Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
200
south side is one of the best places in town for an informal picnic (especially nice if you're
visiting the zoo and want to avoid the congestion at its food concession venues). Allow a
half-hour.
Fullerton Ave. (at Stockton Dr.).
&
312/742-7736.
Free admission. Daily 9am-5pm. Bus: 73, 151, or 156.
9
NATURE CENTERS
Morton Arboretum
All ages.
S hould y our visit to Chicago coincide with Arbor
Day, here's the place to celebrate: More than 3,000 kinds of trees, shrubs, and vines grow
on the 1,700-acre site in west suburban Lisle. The place has been spruced up lately (sorry
for the pun), with improvements to many of the facilities' buildings. Special areas include
the I llinois Tree Trails' woodlands, meado ws, and marshes; an ar ea with sugar maples
(colorful in the fall); a crab apple or chard (splendid when the tr ees are in full bloom);
and a prairie with tall grasses and flo wers that blossom in summer and fall. The arbore-
tum also featur es trees from other countries. M ost of the 13 miles of trails ar e covered
with wood chips, so they ar e not stroller-friendly. If your kids are young, it's best to see
the landscape by car along 11 miles of one-way roads or take a bus tour. One-hour tram
tours depart at noon and 1:15pm Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from May to Octo-
ber. Cost for the tram is $4 per seat, and $3 for children ages 3 to 12. Stop by the visitor
center for additional information. Light meals ar e available in the G inkgo Restaurant,
sandwiches and soups are served in the coffee shop, and there's a picnic area near a small
lake.
4100 I llinois H wy. 53 (at I-88, the East- West Tollway), Lisle .
&
630/719-2400.
w ww.mortonarb.org.
Admission $9 adults, $8 seniors, $6 children 3-12, free for children 2 and under. Reduced admission fees
Wed. Daily year-round, 7am-7pm or sunset, whichever is earlier. Visitor center daily Nov-Feb 8am-5pm,
Mar-Oct 8am-6pm; Gingko Tree restaurant daily 11am-3pm; coffee shop daily 9am-5pm. Free parking.
Subway/El: Metra train stops at Lisle, 1
1
/
2
miles away; cabs available.
6
Peggy Notebaer t Na ture Museum
All ages.
B uilt on an ancient sand
dune—once the shor eline of Lake M ichigan—this museum bills itself as “ an environ-
mental museum for the 21st centur
y.” M ost of the exhibits her e ar e hands-on, and
designed for kids.
Shaded by huge cottonwoods and maples, the sand-colored exterior with its horizontal
lines composed of interlocking trapez oids itself r esembles a sand dune. R ooftop-level
walkways giv e str ollers a vie w of bir ds and other urban wildlife belo w. P aths wind
through gardens planted with nativ e Midwestern wildflowers and grasses, and trace the
shore of the N orth Pond. Inside, large windo ws throughout create a dialogue betw een
the outdoor envir onment and the indoor exhibits designed to illuminate it.
The
73,000-square-foot facility featur es plenty of exhibits on natur
e and the interaction
between human activities and the envir onment.
Throughout, the focus is on interactivity , done with imagination and intelligence.
Don't miss the
Butterfly Haven
, a gr eenhouse habitat wher e about 25 M idwestern
species of butterflies and moths carr y on their complex life cy cles. Wander through as a
riot of color flutters all ar ound you. Another top exhibit is
Extreme Green House,
a
full-size bungalow that's home to the offbeat Green Family. Join them on a tour of their
house and learn ho w every nook and cranny is connected with natur e.
Riverworks
is a
water-play exhibit that gives children a chance to splash around while building dams and
maneuvering boats along a miniriv er. I'd also r ecommend the
Hands-On Habitat
,
