Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
285
and German pancakes, fluffy pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and served with fruit.
Kids often go for the silver-dollar pancakes in chocolate chip, blueberry, or plain varieties.
Oven-baked omelets ar e another fav orite. The restaurant also ser ves lunch and dinner ,
and offers chicken teriyaki, roast beef, chicken Dijon, Reuben sandwiches, and salads. All
menu items are served throughout the day; it's open daily from 6:30am to 10pm.
3 CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
About 25 miles N of Chicago
The Botanic Garden is a favorite of Chicago families because it's only a short drive from
the city but it offers a w elcome change of scener y. Even young children will enjo y the
room to r un (or ride in a str oller) along scenic trails, interspersed with water falls and
fountains. Older kids can explore the fruit-and-vegetable garden (so this is where bananas
come from!) and gardens of animal-shaped topiaries.
ESSENTIALS
BY CAR Take I-90 (K ennedy Expwy.) to the E dens Expressway (I-94). G o north 20
miles and continue nor th on Rte. 41 and exit on Lake Cook R oad. Turn right and go
1 / 2 mile to the garden.
BY TRAIN You can take the Metra North Line ( & 312/322-6777; www.metrarail.
com) from Ogilvie Transportation Center at M adison and Canal str eets in Chicago to
Glencoe. Connect to the 213 Pace Bus to reach the Botanic Garden.
11
TOURING THE GARDEN
Owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and managed b y the 110-year-
old Chicago Horticultural Society, this 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. To keep the visit manageable for kids, call ahead
to find out what's blooming and grab a map from the information desk when you arrive
to pick the gar dens y our family most wants to see. A tram tour lets kids co ver mor e
ground without getting tired, which is a real possibility in this 385-acre garden.
Also on the gr ounds ar e a large fr uit-and-vegetable gar den, an E nabling G arden
(which shows how gardening can be adapted for people with disabilities), and a 100-acre
old-growth oak woodland. The living collections are composed of more than 1.2 million
plants, representing 7,000 plant types. If you're here in the summer, don't miss the exten-
sive rose gardens (just follow the bridal parties who flock here to get their pictures taken).
The Botanic Garden also is home to 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 concer ts are given on Monday evenings at 7pm fr om June
21 to August 23, with a preliminary hour-long tour.
For kids, the highlight of the gar den is the Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of
America, which runs May through October (an additional $5 admission for adults; $3
for children ages 3-12). A family fav orite, this enchanting outdoor exhibit takes visitors
from coast to coast with model trains, miniatur e representations of America's best-loved
landmarks, and colorful small-scale gardens. At the holidays, the garden creates an indoor
winter train gar den called the Wonderland Express, which is tr uly magical. Check the
website or call to learn about upcoming ev ents.
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search