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Beneath glass-domed roofs, flora from around the world thrives in spacious greenhouses. Information panels give the low-down as you stroll through the conservatory’s six indoor areas that include a Children’s Garden and the Sweet House (containing plants such as cacao, sugar cane, etc).

About 25 miles (40 km) north of Chicago, this attraction comprises 385 acres (155 ha) of natural habitats and beautifully landscaped gardens. Some of the most popular are the romantic Rose Garden, the tranquil island-based Japanese Garden, and the charming English Walled Garden.

This industrial town was conceived in the 1880s by railroad magnate George Pullman for his workers. The planned utopia had apartments, shops, a hospital, and a hotel, but failed after a strike in 1894, when a decrease in wages made rents unaffordable.

In 1940, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe planned the campus of this new university. He also designed around 20 of the buildings, which demonstrate his design philosophies. Stop by the on-campus visitor center for information and self-guided tours.

This lakefront road’s low speed limit is perfect for gawping at the palatial, architecturally diverse homes that line it as you drive north to Evanston and beyond. Art buffs might like to stop at the Martin D’Arcy Gallery at Loyola University, which specializes in art from Medieval to Baroque times.

A bronze memorial at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and 35th Street honors the journey many African-Americans made to this neighborhood as they fled the oppression of the South in the early 20th century. Nearby, sidewalk plaques celebrate local luminaries. Chicago’s answer to Harlem offers jazz and blues in its clubs, graceful mansions aplenty, and lots of fine soul food.

This exquisite white structure is one of eight temples of the Baha’i faith worldwide. Its nine doors symbolize how people can come to God from any direction. At night, spotlights enhance its ethereal beauty.

Thanks to strict regulations, the 19th-century heritage of this quaint town 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Chicago has been preserved. The candy-filled Long Grove Confectionery store is a local institution. Annual events include the popular Chocolate Festival.

Over 5,900 animals live together in themed, naturalistic environments at this popular zoo. Zones include Tropic World, where thunderstorms occur regularly (you stay dry) and Habitat Africa, whose new Forest exhibit has shy okapi and a re-created African village. In Be A Bird House, see what kind of bird you’d be on a machine that measures your flapping ability.

Just north of Chicago, this dynamic suburb brims with acclaimed restaurants, galleries, and independent shops. Northwestern University’s Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden is well worth a visit, as is the historic Grosse Point Lighthouse and Maritime Museum adjacent to the campus.