Despite Hemingway allegedly calling Oak Park a village of wide lawns and narrow minds, the town still pays homage to him by maintaining his childhood home as a museum.
Ernest Hemingway Birthplace
Illinois
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.19 MILES
Built in 1914, Wrigley Field – aka the Friendly Confines – is the second-oldest baseball park in the major leagues. It’s home to the Chicago Cubs and…
12.92 MILES
The MSI is the largest science museum in the Western hemisphere and a place to completely geek out. Highlights include a WWII German U-boat nestled in an…
8.85 MILES
The second-largest art museum in the country, the Art Institute houses a treasure trove from around the globe. The collection of impressionist and…
8.93 MILES
There's free admission to Millennium Park, the playful heart of the city. It shines with whimsical public art, both permanent and temporary exhibits, and…
8.23 MILES
Willis Tower is Chicago's tallest building (and one of the world's loftiest). Breathe deeply during the ear-popping, 70-second elevator ride to the 103rd…
Field Museum of Natural History
9.31 MILES
The Field Museum houses some 30 million artifacts and includes everything but the kitchen sink – beetles, mummies, gemstones, Bushman the stuffed ape –…
9.53 MILES
Half-mile-long Navy Pier is one of Chicago's most-visited attractions, sporting a 196ft Ferris wheel and other carnival rides ($9 to $18 each), an IMAX…
National Museum of Mexican Art
6.7 MILES
Founded in 1982, this vibrant museum – the largest Latinx arts institution in the US – has become one of the city’s best. The vivid permanent collection…
Nearby Illinois attractions
0.18 MILES
This architectural wonder from Frank Lloyd Wright was built in 1909 and reopened in 2018 after a five-year restoration. Explore at your leisure on a 30…
0.36 MILES
During Wright’s 20 years in Oak Park, he designed a whole heap of houses. Moore House (closed to the public) is particularly noteworthy. First built in…
3. Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio
0.36 MILES
This is where Wright lived and worked from 1889 to 1909 and it's the first home he ever designed. Tour frequency varies, from every 20 minutes on summer…
4.01 MILES
Built in 1907, these two acres under glass are a lovely spot to while away a few hours sauntering around rooms of palms, ferns, orchids and koi-filled…
4.63 MILES
Even George Washington gave out campaign buttons, though in his era they were the sew-on kind. Pin-back buttons came along in 1896. Badge-making company…
6. National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
4.8 MILES
The museum fills the old horse stables in Humboldt Park. It's worth a stroll inside to see what free art and cultural exhibits are showing. These might…
4.81 MILES
The Formal Garden sits in Humboldt Park's southern expanse, near where Humboldt Dr and Luis Munoz Marin Dr intersect. It's rich with jelly-bean-colored…
4.84 MILES
This 207-acre park, which lends its name to the surrounding neighborhood, comes out of nowhere and gobsmacks you with Mother Nature. A lagoon brushed by…