I love Botanical gardens. Flowers and plants have always been my thing. This one has a butterfly garden as well. How cool is that. You pay a small fee for parking. Unless you're a member. I also noticed a tram near the entrance. If you don't feel like walking. I like to explore the premises and there are spots that the tram wouldn't be able to reach. This has to be the biggest botanical garden I've ever encountered. So worth it all though. Make sure you have on comfortable sneakers. It's a lot of walking involved. Don't forget the train station. Model Trains from state to state. Check out my video. This was another favorite of mine. I even saw amtrak from DC. I took so many pictures that I had to start removing old ones from my phone for the space. They also have various indoor plants. I loved visiting the veggie plants. All those fresh vegetables made me want a salad lol. Everything is included once you pay the entry fee. Including those beautiful butterflies. Loved it and afterwards we got something to eat. Which is also located by the visitor center. They also had free water with the cups available. Much needed, just make sure you stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water available or thermal bottle. It definitely will be needed while walking around. Good way to get your steps in and watch nature at the same time. Enjoy yourself. read more

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5 stars for the Chicago Botanic Garden! This was my first visit today, and I highly recommend you check it out if you enjoy nature, plants, being outdoors, walking paths and wildlife. I checked it out in the spring where everything is coming back to life - beautiful! Plenty of greenhouses and walking paths with flowers and plants to check out, but I think the best time to come visit here would be in the summertime so you can see everything fully in bloom and the waterfalls going. A very peaceful, unique place to visit - I'd recommend you check it out if you like nature at all, or just see it at least once! read more

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As always, my visit was perfect. No matter the season, it is always beautiful. Parking is plentiful. It makes the experience so easy. The lady at the gate was pleasant and welcoming. Walking in, everything is bright and cheerful. The staff easily answers questions and gives direction. We came for the Orchid Show. This time the theme was a fun, retro theme. The music was perfect and all of the installations were fantastic! I could tell they spent a lot of time creating the experience. We also stopped into the cafe for lattes. They were brewed perfectly. The dining room is bright with a ton of windows. Lastly we visited the gift shop. Wow! It is spacious and beautiful. They have so many pretty things. It is a perfect place to purchase a gift for someone you care about or for something for yourself. read more

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Always great to just come here and walk around and seeing all the plants and flowers! There wasn't much growing at this time! It was a gorgeous day to just hang out with family! read more

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It's been a long and dreary winter. I got a burst of life visiting the Orchid Show (Feb 7 - March 22). Boy is it groovy! You'll be Groovin' and getting Good Vibrations, man, from the amazing setting. You'll be a daydream Believer when you see the giant sunshine rays of orchids. Do You Believe in Magic, you will when you see the walls of orchids. The giant lava lamp will Light Your Fire. The sixties tunes, the psychedelics, the dayglo colors, the VW Bug just busting out orchids...it's a trip, man! But most of all you'll just marvel at the orchids, each lovelier and more beautiful than the rest. This show...this is why I'm a member. read more

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Went to the light show was so fun. Never fails. It's spectacular . It's about an hour and a half walk . Great music to accompany the lights Here now to get help for the app . Brenda was wonderful at guest services. Very kind and patient lots of info . I'm interested in tai chi that they're having a class in the organ show how wonderful would that be? read more

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It was pretty nice seeing all the flowers but a the gift shop they said only 2 students at a time which wasn't nice read more

Chicago Botanic Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Glencoe, Illinois

I came here for the Holiday light! It is about a 1 mile walk. The different exhibits were beautiful! I especially liked the sphere of lights near the end. I did get the hot chocolate ($8) and hot apple cider ($10). The hot chocolate claims to be house made, but it tastes so similar to Swiss hot chocolate packets! Overpriced as expected, but I thought the quality would be better. read more

Chicago Botanic Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Glencoe, Illinois

I came for the Orchid show & it was absolutely beautiful! What a great way to spend a cold day inside a brightly lit & colorful greenhouse. When we arrived we were hungry so we grabbed a bite to eat in the cafe, loved the coffee. And after exploring the flowers we hit the gift shop. There were so many great choices, I got a shirt with the name on it & blossom oil which smells great! I plan to visit again as soon as it gets warmer so that I can view the outdoor gardens. read more

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I 10/10 would recommend visiting. The flora and landscape were absolutely beautiful. Rather you are a local or tourist, this place is certainly worth the visit. My friends and I spent nearly 2 hours here exploring the grounds. They also host a cooking show on site. I think you have to RSVP beforehand, but it was a cool thing to see as we walked around. The staff were super nice. Had a pleasant experience with everyone I interacted with. read more

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Love this place, no matter what the season is. I do like it most in the spring and summer with everything in bloom and all the colors out. I'll go here to clear my head and relax in the serene landscapes. Went for winter programming and it was amazing. Very cool carvings and winter libations too. Looking forward to the spring again here at CBG! read more

