Frank Lloyd Wright Creations in Oak Park, Illinois

Frank Lloyd Wright lived in the near-west suburb of Oak Park from 1889 to 1909, and his extraordinary home and studio welcome visitors. He used his house to experiment with forms that later appeared in larger projects, and the tour of the enchanting space — which remains astonishingly well-preserved — is well worth the inconvenience of a trip out to Oak Park.

Don’t miss Unity Temple nearby, Wright’s only Prairie-style church. Constructed entirely from reinforced concrete, it is considered by many architects to be the world’s first truly modern building. Alternatively, head south to Hyde Park to tour the Robie House, arguably the height of Prairie-style residential architecture. Few of the Wright-designed original furnishings remain, but our guide brought the house to vivid life.

A version of this article appeared in the March 2015 print edition of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report under the headline “Inspiring Architecture.”