If I were a classier person, this would be a five star review. Unfortunately for Cantigny, I was raised by television and I'm just used to a little more media being involved with my entertainment process. Don't get me wrong though, Cantigny is gorgeous! It's a great place to take your picnic supplies and a little wine... and if you're lucky in Spring or Summer, you can witness a wedding taking place. The Museum is cool, though I'm not really into war relics. As a kid (okay, and now, too) I really liked being able to climb on the tanks. It's a great place to go if you like being outdoors, photography, wildlife, etc. You + Cantigny = a nice little day in the burbies. Oh, and if you can, catch some of their seasonal exhibits. read more

Wow! What a glorious day we had here, it far exceeded my expectations and those are the best days of all! We woke up on a Saturday with no plans and the weather was gorgeous - clear and sunny with a nice cool breeze. Road trip! But where to go? The 7th graders at my last school used to come here but since I wasn't on a 7th grade team I escaped the torture, I mean, I never had the privilege of escorting 150 preteens to history museums. On those trips the kids tried to figure out with whom they would eat lunch, who they liked or hated and why the teacher was glaring at them. The time was finally right to learn some more history! We grabbed jackets and cameras and took off. The Division One museum was great, I loved the way they created the exhibits and I learned a lot. We also had fun seeing the tanks and all the kids, my husband included, played on and around them. But the heart stopping part of the day were the gardens! Now you have to remember we were here on a perfect weather day, pretty rare. We saw flowers that were so beautiful you thought they could never be matched and then you walked around a corner and more sublime majesty awaited you. Mixed in with the grounds, the babbling brook, the tanks and the sun were the happiest people in Chicago. We easily saw ten bridal parties getting their pictures taken in Nature's glory as well. So fun! Plus there were two Quinceañera courts and families dressed in matching outfits using the gardens as the perfect backdrop. If this wasn't enough, there were happy families with coolers going on delicious picnics and everyone was in a good mood. We took all kinds of amazing pictures and then ended the day with an artillery demonstration with people dressed in Revolutionary War costumes. If there was a better place to enjoy life for five bucks last Saturday I would like to know where it was. Come here to nuture your soul with nature and learn something besides but you have to bring your own picnic! read more

See all

I am a history nut and had visited Cantigny years ago but if you have visited Cantigny years ago, you really haven't seen Cantigny. The Unit One museum was an excellent place to see and listen bits and pieces of the history of the Big Red One. The flow and design really worked to tell their story. Outside of the museum they have even more tanks than they did previously. Everyone who visits likes to touch and climb on the tanks. I am no exception so my wife got a few good shots of me. I also enjoyed visiting the grounds and we got great shots of the nature. It was a really good day and one I hope to repeat once the fall colors are more firmly established. read more

See all

This is definitely a must see war museum with gardens! So BEAUTIFUL in autumn! This estate was named in honor of the first WW1 battle fought in the village of Cantigny, France by Robert McCormick. Start off by getting a free ticket to the tour of the 41 room mansion. It was originally the home of Joseph Medill, founder of the Chicago Tribune. Later it became the home of his grandson Robert McCormick, editor and publisher of the same Tribune from 1911 to 1955. The full tour starts at the top of the hour and the shorter tours start at half past. Try to make it to the full tour. The guides are very knowledgeable and you can ask them questions. As we waited for the tour to start we walked around the gardens. The landscaping is just absolutely gorgeous! And in autumn, the colors of the flowers and trees made it even more exceptional. Even the First Division Museum is very well planned to give you a realistic experience. You first pass through a mock up of a village street in Cantigny during WWI. They even have the original street sign from 1918... Awesome! Then sit down to watch a 9 minute WW2 movie in a simulated WW2 Higgins Boat. As the movie ends, the screen door opens... and you are drawn towards a German bunker, as you can only imagine what those amazing veterans went through. Walk further into the museum and you travel through time to the Vietnam War then to Desert Storm as you watch video clips and listen to soldiers stories. Between the museum and the 29 acres of immaculate landscaping, you can spend all day here... and all for $5.00. That is $5.00 per car, $2.00 on the off peak times. You absolutely will not regret visiting this AMAZING piece of history! read more

See all

The early childhood programs hosted by Mrs. Roman are fantastic. My daughter looks forward to the Sprouts class and the holiday programs.

