Popular Gardens in Harwood Heights

"The Lincoln Park Conservatory is a conservatory and botanical garden in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. The conservatory is best known for its horticultural collections, community work, and educational programming. It is also housed in a glass house from the Victorian Era that is stunning to view on its own."

"For a big city, Chicago has a surprising number of places dedicated to all things green. For example, the Lincoln Park Conservatory, on the shores of Lake Michigan, has a botanical garden teeming with ferns, tropical flowers, and palms."

"Lincoln Park Conservatory has been a beautiful getaway since the 1890s. Inside, you’ll find tropical palms, ancient ferns, and plenty of other exotic plants."

"Among the 26 different gardens here are the three-island Malott Japanese Garden, the 5-acre Evening Island, and the Grunsfeld Children's…"

"Freeze and Float offers three rejuvenating therapies totally unlike the traditional spa experience. Where a typical sauna heats the room, their infrared saunas use special heating units to raise your body temperature directly. That helps you break a healthy sweat and improve your circulation, so you can keep warm even after you’ve left."

"From the second you arrive in the lobby of The Peninsula Spa, you’ll be transported. Natural wood interiors and raku-style tiles evoke an Asian oasis, while your prime location on the Magnificent Mile is reiterated by a spectacular view from the glass-enclosed pool. Before or after a treatment, guests can gaze dreamily at the skyline; with premium snack and glass of port."

"You’d have to try really hard to not be pampered at the Peninsula. From the opulent lap pool (its floor-to-ceiling views are worth Instagramming) to the facial treatments featuring Biologique Recherche (the holy grail of French skin care), everything is a little extra. We suggest you take it as a challenge and book not one but two treatments for a half-day retreat."

"Source: Photo by Flickr user Lou Stejskal used under CC BY 2.0. The Peninsula Spa is the epitome of urban luxury. If you need to de-stress, relax or just let loose then you must visit this spa."

"The Helen Brach Primate House is yet another extension of the Lincoln Park Zoo and is home to primates of varying shapes, sizes and colour. The area is made in a way to imitate the natural habitat for the primates to make them feel safe and familiar at the place that they are residing in. It was opened back in 1927 which finally underwent an extensive renovation in the year 1992."

"An alternative to Lincoln Park is Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo, located in the nearby western suburb of (you guessed it) Brookfield. Brookfield Zoo is spread out over 200 acres and offers larger, cage-less exhibits such as Tropic World, a massive indoor habitat with three distinct environments, filled with primates from around the globe. 1st Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield, Ill., 708-688-8000."

"Spend the day among more than 2,000 animals at this gigantic zoo. The highlights? First, there's the 7½-acre Great Bear Wilderness…"

"In 37 acres and dating back to 1868, this zoo deserves extra credit as one of the last remaining free admission animal parks in the United States. There are more than 1,100 animals here, in habitats that are constantly being revamped. The polar bear and African penguin enclosures for instance have just been reopened, while a recent arrival in 2014 is the Regenstein Macaque Forest where you can see Japanese macaques bathing in a hot spring as they do in the wild."

"For its part, Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest in the United States. It was established in 1868, yet has been continuously updated and is amongst the most contemporary in terms of education, recreation and conservation. The zoo is unique in that it offers an intimate setting that allows visitors a closer look at the animals than most sprawling zoo settings."

"While in Lincoln Park for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, don’t forget to visit the zoo!. The Lincoln Park Zoo is completely free (yes, you read that right) and is one of the top things to do in Chicago with toddlers. In addition to the wide range of animal exhibits, the zoo also offers:"

"Inspired by her son’s, and subsequently her own, celiac diagnosis and lack of quality baked goods available in 2007, Ali Graeme set out to blaze gluten-free trails. After playing in her kitchen with different blends of flour and receiving encouragement from family, she opened Sweet Ali’s two years later with recipes perfected that all would enjoy, gluten-free or otherwise. Beyond the cakes, you’ll find pre-packed pasta, bread and baked goods to enjoy later."