The Chicago Botanical Garden tucked in Glencoe, Illinois is the perfect place to spend your afternoon during any season! From fall and winter events to year-round beautiful gardens, the Botanical Garden is worth a visit to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Approximately 20 miles north of downtown Chicago, the gardens are easily accessible by car or public transport. Immediately upon arrival, you’ll be immersed in natural beauty and plants unlike anything you’ve ever seen. From run-of-the-mill mums to spotted begonia to the rare Indonesian corpse flower, this garden boasts plants from all over the globe.
Within the park, several different unique gardens are easily accessible by trail, making it the perfect place to get your steps in while also learning some new plant facts. Sprawling over 385 acres, the garden includes several smaller garden exhibits, including Evening Island, the Sensory Garden, the Fruit and Vegetable Garden and — among the most unique — the Japanese Garden. Each garden features distinct plants and decor, with the Japanese garden even featuring a Shoin house.
Despite the wildness of the nature within, the entirety of each individual garden is expertly crafted to give the illusion of being someplace else. For example, the English Walled Garden, among the most popular, was designed to evoke the pristine enchantment of eighteenth-century English gardens. Each individual garden is different from the last, and as you walk through the park, you are immersed in different worlds with each new exhibit.
The park even features a full-sized waterfall, restaurants and several institutes with events and education centers. And, if you don’t feel like walking, a fully functioning tram can take you around the garden for a more than 30-minute tour of the park, completely free.
For the last 25 years, the garden has also hosted the Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America. Within the garden, model trains ride past famous US landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Wrigley Field and even a miniature Old-Faithful. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the exhibit along with their ticket and get to follow the trains on their routes across America.
Seasonally, the park hosts several events, including their “Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns” in October, where guests can visit the park at night to see professionally carved pumpkins light up the gardens, with live entertainment and activities.
In the winter, the garden hosts “Lightscape” with light installations illuminating the grounds, art and music to make for a perfect holiday evening. The park is now featuring new 21+ hours for the event.
The uniqueness of the Chicago Botanical Garden is undeniable, and the craftmanship, time and dedication the staff has to perfecting these grounds is impressive to any nature lover. If you’re looking to escape the city, spend time with family, or even just want to get some exercise, the Chicago Botanical Garden is the place to be.
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