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The gardens are absolutely beautiful! I just can't believe it took us so long to make it there. We went over Labor Day weekend and it was the last weekend the butterfly exhibit was open. I'm sure glad we made it before that closed. I was also surprised that it didn't feel too crowded on a holiday weekend. Whatever you do don't leave this place until you check out the trains. Possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen. They set the train and track up in all places around the US. Hollywood, Statue of Liberty, Wrigley Field, etc. And the bridges are all built from sticks. We also booked a time for the tram which takes you around the gardens for a little historical tour. We learned some pretty cool facts. Overall we really enjoyed our time there and plan to come back. I do think the gardens needs more songs directing people around. It was hard to find ourselves around. But other than that we really loved it there. read more

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I was born in Chicago and grew up here as a kid and NEVER KNEW this place existed! None of my family or friends had been here! My fiance took me here yesterday on a day date and we had the best time! It's so beautiful and serene here! The tulips greet you when you walk up and they are truly beautiful! The grounds are breathtaking. A couple were getting married and we thought wow! What a great venue to get married at! This is a gem in Chicago indeed! read more

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My husband and I are still wondering why we never visited this beautiful garden sooner. The flowers are just beautiful and stunning. You could literally spend hours walking around. Beautiful trees, an herb garden, a little railroad park area, gift shop, and a small café. We did not eat there, but might try it another time. Everyone who works there was very helpful when we asked for directions. My husband noticed that they had a sign up indicating they will have a winter light show as well. We will definitely be returning to this great place. It would be a good place to take little ones as well. We saw lots of people with strollers and small kids. read more

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Love this place. Been here a couple times. It's still a little too early to see roses yet, but other things were in bloom! We had a map, I just wish more bathroom signs were readily apparent when you're in the back of the gardens. Nicely cared for, gift shop was nice. read more

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This review is solely based upon our visit to the orchid show, and not a larger visit to the full garden. I'll return and update my review once we've done the garden as a whole. The orchid show was fine, but I thought it would be larger. There were some beautiful displays. The colors were amazing, and the variety of orchids were impressive. This year's theme was India Blooms, which is apropos since India is a hotbed of orchid activity. There were some beautiful hanging baskets made of flowers themselves--I think carnations--which were huge and so colorful. The centerpiece of the show was a large peacock designed entirely from various orchids. It was stunning, truly. The designer of the show really set a high bar. Overall though I was a bit disappointed, I rounded up my 3.5 to a 4 because it's a beautiful green space and, as they say, the crown jewel in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Though it's part of the FPDCC, there is a charge for it unless you're a member. Their gift shop was pretty good and I bought a beautiful hand-blown and hand-painted orchid ornament and a cute keychain with charms. They also have a nice looking cafe, though we didn't eat stop in. They have quite a few educational programs, for adults as well as children. One is a nature preschool and though I have my eye on one through the Paris district for my little one, this one looks great and has longer days with the before and after care so I may look into this one instead. I'm looking forward to the warm weather months when we can explore the garden in all its beauty, and then the winter walk through the holiday lights. read more

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This is only a review for Mothers Day Brunch. Pass - overly priced, crowded and the food was cold by the time you sat down to eat it from the buffet. read more

It's a beautiful place, my wife and I went to see there Night of 1000 jack-o'-lanterns. It was a great experience, tasty food and drinks, and the pumpkin carvings were amazing. All took place at night. read more

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Incredible hidden gem in our city and especially if you know the free days to reserve tix in advance - it's truly a gift. Spacious, varied, relaxed, best of nature and gardens. From bonsai area to beautiful lakes. Rose garden, English garden, so many more. Loved it! read more

Beautiful indoor and outdoor exhibits, the butterflies are a favorite of my daughters' and they love to eat there and check out the gift shop. They also love the kid garden with all the splash areas and hills to climb on. The Christmas lights are also wonderful, and Halloween is also lots of fun. We also absolutely love the orchid show, it's huge and elaborate and just amazing. My favorite places are the rose garden and the Japanese garden. They change things up regularly and often have special exhibits throughout the garden all year. We are members and highly recommend it. I am in a wheelchair and it's totally accessible, including the tram tour- they have a lift for my wheelchair so no issues there. read more

