The Morton Arboretum holds an annual 5K through its grounds every year and I did it, for the first…read moretime, today. As I arrived and later ran, I realized I had never been to the Morton Arboretum before. It is beautiful! The 5K was really great. I would say, my only complaint, is that they should consider having waves or corrals next year. Everyone was released to run at once, which made the path a bit crowded, especially in mile 1. This didn't really bother me because my goal was to take my time and really soak in the surroundings. I do many 5Ks, many of which are on city streets or along the lakefront. -So to do one on such pretty grounds (sort of an open field alternating with a forest vibe), it was really cool. You leave the city of Chicago and you really feel like you are in a whole 'nother world! My other feedback is that I was hoping to see the vibrant hues of the leaves changing for fall (since it is called the Fall Color Run). Everything was still lush and green! -Not sure if it would be better to hold it later in the year? It's a tough call -the weather was perfect today -it was mild (60) and overcast so it made for great running weather. Maybe having it later when the leaves change would lead to much cooler temps? Not sure, but it's food for thought. I'm glad I did it, either way, as it was a really nice event overall. Nice people, well organized and a whole "festival" vibe afterward with many vendors, food and a live band (Soda -a local cover band). Regardless of the leaf color, I will be back for the beautiful, serene run next year!

2011 was another great year. The trail is just as gorgeous as ever and parking was a breeze. I…read moreshowed up 40 minutes early, parked, picked up my packet and got to racing. TMI, but I made the mistake of eating really spicy Indian food the night before and got sick. I was so thankful for the Porta Potty at the 1/2 mile mark. Wish there had been more along the trail or at least one near the finish line. They had ample toilets at the end of the event area, but when I went to use them I felt little desire to walk all the way back to the festivities. Their toilets were still in better condition than most race events'. So why the star downgrade? A couple reasons - Packet pick up was organized alphabetically, but from right to left instead of left to right. I got in line where I thought A might be, but it turned out I was over by Z and had to get back in line on the other side. This annoyance was offset by the chuckle I got from the handwritten MEDIAM on one of the shirt boxes. But the real reason I'm a little pouty today? I ordered (and paid for) a Medium shirt. Medium was written in my registration and on my bib. The woman checking me off even told the guy grabbing the shirts that I needed a "Mediam." So you can imagine my disappointment as I pull out my much anticipated Zorrel running shirt and discover it's an XL.

This was a pretty cool race. I have to give them credit -it was super well-organized. We got there…read moreabout an hour early to park in the lot with a shuttle bus that takes you to the start. My parents came to watch and I didn't want them to have to walk very far and this was an excellent service. The other lot option required you to have to walk about a mile, which is too far from them. The only bummer -and this is probably for safety reasons -was that I thought the planes were going to be taking off and landing closer to us. You know how you drive on I-90 or Mannheim Road and the planes are literally 10 feet over your head? Yeah -call me foolish, but I thought that was going to happen as we ran. I just assumed that if they got that close to the major streets, they would just be taking off and landing close to the route. So, you will not be experiencing that -but as far as a unique experience -this was still a cool race. There is a big plane that you can pose next to for pictures and just overall an interesting event because you are accessing areas of the airport property that most people will never see. You are literally running on a runway they close for the event. The shirt was cotton -would like to see a "tech-T" in future years, as they tend to hold up better after multiple washings. After all, it is going to be a fun shirt to wear and a great conversation starter regarding our experience!

