Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit
AVAILABLE now! You can order the book at the bottom of this page.
By Andrew Morkes, Founder & Editorial Director of College & Career Press LLC and Author of the Nature in Chicagoland Blog
Published by Nature in Chicagoland LLC (an imprint of College & Career Press LLC), 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-9829210-5-0, Softcover, 210+ Photos
SPECIAL DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $17.99 (the regular price is $22.95), with free shipping via USPS Media Mail in the United States (for the first copy).
Where are the best places to hike in Chicagoland?
What are some great family-friendly nature destinations?
Where can I see bison, elk, and bald eagles?
What are the top spots for viewing spring wildflowers? Fall colors?
The answers to these questions and many more can be found in this exciting, new guide written by Andrew Morkes, the author of the Nature in Chicagoland blog and more than 40 books about college planning and careers for College & Career Press, Vault.com, Mason Crest, and other publishing and media companies.
Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit has something for everyone. Whether you’re a nature newbie, a longtime nature lover who’s tired of visiting the same old spots, an urbanite looking for something to do during the pandemic, or a nature-loving tourist who is planning a trip to Chicagoland, you’ll be inspired by the many opportunities for exploring nature right in our own backyard.
Destinations include forest preserves; nature centers; city, state, and national parks; beaches; tallgrass prairies; wetlands; scenic rivers; and more in Chicagoland and the nearby states of Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Nature in Chicagoland offers easy-to-use information on the following places and activities:
*Nature Centers
*Hiking Trails
*Day and Weekend Road Trips
*Kids Activities
*Camping Spots
*Birdwatching Hotspots
*Bicycling Trails
*Kayaking/Canoeing/Boating
*Picnicking Spots
*Fishing
*Spring Wildflower Viewing
*Fall Colors Viewing
*Running/Exercise
*Winter Activities (Sledding, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ice Fishing)
*Historical Sites
*Self-Enrichment Classes and Other Opportunities
*Geocaching
*And More…
Nature in Chicagoland also includes personal essays that provide advice on camping with kids, enjoying a successful snowshoeing adventure, kayaking, the joy of spending time in nature with one’s son, and much more. Other resources include contact information for forest preserve districts, state departments of natural resources, and environmental and other nature-focused organizations, as well as a list of nature-related books, newsletters, and journals.
This inspirational and informative book will give you a new appreciation for the rich array of natural areas to be discovered in and around Chicago. It’s the perfect gift for nature lovers or those who are interested in making their first explorations to the forests, prairies, beaches, dunes, lakes, and rivers of Chicagoland.
media coverage of nature in Chicagoland
Chicago Sun-Times: “Andrew Morkes gets the options, information and places right on where to recreate in the natural world near Chicago and beyond in his ‘Nature in Chicagoland.’”–Dale Bowman, Outdoors Writer, Chicago Sun-Times, August 22, 2021
Chicago Tribune: An informative story about the book appeared on page 6 of the August 16, 2021, edition of the Chicago Tribune.
Daily Southtown: “More than most urban dwellers… Morkes knows the hidden wild places of Chicago and surrounding areas.” –Susan DeGrane, front-page story in the Daily Southtown, August 16, 2021 (front-page story)
This Week in Birding blog: “A comprehensive and accessible work that should sit on the shelf beside other classic Chicago nature volumes.”–Bob Dolgan, Founder & Author of This Week in Birding and the director of the films Monty and Rose and The Magic Stump.
Beverly Review: The Beverly Review published an excellent, front-page story about my book and my travels.
how to ORDER:
You can order Nature in Chicagoland:
- Via regular mail by sending a check for $15.99 (free shipping-SPECIAL CYBER MONDAY PRICE) to PO Box 300484, Chicago, IL 60630. The cost for 2 books (including $5 shipping) is $40.98, and the cost for 3 books (including $6 shipping) is $59.97. Please make the check out to “Andrew Morkes.”
- Via Zelle. My email address is amorkes@chicagopa.com
- Via credit card or PayPal below
- Via online retailers. The book is available at Amazon.com and other online retailers, but paying by check or credit card directly to me results in the largest amount of your payment going directly to me, rather than to a large online retailer.
For shipping prices on more than 3 copies, contact me at amorkes @ chicagopa.com.
1 Copy of Nature in Chicagoland book (free USPS Media Mail shipping)
306 pages, 210+ photos By clicking the “Pay with PayPal” button below, you can pay by credit card (without logging into PayPal via the PayPal Guest Checkout) or pay using PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account to purchase the book.
$17.99
2 Copies of Nature in Chicagoland Book ($35.98 + $5 shipping)
306 pages, 210+ photos By clicking the “Pay with PayPal” button below, you can pay by credit card (without logging into PayPal via the PayPal Guest Checkout) or pay using PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account to purchase the book.
$40.98
3 Copies of Nature in Chicagoland Book ($50.97 + $6 shipping)
306 pages, 210+ photos By clicking the “Pay with PayPal” button below, you can pay by credit card (without logging into PayPal via the PayPal Guest Checkout) or pay using PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account to purchase the book.
$56.97
ABOUT ANDREW MORKES
I have been a writer and editor for more than 25 years. I am, of course, the founder and author of the Nature in Chicagoland blog. But I’m also the founder of College & Career Press (2002); the editorial director of the CAM Report career newsletter and College Spotlight newsletter; the author/publisher of “The Morkes Report: College and Career Planning Trends” blog; and the author/publisher of Hot Health Care Careers: 30 Occupations With Fast Growth and Many New Job Openings; Nontraditional Careers for Women and Men: More Than 30 Great Jobs for Women and Men With Apprenticeships Through PhDs; They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 100 Interesting College Majors, which was selected as one of the best books of the year by the library journal Voice of Youth Advocates; and other titles.
In addition to these publications, I have written or co-written more than 40 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including the Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance; Women in Environmental Sciences; Renewable Energy Workers; the Vault Career Guide to Accounting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus; Discovering Careers; Women in STEM Careers; What Can I Do Now?!; Cool Careers in Science; Careers in the Building Trades; Careers with Earning Potential; and Career Skills Library series.
I am a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school. My poetry has been published in Cadence, Wisconsin Review, Poetry Motel, Strong Coffee, and Mid-America Review. I am a lifelong Chicagoan and look forward to telling you about some of my favorite places in Chicagoland in this book.
Copyright (text/photos) Andrew Morkes, Nature in Chicagoland
Nature in Chicagoland 