District 214 Community Education

Step into the “Magic-al” world of Suri Alpacas at Magic Meadows Alpaca farm near Wonder Lake IL! The farm is home to 12 alpacas including their famous alpaca, Rainier who has appeared on both WGN and Fox TV in Chicago! You will learn about alpacas and how their fleece is known to be the silkiest and softest fiber while being warmer and more lightweight than any other fiber. You’ll also enter the Alpaca’s enclosure to go face to face with these gentle creatures to feed them, sure to bring a smile! You will also be able to shop their collection of products made from the Alpaca fiber such as yarn, hand crochet items and pet beds. Afterward, it’s a short ride to Royal Oak Farm Orchard near Harvard, IL. A highlight of the visit is a fun tractor-drawn wagon ride through the orchards to pick apples while learning the history of the farm, the varieties of apples, the irrigation and pest management systems. You will also discover the importance of bee pollination narrated by one of Royal Oak’s knowledgeable guides. Shop in the Country Market, Apple Barn and Bakery to bring home some tasty treats including cider donuts, and their famous apple cider. A delicious lunch is included at the orchard’s cafeteria-style Country Kitchen Restaurant featuring their famous chicken pot pie!

You don't have to travel to South Dakota to see the iconic American Bison. At the Broken Wagon Bison Ranch near Hobart, Indiana, board a "Bison Tour Wagon'' to see this beautiful 35-acre buffalo farm. Enjoy expert narration from your ranch guide, as you venture up close and safely to the herd of about 70 buffalo. We’ll also see a film on the history of the bison and learn facts about the American Bison and the story of the ranch. Later at the Industrial Revolution Eatery in nearby Valparaiso, enjoy a delicious lunch while dining in this unique atmosphere that pays tribute to the American spirit of innovation. En route home, enjoy some sweet treats on a visit to the Albanese Candy Factory, home to the "World's Best Gummies"! See the factory floor where the candies are produced and visit the outlet store.

Brighten up your autumn evening at this incredible lights festival that has become a Milwaukee area tradition! China Lights is an event that celebrates the art, skill, and beauty of traditional Chinese lantern festivals that have been celebrated across Asia for over 400 years! Held each fall in suburban Milwaukee at the lovely Boerner Botanical Gardens in Whitnall Park, this after-sundown celebration of Asian life and culture, transforms the Gardens into a magical paradise of dazzling illuminated displays. Dragons, glowing pagodas and iridescent pinwheels are just some of the stunning illuminated sculptures you will see on a ¾ walking path at the gardens. China Lights also features amazing stage performances highlighting Asian folk-culture performances. Cultural display cases in Boerner’s historic Garden House feature replicas of historic Chinese artifacts and a video viewing area showcasing China’s beauty. Before our visit to China Lights enjoy a dinner at the Steakout Restaurant Restaurant in nearby Greendale, WI

Come explore Chicago’s rich Holiday traditions with CET! After a late morning departure our first stop is to see a tradition dating back to 1942 as we visit the Museum of Science & Industry’s “Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light.” See the museum's grand 45-foot tree which graces the Museum rotunda covered with more than 30,000 twinkling lights and surrounded by more than 50 smaller Christmas trees carefully decorated to represent countries and cultures from around the world. This sparkling display and festival of trees is a true immersion into Christmas! Each tree has a description about the decorations and the customs of that country. Next we enjoy a late lunch/early dinner at the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, the highly acclaimed fine dining restaurant originally a Romanesque Revival firehouse built in 1905. Afterward, we stop at the colorful Christkindlmarket, Chicago’s enchanting and inviting holiday village where you can shop for holiday gifts and crafts at the large open-air Christmas Festival. Top off the evening with a Christmas Lights drive see the Magnificent Mile, the holiday window displays at Macy’s and Millennium Park to see Chicago’s official Christmas Tree!

An unforgettable adventure awaits on the Sainte Genevieve riverboat as we sail on the Illinois River between Starved Rock State Park and Ottawa, IL! The Sainte Genevieve riverboat is one of North Central Illinois newest attractions to sail on one of the most scenic stretches the river has to offer. The 3-hour cruise departs from Starved Rock State Park and travels upriver to historic downtown Ottawa. Along the way we’ll sail beneath legendary Starved Rock and through the locks where you will witness the fascinating process of locking through as you’ll marvel at this impressive engineering feat while learning about river transportation. The relaxing cruise gives you the chance to see the natural beauty and hear the stories of the river’s history. Before we board the Sainte Genevieve, we are treated to a great lunch at the Starved Rock State Park Lodge, built in the 1930s, featuring its iconic log walls and two-sided stone fireplace, overlooking the park.

