Plenty for Everyone at Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

 

I had planned to go to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis a few times over the years and something always came up at the last minute. I was determined to visit this place I had heard nothing but good things about and I finally made it happen.

 

Kimberly Harms Robinson, the museum’s Director of PR and Media Relations, and I kept in touch, and she helped me plan the day with my friend, Mary, and her granddaughters, Thea and Rowan. We also took my service dog, Teddy, along to his first museum.

 

The Children’s Museum is really two attractions in one. It’s floors of indoor exhibits and experiences, and an outdoor sports complex like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

Kimberly met us at the entrance, and we decided we were all hungry and we’d start with lunch. Instead of the usual cafeteria, this museum has a food court with choices for the whole family, from pizza to sandwiches to coffee drinks and ice cream.

 

After lunch, we headed to Dinosphere. Here you can learn everything you could want to know about dinosaurs. The kids were enthralled, and they found plenty of hands-on experiences. That is a theme throughout. There is no chance to get bored with all the opportunities.

What makes Dinosphere so appealing is its based-on reality. The staff includes paleontologists who have worked with fossils on digs. They are available to answer questions and kids can go into the lab and see real fossils. The museum also partners with universities and centers around the world to make this exhibition as real as possible.

 

Other exhibits to check out include Spaceship Earth, where you can see what astronauts do while they are in space; All Aboard, a 19th-century steam engine you can ride and pretend to operate; and ScienceWorks, a place where everyone has the chance to see how scientists work and ask questions along the way.

 

The Indiana museum also has Playscape, which is set up for those five and under to enjoy. It’s not just a playground as there are learning opportunities here too.

From May until October, The Riley Sports Complex is open outside at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. I was with younger kids who were more interested in the play inside, but I ventured outside and was impressed with the setup.

 

Throughout the complex you will see tributes to many of the state’s most famous athletes, such as basketball’s Oscar Robertson, hockey’s Wayne Gretsky, football's Reggy Wayne, and tennis player Barbara Wynne. These sports stars all have bronze statues.

Just like the indoors, the sports complex is filled with experiences guests can partake in. In this case it’s the actual sports. Among the dozen options you will find baseball, football, and soccer fields; basketball and tennis courts; a hockey rink, and a racing track. As you can imagine, older kids can spend hours going from sport to sport.

 

I was in my scooter and tempted to play myself. Had I wanted to, it probably could have been arranged as the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis takes accessibility seriously. I found the entire museum to be wheelchair friendly. They also have accommodations for those with neurodivergent issues, and there are sign language interpreters and hearing devices available.

We didn’t get to the museum until the afternoon so we couldn’t see and do everything we wanted to before closure. I recommend arriving early and spending the entire day there to get to see and do more. I will definitely be back someday.

I received some complimentary experiences on this trip, but opinions are my own.

The Safari in Central Illinois

It had been a couple of years since I visited AikmanWildlife Adventure in Arcola, Illinois, less than an hour from where I live. The first time, I was impressed and excited. I had never seen anything like this in a small town that’s basically in the middle of nowhere.

 

I had been anticipating having the same feeling when I returned recently, but I found it was even stronger as there was much more to experience as this adventure is like no other I’ve seen anywhere in the U.S.

James Aikman, whose family owns Aikman Wildlife, met me inside the shop, which  is also home to some of the smaller creatures, like Jax the McCaw, a lemur,  an iquana, and a sloth (for which they are planning encounters.

 

The dream for a park like this came from James and he and his wife, Kelsey, purchased the former Rockhome Gardens property in 2015. It is fittingly run with mostly members of their large family.

Just a walk around the property brings you next to free roaming peacocks, servals, spotted hyenas, wolf pups, and an aviary for  waterfowl. We went through a barn where some of the newer animals, many of who are rescues, are preparing to move to the petting zoo or drive through. We saw some pygmy goats who were on their way. This property is 40 acres and half of that is drive through. Five have not yet been developed.

 

There are many things to do at Aikman Wildlife, but my absolute favorite is the Off-Road Adventure, which you can get with the Behind the Scenes Adventure or on its own. It is what makes this place so unique.

 

You will feel like you are on a safari in an open-air jeep as the animals come right into the vehicle and you have a chance to hand feed them. This includes zebras,  donkeys, camels, bison, and more large creatures. They are friendly, especially when the prospect of food is there. It was something I repeated with Jim on this visit I took with my daughter.

 

If you aren’t quite so adventurous, don’t worry, Aikman Wildlife has many other options for your day that includes walking tours and wagon rides and walk-throughs.

Save some time for the Museum of Prehistoric Life. This wasn’t around on my previous trip and it’s an experience the whole family will enjoy. I love the fact that it’s all about hands- on. Touching the statues of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures is encouraged. All of them were 3-D  printed.