Went for the Food Truck Festival for the first time. Was so backed up took almost a half hour to get in then we waited almost a half hour in one line for a funnel cake $6. But the smells walking to where the trucks were at smelled so good. It was drizzling on and off. It was about 7pm and one of the trucks had already sold out of their food. Because of rain and getting chilling we did not get to enjoy the band I would go back again and try to get there before it starts as the park itself is so beautiful I could spend all day there read more

See all

Have been to this park several times and depending on the weather you will be in for an amazing time. The outdoor tank park is always a great time and the indoor museum is absolutely astonishing. It's unbelievably immersive and does a great job of capturing what was going on during the time frames the different rooms display. read more

This place is so beautiful. I get really excited when I find beautiful places right here in the suburbs and this is one of my favorite finds. I went here on a whim when I had a Friday off. I hate being cooped up in the apt so since everyone was at their "big people" job, I decided to have a day to myself and explore some of my surroundings. Honestly, this place is great to go if you are going alone. It is immersed in nature and has beautiful scenery. I loved the ponds and the Idea garden. It was a great way to relax and connect with myself after such a hectic life. Plus I got to see a wild turkey, which was pretty awesome. A great asset to this garden is the First Division Museum. Honestly they have one of the best displays I have ever seen. It is like they transport you to the time that particular war took place. Honestly some of the displays were a little scary with their life size measurements and the surroundings. I was a little afraid there by myself so I piggy backed on the family in front of me in order to not get caught in one of those displays alone (what can I say I have a thing about wax statues and mannequins) I was highly impressed with the quality of this museum given that is was free. In fact the whole thing was free when I went. All I had to pay was a $5 parking fee. Totally worth it! (As a side note I feel I must say that there were tons of kids at the museum and none of them were scared, in fact, most were excited. That statement was merely to attest to the scale at which these displays were and how intricate they were presented. It was not meant to suggest that the displays are too scary for kids... just a 25 year old woman who has a thing about dolls ;) read more

See all

This place is AMAZING. Pay an inexpensive parking fee and the rest of the grounds are free. There's a large playground, and lots of clean, well-kept places to run around. The walking paths are smooth and easy to access and surrounded by acres of beautiful gardens and land. There are literal military tanks that are climber-friendly and extremely cool to see. The visitor's center and gift shop area is very well maintained and includes a historical section inside. The First Division museum is also extremely beautiful inside and includes two really interesting and well done museums. I was amazed at the pure quality of these museums. They incorporate sounds, videos, memorabilia and life size replicas. You can walk through the "trenches" and see what the beaches looked like on D-Day. Everything was amazingly placed and thought out. I'm beyond impressed with how great this visit was. My children had a blast. We had fun learning and exploring. I can't wait to go back. One of the best hidden gems of Illinois and one of my favorite military museums I've ever visited (and we're a military family so we've visited a lot of them!) We went on a Tuesday morning in November and there was hardly anyone there. We may have crossed paths with two or three other people later on in the day but we had the tanks to ourselves for about an hour and a half when we first got there, and then had the playground completely to ourselves around 1pm. It was awesome. Even in the museums we didn't see hardly anyone at all. 10/10 - please go and support this local spot! read more

See all

I have been here as a visitor, and as part of a wedding party. Overall, a great place. The grounds are beautiful, we had such a great day walking around. The wedding was gorgeous, though the food was eh, but the open bar had great service. I never waited more than 30 seconds for a drink. We returned again for the Green Fair on 9/24/11, and loved it again. This will be a destination for years to come for us. read more

We visited the First Division Museum. I have to say that it was amazingly well-done, with plenty of artifacts, scenery and movies all throughout. All of the major wars are covered with info plaques, and knowledgeable staff. The amount of twisting, winding pathways through mockups that they crammed into this building are amazing. Lots to look at. After speaking with the staff member at the entrance, I was given a pin after he found out I had served in the Marine Corps. Highly recommend! read more

I am so disappointed on the parking fee 2023. My grandkids love the tank park, and to park is $30 per car. We literally were there for 1 hour. Ridiculous and disappointing. Nothing else going on there....no special exibits....$30 ...really. read more

Beautiful park. $5.00 parking fee. I was disappointed because the Robert McCormick house is under construction.