Baseball fans: Travel to Wisconsin to see the Chicago Cubs battle the rival Milwaukee Brewers in an afternoon baseball game! A deluxe motorcoach will take us to Milwaukee’s beautiful American Family Field to see the Cubs in action in this state-of-the-art ballpark! Enjoy great loge box seats on the first base side, out of the direct sunlight. See the famous Bob Uecker seat, the Racing Sausages in the 6th inning and the park’s statues which pay tribute to Milwaukee baseball legends such as Henry Aaron, Bud Selig and Robin Yount. Each person will receive $25 in Brewers Bucks to use towards the park's distinct and delicious Wisconsin food items.

A fun day is in store at Chicago’s newest attraction, Flyover Chicago! Located at Navy Pier, Flyover Chicago captures your imagination and engages your senses as you virtually soar over, under, around and through the city’s most epic places! Motion seats, scents, mists and music work together to capture the feeling of flight as you explore Chicago from above in a 360-degree theater experience. Afterwards, enjoy a taste of the islands at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Grill with its backdrop of Lake Michigan and the festive activities of Navy Pier. Later visit the *Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to tour the Money Museum. The museum, a Tripadvisor's Travelers’ Choice Award winner for 2024 features an educational video on the vital role the bank plays in our economy. Among the fun interactive displays you can put your skills to the test by spotting counterfeit bills, and see what a million dollars really looks like up close!

Today, enjoy a great summer getaway to Stephenson County in northwest Illinois as we tour the charming town of Freeport, “the Pretzel City”! With a rich history and plenty to explore we begin with a narrated tour including Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square – A historical site where the famous 2nd Lincoln-Douglas debate took place in 1858. The square features a statue of both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, commemorating one of the most pivotal moments in U.S. history. Visit Little Cubs Field, a replica of Wrigley Field with features like the ivy-covered outfield wall, brick façade, and a scoreboard that emulates the famous Wrigley scoreboard! We’ll also tour the Stephenson County Historical Museum which offers a glimpse into the history of Freeport. Included on the grounds are the Taylor Home and Gardens, a toy museum and a one room schoolhouse. At the Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad take a ride through railroading history on a line that once served as a regional carrier, providing freight to local businesses. Lunch today will be at the Freeport Club overlooking their scenic golf course. No trip to Freeport would be complete without a stop at the beloved Union Dairy. Established in 1927, this nostalgic shop serves hand-crafted ice cream made from scratch!

There is nothing like the romance and luxury of dining aboard first-class railroad cars the way people did a generation ago. Today we’ll travel to East Troy, WI to experience dining aboard award-winning Art Deco railroad cars while enjoying a delicious lunch. These meticulously restored coaches of the Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad serve as your dining room as the East Troy Electric Railroad presents the last remaining electric inter-urban dining car train in North America. Built in 1927 the train operates on the original Milwaukee Electric Railway Company’s inter-urban track and takes a leisurely trip to Phantom Lake, before returning to the East Troy depot and museum. On our way back we stop at the landmark Elegant Farmer Farm Market. You’ll have time here to shop at their Farm Kitchen Bakery and Market featured on TV’s Food Network. The market is known for its one-of-a-kind apple pie baked in a paper bag!

Take a step back to the days of Christmas past in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A local guide will lead a narrated tour featuring some of the area’s iconic holiday sights. We’ll visit the historic and spiritual St. Josaphat Basilica, completed in 1901. At the Mitchell Park Conservatory, a trio of beehive-shaped glass domes are bedecked with hundreds of colorful poinsettias, snow white mums and brightly decorated pines for the annual Holiday Floral Show. . Christmas at the Pabst Mansion is a true experience of Christmases past! Built in 1892 by beer baron Frederick Pabst, the mansion is elegantly decorated for the holidays. Lunch is a great holiday meal at the Steakout Supper Club in Greendale . After leaving Milwaukee we will stop in Caledonia, Wisconsin, to see the drive-through “Carnival of Lights”--billed as the biggest and brightest light show in the Midwest, featuring more than two million lights!

