Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
restaurants. If your kids are over age 8, I'd recommend spending a day in Oak
Park, visiting the museum, and taking a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home
& Studio. With younger children, I'd limit the visit to just the museum.
ESSENTIALS
BY CAR
Oak Park is about 30 minutes due west of downtown Chicago. Take
North Avenue west. You will travel about 9 miles straight on North Avenue to
the museum, which is located at Elmwood and North avenues, just west of
Ridgeland.
BY BUS
Take the no. 72 (North Ave.) bus from the corner of Clark Street and
North Avenue. It's about a 45-minute bus ride straight to the museum.
EXPLORING THE MUSEUM
Originally founded in 1991, Wonder Works lost its lease in 1995 and searched
for a new home, where it reopened in 2003. The 6,500-square-foot museum is
designed for kids up to age 10. The museum is funded by contributions from
the likes of the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, McDonald's, and the village of Oak
Park.
One permanent exhibit is
Lights, Camera, Action!,
a performance area that
allows kids to be stars with a low-rise stage, costumes, and backdrops. Kids can
sing a song, entertain the audience, and record it all on videotape. Professional
puppeteers and storytellers use the stage too during special events throughout
the year.
The
Great Outdoors
exhibit lets kids experience the wonders of the natural
nighttime world. Sounds and lighting set the mood and a canopy creates a beau-
tiful night sky; tents are set up near a glowing “campfire.” Kids can also climb a
ladder into a treehouse. A nature trail lets kids wander through the “outdoors,”
with surprises around every corner.
The
Build It!
exhibit allows children to become construction workers, archi-
tects, and engineers. Filled with a variety of small- and large-scale construction
materials, this exhibit lets children plan, design, and create anything they desire,
while developing their fine and gross motor skills.
6445 W. North Ave., Oak Park.
&
708/383-4815.
www.wonder-works.org. Admission $5 ages 1 and up.
Wed-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-5pm. Closed holidays.
WHERE TO EAT
An Oak Park tradition,
Peterson's,
located at 1100 W. Chicago Ave. (
&
708/386-
6131
), is an ice cream shop that's been serving up good ol' American favorites
since 1919. In addition to wonderfully rich ice cream (try the seasonal specials that
include peach in summertime and eggnog in winter), Peterson's also offers soup
and sandwiches for adults, and kiddie treats such as dinosaur-shaped chicken
nuggets. But the focus here is on dessert, so have your kids save plenty of room:
The specialty is the Merry-Go-Round, a chocolate sundae topped with animal
cookies and a parasol.
6 Cuneo Museum & Gardens
About 30 miles from downtown Chicago
Best for kids over 8, this historic mansion and grounds provide a glimpse into
how people lived 100 years ago. I wouldn't recommend this museum for very
young children.
