Morton Arboretum

"I've never found time amongst nature to be wasted time."

If you enjoy being in nature and if you are in Chicago or the surrounding area, the Morton Arboretum located in Lisle, Illinois, about 40 minutes away from Chicago is one place to go! It is a completely serene location with hiking trails, biking trails and gardens that you can visit. The most unique things about the Morton Arboretum are the troll sculptures and the recent Human+Nature exhibits that are present in the vast area of grounds.

Ticket & Membership Details

The arboretum has around 1700 acres of nature and they have required timed entry in light of the pandemic. The booking can be done anytime before the visit. The general admission price for adults are $16, for seniors are $14, for children are $11 and is free for infants under 2. The price is also cheaper on Wednesdays. You can get your tickets here!

Tip: Plan ahead if you want to visit the arboretum during Public Holidays as the spots get filled up very quickly. I tried booking a slot during the memorial day weekend and couldn't find any availability.

You can also become a member of the Morton arboretum. In addition to supporting the arboretum's goal of preserving nature, there are many benefits including free unlimited admissions, free parking, reduced price of $5 for 2 guests, subscriptions, discounts, early access and borrowing privileges. This would be great option if you intend to visit the park at least 4-5 times in a year. They also have different membership levels and options.

Morton 1 for one individual costs $65 for one year and $120 for two years.

Morton 2 for two individuals costs $110 for one year and $210 for two years.

Morton 4 for four individuals costs $160 for one year and $310 for two years.

I became a member of the arboretum for $65/year and intend to visit the park as often as possible. Once you become a member, you will receive a membership card in the mail and you can use the membership ID that you get in your email to make your bookings.

Best time to visit

The park is open year around and the different seasons offer different experiences. From hiking and biking to attending events like wine tasting, book club meets, and practicing aerial tree yoga or even having a picnic, the park offers a lot to both the members and the general public.

The park has also special decorations during fall with pumpkins and Halloween decorations, and during winter with lights and Christmas decorations. It is also exceptionally beautiful during Fall and Spring with the colors and the flowers.

If you have a dog and would like to take with you, watch out for days pets are allowed in the park as they are not allowed always.

Since the park is huge, it would be best to plan ahead and know what you want to visit. Check out the map to plan your visit!

My First Visit

After several days of researching about the park and the membership details, I became a member and booked my first timed entry visit. I went to the park around 8 am on a Sunday, it took me around 30 minutes to drive there as there was hardly any traffic on the roads. The check in was fairly simple, I just had to show my timed entry bar code and I was let inside.

After I parked my car, I unfolded my bike and started riding through the park. I stopped by the visitor center and grabbed a map of the park. I biked through the east wing of the park and saw some beautiful sculptures.

After biking for almost two hours, I took a break by the beautiful Meadow Lake. I spent close to another two hours snacking on my trail mix, cheese string, reading a book and watching birds and squirrels around me.

I enjoyed the stillness the location offered and it was a great way to de-stress from hectic work days.

After my break, I biked around for a bit longer and visited the maze garden. It was a fun part of the park, the one acre garden was built with gravel paths between hedges of arborvitae, yew, and other shrubs. It was like a life-sized living puzzle. Spending a few minutes travelling down dead ends and tracing steps back to the right path was enjoyable. There is also a lookout platform built around a sycamore tree from which you get a good view of the maze garden and parts of the arboretum.

After exploring the maze garden, I headed back to my car. I then drove around the west wing to get a feel for that area of the arboretum. I saw this beautiful sculpture (see below) that wasn't crowded with people like the east wing. The Morton Arboretum also has the Ginkgo Restaurant and Café where we can eat and spend some time. I chose to drive back home and plan my next visit!

Overall, it was a fun visit and I'm so happy to have bought the membership. I can see myself exploring the park more and visiting it especially during the Fall for the colors and during December for the lights!

I will highly recommend the Morton Arboretum for all nature lovers and for all sculpture enthusiasts!