The Morton Arboretum 

4100 Illinois Route 53

Lisle, IL 60532

630-968-0074

If the address is not working in your navigation system, try entering 4100 Lincoln Ave. instead.

Cost:	- $11 adults, $10 seniors (65+), $8 youth (2-17), Free for children under 2
	- Wednesdays are discount admission: $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 youth, Free for children under 2
	- See links below under "Logistics" for coupons

Ages welcome:

All ages

Hours:	- Grounds: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. or sunset (whichever is earlier) year-round
	- Children’s Garden: 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Nov.-Feb. & 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. in March-Oct.

Parent Comments & Ratings

PROS

The Morton Arboretum is a beautiful place to enjoy the outdoors. For new mommies battling the baby blues, a stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens may even lift your spirits. The grounds consist of 1,700 acres of rolling terrain, woods, gardens and lakes with more than 4,000 kinds of trees, shrubs and other plants from around the world. There are several different gardens to enjoy, including an herb garden, a fragrance garden, a reading garden, a maze garden and of course the Children’s Garden.

The Children’s Garden includes three main areas – the Backyard Discovery Gardens, Adventure Woods and the Central Plaza. When my son was a year old, his favorite activities were in the Backyard Discovery Gardens. He loved climbing in one of the little tree houses, dipping his arms in the fountain, digging in the sand, playing the “musical plants,” and just exploring and touching everything he could find. Now that he’s two, he also enjoys Adventure Woods, where he wades through the Secret Stream and climbs on the play equipment set up under the trees.

When my son was still an infant, I enjoyed walking around the lakes and through the gardens. Many of the paths are paved, so it’s easy to get around with a stroller. If he got hungry, I would sit behind a tree and nurse him. Sometimes I would go with a friend and her little one, and we would exercise together, pushing our strollers along the paths of the Arboretum’s West side.

Another way to enjoy your time at the Arboretum is to bring a picnic lunch. You can find a new place to picnic each time you visit. It’s a great way to save money, but if you don’t have time to pack a lunch, they also have a restaurant/café. I have eaten there several times and always really liked what I ordered.

CONS

Some of the paths are not paved. Since I’m always dragging a stroller with me, I haven’t been able to enjoy some of the gardens I wanted to visit. However, there is so much to see along the paved paths that I’ve never felt the need to come without my little one in tow.

While the Arboretum is open 365 days a year, the weather will obviously impact your visit. I’ve never made a trip during the winter months, but I’ve braved some very chilly fall days. My son was disappointed to see his favorite water features were turned off in the Children’s Garden, but he had a good time anyway.

LOGISTICS

You will pay an entrance fee as you enter the Arboretum in your vehicle. Remember that Wednesdays are discount admission! (Check out www.oakleesguide.com/coupons.html and www.chicagoparent.com/coupons for coupons. Sometimes they offer a free child admission with the purchase of one adult admission.) You will be provided with a map, which will come in handy as you become acquainted with the grounds. If you have questions, the staff in the visitor center are very friendly and helpful. They’ve pointed me in the right direction on several occasions.

You can take in the gardens and trails of the Arboretum’s West side by car, if you’d prefer. If you decide to walk it, you’ll just need to stay alert and move to the side when cars approach. I’ve strolled (and power-walked) through the West side, and it wasn’t too much of a problem. (The Children’s Garden, visitor center, etc. are located on the Arboretum’s East side.)

There is a small store inside the visitor center where you can purchase memorabilia, gifts and other amenities. However, they have small quantities, so when I’ve visited, they were sold out of sunblock. (I recommend bringing bug spray and sunblock during the summer months.)

The Ginko Restaurant, also located in the visitor center, is open 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and overlooks the Arboretum’s Meadow Lake. It is set up like a college dining hall, but the food isn’t like that served at your local university. The menu changes seasonally and usually offers some fun and interesting fare. The Ginko Café is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and offers Starbucks® coffee, sandwiches, salads, beverages and snacks.

The Arboretum is available for children’s parties and offers special rates for group outings. You can find more information under the “visit” tab on their Website.

Website: http://www.mortonarb.org