Summer Living
Make warm, happy memories at the Garden this summer. Explore these experiences included with your membership or admission and find all-ages fun.
Shimmering Summer
Through September 20
Step into a shimmering landscape of larger-than-life bubbles and see nature through a playful new lens. Sky, trees, Garden views, and even your own reflection shift as you move through this lively, colorful side of summer.
Evening Music
Mondays & Wednesdays through August
Evening music performances at the Garden are fun for the whole family! Unwind on the Esplanade and savor summer with jazz, world music, tribute bands, and more. Bring a picnic or purchase food and beverages on-site.
Garden Game Nights
Select Thursdays, 5 – 7 p.m.
Head to the Rose Garden to challenge friends to life-size lawn games like checkers, Jenga, and Connect 4, perfect for all ages. The Rose Terrace Bar will be open to purchase cocktails, mocktails, and light bites.
Garden Chef Series
Select Saturdays, June through October
Live cooking demos are back in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden amphitheater, showing off recipes that use fresh produce from the Fruit & Vegetable Garden and Windy City Harvest farm sites.
Nature Play Garden
Open mid-April through mid-November
The Nature Play Garden at the Regenstein Learning Campus features a series of multisensory areas and makes a great addition to your family’s visit.
Summer Dining
Stop by the Visitor Center for garden-fresh menus paired with the best views in town, featuring both indoor and outdoor dining. The Garden View Café is open daily, or head out to the deck for the Garden Grille, open select hours through summer. Plus, more seasonal options for al fresco dining surrounded by beauty:
Learn more about our outdoor dining options
Plus, don't miss these seasonal favorites, always included with your admission.
Model Railroad Garden
May to October, weather permitting
Step into a world of G-scale (garden-scale) inspiration with 19 model trains running on 19 tracks, passing by miniature American landmarks and surrounded by more than 300 plant varieties.
Butterflies & Blooms
End of May through Labor Day, weather permitting
Immerse yourself in a habitat filled with hundreds of live tropical butterfly species from around the globe, as well as species native to Illinois.
Grand Tram Tours
May through October, weather permitting
Join a 35-minute narrated tour to get acquainted with the Garden’s history and science, take in beautiful views, and stop off (optional) to tour additional Garden sites. Board at the Welcome Plaza.