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I've always told people the Chicago is one of the finest cities in the world, not just for its vibrant and exciting city life and colorful neighborhoods, but also for the rich intellectual and artistic opportunities for learning, such as the Science and Industry Museum, Art Institute, Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, innumerable small galleries, etc. Well, add the Chicago Botanic Garden to that list. This place, like the Morton Arboretum out west, takes effort to get to. Most people will want to drive here (and it's quite a distance from the city center), but there are transit options as well. But it's certainly worth the trip. With different themed gardens - too many to list here - there is a rich variety of plants to see. While there are maps available at the visitor center, it's almost better to randomly follow the paths around the garden and discover different places spontaneously. Though the parking lot was very full when we arrived, once you venture farther away from the main entrance (and the model train garden that is popular with children - but everyone should go) you'll enjoy a very uncrowded stroll among the naturally-fed lagoons. A peek into the Plant Science Center is interesting and if you're there on a weekday you'll see scientists hard at work and perhaps catch a display of some of the fascinating studies conducted here. There's a prairie preservation area, with samples of different grasslands from across the Great Plains. The greenhouses at the Regenstein Center, while not particularly large, have amazing collections from different biomes. On the day of our visit, there was an exhibition of bonsai trees - I didn't realize there were so many different styles - and a remarkable display of ikebana (unfortunately, no photos were allowed). The Chicago Botanic Garden is a true gem - another in the crown of the city of Chicago. read more

The Chicago Botanic Gardens are a wonderful place to spend any amount of time! I've been visiting the gardens for years and never tire of seeing the amazing diversity here. Our favorite gardens are Evening Island, the Walled English Garden, and the Bonsai displays. The gardens are so spread out you never feel crowded or forced to hurry through to make room for those behind you. You can linger and spend hours in a garden if that is your desire. The gardens are peaceful and relaxing and you can literally feel your blood pressure lower within minutes of arriving. Bring good walking shoes and plan to spend a nice day outdoors! read more

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My review of the Botanic Garden will be of the holiday light event only- I have attended 3 years in a row. First, the cost- it is just over $30 to attend the event, but parking is extra at a cost of $25 per vehicle for non members which can make this event pricey. There are several stands throughout the walking path serving food and beverage with a nice variety. I had hot apple cider and spiced nuts which both hit the spot. They also have cocktails and more hefty food options as well. I also enjoyed they had a stand at the entrance with fun light up items (hats, necklaces, mittens, etc) which I thought was a fun touch. The normal souvenir location was also open at the end. We came the day after Christmas, and I found the crowds to be busy but not overly so. All of the staff were very welcoming, and they were well spaced throughout the path. One thing I love about this event is the variety of lights & also that they have new things every year. Some places it is the exact same show every time, not here. I absolutely think this event is worth attending and hope to go back in the future! read more

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Beautiful gardens. The site is quite large. Huge lake in the center. You can spend hours here.

A beautiful garden approximately 45 mins to 1 hour north of the city of Chicago! The parking fee is an extra $10 per vehicle. Tickets can get expensive at approximately $22 per adult, although babies 3 and under are free admission. This is a wonderful place to come and spend 2-3 leisurely hours. There is a cafe here where you can enjoy a nice lunch with a view of the nature. There is also a tram (included in the price of the ticket) that allows you to get a nice overview of the park without having to walk. read more

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Best place around here to see flowers and plants just north of Chicago in Glencoe. Chicago Botanic Garden is a massive area that consists of nine islands. It has many display gardens and natural habitats among these. About the only bad thing is paying to get in of course. There's also paying for parking, but you can avoid that by using a bus or train to get here. A lot to check out, and not only the gardens. It's a part of the Cook County Forest Preserves. There's also prairies and woods. An admission fee is the worst thing about coming. It's about $23 for adults, and on top of that you have to pay for parking. The rest is good though. Big area that's 385 acres. This opened in 1972 and through the years has added many gardens. You can spend many hours looking at these. Among these are the Japanese Garden, the English Walled Garden, and the Rose Garden. It's also not just for tourists. A lot of research goes on. It's the home of the Joseph Regenstein Jr. School, which has classes and certificate programs. Scientists contribute to rare plant conservation research. A lot of things the garden is involved in. They're a partner of the Seeds Of Success project, which is to collect seeds from all the native Midwestern plants for preservation. Certainly one of the top outdoor activities in the area. It's located on Lake Cook Road on the county line. The best way to get here is either by taking the Pace bus from Glencoe, or by getting off at the Braeside Metra station, and avoid paying for parking by using public transportation. read more

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The Chicago Botanic Garden is everything everyone has raved about! This was my first visit and I'm a non-member. They offer a small discount for anyone that lives within Cook County. The adult ticket is roughly $20 but the year long membership is $65, if you plan to visit multiple times in a year I would highly recommend investing in the membership. Plus you get a guest pass every visit so it works out! You also have to pay for parking so keep that in mind. I visited the Chicago Botanic Garden on a colder day so I didn't get to explore the garden as much as I could've on a warmer day. Even though the day was colder the garden was still very busy. The garden had many indoor places that I was able to go into to get a break from the cold weather. There is a strong focus on educating visitors about the various plants. It was really great seeing all of the seasonal flowers. The Chicago Botanic Garden is well taken care of and you can see the results of the hard-work that is put into keeping the garden clean along with protecting the plants. read more