 

We also went to a building that was not there on my last visit, the Serengeti. This is the new venue center which is especially popular for weddings. Although the converted barn can have a reception for 200, you can have a ceremony in many different spots throughout the park.

The other thing that is new to me is the  Wildlife Manor, where they have opened the first of their cabins. You can sleep surrounded by animals right outside the building. The cabin sleeps up to six guests and can be booked through Airbnb.

 

Aikman Wildlife Adventure is located in Arcola, Illinois, in the middle of Amish country. Details on their offerings,  as well as the ability to purchase tickets in advance, is available on their website.

More Activities on Fair Oaks Farm

We had a good night’s sleep at the Fairfield Inn on Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana. The room was quite spacious for three adults, an 8-year-old, and an 11 lb. yorkie who was a bit excited to have three different beds to chose from.

Breakfast is included at the hotel, and it was a nice buffet. We filled up on eggs, bacon, and waffles, and explored a little before heading outside. It was another cold day, so we dressed warmly.

We went to check out the Igloos, a highlight of the Forest of Lights celebration. They are considered part of the Farmhouse Restaurant and are just outside those doors. They were heated and quite cozy. We were just supposed to go in for hot chocolate, but we were so comfortable we decided to stay a little longer for Mimosas, cheesecake, fries, and smoked brisket chili.

When it was time for us to go to the Pig Adventure (you get times for tours when you purchase your tickets) we went to the bus. There are many different packages available, or you can buy individual tickets to a single activity. The farm also has educational classes throughout the year.

The bus was equipped with a wheelchair lift, so I had no problem getting my scooter on. Teddy was happy on my lap, as one of his tasks is to notify blood sugar and blood pressure drops.

The Pig Adventure includes a tour around the huge building, where pigs are born and raised. We were able to see some newborn piglets.

Fair Oaks Farms is all about sustainability. Their buses actually run on waste from the animals. They are working toward achieving a zero-carbon footprint for all of their vehicles.

Before we headed home, we stopped at the Cowfé for lunch. They have a huge selection of cheeses. We did some tasting and I purchased some of my favorite, Calico.

The deli also had meats and they make fresh sandwiches. We picked up some for the road, while Brittany had more of the smoked brisket chili she had loved at the restaurant.

In addition to the Festival of Lights,  Fair Oaks Farms has events throughout the year. They include Easter Egg Hunts in the spring, a Sunflower Field in the summer, and Harvest events for apples and pumpkins in the fall. In the warmer months there is also often outdoor music.

Photos by Marcia Frost and Brittany Lambright

I was hosted on this trip for most of the activities, food, and accommodations, but views are my own.

Click for Next Day's Blog

Fun on Fair Oaks Farm

 

I had never heard of Fair Oaks Farms when I fellow travel writer suggested it to me. When I found out it was a complete destination just an hour and a half away from Champaign, I quickly made arrangements to take some friends, a willing to play eight year old, and my dog, Teddy 

The name may be familiar to you if you drink Fairlife milk or protein shakes. This is much more than a farm, though, it’s a full destination, and we took advantage of anything it has to offer.

The first thing we did when arriving was check into the hotel. There is a Fairfield Inn on the property so once we parked, we didn’t have to get into the car again until it was time to go home. The building was even set up to look like a barn, but on the inside it was all about a modern hotel.

Our suite was large, with two beds and a pullout couch. Aubree took the couch. Teddy tried his best to join her. We had a microwave and refrigerator in the room, and an indoor pool downstairs.

After we got our things settled, we headed to the Dairy Adventure first. It was a short walk away and the path was clear for me to take my scooter. The building was filled with hands-on activities and selfie spots for kids and adults. It was also about learning about doing things on the farm, such as milking a cow. 

From there we got on the bus to tour the milking production building. Pets are welcome in the hotel and main areas, but not where there are farm animals. Since Teddy is a service dog and never left my lap, he was welcome.

When the bus returned us to the main complex we were pretty hungry and ready to taste some milk products. Ice cream was our choice and the Cowfé was the perfect place to have it. There are about a half dozen flavors. All we had were delicious.

We took a walk after the ice cream to see some of the mom cows with their calves and then went on to the rope course.  Teddy and I stayed on the scooter and observed, but Aubree, her mom Jessica, and Brittany enjoyed the climbing.

The next building we headed to was the Crop Adventure. It also contained plenty of learning experiences. Aubree had fun “shopping” in a grocery store and learning where products come from. I learned a lot about the farm as the boards explained how Fair Oaks has fed seven billion people, and how far modern production has come over the years.