ONCE UPON A TIME.......IN LOMBARD…read more This beloved indoor entertainment center is still hanging in there after 40+ years. I'll admit, I didn't have "attend a work outing at Enchanted Castle" on my 2025 bingo card, yet here we are. I found myself reminiscing about birthdays from the past, how many tokens I spent here as a preteen, and what on earth I was doing at a kids entertainment center with a group of engineers. As they've been since 1983, Enchanted Castle on Roosevelt Rd in Lombard is a one-stop shop for fun.  They have party rooms, a large arcade with ticket counter and 7-8 different attractions.  It's like a bigger version of Chuck E Cheese with a medieval theme, a Dave & Busters aimed at kiddos. You can pay for things a la carte, or get a $40 "max pack" that gets you a $15 game card and access to any 3 attractions.  Our large group hit up the arcade, mini golf, laser tag, and go karts.  One staffer helped us out during our time here, and kudos to her for being patient when we couldn't make up our minds on what to do next. I'll start with the best: the go karts ($9/pp).  Although the track itself is small and not terribly exciting, these go karts were peppy and handled well.  You get a decent number of laps, too, and it must be popular enough to warrant having its own dedicated entrance off to the right - Castle Karts. Next came laser tag ($9/pp).  The packs seemed heavy, but the guns were very accurate IMO.  It was a 'capture the flag' objective and despite a small arena, there was just enough space to move around.  They also have Route 66 mini bowling ($5/pp), bumper cars ($5/pp), a scaled down 'Scrambler' type ride ($5/pp), and a playground area with slides ($5/kid). The glow in the dark Black Knight's "Adventure" Golf ($7/pp) was the weak link of the bunch.  9 holes of poorly lit, uninspired putt putt with odd scenery choices - they couldn't decide between skeletons or squires - and lazy hole design led to several in our group bailing partway through.  One girl even twisted her ankle walking around an obstacle!  This is an area that could definitely benefit from a facelift or new attraction. Back in the 90's and early 2000's, Enchanted Castle had a 3D motion theater that played several iWerks films like Dino Island, Alpha One Cowboy, and Red Rock Run.  This wild motion simulator was always the highlight of my visit, but I can't find ANY record of it in web archives..... was this a fever dream?? Their arcade has a mix of new and old, lots of ticket redemption games with flashy shoot-em-ups sprinkled in.  They had Beat Saber VR (for a whopping 24 credits) as well as some vintage games like the one where you use an air cannon to shoot out the clown's teeth.  Many years ago, they had a dedicated area for pinball machines....now they have none.  *sigh* I expected very little from the food and was pleasantly surprised.  The italian beef ($12) was pretty good, no complaints about the fries.  The large appetizer platter ($40) had a little bit of everything: 7 mozza stix, 7 wings, 7 tenders, 12 mini tacos, and 8 pretzel sticks with dipping sauces.  They also had beer on tap @ $6.50 per pint, not too bad. * TL;DR * Enchanted Castle is supposed to be for young'ins, but if you have fun here as a grown-up I won't tell anyone. Being in business for 43 years is no small feat, especially when you consider the sweeping effect COVID had on the realm of indoor entertainment.  I'm amazed (and relieved) that Enchanted Castle's drawbridge has stayed open despite so much volatility in the world.  I don't imagine that the handful of folks we saw on a Thursday afternoon is representative of how much foot traffic EC actually gets. Here's to hoping they have many more years ahead of them, making joyful memories for scores of kids in the western Chicago suburbs.  I'd hate to see an indelible part of my childhood be gone for good. "The handsome prince raced his mighty steed around the go kart track, while the beautiful princess enjoyed several games of Skee-Ball.  And they played happily ever after!"

The prizes are too kiddie.I have all these points and can't find anything to buy that's not for a…read morelittle kid

I bring my boys here and they always are thrilled to race. They have gotten so good that they have…read moreplaced first place several times.

Great staff , friendly . One of the guys up front thinks he's Rico suave but other than that guys…read moreout on track are awesome. I come here multiple times a month

I am late getting this review in because we went here the Halloween just before the pandemic hit -…read moreso Halloween 2019. This was a delightful pop-up patch out in Lisle and was an excellent event for all ages. You walk around a trail with your family and are entertained. Since it is a rain or shine kind of event, wear boots that you can wash off when you get home ... it can get messy. What they do here is set up a trail that you follow and around which they display thousands of pumpkins in different displays. It was really well done. All the displays are illuminated so it is really a visual treat. We have never seen anything like this over-the-top Halloween display - and mind you there are no scary things. So if you want a Halloween activity for the family without any scares, this is your place. Loads of parking so don't worry about that issue. Now the bad news. We went here in late 2019, the pandemic year of 2020 had nothing, and the people who run this did not put it on in 2021. But now you know - if they do set this up again - hopefully in 2022 - go. Make a reservation as soon as you hear about it because it sells out. We hope they come back ...

