Cantigny Park — Attraction in Winfield

Cantigny Park Review Google Maps

Very beautiful, clean, nicely arranged, well kept park for all ages. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of it before. I asked a bunch of people from FB neighborhood for good places to spend time with kids and this place was 1st on recommendation list.

It is indeed a great park. It costs $ for entrance but so worth it. We went there on Wednesday 8/16/23 which is a weekday & paid $5/car at the entrance, but they have different fee for weekends and holidays. However, regardless the fee, I’d go there again and again.

The park has nice playground structure for toddlers near a huge parking lot, also down the path there is a walk in bathroom with multiple stalls. Soda vending machine around the corner and a tank on the parking lot.

The park itself has main entrance across from handy-kept parking area but you can also walk the side paths of each direction with a stroller or a wagon. (Left path) will take you around beautiful floral gardens, museum mansions and to the nice green meadow with a pond of water lilies & cute fish that swim close to the edge to look at you. It was fun to feed them bread.

Further on, the park has numerous floral arrangement secluded corners with certain incline path for wheeled items like stroller or wheelchair. A great big field with inflated jump castles for kids, and other interactions at a certain AM hour of the day, because they remove them closer to 5pm.

Further on there is a nice fountain, with benches to rest & take cool photos. Beautiful gardens and exquisite flowers with names. A little deeper towards the indoor museum of WWII military equipment and heavy weaponry there’s a big bunch of WWII tanks from several different countries. And by bunch I mean it allot, at least 10-15 of them stationed outside and kids can climb & touch them. Very cool. My 4 y/o toddler did not skip a single tank his dad placed him on. So he had a blast. Between the tanks and a pond… he wanted to feed the fish again before we left.

On FB photos I saw different colorful structures for kids which I didn’t notice at the park, but I’m guessing they are installed seasonally. So it’s cool to come back in a while to catch something new. For this reason I highly recommend this place to anyone. Just use a sunscreen at AM visiting hours on a...

The grounds at Cantigny are gorgeous—we chose the East Lawn and it was truly beautiful for our ceremony and photos.

Unfortunately, the planning process was a nightmare. We booked a year and a half in advance, told we were “so early” and would have plenty of options, only to find out nearly every September Saturday was blocked for Music in the Park.

From there, communication went downhill. After signing a contract (and paying), I barely heard from Cantigny for over a year. When I finally checked in, I was told—shockingly—that they had no record of our contract, no slot reserved, and essentially no space for us. This was after our invitations were sent and vendors booked. I had to resend them the signed contract and payment proof myself, and make repeated phone calls to push them to fix their own mistake. They had actually double-booked us, and resolving that issue was by far the most stressful part of our entire wedding process.

Communication was awful: constant turnover, little to no updates, and staff changes without notice. On the wedding day itself, our time was rushed, and we couldn’t fully enjoy the space because of back-to-back bookings.

Pros: stunning grounds, beautiful photos. Cons: terrible communication, disorganization, rushed ceremonies.

Bottom line: great for engagement photos, but as a wedding venue, not...

Cantigny Park is an absolute treasure, offering a perfect mix of history, nature, and family-friendly activities. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or looking for a fun day out with the family, Cantigny has it all.

The D-Day Exhibit is incredibly well done and informative, providing a powerful and moving tribute to those who served. It’s a must-see for anyone with an interest in military history. For the kids (and the kid in all of us), the tanks you can climb on are an absolute highlight! It’s not every day you get to scale a piece of history, and the interactive experience really adds to the visit.

Beyond the historical elements, Cantigny has beautifully maintained trails that make for a peaceful and scenic walk through nature. The McCormick Mansion is another gem on the grounds, with its rich history and elegant architecture providing a glimpse into a bygone era.

One of my favorite parts of Cantigny is how they embrace the seasons. The Winter Light Event is pure magic. Not only are the gardens beautifully lit up with thousands of twinkling lights, but they also offer hot cocoa and campfires, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere to enjoy with friends and family. It’s the perfect way to get into the...