This place shouldn't be hard to be impressed with. When you put nature and human establishments in a nicely Curated space you have yourself a nice stroll nestled in the suburbs with. It's a cute balance between nature and the city. There's plenty of different curated area to walk around in and learn a little bit about nature, conservation, and restoration. If you really want to enjoy this place and make the best out of it, you don't need to look Too deep, just look at the flowers and how well they put everything together. Don't miss the Japanese gardens and the rooftop gardens. I like the greenhouses too cause it makes you feel like you're in a different place or country! I probably like the Japanese Gardens and the English gardens the most. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder . I would want to come back during the spring when there are more things in display as it seemed a little scarce in some areas. read more

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The ground are Beautiful. Orchid show was lovely and fun. I value and enjoy my membership

Visited from Indiana specifically for the orchid show and we were blown away by it all!! The flowers and greenhouses were SPECTACULAR, and the gardens despite being the deep of winter were a sight to behold. Walked about 20,000 steps just in our one visit to explore outside. If it's pretty in winter I can only imagine how beautiful it'll be when everything's in full bloom! read more

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Their membership department is unresponsive. They will gladly take your money, but getting cards takes an act of God. Getting into your account is a nightmare. read more

Chicago Botanic Garden a nice place to walk around, but you cannot sit on the benches and you gotta be extremely careful on the wooden walkway bridges because in the bridge wood needs to be replaced and the benches throughout the park. I'll have to be pressure wash due to the special amount of LG and the benches, it hasn't been taken care of in years. read more

This review is about the 2025 Orchid Show: India Blooms. It was incredible! The place was packed, but the show was the best I have seen at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There was so much thought, effort, and attention to detail that must have been put into this exhibit that I took over 200 photos to capture the beauty. I truly appreciate how this show educated us on the Indian culture too. The show is only going to be there for two more weeks, and I HIGHLY recommend going to see it! read more

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Very pretty and such a wonderful way to spend a morning, afternoon or day! If I were a resident I'd completely take advantage and become a member. The bike trail was also very impressive! read more

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The Garden is superb! It's well arranged, educational, easy to locate, even emotional in its beauty!

I have grown up going here with family. I love it. Zero complaints. Beautiful sights, beautiful experience.

My first time to this location and it was specifically for the Chicago Botanical Lightscape in January. Cost about $50 per person! (2 adult tickets x $34 + $6 service fee + $25 parking = $99) It took 1 hour to leisurely walk the path and see the lights. There are places to get food and beverages (including alcoholic options) along the way. The displays were nice and I enjoyed the 80's music. Overall, I thought the Illumination light show at Morton Arboretum was bigger, nicer, and better value for the price. .|\---/| | @_@ | ..\_^_/..2024 read more

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Attended the Lightscape night event. I highly recommend it as a fun holiday experience. It was crowded on a weekend but acceptable for any attraction. I have had reciprocal membership on and off over the years and really enjoyed experiencing the garden at night instead of the daytime. read more

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had a lovely experience with my family at the chicago botanic garden. the garden is beautiful. it's so well kept and the variety of flora and gardens is amazing. i'm a city kid through and through, so the only prairie i've seen is in the opening credits of little house when carrie tumbled down the hill lol, so i was gobsmacked at seeing it in person. it looked like it was untouched by human hands. i was also impressed by the bonzai tree exhibit, especially the limber pine that's estimated to be 600-1000 years old. wow! took advantage of the very pleasant grand tram tour with keith. learned about the garden's long history, the different islands, water features, trees, and programs offered at the garden. i was especially pleased to learn about and see the willow trees. there was so much to see and, unfortunately, not enough time to enjoy it all. another visit needs to be made. i recommend a hat for sunny days and comfortable walking shoes. edit: got charged full price on shirts marked for sale. so, watch out for that when shopping at the gift shop. read more

Chicago Botanic Garden - limber pine, estimated 600-1000 years old, chicago botanic garden. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Glencoe, Illinois

Visited on a perfect, weather Saturday afternoon. It was packed but worth the visit. There is so much to see so plan to do nothing else for the remainder of the day because you will be tired!!! We walked around for a couple hours and just embraced nature. We ended our day with a 35-minute tour on the Grand Tram to capture the parts of the gardens that we weren't able to. The fruit and vegetable garden was beautiful. We tried a delicious raspberry lemonade ($13). Note: If you are planning to park there, you will pay at the gate (card only). Entry fee to get into the gardens is sold separately (rates different for Cook County residents). Definitely worth visiting! read more

Chicago Botanic Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Glencoe, Illinois