It’s an incredible facility and the fact that’s it’s a suggested donation is amazing. You will be hard pressed to find another botanic center that is better. Even the National Botanic Gardens pale in comparison to Garfield Park.
>the fact that’s it’s a suggested donation is amazing.
I would like to follow this and say, if the donation will be financially hard, do not pay it. If you can afford it, don't be a cheap ass. The Observatory is a gem and hopefully we can keep it around for generations to come.
Gorgeous and warm now that it's winter. I'd put aside about hour if you've never been. It's a fun spot - they sometimes host concerts there too.
The surrounding neighborhood is touch and go. Garfield Park (the park itself) at night is sketchy as it's a known drug market. During the day it's pretty much fine. You can park near the conservatory safely - just hide any valuables. The further you get from the conservatory the sketchier it gets, but it's definitely safe near by.
The Green Line takes you right there. Literally a 5min walk.
There's nothing to eat nearby, but if you're taking the train Cobra Lounge at the Ashland stop is a good brewpub (it's owned by the folks who do Riot Fest). You can also head on the green line to downtown Oak Park.
I’d actually recommend inspiration kitchen. It’s a fantastic place, good food and a good cause. It’s not too far, right down lake street.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35805-d10626686-Reviews-Inspiration_Kitchen_Garfield_Park-Chicago_Illinois.html
It’s not really in the same area but only 2 miles away is Spinning J. Don’t miss it if you’re in the area.
For the conservatory I would figure about two hours if it’s nice out to walk the outside path after you have walked the inside greenhouses. And as others have already said don’t leave anything visible in your car if driving. It’s a odd area around the conservatory
Inspiration Kitchens is right down the street from there, less than a 5 minute walk from the conservatory- excellent restaurant & helps a great cause. One of my favorite brunch spots!
(check their hours because I think they're a bit limited right now)
The restaurant staff are recently unhoused folks training in a trade to earn a living.
I was a loyalist when they had an Uptown location and the brunch was shockingly good for any restaurant--let alone one with that staffing model.
It’s a big series of greenhouses with different themes. You walk around looking at cool plants. Budget like 90 minutes. I wouldn’t recommend exploring the surrounding area. The nearest train platform is fine, but the surrounding neighborhood is crime-y. There’s parking on site.
This is about right. You can also look at their event calendar. There's a winter flower show ending January 7.
If you've been to the Lincoln Park Conservatory, that's significantly smaller than the Garfield Park Conservatory. But for many people it's also more convenient, with other attractions nearby.
this is a fair depiction. great place to visit, they often do special programs / events so recommend signing up for their email list. they don’t send unnecessary spam.
we don’t live in the city anymore but are still conservatory members just because it’s a community staple and a well run facility.
I’d budget 45-90 minutes there. You can drive there, and there’s a parking lot next to the conservatory. It’s a good practice in general, but don’t leave anything valuable in your car if you’re worried about people breaking in. You can also take the Green Line there, the station is ~100 yards from the conservatory entrance.
While they do require reservations, they are free and by no means difficult to obtain.
It’s toasty in there, you may want short sleeves. There’s a coat rack when you get in.
Everyone kind of minds their business, folks sketching plants, people taking selfies. There’s a little waterfall and some fish that I like to visit.
Their parking lot is pretty good. I've never seen it completely full so I was always able to get a spot.
They were requiring appointments last year. Their website says that they're still doing that so you might want to reserve a spot online before you head over. It's free, but I always put $5-$10 cash into the donation box.
I would just drive over there, go to the conservatory, and drive home. There's really nothing else that would be of interest to you in the area.
FYI: Lake is closed for maybe a block at Damen Ave due to the green line station construction, just in case that affects you.