I have been going there since I was in grade school. In the early 60's. Today I bought the grandkids. Very disappointed. They have made it into a business instead of a museum. Sad. Can't go into house they are turning it into meeting place, office etc. Removing the furniture to put in new furniture killing the museum. Large spaces for weddings all over Park cleared area. the beauty of the place has gone down. i used to go here all the time for years and years. But moved came back and was extremely disappointed when I came. read more

We were married on the East Lawn September 2012 and had our reception at La Jardin in the Visitor Center. Everything was great from start to finish with a few bumps along the way. That is just the way wedding planning goes as far as I have seen no matter where you get married. Our Banquet Manager switched a week before the wedding but it ended up better not the nightmare you would expect. Cantigny staff was professional and our wedding was definitely a day to remember. A few issues - If you have people who need assistance they are tight reined with the golf carts. You can arrange for a large golf cart to trolley people to and from the ceremony site and the Visitor Center. My 97 year old Grandparent ended up using a wheelchair because she just couldn't get into the trolley but it would work for most I am sure. Keep in mind you are working with a Banquet Manager not an event planner. I think any negatives come from an expectation that the staff is there to plan your event, which they are not, they only put into place your choices. I would highly recommend Cantigny for any event, wedding or otherwise. read more

Cantigny - J & H Decor - Flower Arrangement - Museums Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

It's just a unique, beautiful sight to see, I don't wanna type a whole paragraph on how good it is, so go see for yourelf!

Cantigy is a beautiful place to visit, walk around and climb on tanks! Endless paths, plenty of beautiful gardens, a history museum and a true piece of Chicago history set in Wheaton. Awesome place to go for a picnic and bring kids along with. I have been going to Cantigny since I was too small to get onto the big tanks by myself. There is something for everyone and they are always having special events. The parking is $5 for a car and I do NOT mind paying that. No entry costs otherwise and worth the price. read more

This place is an amazing spot and the cost to get in is practically nothing. The people who work in the museum sections are always so helpful. You really get the sense that they enjoy what they do and talking to people about war history. We have found that more often than not retired Vets. walk around waiting for people to make comments so they can strike up a conversation. Its adorable and informative. If you have children (or an overactive husband like me), you'll enjoy the fact that they can climb and interact with the field of retired tanks they have in front of the museum. I can only imagine how beautiful a wedding would be here in the gardens they have. This place is a must to visit. Tanks for the boys and gardens for the girls, its a definite crowd pleaser for a Sunday afternoon. read more

Cantigny - I married a monkey. - Museums Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Went to a function on a Saturday night and the wait staff were young and untrained rushing to remove your plates while eating There was a long gap in between the salad and entree and when the food was finally served it was Luke warm. My food selection was baked chicken breast with mashed potatoes and broccoli and the chicken was dry and the potatoes were runny I didn't attempt to eat the broccoli. There was another long gap for dessert which I thought was not part of the dinner package because it took so long to get which turned out to be the only decent thing I had to eat that night of chocolate pudding topped with vanilla pudding. Step up your game Cantigny!! read more

HAS (1ST DIVISION MUSEUM) and IMHO IS THE BEST MUSEUM THERE IS IN ILLINOIS! hands down... for $5 it mocks the dedicated WWII museum in new orleans. 1.)it won't take much of the day, an hr. or 2 will suffice. 2.)there are tanks for kids to play with.oh, mc cormick mansion is next to it and they give free tour every hour! 3.)the park is well maintained. 4.)there is a golf course. 5.)you can rent a space for an event. read more

Cantigny is a great, affordable place to visit with the family. It is only $5 per car load to enter. ($10 on Sat/Sun in the summer). We have been going here for years. This is a great place to go where you can find something for the whole family. There are gardens, trails, the McCormick home tour, the 25th infantry museum, events, concerts, etc. They even have a picnic area with a children's playground. On this particular night, we went there for a movie in the park. They show them over by the bandstand area. We arrived late in the afternoon about 6PM. We walked around the gardens and then headed over to the bandstand area to watch the movie. If you do attend one of these movie nights, get there about an hour before, bring snacks (or they have a vendor that sells popcorn and snacks), chairs, bug spray, a blanket if it's chilly. It was a beautiful night and we had a great time. It's way cheaper to sit out and watch a movie here than at the drive in! read more

See all

Nice place to bring kids. The tanks on display are always a hit with kids, as they can climb on them. Nice areas for photos too.

This park and museum (McCormick mansion was closed for a major renovation at the time of our visit) are OUTSTANDING and well worth an all day visit! It's unbelieveable that the only admission price is $5 for parking - that's it. The garden is vast with hundreds of acres of gorgeous and painstakingly maintained planting beds, fountains, expansive lawns, a large pond and wooded areas. It is beautifully laid out and professionally and lovingly maintained by the McCormick Foundation. Also on the site and equally impressive is the beautiful World War I (and II) First Division Museum. The museum is in immaculate condition and has many exhibits that literally immerse the visitor (WW I trenches and WW II D-Day beach landing craft) in the topic they are presenting. This garden and museum are truly the best kept secret attraction in Illinois! read more

I visited Cantigny Park today. I had not been there for a long. The children's play area is huge and inviting. The Rose Gardens are breathtaking. There was even an Idea Garden to peak your creativity. If this does not capture your interest then just go there and walk and enjoy the ambiance. Beautiful and affordable! read more

I get real excited about tanks and armor and this museum tickled me pink. Beautiful tank collection of well-maintained vehicles ranging from WW1 to the Abrams. The museum inside was shockingly well-created and detailed....highly, highly recommend a trip out here. Only fee is parking. read more

When I lived in IL this was our go to place with the kids. So many paths to beautiful gardens while learning about US history.

