I would like to look at beauty
December 28, 2018 2:16 PM
Can you help me compile a list of beautiful places to visit and beautiful things to see in northern Illinois or thereabouts?
I would like to physically visit a place and look at beauty in visual form. I've already got a list started of some obvious stuff - architecture tours in Chicago, the Art Institute, the Morton Arboretum, etc. Do you have any suggestions of other beautiful things I can look at, or beautiful places I can visit? Touristy, hidden gem, I don't care - as long as it is visually beautiful.
If the time of day or the season makes this thing beautiful, please mention that, so I can time my visit appropriately. I'm open to pretty much anything except the overtly religious or political. Bonus points if it's the kind of beautiful thing that relaxes your brain and doesn't make you work too hard to find its inherent beauty, if that makes sense?
I live and work about an hour southwest of Chicago, but I am able to drive pretty much anywhere in northern Illinois or nearby.
I would like to physically visit a place and look at beauty in visual form. I've already got a list started of some obvious stuff - architecture tours in Chicago, the Art Institute, the Morton Arboretum, etc. Do you have any suggestions of other beautiful things I can look at, or beautiful places I can visit? Touristy, hidden gem, I don't care - as long as it is visually beautiful.
If the time of day or the season makes this thing beautiful, please mention that, so I can time my visit appropriately. I'm open to pretty much anything except the overtly religious or political. Bonus points if it's the kind of beautiful thing that relaxes your brain and doesn't make you work too hard to find its inherent beauty, if that makes sense?
I live and work about an hour southwest of Chicago, but I am able to drive pretty much anywhere in northern Illinois or nearby.
The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is nice. Some of the houses are warm / warm & humid which is nice in the middle of Illinois winter.
posted by exogenous at 2:31 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by exogenous at 2:31 PM on December 28, 2018
The Chicago Cultural Center has the world’s largest stained glass Tiffany dome and lots of other lovely architectural features. Worth a wander through, especially since it's free!
posted by merriment at 2:41 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by merriment at 2:41 PM on December 28, 2018
Head out of town to the town of Potosi, WI and go drink a beer at the Potosi Brewery. There is a car ferry nearby across the Mississippi river and the countryside around there is incredibly beautiful.
posted by Foam Pants at 3:12 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by Foam Pants at 3:12 PM on December 28, 2018
'House on The Rock' in Southern Wisconsin is a bit of a longer drive. I've never been, but it's on my list, it sounds fabulous (as in the "stuff of fables" sense of the word;)
posted by ovvl at 3:24 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by ovvl at 3:24 PM on December 28, 2018
If you head south by train or car or bus for an hour or two, there’s lots of beauty in Champaign county, not limited to: prairie restorations, historical mansions, old Art Deco city buildings on the rail lines, classic land grant university architecture, also public sculptures and murals. Even a few nice forests. There’s a nice arboretum and the Japan house at UIUC has a cherry blossom festival.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:00 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:00 PM on December 28, 2018
Chicago's finest collection of decorative arts is on display at the Driehaus Museum.
The Bahá'í Temple is open regularly for tours.
posted by hydrophonic at 4:28 PM on December 28, 2018
The Bahá'í Temple is open regularly for tours.
posted by hydrophonic at 4:28 PM on December 28, 2018
Sunrise on this side of the lake, or drive over to the Indiana dunes and watch the sun set. Beautiful any time of year but especially deserted about now.
posted by mai at 4:40 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by mai at 4:40 PM on December 28, 2018
If you go to the Chicago Botanic Garden (which is located in Glencoe, not Chicago) there's some really nice trails around (scroll to North Branch Trail System). You can bike (bring your own or rent a bike share from the park district) or walk. In fact, I usually bike to the Botanic Garden which makes entrance free. The only cost is parking. You could drive to one of the park district parking lots nearby and walk or bike to the garden.
Nearby are the Skokie Lagoons (rent a canoe if you like) or you can take the train from/to Chicago. The UPN train line Braeside stop is walking distance to the gardens. The Botanic Gardens are lovely during spring tulip season but avoid the crowds of mother's day weekend. Personally, I like biking the trails nearby during the fall. There's lots of deer and really pretty trees. The nice thing about the forest preserve is that if you have a car you can drive to one of the many parking lots and then get out and do your thing instead of biking from the city.
If you like the idea of following a trail I can also recommend the bike/walk trail along the Fox River. It gets hot in the summer months so I'd go spring or fall. It's very nice around Geneva and St. Charles. A few train lines hit the towns along the trail so you can train in and out from different points or drive to one spot and circle back. Towns along the river have some interesting history and architecture if you feel like exploring them.
What about the Indiana Dunes?
A lovely spot to appreciate the Chicago skyline from the North is at Fullerton and the lake and from the south at Promontory point.
posted by Bunglegirl at 5:01 PM on December 28, 2018
Nearby are the Skokie Lagoons (rent a canoe if you like) or you can take the train from/to Chicago. The UPN train line Braeside stop is walking distance to the gardens. The Botanic Gardens are lovely during spring tulip season but avoid the crowds of mother's day weekend. Personally, I like biking the trails nearby during the fall. There's lots of deer and really pretty trees. The nice thing about the forest preserve is that if you have a car you can drive to one of the many parking lots and then get out and do your thing instead of biking from the city.
If you like the idea of following a trail I can also recommend the bike/walk trail along the Fox River. It gets hot in the summer months so I'd go spring or fall. It's very nice around Geneva and St. Charles. A few train lines hit the towns along the trail so you can train in and out from different points or drive to one spot and circle back. Towns along the river have some interesting history and architecture if you feel like exploring them.
What about the Indiana Dunes?
