Our daughter was invited to the Media Preview of "Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains" special exhibition…read moreat Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County in Libertyville before it opened to the public, and we were thrilled that she invited us, her parents, to join her. It was our first time visiting the museum, and it left a lasting impression. The Dunn Museum, operated by the Lake County Forest Preserves, recently expanded with a brand-new 3,000-square-foot gallery designed specifically for large-scale exhibitions. Alex Ross's special exhibition is the first one to be unveiled there. I found the new gallery very spacious, comfortable, thoughtfully designed, and professionally executed. Renowned for his use of gouache to paint incredibly lifelike portraits of Marvel and DC icons, Ross has elevated comic book illustration into the realm of fine art. The exhibition showcases 100 stunning portraits, each reflecting the unique personality and attitude of the character, which naturally shapes their pose. The portraits form two larger-than-life murals that fully immerse visitors, creating a perfect backdrop to step into the world of comics and pose with your favorite characters. We were so grateful and pleasantly surprise that Alex Ross was present at the Media Preview. Although he is such an iconic artist in the comic world, he is so friendly, warm, and down-to-earth. We were absolutely delighted to meet and chat with him. The museum's slogan is "Arrive curious. Leave inspired." That was exactly how I felt. I have only had casual exposure to the comic universe through superhero movies like Superman, Batman, and Spiderman, and I did not know much about the artists behind the scenes. However, after seeing Ross's work up close, I came away a true fan of Ross, with a newfound respect for his comic art! Although this is a ticketed special exhibit to the public, $5 - $10 in addition to the general admission, it is well worth the price and special trip to see it. The exhibition runs from June 29 through February 16, 2026. Go see it if you have a chance! We did not have time to explore the museum's permanent exhibits, but we certainly look forward to coming back. We did stop by the gift shop, which is well-stocked with comic books and merchandise that fans will love. There are even Heroes books and Villains books signed by Alex Ross available behind the counter for $100 each. Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains is the Dunn Museum's second exhibit featuring the celebrated artist's work, following 2019's Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross. This exhibition also supports the Preservation Foundation's "Every Acre Strong" initiative, which raises funds to help maintain and protect Forest Preserve lands, making sure they stay healthy and thriving for generations to come.

Our daughter invited us to the media preview of Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains at the Bess Bower Dunn…read moreMuseum in Libertyville. I didn't know what to expect. It was my first time at the museum, but I walked away seriously impressed. The new 3,000 square foot gallery is well done. It's spacious, comfortable, and designed to showcase large-scale work the right way. And Alex Ross's art? Incredible. His portraits of Marvel and DC characters are lifelike, powerful, and packed with personality. The layout includes two massive murals that completely pull you into the comic world. Best part? Ross himself was there. The guy is a legend in the comic world, but down-to-earth and genuinely kind. It was a real pleasure to meet him. I've only scratched the surface of comics through the usual superhero movies, but seeing Ross's work up close gave me a whole new appreciation for the art behind it. I walked in curious and left a fan. The exhibit runs through February 16, 2026. It's a special-ticketed show with an extra five to ten dollars on top of regular admission, but it's absolutely worth it. We didn't get to explore the rest of the museum this time, but we'll definitely be back. The gift shop is great too, with plenty of comic merch, including signed Ross books behind the counter. If you're into comics, art, or just want to see something unique, go check it out.

Wow! Over the last few years and especially this summer I've visited quite a few local historical…read moremuseums and this is another one that really stands out as truly excellent. In addition to having some unique items and very nice looking exhibits, the tour given by two volunteers was done very well. Kevin provided an excellent tour of the Applebee House and Donlea-Kincaid house, giving plenty of information about where the various items were from and providing plenty of background about the family and how different items were used. He was extremely knowledgeable about all different questions ranging from the ornate decorations, to the different tools used, challenges faced in different time periods, and how to best preserve all the different items available. Michael provided a great tour of the Blacksmith Shop, with an amazing set of stories about all the different items, how they arrived at the museum, how to restore different items, and about various other topics. He is clearly a history lover with an immense amount of knowledge and a passion for teaching others. He is also excellent at getting others interested in history with his amazing ability to help people relate historic times to modern times, and thoroughly explain anything that is asked about any part of the museum. Definitely worth a visit to learn a lot about local history and historic artifacts. The quality of preservation and the completeness of several collections is truly amazing.

