USA Chicago Botanic Gardens, Chicago, Illinois

The Botanic Gardens are a lesser-known gem of Chicago (to tourists, at least). There's everything from flowers to landscapes to street photography here. It's an extremely versatile area, and it's well worth a visit.

Regardless of the season, there's plenty to shoot here. Spring and summer are obviously great (it is a garden after all...), but winter can also be charming, as there are plenty of greenhouses and a charming replication of the Chicago area in plant life (see third shot). I'm not much of a flower photographer, but bring whatever macro gear you have for such shots. Don't forget your landscape gear though, as there are lots of great outdoor landscape opportunities as well.

I've always driven, and there's a small parking fee. It's about an hour's drive from Chicago, so it's a bit of a trek. You could spend a very long time shooting here, so if you have some time it's worth a day trip.