Pumpkin spice and everything nice: I’m saying yes to fall with every fiber of my being 🙂
- Sonny Acres Farm
Seasonal magic is in full swing in Chicagoland, and so are the abundant opportunities to make memories to nourish my soul forever. Such was the case recently, when we checked out the Fall Fest at Sonny Acres Farm in West Chicago.
This award-winning amusement farm has been a local favorite since 1883, when “a first-generation family of German immigrants started what would eventually become Sonny Acres Farm. What began as a small produce stand grew into one of the premier pumpkin patches in the area, a place where families gather and enjoy time together, off the beaten path and away from the everyday hustle and bustle.”
Sonny Acres Farm has been welcoming tens of thousands of guests to the Fall Festival, which is going on now through October 30.
My family and I loved our Fall Fest experience! From the amusement rides to the petting zoo…
…and from the plentiful pumpkins to the gourmet seasonal offerings available in the Farm Fresh Store…
…each moment we spent at Sonny Acres Farm was packed with magic, meaning, and heartwarming fall nostalgia.
Riding the Wacky Worm Roller Coaster, going on the Giant Slide, and flying in the Bumble Bees were firm family favorites – along with petting the goats 🙂
We also loved the variety of foods available on-site, particularly the Italian Beef sandwiches…
…the hotdogs, and the nachos – all made to-order, in generous portion sizes, and washed down by super refreshing lemonades. Sonny Acres Farm has expanded its weekend food offerings to include roasted corn, apple cider donuts, funnel fries, and specialty eats from local vendors. Adults can sip on seasonal cocktails such as Spiked Hot Apple Cider and Apple Cider Slushies, also available in non-alcoholic versions, while catching Chicago Bears games screened live at Sonny Acres Bar on game days.
For those who enjoy a spine-tingling fright, the farm’s haunted barn and hayride attraction, featuring 60 live actors, immersive sets, pyrotechnics, animatronics, and brand-new storylines to terrify and thrill is just perfect! Oh, and did I mention that general admission and parking are free? You really can’t beat that!
Highly recommended 🙂
- Gabis Arboretum
We are big fans of The Purdue University Northwest Gabis Arboretum. We visited the Arboretum again recently, and had an amazing time!
Located between Valparaiso and Merrillville, Indiana, Gabis Arboretum “serves as a living laboratory for education, research, conservation and engagement with the natural environment.”
Featuring 300 acres of landscapes featuring a restored prairie, display gardens, wetlands and miles of hiking trails through woodlands, Gabis Arboretum is wonderful to visit all year-round, and during fall in particular.
We had a lot of fun checking out the famous Trail of Scarecrows. School groups, scouts, businesses, families and other groups create scarecrows which go on display at the arboretum in October each year. Photos of the scarecrows are posted on social media for open voting, and pics with the most likes win!
This year’s theme is Movie Magic:
We love the Arboretum’s Railway Garden, which “spans two full acres and tells amazing stories of American railroads in the context of a large display garden using G-gauge miniature trains.”
October is your last chance to visit this superb attraction, which is open 8am to sunset daily and is decked out in spooky & fun Halloween décor.
Trains run Friday-Sunday, 10am to 3pm, weather permitting.
Don’t miss this magical mix of autumn beauty and Halloween charm before the trains stop for the season!
As I mentioned in my previous review, entrance to Gabis Arboretum is fee-based, and you need to pay extra to access The Railway Garden. I purchased an annual membership which includes free entry to the Railway Garden – a much better value for frequent visits, in my opinion. The Arboretum has an extensive calendar of events, and we look forward to checking them out without paying entrance fees every single time. Last but not least, the Arboretum participates in American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admission Program, which provides discounts and even free entry to hundreds of gardens across North America – adding to the savings.
Do you have a favorite fall destination? Let me know in the comments 🙂
Leave a Reply