Less than 10 miles west of downtown Chicago, Oak Park (population 52,524) is celebrated for the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, who lived here between 1898 and 1908. Wright’s Home and Studio are open daily for tours and dozens of his famous “prairie-style” houses are located here and in Riverside, a wealthy suburb to the west. The houses are known for their long, horizontal features, which Wright claimed he designed to emulate the expanses of prairies that typify the Midwest.

One of Wright’s most famous churches, Unity Temple, is located in Oak Park. This concrete structure is deceptively simple, without the usual religious ornamentation on the exterior. Inside, the beautiful light fixtures cast an elegant light on the sanctuary. Tours are available for a small fee.

Oak Park’s other famous resident was Ernest Hemingway, who was born here in 1899. Visitors can tour his birthplace and also the museum devoted to the famous author, which is located just a few blocks further away.

Oak Park can be reached on I-290, heading west out of downtown Chicago. Public transit trains out of downtown and the western suburbs also serve the town.