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For those of you who have never been to Long Grove before, it can almost be best described as a magical place. Once you cross over the bridge on Robert Parker Coffin road, you’ll enter a downtown that seems so perfect it could be a movie set…maybe a heartwarming Christmas movie. The truth is several movies have used Long Grove as a filming location, including a heartwarming Christmas movie. In case you’re wondering why the Christmas decorations are still up, another Christmas movie is scheduled to be filmed between March 25^th and April 12^th.

Long Grove’s beautiful downtown is small and charming, with lots of unique shops and great restaurants. The atmosphere is quiet and unhurried, yet it maintains a “down home” feeling that makes the busier suburbs next door seem miles away.

On its own, Long Grove is a wonderful place to visit. However, if you’re looking for another fun reason, be sure to check out the Sock Monkey Museum. This small museum packs in a lot of information and history that both children and adults will enjoy. The toy is such a basic concept, however it’s amazing to see how people have taken this toy and added their own customizations. Whether it be a different way of stitching the eyes, or the choice of clothes, or some other little special touch, the creativity is just absolutely inspiring.

The museum also offers workshops and party packages, the details of which can be found on their website. If you’re in the area, the museum is a surprising amount of fun and definitely worth a visit. Good luck on the Sock Monkey scavenger hunt.

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