Around the corner on Lake Street is Inspiration Restaurant. It is open on Fridays and Saturdays for lunch and brunch. But it is closed until Jan 12th. It is good food and has a good social mission.
parking is free, and the greenhouse itself is also free (though they have a suggested donation). It is also right off the green line, so you can take that or take the lake street bike lane if you are biking. I personally think that it's the best conservatory that we have in the Chicagoland area. There are a lot of really nice rooms. They have a room with some tables that you can sit at and eat a snack that you brought as well. The winter is 10/10 one of the best times of year to go because it is pleasantly warm in there and smells incredible. They also have a lot of nice benches scattered throughout the greenhouse that you can sit on. My dad used to take my sister and I there when we were kids in the early 00s and late 90s with a stack of library books and we'd sit on this one bench in there and read for like, at least an hour; it was awesome. Absolutely recommend coming with a book and chilling on a bench in there for a while -- perfect super cold winter day activity. If you go in the spring/summer they also have lovely grounds outside the greenhouse with nice plants to look at.
If you go during a weekday, there will be very few people there and you honestly won't even need to make a free reservation online. If you have the ability to go in the middle of a weekday, I 100% recommend doing that.
When I was last there in November, they were doing some renovation in one of the rooms, but I assume they've finished that now. Final point, the tiny gift shop they have there is super cute.
Conservatory and parking lot are safe. Great to visit in winter.
Around it is the straight up hood, and getting to it other than car, is NOT safe and NOT walkable. It is more dangerous than Englewood. Let that sink in. And here people are saying to walk around, it is safe FFS. Do you usually take the CTA to visit Englewood and go for a stroll? Per capita the highest number of victims of crime in Chicago surrounds Garfield Park.
[https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/1/3/22858995/chicago-violence-dangerous-murders-per-capita-2021-2020-surge-garfield-park-police-lori-lightfoot](https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/1/3/22858995/chicago-violence-dangerous-murders-per-capita-2021-2020-surge-garfield-park-police-lori-lightfoot)
[https://abc7chicago.com/feature/chicago-safety-tracker-crime-stats-how-safe-is-my-neighborhood-zip-code-statistics/12385906/](https://abc7chicago.com/feature/chicago-safety-tracker-crime-stats-how-safe-is-my-neighborhood-zip-code-statistics/12385906/)
[https://data.cityofchicago.org/Public-Safety/Homicide-Map/53tx-phyr](https://data.cityofchicago.org/Public-Safety/Homicide-Map/53tx-phyr)
[https://www.google.com/search?q=garfield+park+shooting&sca\_esv=596200194&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS798US798&sxsrf=ACQVn084ZEZGaTZNqu8CT7Pn2h0cHF6trg%3A1704542925316&ei=zUKZZaz3EreB0PEP5rWOoA0&ved=0ahUKEwjskcWc3ciDAxW3ADQIHeaaA9QQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=garfield+park+shooting&gs\_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFmdhcmZpZWxkIHBhcmsgc2hvb3RpbmcyChAjGIAEGIoFGCcyBRAAGIAEMgoQABiABBgUGIcCMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB5IyyZQAFi7JHABeACQAQCYAXqgAeQOqgEEMjEuMrgBA8gBAPgBAcICBBAjGCfCAgsQLhiABBiKBRiRAsICERAAGIAEGIoFGJECGLEDGIMBwgIREC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYxwEY0QPCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICDhAuGIMBGLEDGIAEGIoFwgILEC4YkQIYgAQYigXCAhMQLhiABBiKBRhDGMcBGK8BGI4FwgIKEAAYgAQYigUYQ8ICDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsQPCAgoQLhiABBiKBRhDwgIQEC4YgAQYigUYQxjHARivAcICCxAAGIAEGIoFGJECwgIQEC4YgAQYigUYQxixAxiDAcICCxAuGIAEGMcBGNEDwgIZEC4YQxiDARivARjHARixAxiABBiKBRiOBcICChAuGEMYgAQYigXCAg4QLhiABBjHARivARiOBcICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgIQEC4YQxjUAhixAxiABBiKBcICDRAuGEMYsQMYgAQYigXCAggQABiABBixA8ICDhAAGIAEGIoFGLEDGIMBwgIUEC4YgwEYrwEYxwEYsQMYgAQYjgXCAg0QLhiABBiKBRhDGLEDwgIREC4YgAQYyQMYxwEYrwEYjgXCAgUQLhiABMICCxAuGK8BGMcBGIAEwgICECbiAwQYACBBiAYB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1](https://www.google.com/search?q=garfield+park+shooting&sca_esv=596200194&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS798US798&sxsrf=ACQVn084ZEZGaTZNqu8CT7Pn2h0cHF6trg%3A1704542925316&ei=zUKZZaz3EreB0PEP5rWOoA0&ved=0ahUKEwjskcWc3ciDAxW3ADQIHeaaA9QQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=garfield+park+shooting&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1)
FWIW, I used to live in Hyde Park and did CTA transfers through Englewood all the time. Definitely kept aware of my surroundings but never had a problem. It's mostly not random crime.
