Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

This past week I ventured up to my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota to spend time with the family for Thanksgiving. While there I decided to go to one of my favorite places, The Sculpture Garden. This location brings in all forms of art and community, all within the heart of my favorite city, Minneapolis.


What you'll see there:
This particular location can be found right across the street from the Walker Arts Center, or you can just look for the popular cherry sculpture....trust me you cant miss it! The park itself includes many peices of art from numerous artists hailing from not only the artsy city of Minneapolis, but also from around the country. Alongside beautiful art, there is also a conservatory located in the park, which includes a gigantic glass fish sculpture, lush plants and flowers and great photo opportunities for the many weddings that take place in this famous Minneapolis location. 

The Garden is open daily, 6am-midnight. However the conservatory is only open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, and is sometimes booked out for events.



Why you should visit:
If youre ever near this wonderful city, it is definetly worthwhile to check out. The garden is made up of 11 acres and showcases beautiful artwork. There is a ton of grass, places for seating, picnics, summer activities such as frisbee, tanning, kite flying...etc. It is also just a short walk across the popular bridge over interstate 94 to Loring Park and the Basillica of St. Mary. Not only is it a tourist hot spot, but a location full of Minnesota pride. Located in a walking distance from downtown, you can expierence the incredible city, and still find some quiet and beauty in the Sculpture Garden. 


Location:

The garden is located at 725 Vineland Place Minneapolis, MN 55403. Next to the Walker Arts Center. and like stated above, its a short walk from the downtown area. 


check out the short video for a few more pictures

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Stepping outside of the loop this week I ventured over to Lincoln Park to see what they had to offer. Similar to the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier, I found myself at this beautiful conservatory with an exotic environment. 


Why you should visit...

Its winter time, its cold, and the last place you want to go and get some quiet is the lake front, but Lincoln Park has a beautiful location where you can learn about different plant species, take a tour of the garden, or just sit and relax for a little bit before or after you hit up the near by zoo. 

This particular conservatory offers beautiful tropical plants and ferns...and it is all right in the heart of Lincoln Park. It is truly like walking into a different world once you pass through the doors of the all glass building. . No matter what time of the year, this space is always full of bright plants and lush life. 


This location is free to the public daily, and open from 9am-5pm. The Conservatory offers many different things such as tours of the location, events, and weddings. A very fascinating location for all ages. 


Location:

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is located at 2391 North Stockton Drive in Chicago. There are many ways to get there, but i found that the Fullerton Bus was the best option, it dropped me off in close walking distance to the park. 

Museum Campus, Chicago.

Everyone who lives in Chicago should be at least a little bit familiar with Grant Park, so this week I decided to take a walk down to the southeast corner of this very location and step into one of the more educational locations. The Museum Campus.

Why You Should Visit...
The Museum Campus is the perfect outdoor getaway for anybody who loves the lake, walking/running/biking paths, lots of grass, wonderful views of the Chicago skyline, and of course...museums.

This particular location is made up of 57-acre park that holds three of the most notable museums in the downtown area. The Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and The Field Museum of Natural History. It also is just a short walk away from Soldier Field...so for all you football fans who like to tailgate, you have a beautiful view!

The park also includes some of the best walking paths by the lake front, but be careful not to get too close...we dont need anyone going overboard! It provides perfect locations for artists, and photographers who have a love for the city life. The folks who want to get some fishing in. Or even for that romantic couple who wants to just sit and have a bottle of wine (just dont get caught!) while being able to look at the city and watch the fireworks at Navy Pier (weather permitting).

The cool thing about this location is that its enjoyable in both daytime and nighttime. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and expecting it to be full of lots of people it was surprisingly quiet and pretty dull. It was fun to watch the tourists take pictures in front of the skyline while the students were studying on the lake front benches.

The Museum Campus truly brings together different aspects for everyone who lives, or is visiting this part of the city, making it a very enjoyable location for all!

Location:

The Museum Campus is located at the southeast end of grant park there is no actual address to this location because of the massive size of it.

check out the video below for some more pictures!

The Crystal Gardens

It's getting to be that time of the year again, where all the leaves have fallen off every viewable tree, the wind gusts are strong...and oh yeah, the snow is on its way! That being said I chose to step indoors for this weeks location giving you a spot where you can visit in the winter time. 


The Crystal Gardens, located inside Navy Pier, yes...one of the most famous tourist locations in the windy city. But hear me out, I promise that it is just as relaxing as other locations...there just might be a few extra people walking around. 


Why you should visit: The Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier have a lot to offer to the many visitors that walk through everyday. This garden features over 80 palm trees (yes, palm trees in Chicago), lush plants, and flowers. Jumping fountains, and twinkle lights that hang overhead. This one acre location also has beautiful views of the city, as well as the lake, and the famous ferris wheel! The garden is conveniently located in an area where there is access to both indoor and outdoor parts of the Pier, and is a great spot to just sit and chill after all the shopping and site-seeing you may have just completed. 


This particular ballroom is a popular hosting location for events of all types including; wedding ceremonies, receptions, banquets, fashion shows, and private parties. There is no rental fee, just a cut of the food and beverage costs which is stated in the contract. The room can hold anywhere from 100 to 2,000 of your closest guests and includes everything you need to host that perfect event!


Bad news... due to the location and the fact that you can host events, the garden is sometimes closed to the public.


Good news... a lot of the events that do take place are open to the public, allowing you to not only experience something new, but be surrounded by this beautiful location...and there wont be any snow on the ground...and who doesn't like sitting in paradise in the middle of winter? 


Location: This breathtaking botanical garden is located at Navy Pier, 700 East Grand Ave. Chicago IL. Its a quick escalator ride up to the second floor and through the double doors. 


Overall I really enjoyed my time spent here, it was a totally different environment from the past locations, and definitely was worthwhile. Even though there was an event taking place it was still very peaceful and relaxing.
Check out the video below for more pictures!