I came to know about this place through Yelp's Elite Event experience. decided to attend this…read moreevent as it was on a Sunday evening. The Yelp Chicago Burbs community manager had mentioned about picking up the complimentary tickets at their table booth right outside the event area. When my wife and I got there (around 7:30 PM), the place was packed and busy. There already was a long line to get inside. Once I got the tickets from the Yelp community manager, I was given instructions about the express line for the Yelp Elites to get inside. We took advantage of that were able to get to the ticket scanning area quickly. From there, we merged into the main line of the actual entrance to the Pumpkin Glow exhibit. We enjoyed viewing all the different types of pumpkin exhibits they had at this place. It was quite colorful. The carvings on the pumpkin was great and whoever did those carvings, did an amazing job. There were different themes (pop culture based) showcasing these glowing pumpkins. It was a cool experience. Too bad it was pretty chilly outside and we had to bundle up. Thanks to Yelp Chicago Burbs and Jack's Pumkin Glow for this opportunity. Without Yelp Chicago Burbs information, I probably wouldn't have known about this place and thus, would not have gone. Things to keep in mind when going here is that it can be extremely busy so expect long (slow moving lines); when it's cold outside, bundle up as this is an outdoor venue; there can be slick and muddy path on your way in, there is gift shop and a snack shop when you exit the venue, and parking is free. Check them out.

The food court area is very messy and unorganized A lot of…read morehand washing stations, outdoor restrooms.Plenty of games and rides for all kids of different age groups. Very nice craft vendors- support local and small business please. Live concert by Don felder was amazing. Fireworks at the end-- everyone enjoyed. Overall great fest to go and have family time with great entertainment options. Bring your chairs, hoodie and may be picnic blanket.

Its an amazing fest. I went for this fest for the 2nd time. Amazing performances, food stalls,…read morerides and best game stalls. Very good time.

This was our first time attending the Dupage Native Plant Sale. It is now held at the Dupage Event…read moreCenter and Fairgrounds. Parking and admission were free. This is a 2 day event selling over 150 different types of native flowers,grasses,shrubs and trees. There were many volunteers around to ask questions and get recommendations. Plants are not restocked daily so best is to go early on the first day. It gets crowded and with so many people pulling wagons and carts,patience is required! They do have a few trays to use but best is to bring your own boxes. Cash,check or credit cards are accepted but I wish the checkout area was in a different location than where the plants were being sold as the lines for checkout were very long. Proceeds benefit the Dupage Forest Preserve.

It's a cute little county fair. My little family and I enjoyed it. Normal fair attractions and…read morefood/drinks. Reasonable fair prices. Little animals barn animals to enjoy. The cool little octopus to climb and take pictures with was different. What I didn't enjoy was the wristband didn't really work for my toddler. She went on one ride just fine and then was told she was too short for all the other rides, which should've been noted when purchasing the wristband. She was later told she couldn't even go on the same ride she first went on.

Me and my kids definitely had fun. I would definitely recommend coming here. Everyone is nice. The…read moreatmosphere is wonderful. I would definitely will be coming back again. I had so much fun myself. We was there for six hours. Yes six hours!!! as an adult. You can have fun with your kids also, the only reason why I didn't give it all it stars is because they have a virtual world thing and it wasn't open so sad but other than that, everything was great

It was nice. For a place for anyone that loves games. Too dark to see if it is clean. Lol like a…read moremini Las Vegas for kids lol. Food was ok there burgers and chicken nuggets. And fries were very good and the vegetarian food was good. Loved the chicken. Loved the party room and the staff was wonderful. Bathroom needed to be cleaned and the sink was broken. All in all it was a nice experience.

