This Free Garden Park In Illinois Is A 500-Acre Paradise
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published September 09, 2018
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
There’s an amazing park in Illinois that is home to many different attractions to enjoy. Nature, history, food, and much more abound at this free garden park in Wheaton. With so much to do, you may have to stay all day.
Though free to enter and look around, there many attractions within the park that may require your wallet. Check it out:
Cantigny Park is a 500-acre oasis of gardens, restaurants, golf, and shopping that is like nothing you've ever visited before. Located in the west suburbs of Chicago, this one-of-a-kind place will give you a unique adventure.
The park is named for the United State's first victory in World War I. The grounds were inhabited by Colonel Robert R. McCormick in the 1920s until he died in 1955. It opened to the public in 1958.
The most popular thing to do here is roam the 29 acres of gardens that make Cantigny Park something special. There are several different types of gardens to explore, and you may not get to them all in one day.
Guests can enjoy the Formal Gardens, the Hosta Garden, the Idea Garden, the Prairie Garden, the Rose Garden, and Reflection Point. Obviously different seasons make different areas better to view at different times.
You'll definitely want to have your camera out and ready for all the sights found here. Ponds, bushes, flowers, and other immaculately landscaped areas make a trip to this free garden park a day to remember.
Guests will find many things in these gardens to satisfy all the senses. See, hear, smell, touch, and even taste some of the things that grow at Cantigny.
The grounds also contain the Robert R. McCormick Museum, which showcases the life of the colonel who lived here for so many years, leaving a legacy that will never die. There is also the First Division Museum where you can learn all about the First World War.
Kids who love history will especially enjoy the outdoor tank park. You can climb all over these gigantic old war machines and pretend you're part of the American army.
As previously mentioned, there are also several dining options at this park. There is a brand new bistro that recently opened as well as a brunch buffet and grill at the golf course. Both places offer hearty meals that will keep you full all day long.
There is also a gift shop on-site where you'll find many garden gadgets and decor.
This free garden park is beautiful any time of year, and you'll especially want to visit this upcoming fall when the trees change. More than 300,000 people come to Cantigny Park each year, and you're going to want to be one of them.