We rested in the room for a little while before heading to the Farmhouse Restaurant. It was getting cold out and we were glad we could get there from the hotel without going outside. The restaurant was decorated for the holidays, with a few cow statues here and there.

The menu has something for everyone and contains a lot of items from the farm, including the popular cheese curds, which we agreed were delicious. I loved the Pig Adventure sandwich. It is a hickory smoked pork on a brioche roll with their house made barbecue sauce. Brittany had a tender steak.

 

The kids menu has quite a few items, including mac n cheese, pizza, and grilled cheese made with at the Fair Oaks dairy.

After dinner, we went to explore their holiday season event, Forest of Lights. It consists of a long trail, lit with beautiful lights, many shaped as farm animals and equipment. When you get to the halfway point, there is a place to stop by firepits. We had bought s’mores in The Market to toast before then.

It was too cold that night for us to do the sledding hill or ice skating. It was fine because we had a day filled with fun and all of us were ready to go to the hotel and get in our warm beds.

*This was my experience at the Forest of Lights in 2022. Check the website to find out the current offerings.

 

Photos by Marcia Frost and Brittany Lambright

I was hosted on this trip for most of the activities, food, and accommodations, but views are my own.

Click for Next Day's Blog

24 Hours on Navy Pier in Chicago

 

Since I’ve been traveling in a wheelchair or mobility scooter the last few years, I have not gone many places alone. I decided to go for it when I was invited to spend a day – and night – at Navy Pier in Chicago.

I have been to Navy Pier many times, but was never able to stay there until Sable, a Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton, was built. I always wondered why there wasn’t a hotel there, and after spending time scooting my way around the property and the pier, I can attest that it’s a fun and unique experience.

The hotel is at the end of the pier and the entrance is right next to one of the parking lots. It was easy to park my van and take my scooter right into the modern lobby. Once inside you’ll be surprised at just how big it is, with a Kisbi Coffee and the Lirica Restaurant close to the entrance.

It did take me a little while to figure out how to get to the elevator to my room, but once inside, I found my biggest draw to this hotel – the windows. Every room has floor to ceiling views of the blue water of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Skyline.

If it wasn’t for that famous skyline I could have just as easily been on a Caribbean Island. That view can bring a sense of relaxation, a touch of romance, or the beginning of a family enjoyment of Navy Pier.

I didn’t have too much time to stare out the window before my reservation at Lirica for dinner.  It’s a comfortable, but classic, restaurant at Sable Hotel at Navy Pier. The menu is modern Latin.

 

I started with one of their many mojitos, the house special Passion Fruit Vanilla. It was fantastic and not too sweet. It was the perfect accompaniment to their house guacamole, arbol salsa, and chips.

For a main course, I had the braised short ribs, served in a mushroom, garlic, and wine sauce. On the waiter’s recommendation I added in a side of roasted potatoes, which came with an aioli sauce for dipping, and a warm cauliflower salad. It all went ideally with a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.

 

I wasn’t anxious to leave the food, but I was excited to check out Offshore at Sable, the rooftop venue at the hotel. Fortunately, I had reservations because this place, as huge as it is, fills up.

 

I was immediately taken with the open-air indoor area, with tables all around a large bar. I had asked for a table outside so I could see if the sunsets here were as breathtaking as I had heard. I was not disappointed as I sampled an ice cream sundae and tried one of the many cocktails on the menu.

It was an easy ride back to my hotel room on my scooter and I was more than ready for sleep.

 

In the morning, I headed back to Lirica Restaurant. This time I sat outside and did some people watching on Navy Pier. The Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes were as good as the food I had the night before. When I finished most of the large portion and my coffee, I decided to do some exploring.

 

It’s hard not to love Navy Pier. There’s just no other city that has the views and activities like this. I went all the way to the beginning where the 13-acre Polk’s Brothers Park, is one of the newer gathering places. Indoors, I noticed that the Kilwin’s Fudge was added to the food options since my last visit.

I had done the Centennial Wheel not long before, so I skipped it on this trip. I did notice a new addition to the ever-changing interactive exhibits and caught a sign about the latest music series. There was also the start of the Halloween preparations, which was always followed by the beginning of the set up for Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier, held every holiday season.

The one thing I have yet to do at Navy Pier is take one of the boat rides. The sunset cruise has been on my list of Chicago things to do.

 

Maybe next time.

 

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. 

 

Last Day Exploring Wildlife Prairie Park

My friend Joan and I had been enjoying Wildlife Prairie Park, just outside of Peoria, Illinois. It was a perfect post-pandemic trip with lots of space in the open air.

Brad Windsor, Volunteer Coordinator, and Sam Himegarner, Director of Hospitality, picked us up in the morning for another tour. The property is so big we still hadn’t seen it all between the first day tour and our previous day exploration.