Being a dog lover, I was so ashamed that I kept missing the Expo for years, but I finally was able…read moreto go this year and it was amazing! I really had no expectations coming here, because I had no idea what it really was. I figured it was more of a place to buy things for your pets and for entertainment you could watch dog and cat shows..WAS I WRONG!!!! The Expo went from Friday-Sunday, 9AM-6PM and it was $10/a person. We went on Saturday a little after 10, and it was already a nightmare walking around this place. But I didn't mind that. It's to be expected. The place is jam packed with booths from different rescues and shelters around the Chicagoland area. Of course they brought some of their adoptable dogs with that you were able to interact with as much as you wanted. Some of the booths cleverly setup Kissing Booths and Hug/Hold a Puppy for a 1$. It was adorable! Also a big hit! People were giving money left and right to kiss and cuddle the pups. It was precious. On the Second and Third levels they were holding the dog and cat shows. We didn't stick around to watch any of them because they were so over crowded. I'm sure they were cute! Maybe next time. :) They also had booths where vendors were selling nutritious dog foods that they don't normally sell in stores. Of course they were expensive but they claimed to be the best. They also set up little bake booths where you could purchase treats for your dogs. They were very clever with some. They had cookies, cakes, donuts, french fries, all sorts of different shaped treats. It was very creative! We spent a good 2 hours walking around the Expo, and that's without attending any of the shows. If you go next year, plan on spending the majority of the day here. It really is a lot of fun, and very educational. Don't hesitate to bring the kids either! HAVE FUN!! :)

I am looking to adopt a Samoyed, and the Northern Illinois Samoyed Assistance would be at the Pet…read moreExpo. Instead of mailing my application, I decided to trek out to Arlington Heights to drop it off at their booth. I scanned through the exhibitor list and was happily surprised to see a huge number of adoption and rescue organizations that will be showcased. I looked forward to going. The Pet Expo was held at the Arlington Park this year. Immediately upon entering the massive building, I saw people walking around with birds and dogs of all colors and shapes. I made my way to the NISA booth, but stopped by to get information from several rescue groups. There were many breed-specific ones. The second floor had a number of cat and bird rescues. It was wonderful seeing people inquiring about the animals that needed rescue. This was a completely different environment from IKC dog show I attended a few weeks before. While the Pet Expo is an annual event, anyone who is looking for a furry (or feathery!) family member next year should check the Pet Expo out. I wouldn't call it an "expo" though. It was more like fun and educational adoption fair.

A massive disappointment--more of a playground than a car show…read more I've been coming to the Chicago Auto Show for years, but this year was a shell of its former self. Instead of a sea of cars, the floor was dominated by four massive test tracks that ate up all the space. There were no concept cars, hardly any supercars, and major brands were missing entirely. I specifically went to see the Audi RS7, only to find Audi wasn't even there. This felt more like a "Chicago E-Car" event than a real auto show. Give us back the variety and the "real" cars that made this show great.

Massive | Interactive | Traffic | Forward Thinking…read more -Massive: This is the largest auto show in North America. It is huge! There were two major sections and almost every auto maker was represented with the exception of Mercedes Benz and BMW. -Interactive: There are multiple interactive courses for attendees to drive vehicles. Kia, Jeep, Land Rover, GMC, Ford all had places to drive their SUVs to test out there capabilities. The one draw back is that the lines to do so were VERY LONG. Be prepared to wait 1+ hours. -Traffic: Traffic was Horrendous! McCorrmick place does not have a good signage for locating the CTA stop, Uber, or Lyft locations making it difficult for the drivers to find us and for us to navigate our arrival and departure. -Forward Thinking: It was cool to see new technology offered from multiple car companies. Also, seeing the concept cars and more niche vehicles was an awesome experience. - Lost Stars?: minus one star for traffic. It was painful. -Pro Tip: Military gets in for free. Bring your own snacks, because the concessions are VERY expensive. Don't fall for the $8 pretzel or the $12 chicken fingers.