This was a gem to run across. It's easy to miss on Lake-Cook Road. There is a parking lot in the…read moreback between the two houses. It is hard to find the entrance to the museum but once you get there it is very much worth the effort. We were given a tour by two very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guides. They gave us personal attention. There are so many stores and artifacts that an hour and a half want nearly enough. Highly recommend is you live in the Barrington area or like history.

This amphitheater is perfect for outdoor theaters and concert theaters and concerts. You can bring…read moreyour own chairs, blankets and food but to get a good spot, come early. Parking can be hard to find but there's plenty if you don't mind driving around.

Tucked behind a skate park, church parking lot annex, and community swimming pool lies this neat…read morelittle outdoor amphitheater. It's not at all visible from street view or the main path... in fact, you actually have to walk down what looks like a maintenance path to a storage building to find it in Palatine Community Park, but once you're there, it's pretty cool. You can check the Park District website for performances, but don't expect anything too grand. Lots of stuff for kids and some battle of the bands stuff, but it's nice to have in the area for the youth population , and I like it because most days there's absolutely nothing going on here, so you can set up shop for a picnic, play frisbee, or just yell loud enough on stage to hear your echo... which is fun for both kids and adults, in case you're wondering. If you've got a kid who's in to acting or making their own plays, this would be the perfect place to take them and their friends on an evening or day that nothing is scheduled to play in the open-air amphitheater. I come by here a few times a week and there's never anyone else over here even trying to use the area... which could roughly fit 150-200 people via picnic-style seating.

Date of visit: August 5, 2023…read more This was my first visit to a county fair! Despite visiting the state fairs in both Wisconsin and Minnesota, I had yet to visit a state fair. While it had many of the things that the state fair has (rides, carnival games, food kiosks), there was far less to see and do and the $9 admission seemed pretty high for what they had to offer. Definitely do a lap around before settling on any food or drink, the prices are NOT all the same! You save a fair amount of money on things like lemonade if you scope out all the vendors before making a selection. We were impressed at the massive train display in one of the buildings; the two trains on the tracks were heading in opposite directions around a detailed townscape featuring a variety of businesses and homes, definitely make this a stop during your visit, even if just to watch it for a minute or two. Staff were friendly throughout the fair, from those assisting with parking to the ticket takers and other various employees we encountered on the grounds. It's possible that I am just too much of a state fair guy to get on board with the smaller county fairs. Or maybe McHenry county's fair is a bit underwhelming. Or both!

We always enjoy the McHenry County fair. We love seeing all the different animals especially the…read morevery interesting chickens. My friend has a corn dog and I get a funnel cake love seeing all the vegetables that people have grown. It's just an interesting time.

This place is amazing this family is hard working to get this set up for our enjoyment. The…read moredisplay is mind blowing. So much to see as you go through

They deliberately list the wrong address on their Facebook page so people can drive all the way out…read morethere and put themselves in danger by searching for their address while driving.

We love going here on the weekends! Their membership is such a great deal if you live nearby and…read morethey always have new exhibits so it doesn't get stale for the kids. They also have a great outdoor area.

We visited the Kohl Children's Museum and had a good time. There are lots of different activity…read moreareas for kids to explore, and it's a fun place for children to learn through play. Admission is $20 per person. However, I also visited about four years ago, and I was surprised that almost nothing has changed. Many of the toys, exhibits, and play areas looked the same and felt quite worn from years of use. I would recommend visiting at least once because it's a nice experience for kids, but I don't think it's a place I would return to regularly unless they update or refresh the exhibits.

Haven't been since last summer but excited to visit again. Very cute museum with lots of input from…read morethe community, cool art and lots to learn about the surrounding area.

My camera club went here one blustery night in November. We got full-access to the place. I ran…read moreinto James up in the attic and he was a wealth of information. There is a ton of gear here. Some of is seems bone-stock and much has been restored. Plenty of cool stuff. You do not have to have an interest in firefight to find this place cool. Not juts for kids, either.

Spending a day in Elgin looking for something to do brought us to the Elgin Fire Barn No 5 Museum…read more I don't think I've ever been to a fire barn/house/department museum before, but as museums go this one was done well. It's not very big, but they've packed a bunch of information and displays in. Dale asked if we wanted to wander about ourselves or have a guided tour and we chose guided tour. Between Dale and James I don't think there's anything in the museum they can't tell you about. Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of fighting fires in Elgin. The displays are all very well done and everything is very well taken care of. If you're in the area and looking for an interesting place to spend an hour or two definitely stop by the Fire Barn Museum. If you're not in the area but interested in fire fighting the trip will be worth it.