Our first stop was to see Mike the bison. The 19-yer-old was once a movie star and now shares his home with Elsa the elk.

We took a look at the banquet hall. It can hold up to 200 people and the ability to both have a moonrise and sunrise over an open patio makes it an ideal wedding location.

I was impressed with Hazel’s Overlook. Beyond the spectacular views is Native American folklore plaques dedicated to Hazel Rutherford. She and her husband Bill were major benefactors of the park.

I was also happy to see the park is set up for accessibility in many areas. I was able to take my scooter on some of the trails and walkways.

Wildlife Prairie Park also has a Sculpture Garden. It is dedicated to blind children, who can “feel” sculptures to size of the actual animal.  The park also has a Touch Cabin that St. Jude Children’s Hospital set up for children with heart issues.

We also saw the Pioneer section, which has an original cabin and the actual one room schoolhouse used until 1959. Nearby there is a butterfly habitat which is worth a stop.

The park is a great place for locals to spend the day whenever they want, with a family membership of only $85 a year. Visitors from out of town should consider the accommodations for a few days, or even a week. You won’t get bored. They even have special events, including a Halloween Scary Park, throughout the year.

Joan and I bid farewell and headed into our Legacy Cabin to pack up. We were going to miss the new, spacious accommodation with a sunrise facing the bison pasture from the patio. It was fully furnished, including a modern kitchen.

Before heading home we stopped at  Trefzger’s Bakery, which has been making baked goods in Peoria for over 150 years. It didn’t not disappoint. It was really hard to choose what to get, but finally decided on a quiche, a raspberry cheese danish, their famous Thumbprint cookies, and a cinnamon bread that was perhaps the best I’ve ever had.

Wine and Wildlife in Central Illinois

The bison didn’t come out to greet me while I had my morning coffee on the patio, but there was definitely a sense of peacefulness to start my day with.  

 

My friend Joan and I were staying at this hidden gem in Central Illinois. Not only did we get to enjoy this enormous scenic part, but it was filled with (mostly contained) wildlife and we had a brand-new cabin to stay in where the bison roamed in Wildlife Prairie Park.

 

After breakfast and coffee, we took the car down to the main entrance and boarded the train. It’s a great way to get acquainted with the park. You’ll get a basic overview from the conductor as you pass through the highlights. 

There is also a stop at the Pioneer area and butterfly habitat. You can get off to explore and pick up a train later to go back to the station.

 

We met with Brad and Sam at the Visitors Center. It’s worth a stop as there’s a lot of information on the area, from how it figures into the history of American Agriculture to charts of the fish you can find in the area.

After a walk through the trail to check out some of the animals, we got into the jeep for a tour of the other accommodations the park has.

 

Tent campers are welcome at Wildlife Prairie Park, but you may want to think twice about roughing it once you see all the unique accommodations.

The Cabooses are perfect for families, especially younger kid. They were created from actual train cars and have bunk beds in them. 

There are Prairie Stable suites with patios that have two small bedrooms in them. Just outside, picnic tables are a great place for groups to meet, as is the recreation center.

In the same area are the cottages. I really liked the way these converted grain bins, with kitchenettes, faced the lake, making them ideal for kayakers and fishermen. Firepits and grills are also outside in front of the lake.

 

From there we headed to Kickapoo Creek Winery which is just a few miles away from the park.

The tasting room is spread out and welcoming, and the grounds are just beautiful, making them ideal for weddings and other events. They also participate in Harvest Hosts, a group that list wineries that allow for RV parking.

  

The wines here are also worth the trip. The Rose Blush was our favorite, strawberry and cherry flavored, and not overly sweet. The Sun Kiss was also terrific, and my friend Joan, more of a red lover than I am, went home with a bottle of the St. Croix.

 I couldn’t resist the Chocolate Raspberry, which has strong notes of my favorite treat.

Kickapoo Creek Winery also serves food and the menu is wide ranged. After sharing a spinach artichoke dip, I had a Turkey Rueben while Joan had the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich (served with a sesame ginger mayo). They were both delicious.

 

For dessert, we shared a Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake and Pecan Bourbon Pie, both of which were delicious.

We headed back to Wildlife Prairie Park for some rest on our patio. 

 

Before we had left for the winery, we met with Mike of the Mike’s Knot Just Ribs food truck, which parks by the Visitors Center. We took back a ton of barbecue for dinner.

We were still pretty full from lunch, but we did taste some amazing ribs, pulled pork nachos, coleslaw, beans, and macaroni & cheese. There were plenty of leftovers.

 

It didn’t take long before we were both exhausted from the day and headed to our bedrooms. We had a little more time the next day to see more of Wildlife Prairie Park.