BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND BLOG UPDATED JUNE 2025 Spending outdoors is great unless the weather is life-threatingly cold or hot or other conditions (e.g., wildfire smoke) exist that make it unsafe. But on some days, we just need to stay safe. The good news: there are many nature … Continue reading More Than 20 Indoor Places to Visit in the Chicago Area on a Freezing or Boiling Hot Day
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Many forests in Canada are on fire due to global warming and other factors, which has currrently made Chicago and other Midwestern cities very smoky. This smoke is hazardous to our health and today is not a good day to take a long hike or … Continue reading 23 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland on a Canadian-Wildfire, Smoke-Filled Day or Just a Rainy or Wintry One
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND It's a snowy weekend in Chicago, but that's no reason to stay at home. A 10-mile winter hike = NO! Camping = NO! But you can still get out and take a short walk or, more realistically, enjoy one of our area's many natured-oriented places, museums, and … Continue reading More Than 20 Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit In Chicagoland on a Winter Day
Chicagoland is currently playing the lead actor in a bomb of a play called "Polar Vortex." While you may not be able to take a long hike or go camping (unless you like risking frostbite after spending 30 minutes outdoors), there are many natured-oriented places, museums, and even an auto museum you can visit to … Continue reading 15+ Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit in Chicagoland on a Teeth-Chattering Winter Day
This weekend in Chicagoland is expected to be snowy and cold. While you may not be able to take a long hike or go camping, there are many natured-oriented places, museums, and even an auto museum you can visit to get out of the house and stay out of the snow and cold. Try the … Continue reading 9 Indoor Spots to Visit in Chicagoland During a Snowy Weekend
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND 2023: Check out 20 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland on a Canadian-Wildfire-Apocalyptic, Smoke-Filled Day or Just a Rainy or Wintry One for an updated and expanded version of this article. This weekend in Chicagoland is expected to be rainy. While you may not be … Continue reading 8 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland During a Rainy, Fall Weekend
Chicagoland is baking in a 90+ degree heat wave. Heat indexes are expected to exceed 105 degrees during the next few days. A hike, horseback ride, or run in the forest preserves are probably not on your list of must-do activities during this extended summer scorcher, but there are many indoor nature- or history-oriented spots … Continue reading More Than 10 Nature Centers and Other Destinations to Visit to Beat the Heat
Imagine hiking in the wilds of Chicagoland amidst a foot of soft, crunchy snow. If you were wearing boots, you’d be almost up to your knees in snow—and quickly tiring. But you’re wearing snowshoes, and you are moving free and easy atop the snow (although you might need a little practice if you’re a first-time … Continue reading Ditch the Winter Blahs and Go Snowshoeing in the Cook County Forest Preserves
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2017 AND HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED; CHECK WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS AND NATURE CENTERS BELOW FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION Local parks, forest preserves, botanical gardens, zoos, arboretums, and national parks in Chicagoland offer a variety of Halloween activities … Continue reading More Than 20 Halloween-Related Events Available for Kids in Chicagoland Forest Preserves, Parks, Zoos, and Other Nature Areas