# Gardens and greenhouses in or around Chicago (and anything else worth visiting there)



## Kevin (Aug 12, 2018)

My wife and I will be taking a vacation in Chicago in the middle/end of September. We are from Canada and I have never been to Chicago. I would like to visit some gardens and greenhouses in and around the area. I already have the Chicago Botanical Gardens and Lincoln park on my list. I was wondering about Oak Hill gardens - I know they closed down years ago, but I thought they got bought out and were still selling orchids, but I can't find much online about them. Do any of you know? Any other good orchid greenhouses to visit? What is Hauserman's like?

Also, what are some good restaurants that you love and we should try? 

Thanks!


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## littlefrog (Aug 12, 2018)

Oak Hill is completely gone. Hausermanns is worth going to. Natts Orchids in Naperville is pretty cool too.


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## ehanes7612 (Aug 12, 2018)

http://www.chicagolandorchidfest.com/

I imagine Tom Kalina will be there also as well as a few hobbyists selling their plants


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## Kevin (Aug 12, 2018)

littlefrog said:


> Oak Hill is completely gone. Hausermanns is worth going to. Natts Orchids in Naperville is pretty cool too.



https://www.oakhillgardens.com Is this Oak Hill but in a different form?

How far from Chicago is Naperville?


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## Kevin (Aug 12, 2018)

ehanes7612 said:


> http://www.chicagolandorchidfest.com/
> 
> I imagine Tom Kalina will be there also as well as a few hobbyists selling their plants



Thanks! Would love to go there for that!


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## NYEric (Aug 13, 2018)

Visit the Art Museum.


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## Paphluvr (Aug 14, 2018)

Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Naperville is about 30 miles from downtown Chicago but it would probably take an hour to get to.


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## xiphius (Aug 14, 2018)

Kevin said:


> I already have the Chicago Botanical Gardens and Lincoln park on my list.
> 
> Thanks!



I lived near Chicago for 6 years and visited the city every couple weeks during that time. The Botanical Gardens are great. I would skip Lincoln Park unless you have a lot of free time. The conservatory is pretty small and didn't have any specimens that really "wowed" me. Where you should go is is Garfield Park Conservatory - it's very accessible via the green line (subway). It's got it's own stop. The conservatory is huge and they have a fern room that is mind boggling (way better than Lincoln Park). Their cacti and succulent collection is also very impressive with many very old, and huge, specimens. The structure itself is also worth a visit since the architecture is really pretty (late 1800's). Neither Garfield nor Lincoln park has a ton in the way of orchids though.

For orchids, I second Hausermann's, definitely worth a stop, even just to look at (and especially if you can bring things back with you!). Natt's is a also really great, but more for shopping than looking.

You probably already have plans to visit the Field Museum. If not, I also highly recommend that .

Food-wise... if you like Ethiopian food, then Demera is good and a cool experience. Tufano's Vernon Park Tap (an Italian restaurant of "Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives" fame) is also really good. It can be hard to find though since it's in a residential area in an old house. Food is great though! If memory serves, Tufano's is cash-only unless they changed it... so go prepared.


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## Kevin (Aug 14, 2018)

Thanks! I was thinking of Garfield park, but figured we already are planning on going to Lincoln park, I didn't want to drag my wife to TWO Conservatories, lol. We'll have to think about that.

We will be bringing our (then) 7-month old daughter with us, so that goes into the planning. 

So far on our list is the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park, Hancock tower, The Peggy Notebaert Museum, an architecture river cruise, Navy Pier, the riverwalk and Chicago Botanical Gardens.

For food, we really want deep dish pizza! We heard Gino's is good. Other than that, what do you recommend?


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## Kevin (Aug 14, 2018)

xiphius said:


> Food-wise... if you like Ethiopian food, then Demera is good and a cool experience. Tufano's Vernon Park Tap (an Italian restaurant of "Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives" fame) is also really good. It can be hard to find though since it's in a residential area in an old house. Food is great though! If memory serves, Tufano's is cash-only unless they changed it... so go prepared.



Noted. Sounds good!


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## xiphius (Aug 15, 2018)

Kevin said:


> Thanks! I was thinking of Garfield park, but figured we already are planning on going to Lincoln park, I didn't want to drag my wife to TWO Conservatories, lol. We'll have to think about that.
> 
> We will be bringing our (then) 7-month old daughter with us, so that goes into the planning.
> 
> So far on our list is the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park, Hancock tower, The Peggy Notebaert Museum, an architecture river cruise, Navy Pier, the riverwalk and Chicago Botanical Gardens.



Nice! Sounds like a full trip! Yeah, I'd definitely recommend Garfield Park instead of Lincoln Park. I ended up going to Garfield Park first, and was then pretty disappointed with Lincoln Park when I finally got there.

If you are into art, bear in mind that there is a big statue by Pablo Picasso in one of the squares downtown (I think it is in Daley). You'll probably pass by it if you do a lot of walking around downtown. Always fun to see.



Kevin said:


> For food, we really want deep dish pizza! We heard Gino's is good. Other than that, what do you recommend?



My personal favorite for deep dish was Giordano's. But Gino's is good too. There is a lot of personal preference here though since the crusts are different between different places.


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## cnycharles (Aug 15, 2018)

A long time ago I went to due&rsquo;s pizzeria downstairs but may not be around now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NYEric (Aug 17, 2018)

Deep dish pizza - Yes!


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## littlefrog (Aug 17, 2018)

I lived in Chicago for six years and I know I'm supposed to have an opinion, but I was never that fond of deep-dish. Yes, I had to leave the city. Think we used to get Uno at school things.

Rosebud on Rush is something I miss. And there was a Korean restaurant with no name (well, no english name...) on the corner where I used to live (Lawrence and Washtenaw - Lincoln Square neighborhood).


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## juliana (Aug 19, 2018)

I'm a native Chicagoan and I like Lincoln Park Conservatory. They have an orchid room and a beautiful fern room. Beautiful outdoor gardens as well, and the Zoo is right there. Across the street in the Belmont Stratford is Mon Ami Gabi. Going there for dinner is like going to Paris for an evening. If you want something more casual go to R. J. Grunt's just down the street. Lettuce Entertain You's first restaurant still playing 60's and 70's tunes. The food critic for Chicago Magazine when asked what she would have for her last meal said "A burger at R. J. Grunt's!" I always get the salad bar. For deep dish Lou Malnati's really is the best.

Millennium Park and the Art Institute are wonderful as is Hausermans's. I'll be at Hausermann's volunteering for the IOS on Sunday of the Orchid Fest. And September is my favorite month weatherwise here in Chicago, you should have a great time!


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