As someone local to Philadelphia and a massive fan of Longwood Gardens outside Philly, I didn’t have large expectations for Chicago Botanic Garden. I figured it would be a great opportunity for our kids to play, and us to stretch our legs.

Surprisingly, it was amazing. We could have spent the whole day!!

For a $25 fee for parking, but otherwise free admission, I was truly shocked at what a gem the gardens turned out to be. Somehow, even most people we interacted with in/around Chicago had never been to the Botanic Gardens. Our waitress that morning thought she may have gone “once on a field trip.”

Beautiful. Colorful. Dense. A surprise around every corner, and the gardens just. kept. going. There was a great variety of flowers to look at, and everywhere the eye could see, there was a rainbow of flowers in every bed. Fountains and flowers, all arranged in visually interesting ways.

Our daughter (who somehow always seems to be posing?…) was very attracted to all the water features. They were unique – the basins all seemed to be painted black, so instead of clear water, it almost seemed like oil that the flowers were sitting in. They were incredibly reflective.

Since we visited the gardens for way longer than originally planned, I had under-packed food and snacks for the day. This led to a quick trip to the cafe, and finding that the food was surprisingly good. Even though we ate later in the day, the food was fresh and tasty! Seriously, I ate the best veggie burger I’ve ever had. The food was a little pricey, but not astronomically so ($41.92 for 2 hot dog kids’ meals, each with a side of fruit, a veggie burger served with chips and a pickle, and a grilled chicken sandwich accompanied a chipotle sauce). Additionally, they gave us a glass of ice for our water bottles (and there is a water bottle filling station). **Tip! ALWAYS bring water bottles with you to refill!**

The day felt magical. The staff was incredibly nice. Everyone seemed like they were in a good mood. The weather was perfect, not too hot or cold. (Logically, I know there’s no magical vortex the gardens had us drive through that somehow left rainy/cloudy Chicago behind, but to be honest it felt that way). We even stumbled upon a “princess” strolling through the woods. In reality, this was likely a young lady being photographed in honor of her quinceañera, but she didn’t correct my kids excited/whisper/shriek when they referred to her as a princess. (Would you?)

Luckily, our toddler (three years old at the time and overtired/channeling demons) kept us grounded! He was PUMPED by the flowers. Like shrieking, jumping, running, excited pumped. ALL the stimulation. Luckily, there was a lot for him to do/see/smell!

We went on a Monday in July 2021. From the parking lots, I would have thought the gardens were going to be packed – but because the gardens are SO open you never feel like people are on top of you.

There weren’t ample lawns, but it felt spread out. It was expertly designed – all the opportunities for garden. It felt immersive, with so many little nooks to walk through. Every picture we took was simply gorgeous.

Most of the garden is accessible (for ADA, strollers, etc), and they even have garden areas that are enabled and sensory driven!! The pathways were nice and wide, and there were minimal steps.

Every area was so beautiful. There was so much variety, and the aesthetic was interesting the whole way through. We didn’t even get to go in the some of the areas (such as the conservatory or the tram ride) that we just didn’t have time for.

6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER REVIEW:

My daughter’s favorite part of the garden was “all of the flowers.” She liked that she was allowed to touch some of the flowers in the sensory garden. She liked the sound of the fountains, and liked the flowers in the fountains. PRO TIP: She recommends wearing sneakers and not sandals, because stones got under her feet from the gravel paths. She also liked using the map.

3 YEAR OLD SON REVIEW:

My son’s favorite part of the gardens were “all of the flowers” and “the princess.” He loved taking in EVERY sense possible, and so the sensory garden was a big hit! They even have a “touch” section where people are encouraged to touch the flowers and consider the texture, etc.

KIDS COME WITH RATING: DON’T MISS IT! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Kids Come With visited the Chicago Botanic Garden: July 2020

You can find more info about the Chicago Botanic Garden below!
https://www.chicagobotanic.org
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Customer Service: (847) 835-6801