Cruise on the spectacular fully glass-enclosed Odyssey Chicago River vessel. This relatively new 200-seat single-level boat treats you to an upscale, three-course order-from-the-menu, full-service luncheon as it sets sail from near the NBC Towers on the Chicago River Esplanade. The two-hour lunch cruise with light architectural narration travels along the Chicago River’s scenic main branch and then onto the river’s south branch to Chinatown’s Ping Tom Park. The glass-covered boat gives passengers an unparalleled 360-degree view of Chicago’s iconic and historic buildings while enjoying some culinary excellence!

Pledge®, Glade®, OFF!® and Windex® are just some of the SC Johnson products that you may have at home. Now visit their home as we tour the SC Johnson’s Global Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin! On our narrated guided walking tour of the campus, we’ll explore the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Administration Building and Research Tower and learn about the distinctive design element, considered prime examples of Wright's architectural style. At Fortaleza Hall, visit the SC Johnson Gallery where you learn about the company’s history and the relationship between the Johnson family and Frank Lloyd Wright. You’ll see a replica Sikorsky S-38 amphibian plane which H.F. Johnson, Jr. used for his 1935 carnaúba palm expedition, the source of the world’s hardest wax, the key ingredient for nearly every SC Johnson product at the time. See the Golden Rondelle Theatre, the Johnson's Wax Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair rebuilt here after the fair. Later enjoy a great lunch at the Reefpoint Brew House overlooking Racine Harbor before a stop at O&H Bakery for Kringle shopping! **The SC Johnson tour requires walking, standing and navigating stairs.

Celebrate the holidays on one of CET’s most popular tours - a special event at Place de la Musique, the spectacular Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills. We begin our day with an elegant catered holiday meal in the Estate’s Carousel Building. We’ll dine next to the “Eden Palais'' carousel, the only complete European salon carousel in the world. The spectacular 89-foot wide and 42-foot tall-carved façade has life-size carved horses, giant art glass butterflies and an 89-key gavioli band organ. You will see and hear this masterpiece in its full glory while learning about the estate's amazing collection. Following lunch, visit the Sanfilippo residence for a 90-minute Wurlitzer Theatre holiday organ concert performed by Dave Wickerham, one of the finest theater organists in the world. The afternoon concludes with a self-guided exploration of the mansion where docents will explain and demonstrate some of the world’s greatest collections of restored antique music machines. This elegant afternoon will help you ring in the holidays!

CET returns to the Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, to celebrate the season with another timeless Holiday classic A Wonderful Life! The story of George Bailey and his wonderful life in Bedford Falls has brought hope and inspiration to every heart with its celebration of the goodness in all of us. The Fireside is proud to bring you this stunning, live stage version of Frank Capra’s beloved film. A Wonderful Life captures all the magic of the film as it shines with the spirit of Christmas. Upon our arrival we’ll enjoy lunch in the theater’s lovely restaurant before enjoying the matinee performance in their 700-seat theatre in the round. You’ll also have time to shop before the show in its popular gift shops, offering a complete selection of gifts and collectibles for all ages.

Jealousy. Deception. Murder! An affair, a fortune on the line, and the perfect murder…But what happens when it all goes wrong? Dial M For Murder is a new adaptation of Frederick Knott's classic thriller, filmed for Alfred Hitchcock's 1950 thrilling classic of cocktails and intrigue at the Drury Lane Theatre. It is the story of an ex-tennis pro turned house-husband and would-be criminal mastermind Tony Wendice, and his nefarious plot to murder his philandering wife, Margot, this thriller is sure to have you on the edge of your seat! Upon our arrival at Drury Lane, an elegant luncheon is served at the theater’s Lucille restaurant with a preselected choice of entrees before we step into the grandiose theater! Contains adult themes and violence

Ali is a 17-year-old girl full of fire – searching for freedom, passion and her place in the world. How she finds them is a New York City coming-of-age story you’ve never felt before – Hell’s Kitchen, a new musical from 16-time Grammy® Award winner Alicia Keys, whose new songs and greatest hits about growing up in NY inspire a story made for Broadway.Rebellious and stifled by an overprotective single mother, Ali is lost until she meets her mentor: a neighbor who opens her heart and mind to the power of the piano. Set to the rhythm of the 90s, Hell’s Kitchen is a love story between a mother and daughter. It’s about finding yourself, your purpose, and the community that lifts you. Come remember where dreams begin. Hailed as a New York Times Critic’s Pick that is “thrilling from beginning to end – a rare must-see!” Lunch is included before the play at Gordon Ramsay Burger, a take off from his Hell’s Kitchen Restaurant Chain.