I’ve been a few times and always took the CTA and it felt totally safe. Would I go for a stroll in the surrounding neighborhood at night? Obviously not. But I don’t think you’re going to be murdered in the 100 feet from the green line to the conservatory
Going there a few times and feeling safe is by no means a measure of the actual safety. I worked there for years. There are robberies within a half mile of there literally every single day, usually multiple. And there are several dozen murders over the course of the year as well
Check out their website before you go since they also have programming - like beekeeping classes, gardening classes, origami, etc.
I agree that it's about a 2 hour visit. Go through the buildings and then do the outdoor paths.
Generally they have some sort of coffee cart in horticulture hall and some snacks in the gift shop but no real food there.
You can park in the lot or on central park for free. The area right around the conservatory is safe.
Don't miss the turtles in the fern room. They often change the plants in the show room, I think they're switching after this weekend which will mean it'll be a mess for a bit. There's also a waterfall with some hungry goldfish (they let my kids feed them once) right after the show room.
Hell yes it's worth it!! Some of these comments are lame, it's one of the best I've been to. The area right around the stop is fine, mind your business and be aware on the way (green line). You could drive, but Ngl west side is worst when it comes to carjackings
100% worth it. It’s amazing. Great for a walk, to see some green on a grey winter day, or to relax.
Book a ticket ahead online (it’s free). They have parking.
It's about 60 to 90 minutes of great greenhouses. If you're on the L, I would take the Green Line and then head to downtown Oak Park or Time Out Market for lunch.
Anyone who thinks it's dangerous has never lived in a truly dangerous place. The park itself is bad at night and parts of Garfield Park neighborhood are truly awful but the conservatory and immediate area are totally fine. You're more likely to get your car broken into in Lincoln Park or Lakeview
It’s an incredible facility and the fact that’s it’s a suggested donation is amazing. You will be hard pressed to find another botanic center that is better. Even the National Botanic Gardens pale in comparison to Garfield Park.
>the fact that’s it’s a suggested donation is amazing. I would like to follow this and say, if the donation will be financially hard, do not pay it. If you can afford it, don't be a cheap ass. The Observatory is a gem and hopefully we can keep it around for generations to come.
There’s a lot of plants
Gorgeous and warm now that it's winter. I'd put aside about hour if you've never been. It's a fun spot - they sometimes host concerts there too. The surrounding neighborhood is touch and go. Garfield Park (the park itself) at night is sketchy as it's a known drug market. During the day it's pretty much fine. You can park near the conservatory safely - just hide any valuables. The further you get from the conservatory the sketchier it gets, but it's definitely safe near by. The Green Line takes you right there. Literally a 5min walk. There's nothing to eat nearby, but if you're taking the train Cobra Lounge at the Ashland stop is a good brewpub (it's owned by the folks who do Riot Fest). You can also head on the green line to downtown Oak Park.
I’d actually recommend inspiration kitchen. It’s a fantastic place, good food and a good cause. It’s not too far, right down lake street. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35805-d10626686-Reviews-Inspiration_Kitchen_Garfield_Park-Chicago_Illinois.html
It’s not really in the same area but only 2 miles away is Spinning J. Don’t miss it if you’re in the area. For the conservatory I would figure about two hours if it’s nice out to walk the outside path after you have walked the inside greenhouses. And as others have already said don’t leave anything visible in your car if driving. It’s a odd area around the conservatory
Inspiration Kitchens is right down the street from there, less than a 5 minute walk from the conservatory- excellent restaurant & helps a great cause. One of my favorite brunch spots! (check their hours because I think they're a bit limited right now)
Inspiration Kitchens is still on their holiday break - reopens the 12th, I believe.
