The Drake Hotel Chicago

Lincoln Park Conservatory
Just beyond the zoo's northeast border is a lovely botanical garden housed in a soaring glass-domed structure. Inside are four great halls filled with thousands of plants. If you're visiting Chicago in the wintertime, I can't think of a better prescription for mood elevation than the conservatory's lush haven of greenery. The Palm House features giant palms and rubber trees (including a 50-ft. fiddle-leaf rubber tree dating from 1891), the Fernery nurtures plants that grow close to the forest floor, and the Tropical House is a shiny symphony of flowering trees, vines, and bamboo. The fourth environment is the Show House, where seasonal flower shows are held.Even better than the plants inside, however, might be what lies outside the front doors. The expansive lawn with its French garden and lovely fountain on the conservatory's south side is one of the best places in town for an informal picnic (especially nice if you're visiting the zoo and want to avoid the congestion at its food concession venues).The Lincoln Park Conservatory has a sister facility on the city's West Side, in Garfield Park, that is much more remarkable. In fact, the 2-acre Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. (tel. 312/746-5100), designed by the great landscape architect Jens Jensen in 1907, is one of the largest gardens under glass in the world. It's open 365 days a year from 9am to 5pm. Unfortunately, a rather blighted neighborhood with a high crime rate surrounds the conservatory. If you want to see it, I recommend driving rather than public transportation.Allow a half-hour for the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

Museum of Contemporary Photography
Ensconced in a ground-floor space at Columbia College -- a progressive arts- and media-oriented institution that boasts the country's largest undergraduate film department and a highly respected photojournalism-slanted photography department -- the Museum of Contemporary Photography is the only museum in the Midwest of its ilk. As the name indicates, it exhibits, collects, and promotes modern photography, with a special focus on American works from 1959 to present. Rotating exhibitions showcase images by both nationally recognized and "undiscovered" regional artists. Related lectures and special programs are scheduled during the year. Allow 1 hour.

Chicago Historical Society
At the southwestern tip of Lincoln Park stands one of Chicago's oldest cultural institutions (founded in 1856), but one that has successfully brought its exhibits into the 21st century. Inside the Historical Society's lovely redbrick and glass-walled building, you'll find well-designed displays of significant objects, artifacts, and artwork -- but the overall effect is instructive rather than interactive (this isn't the place to bring young children).Casual visitors can get a good overview of the highlights in about an hour; history buffs will need more time. The must-see permanent exhibit is A House Divided: America in the Age of Lincoln, which explores the institution of slavery in America and the devastation of the Civil War (items on display include the bed that Lincoln died in and an original copy of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, signed by Honest Abe himself). Another highlight is the CHS's costume collection, which includes clothing worn by George Washington, John Adams, and, of more current vintage, one of Michael Jordan's uniforms, along with numerous gowns by contemporary fashion designers (pieces from the collection are displayed on a rotating basis). Other worthy stops are the Charles F. Murphy architectural study center, featuring one of the nation's largest collections of architectural working drawings; the decorative and industrial-arts collection, including stained-glass designs by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan; and We the People, a permanent exhibit that explores how "ordinary people" founded the United States. (After your visit, head a few blocks away to North Ave. Beach, the best beach in the city, and or wander the neighboring residential streets of the exclusive Gold Coast.)The Historical Society also sponsors lectures, symposia, and seminars; film screenings; family programs; historical reenactments and performances by local theater companies; and music concerts on the beautiful plaza overlooking Lincoln Park. On the ground floor of the museum, past the gift shop, is Big Shoulders Cafe, entered through a flora- and fauna-decorated terra-cotta arch removed from the old Stockyard Bank and reassembled here. The museum's website is worth checking out before your visit, especially the impressive online "exhibit" on the Great Chicago Fire. Allow 1 to 2 hours.

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
Nearby Airports: * Chicago Midway Airport - 12 Miles * Chicago O'Hare International Airport - 15 Miles Nearby Cities: * Rosemont - 19 Miles * Northbrook - 26 Miles * Naperville - 35 Miles * Waukegan - 45 ...

Marriott Chicago at Medical District UIC
Removed from the congestion of Chicago's Loop, yet just minutes from downtown, the Chicago Marriott at Medical District UIC is conveniently located one block south of Interstate 290. This elegant European-style hotel is situated in the Illinois Medical District: an area including four major medical centers, six hospitals, the Chicago campus of the University of Illinois as well as federal, state, county and city health and human services agencies. Complimentary shuttle service is provided to ...

The Talbott Hotel
The Talbott Hotel was built in 1927. Now completely renovated, this charming European-style Hotel is a soothing oasis for the business traveler. The lobby is akin to a Victorian sitting room. There are two fireplaces, which form a focal point. Fireside coffee service is a special feature in the lobby each evening during the winter months. The overall ambiance is one of quiet elegance. Steps away from Michigan Avenue, sophisticated shopping, fine dining, clubs, theatres, and shows. Blocks ...