We spent our Thanksgiving holiday at our favorite place on the North Shore, Larsmont Cottages. (so much more to come on Larsmont) We had our family in tow with adventures planned of some Bentleyville magic. We have been to Bentleyville several times. One tip to know right away is the parking situation. If you are going on a weekend, Bentleyville parking can be chaotic! If their immediate parking lot is full you could be directed miles down the road to another lot. There you will wait in line for a packed school bus shuttle. Unless you are going at an off time, save yourself the stress and plan an alternate method of transportation to get there. Most hotels/resorts offer a free or small cost shuttle that will drop you off and pick you up right at the entrance, avoiding the parking headache. This time we chose to give the kids a magical experience and ride the train. This can be done through North Shore Scenic Railroad. http://duluthtrains.com We departed from Fitgers Complex. http://fitgers.com We arrived about 30 min before our train departed and we were able to easily park in the Fitgers ramp with no stress or wait. There are fun shops in the complex so you could allow extra time for that. We easily picked up our will call tickets inside the Fitgers building. It was only $7 per person to ride the train. The train takes you right down to Bentleyville and drops you off at the front entrance. They offer a few return times so you can wander Bentleyville on your own timeline. Bentleyville is a free event for families. They accept toy donations, non-perishable food items and cash donations if you desire to do so. You can wander though and get free cookies, popcorn, marshmallow roasting, Mrs. Claus, Santa himself and so much more! There are also so many great stops for photo’s! The whole family with love it! Bentleyville is an amazing night out with the family that doesn’t break the bank! Check out their site for more information. http://bentleyvilleusa.org They also have a ‘crowd meter’ to let you know the best time to visit with lower crowds. Have fun!