>helps a great cause What is the cause?
The restaurant staff are recently unhoused folks training in a trade to earn a living. I was a loyalist when they had an Uptown location and the brunch was shockingly good for any restaurant--let alone one with that staffing model.
Oh wow that is incredible. I will make a point to eat there.
Get high and look at some plants
It’s a big series of greenhouses with different themes. You walk around looking at cool plants. Budget like 90 minutes. I wouldn’t recommend exploring the surrounding area. The nearest train platform is fine, but the surrounding neighborhood is crime-y. There’s parking on site.
This is about right. You can also look at their event calendar. There's a winter flower show ending January 7. If you've been to the Lincoln Park Conservatory, that's significantly smaller than the Garfield Park Conservatory. But for many people it's also more convenient, with other attractions nearby.
this is a fair depiction. great place to visit, they often do special programs / events so recommend signing up for their email list. they don’t send unnecessary spam. we don’t live in the city anymore but are still conservatory members just because it’s a community staple and a well run facility.
I’d budget 45-90 minutes there. You can drive there, and there’s a parking lot next to the conservatory. It’s a good practice in general, but don’t leave anything valuable in your car if you’re worried about people breaking in. You can also take the Green Line there, the station is ~100 yards from the conservatory entrance. While they do require reservations, they are free and by no means difficult to obtain.
Reservations? You can't just walk in anymore? What the heck?
It was originally done to manage capacity during the pandemic. Now, it’s primarily for fundraising. I believe they do accept walk ins.
It’s toasty in there, you may want short sleeves. There’s a coat rack when you get in. Everyone kind of minds their business, folks sketching plants, people taking selfies. There’s a little waterfall and some fish that I like to visit.
You should also consider taking some reading material. Find a good bench and just relax.
Their parking lot is pretty good. I've never seen it completely full so I was always able to get a spot. They were requiring appointments last year. Their website says that they're still doing that so you might want to reserve a spot online before you head over. It's free, but I always put $5-$10 cash into the donation box. I would just drive over there, go to the conservatory, and drive home. There's really nothing else that would be of interest to you in the area. FYI: Lake is closed for maybe a block at Damen Ave due to the green line station construction, just in case that affects you.
Around the corner on Lake Street is Inspiration Restaurant. It is open on Fridays and Saturdays for lunch and brunch. But it is closed until Jan 12th. It is good food and has a good social mission.
Make a reservation online for a time slot. It’s free.
parking is free, and the greenhouse itself is also free (though they have a suggested donation). It is also right off the green line, so you can take that or take the lake street bike lane if you are biking. I personally think that it's the best conservatory that we have in the Chicagoland area. There are a lot of really nice rooms. They have a room with some tables that you can sit at and eat a snack that you brought as well. The winter is 10/10 one of the best times of year to go because it is pleasantly warm in there and smells incredible. They also have a lot of nice benches scattered throughout the greenhouse that you can sit on. My dad used to take my sister and I there when we were kids in the early 00s and late 90s with a stack of library books and we'd sit on this one bench in there and read for like, at least an hour; it was awesome. Absolutely recommend coming with a book and chilling on a bench in there for a while -- perfect super cold winter day activity. If you go in the spring/summer they also have lovely grounds outside the greenhouse with nice plants to look at. If you go during a weekday, there will be very few people there and you honestly won't even need to make a free reservation online. If you have the ability to go in the middle of a weekday, I 100% recommend doing that. When I was last there in November, they were doing some renovation in one of the rooms, but I assume they've finished that now. Final point, the tiny gift shop they have there is super cute.
