Anderson Japanese Gardens

Perhaps the most extraordinary garden I have ever had the privilege of visiting. I cannot believe this is in Northern Illinois--I felt like I was back visiting Japan so many years ago. We visited in May of 2022 in what may have been one of the best seasons to visit. I've been itching to go back and see what else they accomplish in other seasons. One can get peacefully lost for hours in this place.

Totally worth the time to stop by here. The gardens are lush and well-tended and it makes for a nice outing with anyone, or all by yourself. The attached restaurant is quite nice and delicious though a bit pricy and there’s a gift store you can get some interesting things in.

Enjoyed feeding the fish and birds, the gardens were breathtaking, and the buildings were so nice. There was a lot of musty smell to the buildings, but they were absolutely gorgeous. I loved the little hidden gems, too.