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.

Fun Day Trip to St. Louis

I always enjoy my trips to St. Louis. There is always so much to do there. I try to stay over, but sometimes a day trip is better than not going at all.

I headed west with my friend Brittany and her brother, Jacob.

We picked up Amanda on the way and we were
ready to have some fun.

The first stop was City Museum.

I was a City Museum once before and was extremely impressed.

It’s nearly impossible to see everything on one trip, plus they do change some of the exhibits, so I was more than ready to go back.

You know at the beginning your in someplace different because the ticket counter was actually a teller’s box from the St. Louis Title Company.

I think the Caves at City Museum is my favorite spot. The formations inside are fascinating. You just have to keep track of where you are – and watch your step. I wouldn’t let any small children wonder in there by themselves.

The artwork is also fascinating. A lot of it is just pieces of what was referred to as “junk,” reappointed into a unique design.

Climbing is a big theme at this museum and it’s something kids love to do.

It’s nice that there are places you can sit and take a break while you can still keep an eye on the climbers.

City Museum also offers places to get something to eat or drink, including the restaurant Samwhiches in the City, which continually has chocolate chip cookies coming from the oven to go with kid-friendly meals, and Cabin Inn for snacks.

When the Rooftop is open, you also have the options of Grill Master Tony’s Outdoor BBQ and the Roof Top Cantina.

The specialty restaurants aren’t the only things worth going to the Rooftop for.

It’s certainly the most unique outdoor space you’ll see for kids to play in, with a real Ferris wheel, a school bus, and slides.

As a kid, I would go to the St. Louis Zoo when I was in the city visiting family. I hadn’t returned as an adult before this trip.

Like many other attractions inn Forest Park, the Zoo is free so there’s no excuse not to visit.

You can easily fill a half day and it wouldn’t be hard to find things to do to spend the entire day there.

We did get the Adventure Pass. I think it’s well worth it.

For $12.95, you get admission to just about all the extras at the Zoo: Zooline Railroad, the Children’s Zoo, the Carousel, the 4D Theater, petting Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, and the Sea Lion Show.

Throughout the park we found interactive signs to keep us involved and informed about the creatures there.

The Zoo is very spread out so be ready for a lot of walking. We took a break by boarding the train.

Before we headed home, we stopped at the Peacock Diner.

It was my first time there and it’s a cool place to check out for a family-friendly meal.

It was a great day for any time of year. That’s the thing about St. Louis: you’ll always find plenty to do without having to spend a lot of money!

Check out some of my videos from the St. Louis Zoos on my You Tube Channel. 

Lincoln Park Zoo and Patio at Café Brauer

I’ve never been to the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. I confess I’m always the one that goes far away before near to see things. 

I lived in New York over 40 years and I never went to the Statue of Liberty (I did take the Circle Line boat ride around it a few times).

Two things brought me to finally plan a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo: the opening of the Patio at Café Brauer for the season, and a toddler who I knew would be mesmerized by her first experience with the animals.

The drive to Chicago with a toddler was definitely different. 

It had been a while since I had a little one on a long car drive and it was her first long car ride, but Brittany and Jessie, Andrea’s mom, helped keep her occupied from the front seat while I entertained her with phone videos. 

We also put a few extra stops into the ride that was usually two hours straight.

When we arrived at the zoo, I think I was the most excited. I love zoos and couldn’t believe I hadn’t been to this one before. 

A free zoo on the lake of the Chicago skyline? It should be on the list of everyone within a few hours.

The zoo did not disappoint inside either. They had a great selection of animals and we were sure to check out all of them.

Andrea seemed to love anything in the water, especially the turtles.

I was enthralled in the penguins, seemingly performing on demand for us, and the Polar Bears in the Arctic Tundra.

Then, of course, the faithful Leo in me always gravitates toward Lions, as well as tigers and leopards.

I also thought the dwarf mongoose were adorable as they huddled together.

We also spent a little time in the Goat Yard, the Small Mammal-Reptile House, and the Regenstein Center for African Apes, all of which have personnel on hand during the day for talks and public feedings (you can check the schedule on the website).

Café Brauer is on the edge of the Lincoln Park Zoo. From their patio, which has music on certain nights during the warm months, you have a great view of the Chicago skyline.

We were quite hungry by the time we got to Café Brauer and started with two of their most popular appetizers, the Mini Beef Tacos and the Tomato Mozzarella Twists.

I was partial to the tacos, but both were quite good.

For a main course, I’d highly recommend the Cuban Sandwich and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken sandwich. Both were favorites at our table.

We also had a little room left for dessert and the Cookie Skillet, served with ice cream, was the perfect choice and big enough to share.

I will definitely be back to the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is open 365 days a year, as well as Café Brauer, open most of those days and evenings, with specials on holidays.

Check for the best hotel prices in Chicago now at TripAdvisor. 

Smithsonian Zoo for Washington DC Finale

It was my last day in Washington D.C. and it was going to be a good one.

I was able to sleep in at the Embassy Suites Chevy Chase Pavilion and enjoyed their hot, complimentary breakfast. I made up a bowl from the yogurt bar and had a couple of pancakes on the side.

My niece, Alea, had some school work to do so we decided to meet directly at the Metro Station beneath the hotel.

We took the train to the stop closest to the Smithsonian National Zoo. I love zoos and I was especially excited to see the giant pandas here.

This zoo is not only one of the best in the country, but it’s free.

The pandas did not disappoint. They were happy to eat and play for the growing audience. We hung around for a while and the kept us laughing and smiling.

We walked around and also saw the tigers, lions, and cheetah. I’m always thrilled to see content animals in a zoo.  

 Alea and I got back on the Metro to head to an interesting spot for lunch.

Bayou Bakery is located at the Old Naval Hospital, a historic building which goes back to President Abraham Lincoln.

 

The Washington, DC café is owned by Chef David Gaus and is modeled after his New Orleans roots. 

  

Chef Gaus frequently hits the talk show circuit and has also served as host of the Travel Channel’s American Grilled.

We were very hungry and ready to taste some of Bayou Bakery’s Southern cooking.

  

While we waited for our food to be ready, we had to try one of their Dat-O cookies, sort of a homemade Oreo, but bigger and better.

We also shared an order of light and sweet beignets. 

I then had an egg and cheese on a flaky warm biscuit, while Alea went for the lobster roll.

We walked back to the Metro and took it to the hotel where we said our goodbyes. 

It was time for me to head to the airport and leave Washington DC , but I’m sure I will be back soon.