Brookfield Zoo
CZS.org
8400 31st St.
Brookfield, IL 60513
(708) 688-8000
World-famous Brookfield Zoo is open every day inspiring guests through extraordinary connections with animals, nature and each other. It is home to more than 3,000 animals representing in excess of 420 species in naturalistic habitats. For information on special events, group rates, and ticket packages, visit the zoo’s website.
Cernan Earth & Space Center
triton.edu/cernan
2000 Fifth Ave.
River Grove, IL 60171
(708) 583-3100
Explore the stars and planets visible in Earth’s night sky or travel to the edge of the Universe. From black holes to biodiversity, dramatic programs at the Cernan Center take audiences of all ages on exciting voyages of discovery. Visit the center’s website for schedules, previews, pricing, Star Store hours, laser shows, membership and more.
Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum
hemingwaybirthplace.com
339 N. Oak Park Ave.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 445-3071
Enjoy guided tours of the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Home where the Nobel Prize winning author was born in 1899 and spent his early life. Group rates and times are available. Reservations are only required for groups greater than 10 people; tours run on the hour. Gift shop on site.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio
flwright.org
951 Chicago Ave.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(312) 994-4000
Guided tours are offered daily at Wright’s first Home and Studio where the legendary architect experimented with design concepts that became a new American architecture and the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District. Pair your tours at the Home and Studio and nearby Unity Temple. Find a large selection of unique items at ShopWright.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple
utrf.org
875 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 383-8873
Frank Lloyd Wright’s newly restored Unity Temple is an architectural masterpiece and National Historic Landmark, considered to be among the most innovative and imaginative structures of the 20th century. Interior tours available Monday through Saturday. Pair your Unity Temple tour with a tour at the nearby Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio.
Garfield Park Conservatory
garfieldconservatory.org
300 N. Central Park Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
(312) 746-5100
One of the largest indoor conservatories in the country, Garfield is easily accessible via the CTA Green Line Train – Conservatory stop. Special features include the tropical Palm House and Fern Room, designed by Jens Jensen. The Children’s Garden, Desert House, Monet Garden, Sugar from the Sun and outdoor gardens are also worth seeing!
GoApe Treetop Adventure & Zipline Course
goape.com
1100 Ogden Ave.
Western Springs, IL 60154
(800) 971-8271
See the forest preserves from the treetops! This seven-acre course, built and operated by Go Ape, offers a two- to three-hour trek through more than 40 obstacles located 40 feet in the air. The course includes zip lines, Tarzan swings, and a series of rope ladders bridges and more. There is also a Treetop Junior course, offering an all-ages experience.
Hal Tyrell Trailside Museum
fpdcc.com/nature-centers/trailside-museum-natural-history
738 Thatcher Ave.
River Forest, IL 60305
(708) 366-6530
This historic mid-1870s Victorian mansion is nestled among live native animals, wildflower gardens, and more. Natural-surfaced hiking trails wind through beautiful oak woodlands to a pond and along the Des Plaines River. Trailside Museum is child friendly, and offers a wide variety of public nature programs and exhibits for children, families and adults.
Oak Park Conservatory
oakparkconservatory.org or fopcon.org
615 Garfield St.
Oak Park, IL 60304
(708) 725-2400
The Oak Park Conservatory consists of three indoor botanical showrooms, Rubinstein Meeting Room & Garden and the Elsie Jacobsen Discovery Garden. It is an ideal location for a birthday party, bridal or wedding shower. Browse the gift store for unique nature-based children’s items and specialty gardening products. Go online to learn more about programs, special events and tour information.
Oak Park River Forest Museum
oprfmuseum.org
129 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 848-6755
An Oak Park landmark built in 1898 as a firehouse, the new OPRF Museum features changing exhibits on the area’s history, including an exploration of Oak Park’s welcoming legacy of racial diversity. The museum also includes a hands-on Children’s Corner and a research center open to the public.
Oak Park Visitors Center
visitoakpark.com
1010 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 848-1500
The one-stop shop for visitors to the area, the Oak Park Visitor’s Center offers unique gifts and local art as well as a range of dining guides and area maps to make your stay stress free. Tickets are available for Hemingway’s Birthplace, the Pleasant Home, performances by the Oak Park Festival Theatre and the There Goes the Neighborhood Gangster Tour.
Pleasant Home
pleasanthome.org
217 S. Home Ave.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 383-2654
Explore this opulent mansion designed by Prairie School architect George W. Maher in 1897. A national historic landmark, Pleasant Home features an Arts & Crafts interior with art glass windows and intricately carved wood. The home is available for event rental, guided tours and offers a variety of community and artistic programming.
Riverside Historical Museum
riversidemuseum.net
10 Pine Ave.
Riverside, IL 60546
(708) 447-2542
Explore a unique collection of artifacts, photographs and archival materials that emphasize the urban plan and landscape architecture of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. This noteworthy architectural legacy includes public buildings and private residences designed by world-renowned architects and local history dating from the Native American period to the present.
There Goes the Neighborhood Gangster Tour
oprfgangstertour.com
Oak Park Visitors Center
1010 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 848-1500
John Binder’s tour visits 15 houses in Oak Park and River Forest that were once owned by major hoodlums, including Tony Accardo, Paul Ricca, Sam Giancana, “Tough Tony” Capezio and “Machine Gun Jack” McGurn. Hear about their criminal careers and interesting home features. Purchase tickets at the Oak Park Visitors Center.
Vault Escape
vaultescapechicago.com
3234 Harlem Ave.
Riverside, IL 60546
(708) 990-3029
Your team will break a curse, steal art or escape another adventure by cooperating, communicating and collaborating – all while having fun at Vault Escape! 15, 30 and 60-minute portable games are also available. At our location or yours, our premium experience is one you can’t wait to play.
Wonder Works Children’s Museum
wonder-works.org
6445 W. North Ave.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 383-4815
Wonder Works is a child-sized world with six experience zones where young visitors explore, experiment, create and imagine. An environment designed for play-based learning with programming that employs the arts and sciences and strengthens social, emotional and intellectual development. Daily admissions, memberships, field trips, private and semi-private parties are available.