Heading directly west from Chicago's downtown Loop, there is an outstanding garden oasis called the Garfield Park Conservatory. Having arrived in Chicago during the middle of winter the Conservatory was a welcomed retreat away from the cold. The conservatory is comprised of several large glass atriums filled with an abundant variety of plants, trees, and flowers. Several unique features to the conservatory at Garfield Park included a special atrium for children and a 'show' atrium filled with hanging inverted yellow umbrellas and special blooming plants featured by the Conservatory. For a suggested donation for $5 for adults a visit to the Conservatory was definitely worth it and I hope to go back very soon.
Located about six miles away from downtown Portland at the Alpenrose Dairy is a fun and rustic (to say the least) little western-style village that gets decked out for the holidays. Christmas in Dairyville features small 'stores' with two large model train sets, a confectionery selling donuts, a concession stand, and many stores/rooms filled with antiques and animatronic santas and elmos. The small village was really festive for families with children and it even had its own currency (pictured at the bottom) for Dairyville dollars. The largest attraction in the town, surprisingly was not Santa, but for Storybook Lane, which was a mixture of wonderland village, decorated for Christmas, telling the Christmas story, depicted with live animals that were mostly sleeping behind plexiglass and wire inside miniature barns and cottages. My one disappointment was not being able to eat any cheese or ice cream at the dairy. But the highlight was being able to meet Felipe--an adorable donkey who liked being petted on his head.
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| Midget track?... |
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| Goat? |
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| Felipe! |
