This past Friday, the boys and I took a summer day trip to Chicago. It was a lot of fun and much needed. There was no arguing, fussing, or any travel drama. And, for this, I am thankful.
The focus of the trip was to first, complete my chiropractic visit at LifeClinic and secondly, go on a troll hunt at the Morton Arboretum. The rest of the itinerary was “go with the flow”.
We were on the road to Chicago by 9 AM because my appointment was at Noon. About an hour into the drive, we made a pitstop for snacks and the restrooms.
A Pit Stop In Paxton, Illinois – Casey’s General Store and Mareci’s Bakery
We ended up stopping at Casey’s in Paxton, Illinois. I love Casey’s General Stores. In fact, that’s about the only “gas station” I stop in unless I just can’t get to one.
As we headed back towards the highway, we passed waving donut signs and a quaint little shop that looked like a house. I knew I wanted to stop because it looked like a cute, local hidden gem, and indeed it was.
We scored two donuts and two cookies collectively for just $3. The treats were soft and delicious and the customer service was good.
I’ll post all the details of our visit to Mareci’s Bakery on NewsBreak soon. In the meantime, follow me on NewsBreak to make sure that you don’t miss out on any travel related posts.
Mareci’s Bakery is located at 595 S. Elm Street in Paxton, IL.
LifeClinic of Oakbrook
After that we headed right into Oak Brook and into the Oakbrook Center where LifeClinic is located. Our time spent there was a little over an hour.
LifeClinic Chiropractic & Rehabilitation offers both licensed chiropractors and physical therapists who perform non-invasive procedures and care for a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and ailments. During your first session, it is advised to wear comfortable athletic clothing. They are located at 2000 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL.
Feel free to read about my experience, Why LifeClinic Chiropractic Services Are Worth It.
More Pit Stops – Hooters and Five Below
After finishing up at LifeClinic, we were pretty hungry and ready to eat. As we passed a strip mall, the boys saw Hooters and Five Below and got pretty excited. They asked if we could go to both. Honestly, I didn’t have a problem with either.
In fact, I had previously told my 10 year old that I would get him to Five Below on Friday and just so happened, there it was.
And, as for Hooters, I know they wanted to look at the girls. LOL. Oh well. Aside from that, I don’t mind Hooters, at all. As a matter of fact, I enjoy eating there.
It was a restaurant that my dad and I frequented when he was alive, and it ended up being dinner for me every night while I was in Phoenix, AZ some years back. It was across the street from the hotel and the wings were good. So, why not?
The Morton Arboretum, 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL
After having wings at Hooters, we headed to the Morton Arboretum which was a very short drive away located at 4100 IL-53 in Lisle, Illinois.
It’s important to note that tickets must be purchased in advance online. Tickets are affordable. Our time gate tickets were for entry between 2 PM and 3 PM.
If you are unfamiliar with The Morton Arboretum, it is a public garden and outdoor museum. Additionally, it offers a library, herbarium, and program in tree research including the Center for Tree Science.
The reason that I wanted to go was because I wanted to do the Troll Hunt. Some years back there was an installation of trolls that I couldn’t wait to check out. When we arrived, I learned that the Troll Hunt had been replaced with a new outdoor exhibit called Human+Nature.
Human+Nature
According to the Morton Arboretum, “The Morton Arboretum’s outdoor art exhibition, Human+Nature (pronounced: Human Nature), inspires awe and wonder as it connects people and trees”. The landscape is beautiful and covered in a variety of flowers, plants, and trees.
While I was a bit upset, we still ventured off to complete as much as we could. There are five statues scattered throughout the outdoor exhibit. Through a combination of walking and driving, we were able to locate four of the statues before my boys were exhausted.
The statues are gorgeous, detailed, and beautifully crafted. Sometime before the exhibit ends, I would like to return and locate the final statue that we missed.
In the meantime, I plan to visit the Trolls, which have now been renamed and relocated about three hours away. I’ll keep you posted on that.
Ending Our Trip
After trekking through the outdoor exhibit for a few hours, we were ready to return home. We stopped for gas and tea and headed back without a single stop.
While this post only covers highlights from the trip, stay tuned because I’ll be covering more of our visit to the Morton Arboretum and Mareci’s Bakery in separate posts with tons of photos.
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