With a 2 year old and a 6 year old, we headed through Wisconsin making our first stop at the Wisconsin Dells, a well known resort area for summer and winter known for indoor and outdoor waterparks, and all around family fun.
We stayed at the Kalahari resort. After a day of swimming, our kids were worn out and ready to move on, surprisingly.
We spent the next morning at the arcades, indoor go carts and ropes course, where our 6 year old was very brave!
Next it was on to Chicago. Very cold for the beginning of March, when most people are traveling to warmer areas for spring break! We did a whirlwind tour of the museums - hopping from building to building in one, very long day. First was the field museum, home of the T-rex named Sue, and more archeological and natural history than you could ever see in one day - yet we tried!
Mummies! The field museum has lots of mummies and egyptian artifacts. It made us think - How would we like it if thousands of years from now people lined up to stare at our bodies?
The Mayan Calendar - The one everyone thought prophesied the end of the world...The kids aren't in this picture to show how large it is - this was ENORMOUS! At least 10 feet across!
Sue! The most complete and largest T-rex Skeleton in the world. This was initially discovered on the South Dakota/Wyoming border by the Black Hills institute by an intern named....Sue. After a lengthy court process accusing the paleontologists of "stealing" the bones from federal land ( which they had permission from the rancher who had the property), it was auctioned to the highest bidder and went to the Field Museum for the world to see.
Next was the Shedd Aquarium. We would have loved to have spent more time there, but they were in the midst of remodeling, and they had many exhibits closed and multiple large field trips going on. Note to self : Check ahead to see when field trips are at a particular place. I am grateful school kids get to visit these places, but it is extremely hard to navigate when they are there and my kids end up missing out on seeing things because of the large groups. And that is how your 2 year old gets lost in a group of 75 sixth graders from Gary Indiana. Thankfully he was quickly found!
Next was the Adler planetarium. My oldest was still deep into his love of space, so this was a good stop. The displays were amazing and they really had a lot of educational explanations as well as a lot of hands on things for the kids to do.
Last stop was the Museum of Science and industry. This was the boys favorite as 1. they love science 2. There were lots of things that moved, had wheels, gears, etc. and 3. Lots of things to climb in and on!
A beautiful steam locomotive. Great for little boys who love Thomas the Tank engine ;)
One of the biggest model train setups I had ever seen! Complete with Chicago skyline, small towns, rivers, hills, farms.
The boys got to try to maneuver a submarine. One of the best exhibits is the U505, donated to the museum in 1954. , It is one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II. You are able to tour the boat and see what life was like for naval forces underwater in cramped quarters for long periods of time. Other fascinating exhibits are the enigma, the machine that was on the U505 that Germans used to code their messages. The US was able to figure out the machine and thus could intercept and decode German messages from submarines until the end of the war.
After briefly stopping at Navy Pier and having dinner at Bubba Gumps, we were exhausted! We headed back towards Minnesota, and found one of the most memorable , quirky places we have ever seen - The house on the rock.
The "house" sits atop Deer Shelter Rock, a column of rock approximately 60 feet, built in the 1950's. Throughout the years, various patchworks of oddly connected buildings were added along with an extensive array of eccentric collecitons - everything from clocks to a giant whale, dolls, the world's biggest carousel, and self playing orchestras. It is truly just as they advertise " so much to see, so hard to explain".
Just outside the main " house", there is a long walkway that ends in a point with a glass floor so you can look over the " rock" to the valley below. Not for those afraid of heights.....
The original " main" house. A mix of vintage " vegas style" velvet and shag, mixed with natural rock and lots of tiffany glass.
These are just some of the elaborate self playing orchestras and calliopes. There was room after room after room of these!
And the world's largest carousel. No two animals are alike. The shame is that no one can ride it, it just eerily plays organ music as it goes around and around without any riders.
The last stop was the National Eagle Center in Wabasha MN, along the Mississippi river. We followed the river home, and as it was the time of year that the bald eagles migrate back south along the river, we saw 78 ( yes, we counted) eagles along the way!
The eagle center is situated in a prime area to see eagles, and is dedicated to research and conservation of bald eagles and other raptors. Great learning for the kids, and grownups too!
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