Since we can’t go anywhere this year, I find myself reflecting on my trips of yesteryear. What I loved about them, and what I would have changed.
In 2015, Lindsay’s love of all things American Girl was at its peak. We visited our store in St. Louis every couple of months (which is now closed, sadly). But I wanted to take Lindsay to the large American Girl Place store in Chicago. We went to Chicago and since she still loved “Little House at the time, we also visited Southeast Wisconsin, where we had many wonderful, one-of-a-kind moments.
Our trip summary
To summarize our journey, we left home early in the morning on a day in July 2015, and headed northeast to Chicago. We went to Legoland before going to our hotel near O’Hare Airport. The next morning we took the train to downtown, where we walked around a bit. We took a water taxi down the river, ending near the Navy Pier. We then walked to Water Tower Place, where our real destination was the American Girl store. Once at the store, Lindsay shopped a lot, and we had lunch in the AG restaurant, then took the train back to our hotel. The next morning, we drove to Wisconsin, and went to Old World Wisconsin, which is a living history museum type of place. We stayed in a hotel in Delavan, where we waded in a small lake near our hotel, and went horseback riding through some big park. We came home the next day, a surprisingly easy six-hour drive.
In hindsight. What I would have done differently.
The trip was great, but of course there are things I would have done differently. It wasn’t a huge deal, but I wish we had gone up into one of the tall buildings there. Also, we didn’t really like visiting the Navy Pier like I thought we would. It seemed more like an outdoor mall to me than a waterfront attraction. We took the ferris wheel ride, and after it was over, we both admitted we were terrified. The ferris wheel is tall, and small and rickety. After our trip there, I discovered that there’s a beach nearby that we probably would have enjoyed more.
I also wish we had driven to Wisconsin Dells, and stayed there instead of Delavan. We could have left Chicago early in the morning, spent the late morning and early afternoon at Old World Wisconsin (which I think is what we did anyway), then driven the two hours to Wisconsin Dells where we could have gone to water parks for a couple of days.
I’m not sure what my thought process was on why I chose our hotel and the activities that we did. I imagine I was either trying to save drive time and/or money. Looking at the map now, it’s a no-brainer that we should have gone to the Dells.
We should not have gone horseback riding. Before this trip, Lindsay had taken pony rides, and I’ve gone riding a few times in my life. The woman who took us riding was great, but it was a long hour-long ride for two people who don’t know how to ride. Lindsay looked like she was going to topple off her horse for most of the ride. She didn’t have to tell me afterward that she didn’t enjoy it, I already knew. As for me, I was struggling to stay on my horse as well, and worrying that it would bolt, and that she’d fall off her horse. After the first ten minutes I wished I was walking instead of riding. The scenery was beautiful but I couldn’t enjoy it. I’ll just remember that trying new things is how we learn what we like and don’t like, right?
The best of the trip
I wasn’t sure we’d have a good time at Legoland, but we did. There were some fun rides, and we loved the 4D movies.
Our hotel near Chicago O’Hare was nice. It was in a good location, within walking distance of a Chicago-style pizza place. The hotel shuttle took us to the train station, where we were about an hour from downtown.
We enjoyed the water taxi ride down the Chicago River. The walk to the AG store was fun too.
We had a great time at the AG store too. I’d given Lindsay quite a bit of money to spend at the AG store, and she loved spending it! She got the Girl of the Year – Grace, plus outfits for dolls and herself, a pet play set, and the soundtrack of the Girl of the Year movie. We listened to it on the rest of the trip (although it truthfully only had a couple of good songs).
I was glad I’d booked the multi-course lunch at the AG restaurant. Though the restaurant itself wasn’t as fancy as I’d expected, and I didn’t like where we were seated. They sat us near the large opening to the store. I’d have preferred to be by the window so we could look out and see the Chicago streets. But the food was good.
Old World Wisconsin was nice. They put on a Laura Ingalls play which I enjoyed. Lindsay didn’t really enjoy it though because it was based heavily on Caroline Ingalls (Laura’s Ma), who grew up near OWW. I’ve read the books about Ma’s younger years, but Lindsay hadn’t, so much of the play went over her head. Lindsay loved the one-room schoolhouse at OWW though.
Wading in the little lake near the hotel in Delavan, Wis. was fun for both of us.
Gina Parsons - Writer 