When it comes to picking a spot for your photo session, the western Chicago suburbs have a lot to offer that can be just as amazing as the city skyline. These places are perfect for couples or families who want to avoid the crowds and enjoy a more laid-back vibe. Whether you’re into green spaces, pretty gardens, or big open areas, here are five of my top Chicago suburb photo locations.
These locations all fall into my “Suburb Session” package, which is discounted from my standard package price!
1. Churchill Woods
If you’re looking for a natural, woodsy backdrop without the crowds of city parks, Churchill Woods in Lombard, IL is a great choice. With its open fields and a beautiful bridge running over a river, it’s a perfect spot for relaxed, romantic photos. It’s especially stunning in the fall when the trees turn warm shades of red and orange, creating a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere for your session.
This location is perfect for you if you love the perfect, warm, buttery sunsets in a more private setting with plenty of space to run around. It’s personally my favorite out of the Chicago suburb photo locations!
2. Morton Arboretum (Photography permit required)
Morton Arboretum is one of my favorites for nature lovers and people that value variety. It’s full of trees, flowers, and a calm atmosphere that makes it great for capturing peaceful, romantic moments. With so many different areas to explore, it’s a perfect fit if you want to get creative and take your time with photos in a gorgeous setting.
This location truly has it all – from manicured gardens, to wide open fields, all the way to prairie grass and a spruce tree forest, you get a little bit of everything here. It’s unmatched in the Chicagoland area – and perfect to feature stunning foliage without the crowds of any city location! I’ve thoroughly scouted this 1,700 acre park multiple times and I still find new spots every time I visit.
Summer 2026 photography permit prices are $50 for 1 hour. Emma Petersen Photography gets a special discounted price from the original $125 for 1 hour permit price. This includes entry for you two and your car + parking as well as our time photographing at the arboretum. Pets are not allowed except for service dogs but there are “Dog Admission Days” a few times a month where pets can join.
3. Lilacia Park
Lilacia Park in Lombard, IL is one a one of a kind park best known for their amazing lilacs and tulips. They have over 700 lilac bushes in 200 different species, not to mention the hundreds of tulips that bloom each spring. This park features the works, tight paths lined with lilacs, a wide open grassy field lined with tulips, to quieter offshoots with winding paths and a wooden patio that overlooks it all.
The best time for the blooms in this park varies each year – in 2025 is was early May, while in 2026 it was mid-April. It all depends on the growing conditions and weather! If the tulips and lilacs bloom at the same time, boy do you get something magical!
If shooting in the time of peak blooms, I do not recommend shooting in the evening as it’s VERY busy. Sunrise is the best time for this location. If shooting at another time of year, evenings work fine but may be busier than other locations on this list.
Parking at this location is free along the street and there is no permit fee at this time.
4. Wilder Park Conservatory & Manor (Photography permit required)
Another local favorite is Wilder Park Conservatory located in Elmhurst, IL. Located inside a greenhouse, this is the perfect location in the burbs for a wild, lush look without it needs to
If it’s rainy on your session day, this is the location you want to be! Pictured below was a rainy day in April with the spring flower show on display.
Another benefit of this location is the Manor a short walk away. The exterior of the building is open to the public and makes the perfect companion to the lush conservatory.
The permit cost is $100 for 1 hour for a public permit (people can still come in), or $200 for a 1 hour private permit (the location is closed to the public). The date and time for the permit must be set at least 1 week prior to your date. The only downside is there is not last-minute flexibility if the weather looks better at another time.
5. Cantigny Park (Photography permit required)
Cantigny Park is a great spot with a nice mix of gardens and cool buildings. There are so many places to take photos here, from the gardens to the historic structures, making it easy to create a variety of shots. Though you’ll need a permit, it’s totally worth it for the variety and beauty of the place.
The cost of a photography permit is $55/day and does not include parking (2026: $6 weekday and $16 weekend parking through October). Unfortunately, pets are not allowed.
6. Other Discounted Locations:
There are a million options for Chicago suburb photo locations – while I’ve listed a few of my favorites above, we can make any location work! Places like an ice cream store or bar, a cute downtown stroll, or restaurant like a Neapolitan pizza place. The options are endless!
Ideas for your suburb session:
- Coffee Shops like Blackberry Market or Sweet Reserve Bakery
- Bookstores like The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn
- Mini Golf at Lost Mountain Adventure Golf or Puttshack Oakbrook
- Pizza Places like Billy Bricks
- Restaurants like Beatrix Market, The Drake Oak Brook, Restoration Hardware Oakbrook, or neon-filled Portillo’s Elmhurst
- Local Garden Centers in spring like Hacker’s Glenbard Gardens
- Ramen or Sushi at Kyo Ramen Bar or Ukai Sushi
- Ice Cream at The Original Rainbow Cone, Jeni’s Ice Cream Oak Brook, or any Dairy Queen
- Movie Theaters like York Theater Elmhurst or Marcus Cinemas Addison
- Roller Skating at Fleetwood Roller Rink or the Villa Park Skate Park
- Local bars – too many options to count!
Locations like these will require us to reach out for prior approval to shoot there and session times will vary based on when the companies will allow us in their space.
Suburb cities that fall under the discount include but are not limited to the following Chicago suburb photo locations: Villa Park, Lombard, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Addison, Oak Brook, Wheaton, Glendale Heights, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Lisle, Carol Stream, Itasca, and more.
Other Locations I haven’t shot at but are also viable options:
Danada House
Mayslake Peabody Estate + Forest Preserve
Fullersburg Woods
Blackwell Forest Preserve
Warrenville Grove
Dean Nature Sanctuary
Bemis Woods/Salt Creek Nature Preserve
Why Suburban Locations?
While the city has some great photo spots, the suburbs offer a more private and bigger environment for your session. These locations let you relax, enjoy the moment, and get amazing shots without the distractions of crowds or traffic. Whether you’re into peaceful gardens or wide open fields, the western suburbs have so much to offer for a session that’s all about you. Plus, who doesn’t love a discount! If you have any questions or a western Chicago suburb photo location idea, don’t hesitate to reach out to make it a reality.
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Kind Words
“We had such an amazing experience during our engagement session with Emma! We started off feeling a little nervous, but she made us feel comfortable right away. Her guidance was natural easy and so reassuring. By the end, we were relaxed, laughing, and genuinely having fun. Emma captured our personalities perfectly and made the entire process feel effortless. We would recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer – truly a 10/!10 experience”
– Kristen + Tyler (pictured at Churchill Woods, location #1!)
