It’s all right here in Oak Park
Welcome to Oak Park, a village bursting with culture. Home to an astounding 25 Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures, including the famed architect’s home and studio and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Unity Temple, There’s more than Frank Lloyd Wright buildings here too. Explore Cheney Mansion and Pleasant Home, two extraordinary historic mansions. Oak Park is a paradise of American architecture.
Famous architects aren’t the only people to have called Oak Park home. Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway was born and grew up in Oak Park. Now a museum, his childhood home is a must-visit. Take a tour of the beautifully restored house and see how the author lived before he became a lion of literature or head to the Oak Park River Forest History Museum to learn about Oak Park’s other famous author, the creator of “Tarzan” and “John Carter.”
You’ll love exploring the Oak Park Conservatory, which houses over 3,000 different plants and has multiple rooms dedicated to different biomes. Be sure to say hello to the conservatory’s resident parrots!
Oak Park also has outstanding restaurants, with many located along scenic Lake Street, and enviable shopping. Get in a little retail therapy at the darling boutiques and independent shops nestled in Oak Park’s tree-lined avenues of its historic and shopping districts. The Hemingway District and Downtown Oak Park are hubs for entertainment, dining and shopping, while the vibrant Oak Park Arts District has art galleries and art studios, as well as restaurants and shops, including the beloved Val’s halla Records. All three districts host unique and inviting events throughout the year. There’s also the quieter but no less charming Pleasant District and North Avenue Business District, which serves as a boundary between Oak Park and Chicago.
With its several historic districts, famous buildings, lively downtown, robust shopping and exciting restaurant scene, you’ll be surprised to find out that Oak Park is only 4.7 square miles, making it an excellent and accessible place to explore with countless opportunities for fun.