Wonderland Express at Chicago Botanic Garden is a holiday delight

Bundle up and head to Chicago Botanic Garden for its beautifully festive Wonderland Express taking place for the holidays through January 2.

750,000 outdoor lights greet you upon your arrival and as you make your way over the bridge and through the Heritage Garden (where the ponds have been drained and filled with festive green junipers), the West and East Courtyards, and the Esplanade, where you’ll see a 40 foot multicolored Wonderland Express spruce tree on display.

Indoors, in the Regenstein Center, a 10,000 square foot exhibition of miniature trains winds over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls, and through more than 80 mini-replicas of Chicago's favorite landmarks, including Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Chicago Stadium, Millennium Park, the Field Museum, and the Kenwood home of President Obama and his family.  New to the exhibition this year is the Stanley Cup in honor of the Chicago Blackhawks championship.

Also indoors is a gallery of decorated trees, a gingerbread village, holiday activities for the kids, and family entertainment.  Those willing to venture outdoors will find kids activities outside as well.

On select days, you can enjoy carolers as part of the Wonderland Express:

Saturday, December 18, 10am-noon:  The Music Institute of Chicago (instrumental)

Sunday, December 19, 10am-noon:  The All Village Singers

Wednesday, December 22, 4-4:45pm: Little OL Korea Children’s Choir

Family drop-in activities take place in Burnstein Hall where children can explore snowflakes, discover conifers, and create small bird feeders to take home.

General admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free, but there is a charge for the Wonderland Express.  Ticket prices are $12 (adults), $9.50 (seniors and children over two).  However, admission to both the Garden and Wonderland Express is free on Tuesdays through December 21.  If you use a Discover® card to purchase tickets, you’ll get two-for one (this offer is valid only for tickets purchased at the Garden with a maximum of two complimentary tickets per purchase).  To order tickets, click here.
   

Nonmembers also need to pay for parking, which is $20 per car or $25 per van.  On Tuesdays, parking is only $7 for senior citizens.  If you are a member of the Morton Arboretum, you always get free parking, any day, at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

The Garden is open 10am-6pm daily.  It will close at 3pm on December and remain closed on Christmas.  Click here for directions to the Chicago Botanic Garden.