Awesome! Great War museum! Beautiful flowers! The place to relax and enjoy nature in western suburbs!

Came here for "French Connection Day"; had no idea what to expect. They had a French Market, strolling musicians, wine, storytelling and of course crepes. Beyond the special event, the park is just plain fantastic! A visitors center with gift shop, fabulous gardens, First Division WWI museum, golf course and McCormick house. We loved McCormick house. When we decided to attend the event we had no prior knowledge of the park and its offerings. We were so incredibly impressed. Even without any special event this park is worth a visit. Our favorite and biggest surprise was McCormick house. During the summer months they have the house open so you can go through at your own pace. Other times you can take a guided tour. Just an FYI, Robert McCormick was the President of the Chicago Tribune and started WGN - now they swear this is the truth and not urban myth but WGN stands for "World's Greatest Newspaper". The house pretty special but the history that it holds is the really neat part. I was told that at Christmas time they decorate it up. Think we will take the family back then and have another look. read more

Today was our first visit to Cantigny and I had no idea what to expect. What we found was a gorgeous campus with walking paths, and a full day of activities! The McCormick House is a beautifully maintained piece of Chicago history. A short walk away was the "tank park" where kids of all ages were having a great time climbing over all sorts of tanks. The First Division Museum is one of the best museums we have ever been to; an amazing testimonial to the Army's contributions in WW1, WW2, and the Vietnam War. The "Duty First" display is a brand new, modern interactive exhibit that captured the attention of old and young alike. This place is a hidden gem in Chicago. You will not be disappointed. read more

Love cantigny but was really disappointed that my favorite part of the garden was closed when we made the hour+ trip there. Went there to help celebrate for my birthday with my boyfriend so it was a let down :/ The war museum was really cool. Especially the virtual reality part of it. I've already recommended that some of my family go and check out cantigny mainly for the war museum because I feel like the inner history nerds in them would love that! The little cafe thing doesn't have much food but when I went to the restaurant in the past, a year or so ago, they had good food just at a higher price point than the cafe. I'd definitely recommend cantigny to people who love to enjoy being outdoor in nature! read more

The food truck event was a disaster, not a pleasant experience at all. Cantigny is one of my favorite places to go. My sister-in law and my self had waited 40 minutes for a lobster sandwich and they were horrible and over priced. My niece had tacos not very good either. Then talking to another lady she said don't get the hamburger and fries are it was terrible. I would like to know where these trucks are based out of? read more

Went with friends for the first. Although the Military Museum is closed til August 2017, we still loved this place! Free Museum entrance, $5 parking per car. What can get any better than that? Amazing staff and museum director. Very informative tour. read more

Cantigny - Museums Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Love going here to walk around. At $5 a car or $55 a membership totally worth it! Place ground is old but fun, gardens are amazing, and the museum is fun for everyone. Can't say enough good things! read more

Pronounced Can-teeny. Pretty much year round fun for the whole family. They have a great events calendar that you should check out especially if you have young kids. They offer story times, craft classes, Halloween trick or treating nights, breakfasts with Santa, a splash pad during the summer, as well as a ton of outdoor space for them to run around and just be kids. Just to name a few! I've also done the tours for the museums which can be kid friendly. If you do the McCormick house tour I would say well behaved kids/older kids would do better since there are tons of antiques and it's more geared toward history buffs. Definitely check out the calendar for events if you plan on coming. Parking varies depending on the time of year and day of the week. They also have a golf course which has a different entrance altogether. So make sure you put the correct address in your GPS. read more

We love Cantigny! It is a beautiful spot for a stroll through well-kept gardens and for a walk through a well-done military museum. The McCormick mansion, when open, allows the visitor to a glimpse of a bygone era. Military buffs and kids will enjoy the large tanks neatly displayed on the grounds. There is a nice cafe with an outdoor patio. A $5 per car parking fee is the only cost as it is free to enter the park itself. read more

