Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Burea's photostream

The most picturesque region in metropolitan Chicago can be found minutes from downtown Chicago. Nothing compares to the unsurpassed beauty and distinctive charm of Chicago’s North Shore which borders the glorious shores of Lake Michigan and is home to the inviting communities of Evanston, Glenview, Northbrook and Skokie.

Chicago’s North Shore also prides itself on its award-winning restaurants, premium shopping and world-class hotel accommodations. The area is rich in performing arts (the North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie is a must!), cultural attractions and recreational activities. Its accessible beaches, spectacular parks, gorgeous tree-lined streets and vibrant urban inspired downtown areas welcome thousands of people year round.

You may want to start with a leisurely stroll through Northwestern University’s ivy-lined campus in Evanston. Continue north by taking a relaxing drive along the region’s famed Sheridan Road, which actually hugs the lakefront. This gorgeous, winding stretch of road offers the most spectacular views of gracious homes, famed architecture, and the bounty of nature. Just north you will find the Grosse Point Lighthouse built in 1873 and designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes to carry that status. Continue north to see the Bahá’í House of Worship, one of only seven in the world and the only one in North America. This imposing and dramatic structure has received numerous design awards, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Continue on to the Chicago Botanic Garden, with its world-renowned plant collections and displays, is one of the country’s most-visited public gardens. You can explore dozens of natural gardens from the brightly colored whimsical to the peaceful, subtle and serene. The 385-acre Garden features 23 display gardens and three native habitats, uniquely situated on nine islands surrounded by lakes.

The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park features an outstanding exhibition of large-scale contemporary sculpture in a beautifully landscaped, easily accessible setting. At The Grove in Glenview, explore the 123-acre prairie grove first settled in 1836. Included are two historic homes, a Native American village, log cabin, schoolhouse, greenhouse and many interpretive trails. The wildly popular Kohl Children’s Museum allows kids from birth to eight play at hands-on exhibits. Speaking of animals, children get a taste of yesteryear at Wagner Farm. Milk a cow, hear a rooster marking time and see how bread is made in a woodburning stove at this genuine American farm.

If shopping is your passion Chicago’s North Shore is the place for you! World-class shopping centers (Westfield Old Orchard, The Glen Town Center and Northbrook Court) are retail favorites, while the downtown Evanston offers cosmopolitan boutiques with genuine neighborhood flair.

A spectacular lakefront, a convenient location, world-class amenities, attractions galore and affordable accommodations…you’ll agree with visitors who marvel at the magnificence of Chicago’s North Shore!