Introducing 365 Days of Fun

As we move into a new year, I, like many others am re-evaulting how I spend my time and making it a goal to do more of what I enjoy and what makes me happy. Two of those things are TRAVEL and FOOD. I've been writing for both for over 15 years now and have been blogging on both for several years. 

While I've been very active on the food blog, this travel blog doesn't see as much activity - and I'd like to change that. I love traveling with my family - both to places we have come to love and to places that are brand new to us. I'll plan to continue to blog about some of our travels in the upcoming year, but I'm also starting a new series on 365 of the places we have been and enjoyed that I think you should visit, too. So, look for a new place each day. I hope you'll enjoy learning about some of the spots we have loved visiting and consider visiting them yourself!

Macy's Holiday Window Displays

For kids in the Chicago area, a trip to State Street to view the window displays at Macy's (formerly Marshall Fields) is often an annual holiday tradition. This year, Macy's window's include an ode to Charlie Brown and the Peanuts and also a space/planet themed series. Strolling down State Street at Christmastime is a truly magical experience, no matter how old you are. Complete your visit with a stop in the food court, the purchase of some Frango Mints and lunch in the Walnut Room.

You can also take a short jaunt down Washington to Daley Plaza and visit Christkindlmarket while you're in the Loop. It's another holiday happening that is a must if you live in or around the city.

Festival of Lights returns to Lansing Historical Museum

Why head all the way to the Museum of Science and Industry to see trees of different countries and cultures when there's a significant exhibit in the burbs? The Lansing Historical Society's annual Festival of Lights is open for the season featuring about 30 trees, most of them representing different cultures around the world, with a few locally-focused trees added to the mix. The big undertaking of moving out regular displays and setting up and decorating trees is about a 4-week project and the results are amazing.

Admission to the exhibit is free and a special guided tour can also be set up for groups interested in visiting. Call (708) 474-7497 if you are interested in a tour. The Lansing Historical Museum has extended hours for the holiday season:

Monday and Tuesday: 6 - 8 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday:  3 - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

*Also, the museum is open for viewing on Dec. 12 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. prior to the library's Legacy Girl's Concert.

Lansing Historical Museum

(housed in the lower level of the Lansing Public Library)

2750 Indiana Avenue

Lansing, IL

Chicago's ChristkindleMarket

If you have never visited Chicago's Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza, it's a fun holiday tradition that need to be on your itinerary. Modeled after Nuremberg's traditional holiday market which originated in Germany in the 1500's, Christkindlmarket came to Chicago in 1996 and was moved to it's current spot at Daley Plaza in 1997. It's Chicago's largest open-air Christmas market.

It opens daily at 11 a.m., so you can pay a visit in the daytime hours when you're likely to see less of a crowd and have a little warmth from the sun.

The plaza is lined with little booths with most of the vendors coming from Germany and it's region selling beautiful handcrafted wares - jewelry, clocks, ornaments and more. You'll also find German entertainment and lots of hearty, German food and spiced wine in adorable commemorative boot mugs. There's activities for kids that you can pursue online - scavenger hunts and a passport for stamping.

My friends, Debbie and Lynn joined me for a visit to Christkindlmarket on opening day - on a surprisingly and pleasantly warm evening before our first snowfall.

Unfortunately we had just come from a tasting at a newly-opened restaurant and were too full to enjoy a meal, but I did grab some potato pancakes to take home.

The skyline of Chicago was a beautiful background. The only think I missed was the big Christmas tree, which was moved to Millennium Park this year.

Also, there's a Christkindlmarket that has been added in Oakbrook this year, so if you'd rather visit a market in the burbs, stop there for some of the same vendors. Visit Christkindlmarket.com for info on both locations.

Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm

Twenty-one years ago we made our first trip to Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm when my son was a baby. We went for several consecutive years and missed the past three years, so I thought it was time that we return to the place that held so many fall memories for our family. My in-laws went with us every year and two years ago my father-in-law passed away and last year my mother-in-law moved to Missouri to live near her sister and mother, so this was the first trip without them, which made it kind of bittersweet. I look forward to one day bringing grandkids of my own there.

The place is such a fun magical place, especially when you have very little ones. Every year the kids looked forward to returning to the haunted house and the fun barn, taking a hay ride and watching the pig races. It's expanded a bit in recent years and now has rides, a petting zoo and more. It's a great way to spend a fall day.

There are still a few days left in the season, so if you have yet to pick out pumpkins or you're looking for an alternative to trick-or-treating this weekend, make plans for a visit. Visit pumpkinfarm.com for more information.

The pig races are always fun to watch.

Get your Cubs haircut at ACME Hotel

Chicago is an exciting place to be this October as the history-making Chicago Cubs team has made its way to the NLCS. And as the city looks to welcome the team back for a three-game home stretch in the series before heading back to New York, ACME Hotel is offering up something for those who bleed Cubbie Blue. 

There are Cubs fans. And there are Cubs fans who get an image of Jake Arrieta shaved into their head. Miguel Rosas, whose cut went viral earlier this month will be available for cuts before the big games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Rosas' Jake Arrieta haircut became world famous during the Cubs postseason. He'll be at the hotel for a pop-up barbershop on October 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fans can stop by the hotel to get their own Cubs-themed haircut from Rosas before heading out to watch the Cubs take on the Mets in the NLCS. Rosas is owner of Moline's  New Style Barbershop. 

The famous haircut that set social media abuzz belongs to Isaiss Duarte, the son of one of Rosas' close friends. Duarte will also be there for the event.

Rosas will offer Cubs-themed haircuts from his custom barber chair at ACME. Appointments are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

"Our whole motto at ACME is Do Your Thing, so when we saw Miguel's photo we were so impressed with his individuality and artistry that we had to reach out and see if we could do something fun and creative together," says Brent Hinton, Director of Sales and Marketing for ACME. For more info on ACME Hotel, 15 E. Ohio Street, visit www.acmehotelcompany.com or call 312-894-0900.

Santa's Village: East Dundee, Illinois

For years and years I remember hearing radio commercials for Santa's Village in East Dundee and it sounded like such a fun place. However, it wasn't until last year that I finally made it there for a visit. My sister-in-law and my youngest boys went there to check it out.

Santa's Village celebrated 55 years of family fun and I really love the nostalgic feel of the place that takes you back a few decades. We went in the gate and were immediately greeted by Santa - which, of course, called for a selfie.

Once inside, the first thing we hit was the classic carousel before moving on to some of the other fun rides. Most of them are probably ideal for 10 and under. Some have restrictions for kids being under 54 inches. Others require adults with the little riders. There were so many fun old-school rides there that I remember riding at our local carnival and at Kiddieland in Melrose Park.

My boys had a fun time. I think their favorite ride was the fire truck, where each rider had a real hose to spray water and a mock house with a real flame. The bumper cars were also a popular ride with them. I also loved the animal element. If you have kids who aren't big on rides or who love the zoo, they'll have a great time checking out the reindeer, camels and other animals and feeding some of them out of their hands.

Visit SantasVillageDundee.com for information on rides, rates and more for the 2015 season, which kicked off earlier this month. The park is currently open on weekends.

**Disclosure: I received complimentary admission to the park to enable me to write an accurate post. All opinions are my own.