day complete with several Abe Lincoln impersonators milling around in the town.

One of the sculptures in the museum

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The Chicago Botanic Garden is a lush oasis located in Glencoe, Illinois. The 385 acre Garden is home to 23 display gardens spread out over nine islands, which are separated by lakes. They also host educational programs and cooking demonstrations. The beautiful plants and flowers also serve as a background for many wedding photographers on the weekends, and the Garden is available as a reception location.
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The Illinois Railway Museum, located in Union, Illinois is home to a large, historic collection of locomotives, as well as other aspects of railroading. Throughout the various buildings that contain the trains, visitors can also see hundreds of old signs, such as railroad crossing signs and railway advertisements.

In addition to exploring the many barns filled with trains of the past, visitors to the museum can also experience a ride on one or more of the several historical trains that the museums runs.

For more information about visiting the Illinois Railway Museum, including hours, visit their website.

This is the first installment of a new feature here at the Chicago, IL blog: Tuesday Travels to Suburbia. Although the city has so much to offer, there are some gems located outside the city in the surrounding suburbs. And I am not just talking about the IKEA!

For today’s installment, I give you the Morton Arboretum. It was founded by J. Stanley Morton who is credited with starting the Arbor Day Holiday. The arboretum features 1,700 acres, including 14 miles of hiking trails. In addition to a wide variety of trees from over 50 different countries, the arboretum is also home to thousands of plant and flower species. It also includes a children’s garden and a maze garden. The Morton arboretum is located in Lisle, Illinois which is approximately 25 miles southwest of Chicago.

Below are some photos of the west side of the arboretum.

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