Garfield Park Conservatory

Garfield Park Conservatory covers about four and a half acres, indoors and out, on the West Side of Chicago. It was built between 1906 and 1908 to a design by the landscape architect Jens Jensen, working with Prairie School architects Schmidt, Garden and Martin and the glasshouse engineers Hitchings and Company. The building hosts indoor and outdoor gardens, art exhibitions and seasonal flower shows.

The Palm House is the first room most visitors see, with more than 70 kinds of palm, including the double coconut palm, and a small waterfall. The Fern Room is the most atmospheric space, a lush, prehistoric-looking landscape where the resident red-eared slider turtles often sunbathe. Other rooms include Horticulture Hall and the Show House, which host the flower shows. The Elizabeth Morse Genius Children's Garden lets younger visitors climb and explore, and requires its own short reservation.

The conservatory is open from 10am to 8pm on Wednesday and from 10am to 5pm Thursday to Sunday, with last entry 45 minutes before closing on most days. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday, and holiday hours can differ. Entry is by ticket: advance reservations are strongly recommended, though walk-ins are welcome when there is space. Chicago residents get in free with proof of a Chicago address, and other visitors pay a modest fee, with reductions for seniors, students and children.

This is a good choice on a cold or wet day, when the warm, humid rooms are especially welcome, and it suits families, couples, gardeners and photographers. Allow one to two hours. Wednesday evenings are a pleasant time to visit after work. The building is wheelchair accessible except the Fern Room, a limited number of wheelchairs are available, and requests for accommodation should be made at least 24 hours ahead.

Getting there is easy by "L": take the Green Line to Conservatory station, and the building is just north of Lake Street. Drivers can use the free visitor car park just south of the entrance, and there is a Divvy bike-share station outside. Active beehives sit at the south end of the campus, and the surrounding Garfield Park is pleasant for a stroll in good weather.