Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in a nature center, take place on weekends from June to September ($5 adults, $3
children 8-12, children under 8 not admitted for safety reasons).
OTHER AREA ATTRACTIONS
Baha'i House of Worship
Up the road from Evanston in Wilmette is the
most visited of all the sights in the northern suburbs, the Baha'i House of Wor-
ship, an ethereal edifice that seems not of this earth. The gleaming white stone
temple, designed by the French Canadian Louis Bourgeois and completed in
1953, is essentially a soaring nine-sided 135-foot dome, draped in a delicate
lacelike facade, that strongly reveals the Eastern influence of the Baha'i faith's
native Iran. Surrounded by formal gardens, it is one of seven Baha'i temples in
the world, and the only one in the Western Hemisphere. The dome's latticework
is even more beautiful as you gaze upward from the floor of the sanctuary,
which, during the day, is flooded with light. Downstairs, there is a visitor center
with displays that explain the Baha'i faith. Temple members offer informal tours
of the building and exhibits to anyone who inquires. Allow a half-hour.
100 Linden Ave. (at Sheridan Rd.), Wilmette.
&
847/853-2300.
www.us.bahai.org/how. Free admission.
Daily 7am-8pm; visitor center 10am-8pm. To get there from Chicago, take the Red Line of the El north to
Howard St. Change trains for the Evanston train and go to the end of the line, Linden Ave. (Or take the Pur-
ple/Evanston Express and stay on the same train all the way.) Turn right on Linden and walk 2 blocks east. If
you're driving, take the Outer Dr. (Lake Shore Dr.) north, which feeds into Sheridan Rd.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Despite its name, the world-class
Chicago Botanic Garden is located 25 miles north of the city in the suburb of
Glencoe. This 385-acre living preserve includes eight large lagoons and a variety
of distinct botanical environments—from the Illinois prairie to an English
walled garden to a three-island Japanese garden. Also on the grounds are a large
fruit and vegetable garden, an “enabling garden” (which shows how gardening
can be adapted for people with disabilities), and a 100-acre old-growth oak
woodland. If you're here in the summer, don't miss the extensive rose gardens
(just follow the bridal parties who flock here to get their pictures taken). The
Botanic Garden also has an exhibit hall, an auditorium, a museum, a library,
education greenhouses, an outdoor pavilion, a carillon, a cafe, a designated bike
path, and a garden shop. Carillon concerts take place at 7pm Monday evenings
from late June through August, with a preliminary hour-long tour.
Every summer, the Botanic Garden stages a special outdoor exhibition (one
year giant animal-shaped topiaries were placed in unexpected locations through-
out the grounds; another year, model railroads wound through miniature ver-
sions of American national parks). Check the website or call for event schedules.
Allow 3 hours.
1000 Lake-Cook Rd. (just east of Edens Expwy./I-94), Glencoe.
&
847/835-5440.
www.chicago-botanic.org.
Free admission. Daily (except Christmas) 8am-sunset. Tram tours offered Apr-Oct. From Chicago, take Sheri-
dan Rd. north along Lake Michigan or the Edens Expwy. (I-94) to Lake-Cook Rd. Parking $10 daily.
Value
A Suburban Respite
If you've made it up to the Baha'i Temple, take a stroll across Sheridan
Road to
Gilson Park
for a taste of north suburban life. Check out the
sailors prepping their boats for a day cruise, families picnicking and play-
ing Frisbee, and kids frolicking on the sandy beach. Access to the beach is
restricted in the summer, but in the fall and spring you're welcome to
wander (just don't expect to take a dip in the frigid water).
Moments