A lovely spot to appreciate the Chicago skyline from the North is at Fullerton and the lake and from the south at Promontory point.
posted by Bunglegirl at 5:01 PM on December 28, 2018
Starved Rock State Park
The gardens around the Bahai Temple are also lovely.
The Lizzadro Museum of lapidiary art
Raceway Woods in Kane County is a defunct racetrack turned into reclaimed natural area.
Here's a list from Enjoy Illinois of some lesser-known natural beauty in Illinois. Some of it is downstate but several are near Chicago. (Volo Bog is coooooooool.)
Does an hour southwest of Chicago put you in striking distance of Peoria? If so, I'd recommend Forest Park Nature Center for hiking in prairie bluffs (in the winter you can spot bald eagles over the river, although some of the hiking trails will be iced over; in the summer you get the whole forest-in-bloom thing); Wildlife Prairie Park west of town (bison, elk, and deer roam in restored prairie; several other native animals are on display, typically who can't be returned to the wild due to injury); Rocky Glen, a new park preserving a unique natural habitat, which incidentally is right near the Hindu Temple of Central Illinois which is lovely. I can definitely think of more if that's within your range!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:05 PM on December 28, 2018
The gardens around the Bahai Temple are also lovely.
The Lizzadro Museum of lapidiary art
Raceway Woods in Kane County is a defunct racetrack turned into reclaimed natural area.
Here's a list from Enjoy Illinois of some lesser-known natural beauty in Illinois. Some of it is downstate but several are near Chicago. (Volo Bog is coooooooool.)
Does an hour southwest of Chicago put you in striking distance of Peoria? If so, I'd recommend Forest Park Nature Center for hiking in prairie bluffs (in the winter you can spot bald eagles over the river, although some of the hiking trails will be iced over; in the summer you get the whole forest-in-bloom thing); Wildlife Prairie Park west of town (bison, elk, and deer roam in restored prairie; several other native animals are on display, typically who can't be returned to the wild due to injury); Rocky Glen, a new park preserving a unique natural habitat, which incidentally is right near the Hindu Temple of Central Illinois which is lovely. I can definitely think of more if that's within your range!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:05 PM on December 28, 2018
Seconding Starved Rock. It was flush with bald eagles last time I went this time of year.
posted by erpava at 5:13 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by erpava at 5:13 PM on December 28, 2018
Thanks for all the great ideas so far!
Peoria, Champaign, southern Wisconsin and Michigan, and northern Indiana are definitely within range. And if you have any tips on things to see that aren't natural wonders, that's cool too.
My brain needs a break from all the stress and ugliness in the world, and googling for this kind of thing is hard.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:27 PM on December 28, 2018
Peoria, Champaign, southern Wisconsin and Michigan, and northern Indiana are definitely within range. And if you have any tips on things to see that aren't natural wonders, that's cool too.
My brain needs a break from all the stress and ugliness in the world, and googling for this kind of thing is hard.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:27 PM on December 28, 2018
Allerton Park, near Champaign, is lovely and fun.
posted by she's not there at 7:00 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by she's not there at 7:00 PM on December 28, 2018
Yes, Allerton is a good fit for what you are looking for. I would go in the spring or the fall, and walk in the wild parts of the gardens with the statues outside.
posted by Jorus at 7:12 PM on December 28, 2018
posted by Jorus at 7:12 PM on December 28, 2018
If you travel to Starved Rock, Matthiesen State Park is nearby and is worth a visit. Also, Rockford has Anderson Gardens and Klehm Arboretum. All of these would be enjoyed in non-winter months.
posted by coldhotel at 6:24 AM on December 29, 2018
posted by coldhotel at 6:24 AM on December 29, 2018
What about movies? The Music Box and Siskel Film Center have pretty, artsy films on all the time.
Open House Chicago opens up tons of private and public spaces (lots you've probably never heard of) in October if you find architecture beautiful. Walk along the new Chicago riverwalk and look at the buildings or take an architectural walking (or boat) tour.
Walk around Pilsen and look at the rad murals and stop by the Mexican Museum of Art. See a show at Thalia Hall. Walk through some galleries.
posted by Bunglegirl at 5:13 PM on December 29, 2018
Open House Chicago opens up tons of private and public spaces (lots you've probably never heard of) in October if you find architecture beautiful. Walk along the new Chicago riverwalk and look at the buildings or take an architectural walking (or boat) tour.
Walk around Pilsen and look at the rad murals and stop by the Mexican Museum of Art. See a show at Thalia Hall. Walk through some galleries.
posted by Bunglegirl at 5:13 PM on December 29, 2018
The Driftless Area of Southwest Wisconsin, Northwest Illinois, and Northeast Iowa is full of natural beauty. I'm most familiar with Northeast Iowa. You would do well by starting in Dubuque, IA and working your way northwards. Mines of Spain, Eagle Point Park, and Four Mounds all offer views of the Mississippi River. Further north, Effigy Mounds, Pike's Peak State Park, and Yellow River State Forest are worth seeing.
On the Wisconsin side, you can check out Wyalusing State Park and Governor Dodge State Park. Further north is Devil's Lake and Wisconsin Dells (ignore the Branson-like town and go boating on the Dells itself).
posted by TrialByMedia at 10:28 AM on January 2, 2019
On the Wisconsin side, you can check out Wyalusing State Park and Governor Dodge State Park. Further north is Devil's Lake and Wisconsin Dells (ignore the Branson-like town and go boating on the Dells itself).
posted by TrialByMedia at 10:28 AM on January 2, 2019
Best answers to all the places I haven't been before. Thanks everyone!
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:04 PM on January 28, 2019
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:04 PM on January 28, 2019
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posted by restless_nomad at 2:22 PM on December 28, 2018