In the vicinity of Chicago’s lakeside several esteemed parks grace the verdant expanse known as the Grant Park district. Among these gems are prominent destinations like Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park toward the north as well as Grant Park neighbouring the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Extending southward from this point lies the sprawling Burnham Park boasting myriad beaches marinas and premier attractions for visitors to Chicago.Even amidst the lively energy of bustling city Best National Parks Near Chicago are serene nooks awaiting visitors seeking a tranquil picnic under the shade or a serene break to appreciate nature’s beauty. Whether your heart desires vibrant seasonal festivities, playful playgrounds or enchanting formal gardens, discover your ideal sanctuary among Chicago’s finest parks with our curated list.Chicago’s splendour extends beyond its awe-inspiring architecture to encompass the expansive preserved greenery and open expanses that grace the city’s landscape. Also Read if you are planning to visit Best Hotels in Alabama.
Let’s explore the Best National Parks Near Chicago IL
- Millennium Park
- Lincoln Park
- Jackson Park
- Grant Park
- South shore cultural central Park
- Garfield Park
- Burnham Park
Bean Mllennium Park Chicago illinois
Ever since it was finished in 2004, this big park by Michigan Avenue has been a super popular spot for tourists from all over the Midwest. You’ll always see lots of folks from different parts of the world checking out their reflections in the cool Cloud Gate sculpture also known as “The Bean” by Anish Kapoor. And don’t forget about the fun Crown Fountain designed by Jaume Plensa where people love to play and splash around.
The atmosphere of this park is so Vibrant with lots of fun activities for visitors to do throughout the year.During the warmer months you can experience live concerts, outdoor movies, art installations and cultural events at iconic venues such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the Crown Fountain. The park includes lush green places that provide a serene setting for picnics, leisurely strolls and relaxation amid the bustling city.In winter season this park becomes like a magical winter world with a famous ice skating rink
Visitors of all ages who like skating can have a great time gliding on the ice and enjoying the incredible atmosphere.All over the year this park hosts lots of exciting events that show the diverse culture of Chicago.No matter if you’re a fan of music art food or just love being in a lively place there’s always something fun going on at Millennium Park is best National Parks Near Chicago.
Lincoln Park
This big park stretches for six miles along the water north of downtown Chicago and has lots of cool stuff to check out and do.One of the best parts of the park is the Lincoln Park Zoo which is very oldest zoo in the Country.It has over 200 kinds of animals like sloths gorillas penguins lions and giraffes that you can check out in special areas.Another cool thing to see in this park is the Lincoln Park Conservatory.It has a beautiful old glasshouse from Victorian times and lots of gardens is National Parks Near Chicago. Outside there’s a Formal Garden, English Grandmother’s Garden and some other neat spots like the Shakespeare Monument and Bates Fountain. Both the conservatory and the zoo are free for everyone to visit.There are also other cool things to check out in the park like the Lincoln Park Cultural Center the Standing Lincoln Monument the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool the Hans Christian Andersen Monument and the Benjamin Franklin Monument.The park also has lots of baseball fields where local teams play a skatepark and a golf course. Plus there are plenty of trails for rollerblading and just taking a nice walk. And don’t forget you can also find the Chicago History Museum in the southwest corner of the park.
Jackson Park
This park on Chicago’s South Shore was made in 1869 by two famous landscape architects Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead.You can get to one of the prettiest parts of the park by walking across a footbridge. It’s called Wooded Island and it’s really peaceful. There’s a special Japanese garden there called Osaka Garden or Garden of the Phoenix with cool pagoda rock gardens and a teahouse. People love to come here to watch birds and go fishing in the lagoons around the island.The park has lots of fun stuff to do like golfing, disc golf, tennis and basketball. There’s also a track for running and several playgrounds for kids to play on.Plus there are three beaches 57th Street Beach 63rd Street Beach and 67th Street Beach.Each beach has restrooms and places to get food.
Grant Park
Grant Park is a vast area filled with lush green spaces spanning from East Randolph Street to West Roosevelt Road. However when people mention Grant Park they’re typically referring to the sections located south of Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park. The main part of Grant Park is in the middle between Butler Field and Hutchinson Field. People use these fields for playing local sports.The main attraction in Grant Park is the Buckingham Fountain which is a really pretty fountain built in 1927. It’s inspired by fountains in France and has three levels of water flowing down with lots of little sprouts in the pool around it. There are also cool sculptures of seahorses swimming around the fountain. During the day from May to mid October they have short water shows every hour and in the evenings they have light shows. It’s really cool to see.The areas around the fountain have beautiful gardens with wide paths for walking, especially the South Rose Garden which is really nice. You can also easily get to the Lakefront Trail from the eastern side of the fountain plaza.
South shore cultural central Park
This park is right by the lake just south of Jackson Park. It’s got 65 acres of grassy areas and has something cool called the South Shore Cultural Center. It used to be a country club way back in 1095 but now it’s a special place run by the Chicago Park District. They have lots of different classes for people of all ages like cooking music , dancing and art. They also have fun events happening all year round.The park around the centre has lots of cool stuff like a golf course, big grassy areas with shady trees, a beach and something called the South Shore Nature Sanctuary. This sanctuary is a special six-acre area that’s protected and it has wetlands, sand dunes, forests and grasslands. There’s even a boardwalk over the wetland part and it’s a great spot for watching birds.The atmosphere of this park is really nice and peaceful. In general it’s a wonderful spot to unwind and appreciate the beauty of nature.
Garfield Park
The main highlight of this park is the Garfield Park Conservatory which was built in 1908.It has more than one and a half acres of indoor gardens and twelve acres of outdoor gardens that vary throughout the year.you can find it in the northwest corner of Garfield Park and it’s home to about 120,000 plants from 600 different species every year.The beauty of this park lies in its lush greenery vibrant gardens and diverse plant life.The Palm House is the biggest greenhouse where you’ll find lots of large palm trees and other tropical plants that love the warm humid air.Another cool indoor garden is the Aroid House where you can see amazing glass lily pads made by artist Dale Chihuly. There are also other glasshouses like the Children’s Garden, the Artist’s Garden, the Desert House and two exhibit gardens.Unlike many other city parks Garfield Park has roads where cars can drive through. The park is divided into blocks like city streets. You can find the Garfield Park Bandshell just south of the field house. Beyond that there are lots of sports fields including tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields and another playground.
Burnham Park
Burnham Park stretches for six miles along Lake Michigan from 14th Street to 56th Street. It covers almost 600 acres of waterfront. There’s a big harbour called Burnham Harbor from the park’s north end to 22nd Street protected by Northerly Island. Burnham Park begins at the south end of Grant Park and has lots of cool stuff to check out like Soldier Field where The Chicago Bears play.
Just south of the stadium is McCormick Place, a big venue where they have lots of shows and events. There’s also a Bird Sanctuary nearby right off the Lakefront Trail which is an 18-mile path along the lake from Ardmore Street to 71st. The park keeps going south in a narrow strip with plenty of parking lots along the way for easy access.
And if you go a bit further you’ll find 31st Street Beach also called Margaret T. Burroughs Beach and Park. It’s right by a big marina where you can go fishing or rent water sports equipment.Northerly Island is another section of this park running alongside the mainland across from Burnham Harbor. It’s got some cool tourist spots like the Huntington Bank Pavilion, the Doane Observatory and Skyline Walk at the Adler Planetarium and Daphne Garden. There’s also a nice visitor centre, a nature park that hosts music events and a great beach with all the amenities you need.