I'm still smitten with Cantigny. Just recently we were there so my nephew could marvel at the Lego extravaganza early this month. Three rooms full of HUGE Lego displays complete with Lego trains. It was very impressive. The gardens are gorgeous in the spring, summer, and fall. A great place for a wedding or shower. When the weather is nice it's a beautiful place to wander around for a day, enjoy a nice lunch or snack, and maybe learn a little something about history. A snow ball fight accompanied by some tank climbing is always nice in the winter too. read more

This is my happy place. I love grabbing a cup of coffee and going out here to just relax and take a nice walk. Love taking the grandkids to the playground and the tanks. read more

** MY REVIEW IS FOR A 'SITUATION' THAT OCCURED AT A CERTAIN AREA IN THE PARK, WHILE AT LEAST 1-2 PARK EMPLOYEES WATCHED. Review is NOT for the park as a whole here. The park as a whole is very enriching and beautiful. - Short and sweet, while walking with a friend near the stone monument 'grave area' of Robert and Amy, we saw packs (roughly 10-12) of small kids and their mothers. The kids, all around the ages of about 3-7, were literally doing cart-wheels and jumping/meandering on top of the stone area of the two graves. The mothers were casually taking photographs and mingling as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Now I understand that these are small kids who don't know any better. I also understand the two souls there probably wouldn't necessarily mind the commotion from the small kids, either. However, I think mothers should know better. The area is meant to be walked around in - yes, but respected - not romped around in and exploited like a child's play-land area in a mall. There were at least two park employees nearby/giving tours who saw this, and said nothing. Probably not wanting to interrupt their own groups or confront the mothers of all the children, they just continued on their own paths. I just found this kinda disrespectful and I blame the parents of the kids, but park personnel could have also stepped in nicely - just seemed as they didn't want to deal with any possible 'politics' of approaching/reprimanding mothers of young kids.. read more

My family was visiting and we ended up at Cantigny, which I have often driven by, but never stopped. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be kept a secret by the suburbanite society or something but this place is awesome. If I wasn't supposed to tell anyone I apologize for the slip up. How did I not know about this place earlier?!! The gardens are incredible and had a variety of interesting things to check out like roses, ponds, and an idea garden which my apartment will definitely benefit from. Honestly, I was shocked that a car load of people only costs $5 to get in. Included in those $5 tiny dollars (the cost of a sandwich for crying out loud!) is a tour of the Robert R. McCormick Museum which contains a majority of the original furniture and artwork. There is also the First Division Museum where you can walk through the scenes from WWI, WWII, and Vietnam in Disney-like 3D. There is a collection of tanks in front of the First Division Museum that the kids can climb all over which was pretty cool. If you are entertaining a big group this is the perfect place to take them from kids, to grandparents. Cantigny is an absolute bargain!! This would be a great day trip for anyone in Chicagoland, and well worth the drive. There is a restaurant, Le Jardin, which has average food and prices, or picnic and enjoy the impeccable grounds. read more

Here's their new overview video: https://youtu.be/IeSNSMwiw7s Hmm, another Yelp review I know I wrote ages ago seems to have been lost in cyber space...so here it goes again! Cantigny is a wonderful sprawling park with something for everyone. Several lovely gardens to enjoy, plenty of meandering paths to walk along, a large open field (the "parade grounds") perfect to flying a kite, picnic area, not 1 but 2 museums, a visitor's center, gift shop and a band shell where they have free concerts on many Sunday afternoons in the Summer (and other concerts you can pay to attend at other times throughout the nicer weather months), free movies in the park on certain nights...oh and did I mention the best part? Admission is FREE! Well, you have to pay to park but beyond that there is no entrance fee...not even to the museums! AND if you are a veteran or active duty military you can apply for their Honor Club to receive free parking (this does require you snail mail in the application along with proof of your military/veteran status and can take 4 - 6 weeks to process so that is the only bummer on that part. I wish they would just let you show your veteran/military ID at the parking entrance for free parking and make things easier for everyone). I am especially fond of the military museum & the several tanks on display outside of it. The military museum is being remodeled at the moment (as of Nov 2016) and is due to reopen in the Summer of 2017 I believe - but the tanks outside of that museum are still accessible the last time I recently visited. We are also big fans of their free Summer concert series on many Sunday afternoons. They have a wide variety of groups that come to perform and the area around the band shell is quite large so there is plenty of room to come and enjoy the show and plenty of trees for shade plus open area for sun if you prefer. Bring your own chairs and/or blankets and you can pack a picnic but no alcohol is allowed for the Sunday afternoon free concerts. It is my understanding if you pay to attend one of the other evening concerts on different days then you are allowed to bring adult beverages but please double-check this info on their website to be sure. read more