Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden at 1000 Lake Cook Rd in Glencoe, Illinois, is a 385-acre living museum about 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. Operated by the Chicago Horticultural Society and opened in 1972, it consists of 28 display gardens set on a series of islands and lagoons, with a total of more than a million plants and a large research and education program. Unlike city attractions, it sits in the northern suburbs in Cook County, and most visitors arrive by Metra or by car.

The gardens range from formal to naturalistic. The English Walled Garden and the Waterfall Garden offer quiet, enclosed settings, while the Japanese Garden, Sansho-En, sits on three islands reached by footbridges and combines pines, ponds and a teahouse-style layout. The Rose Garden, the Fruit and Vegetable Garden and the Learning Garden show cultivated plants, and the Dwarf Conifer and Prairie areas show native Midwest landscapes. Tram tours, cycling and walking paths cover the grounds, and seasonal displays include spring tulips and cherry trees, summer perennials and water lilies, and autumn foliage. In winter, the garden shows lights and indoor greenhouses.

Visits usually take two to four hours, and longer for photographers. The garden is typically open daily from 8:00 AM until sunset, with hours listed at chicagobotanic.org. Entry on foot is free, but parking costs approximately $30 to $35, so arriving by Metra Union Pacific North Line to the Botanic Garden station is a cheaper option for visitors without a car. Spring blooms in April and May and autumn colors in October are the most popular periods, and weekends in those months fill the paths and the parking lots. Weekday mornings are quieter and give the best light for photography. Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes, since the grounds are large, and check for event closures or ticketed evening programs.