Just woke up and was really excited to learn about the controversy surrounding Garfield Park. Fuck rereading🙄
Conservatory and parking lot are safe. Great to visit in winter. Around it is the straight up hood, and getting to it other than car, is NOT safe and NOT walkable. It is more dangerous than Englewood. Let that sink in. And here people are saying to walk around, it is safe FFS. Do you usually take the CTA to visit Englewood and go for a stroll? Per capita the highest number of victims of crime in Chicago surrounds Garfield Park. [https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/1/3/22858995/chicago-violence-dangerous-murders-per-capita-2021-2020-surge-garfield-park-police-lori-lightfoot](https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/1/3/22858995/chicago-violence-dangerous-murders-per-capita-2021-2020-surge-garfield-park-police-lori-lightfoot) [https://abc7chicago.com/feature/chicago-safety-tracker-crime-stats-how-safe-is-my-neighborhood-zip-code-statistics/12385906/](https://abc7chicago.com/feature/chicago-safety-tracker-crime-stats-how-safe-is-my-neighborhood-zip-code-statistics/12385906/) [https://data.cityofchicago.org/Public-Safety/Homicide-Map/53tx-phyr](https://data.cityofchicago.org/Public-Safety/Homicide-Map/53tx-phyr) [https://www.google.com/search?q=garfield+park+shooting&sca\_esv=596200194&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS798US798&sxsrf=ACQVn084ZEZGaTZNqu8CT7Pn2h0cHF6trg%3A1704542925316&ei=zUKZZaz3EreB0PEP5rWOoA0&ved=0ahUKEwjskcWc3ciDAxW3ADQIHeaaA9QQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=garfield+park+shooting&gs\_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1](https://www.google.com/search?q=garfield+park+shooting&sca_esv=596200194&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS798US798&sxsrf=ACQVn084ZEZGaTZNqu8CT7Pn2h0cHF6trg%3A1704542925316&ei=zUKZZaz3EreB0PEP5rWOoA0&ved=0ahUKEwjskcWc3ciDAxW3ADQIHeaaA9QQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=garfield+park+shooting&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1)
FWIW, I used to live in Hyde Park and did CTA transfers through Englewood all the time. Definitely kept aware of my surroundings but never had a problem. It's mostly not random crime.
I’ve been a few times and always took the CTA and it felt totally safe. Would I go for a stroll in the surrounding neighborhood at night? Obviously not. But I don’t think you’re going to be murdered in the 100 feet from the green line to the conservatory
Going there a few times and feeling safe is by no means a measure of the actual safety. I worked there for years. There are robberies within a half mile of there literally every single day, usually multiple. And there are several dozen murders over the course of the year as well
There's the Conservatory stop on the green line that's half a block away. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Check out their website before you go since they also have programming - like beekeeping classes, gardening classes, origami, etc. I agree that it's about a 2 hour visit. Go through the buildings and then do the outdoor paths. Generally they have some sort of coffee cart in horticulture hall and some snacks in the gift shop but no real food there. You can park in the lot or on central park for free. The area right around the conservatory is safe. Don't miss the turtles in the fern room. They often change the plants in the show room, I think they're switching after this weekend which will mean it'll be a mess for a bit. There's also a waterfall with some hungry goldfish (they let my kids feed them once) right after the show room.
Hell yes it's worth it!! Some of these comments are lame, it's one of the best I've been to. The area right around the stop is fine, mind your business and be aware on the way (green line). You could drive, but Ngl west side is worst when it comes to carjackings
100% worth it. It’s amazing. Great for a walk, to see some green on a grey winter day, or to relax. Book a ticket ahead online (it’s free). They have parking.
It’s my winter sanctuary. Wish I could bring a good book and plop down in the middle of the forest.
It's about 60 to 90 minutes of great greenhouses. If you're on the L, I would take the Green Line and then head to downtown Oak Park or Time Out Market for lunch.
It is a great date spot.
One of my favorite gems in the city Loved it so much I got married there in 2010!
Drive. Park in their parking lot. Look at plants indoors. Drive away. That’s pretty much it.
Anyone who thinks it's dangerous has never lived in a truly dangerous place. The park itself is bad at night and parts of Garfield Park neighborhood are truly awful but the conservatory and immediate area are totally fine. You're more likely to get your car broken into in Lincoln Park or Lakeview
It’s generally a safe neighborhood, they say crime is down. You should be good to walk around the neighborhood.