Cantigny Park

1 S 151 Winfield Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187 630-668-5161

Description: WHEATON. 25 miles west of Chicago, you'll find this majestic, 500-acre public park. Colonel Robert R. McCormick left the land to be used "for the recreation, instruction and welfare of the people of the state of Illinois," and he would beam with pride to see how his wish has been fulfilled. On the grounds of the park are the McCormick Museum, the First Division Museum, two championship-caliber golf courses, Fareways Restaurant, and approximately 15 acres of manicured gardens. If the family is in need of a peaceful break and a little quality time, an afternoon spent at Cantigny is just what the doctor ordered. NB The park is open weekends in February and the museum has extended summer hours.
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Columbus Park

500 S Central Ave, Chicago, IL 60644 773-287-7641

Description: WEST SIDE. Leave the bustle of the city behind when you enter this 135-acre park. Designed by Danish landscape architect Jens Jensen, Columbus Park was created anew from a large parcel of farmland. Today, thanks to Jensen's vision, visitors can enjoy the serenity of peaceful waterfalls, expansive lawns, and an impressive field house that includes a boxing gym and game room. Don't forget to visit the renovated banquet hall or take in a round of golf. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Garfield Park

100 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60624 312-746-5092

Description: WEST SIDE. Traditional street lamps, a historic bandstand, and a gold-domed, Baroque-style field house set the tone of Garfield Park. Over 130 years old, the park offers 185-acres of playing fields, walking paths, and picnic areas. Both visitors and locals alike enjoy the park, which was designed by William Le Baron Jenney and renamed following the assassination of President Garfield. The park's conservatory also offers lovely indoor and outdoor gardens. A great stop if you're looking for a quick jog, walk, or a casual bike ride.
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Grant Park

337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601 312-742-7529

Description: DOWNTOWN. From ice-skating in the winter to viewing blooming roses in the summer, Grant Park offers a variety of relaxing activities. You can stroll through Versailles-type rose gardens, take part in a pick-up volleyball game, or admire the lakefront views offered by the 300-acre park. Highlights include free concerts during the summer and Grant Park's Buckingham Fountain with its 133 water jets ­ a marvel to see.
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Jackson Park

6401 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60637 773-256-0903

Description: HYDE PARK. After a hectic day, why not spend time in the serenity of a classic Japanese garden? Chicago's Jackson Park offers one of the best. Osako Garden features a teahouse and several rock gardens. Originally opened in 1893, the park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who included reflecting pools and perennial gardens in his design. You can enjoy a stroll, an impromptu picnic, or swimming at one of the park's many lakefront beaches.
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Lake Shore Park

808 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611 312-742-7891

Description: GOLD COAST. If location is everything, then Lake Shore Park is the best of everything. Nestled between Lake Michigan and the Museum of Contemporary Art, visitors keep this park in constant motion. You can enjoy a leisurely stroll, watch a soccer game, or hit the outdoor track. Convenient public restrooms.
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Lincoln Park

2045 N Lincoln Park W, Chicago, IL 60614

Description: LINCOLN PARK. Don't let this park's origins as a municipal burial ground keep you away. Since its inception, the parcel named for the 16th US president has offered enormous greenways highlighted by boulevards and promenades designed for leisurely rides and strolls. Lincoln Park also offers scenic ponds and walking paths, graced by lake breezes and constant views of Chicago's stunning skyline.

Lincoln Park Conservatory

2400 N Stockton Dr, Chicago, IL 60614 312-742-7736

Description: LINCOLN PARK. Located northeast of the Lincoln Zoo, the conservatory is a haven of flora and fauna. The plant life ranges from seasonal flowers to a fifty-foot rubber tree that dates back one hundred years. Don't forget to visit the French gardens and lush lawn outside the conservatory's glass dome.
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Millennium Park

205 E Randolph Dr, Chicago, IL 60601 312-742-1168

Description: DOWNTOWN. One of Chicago's top attractions, Millennium Park is a 24½-acre park that features an ice-skating rink, outdoor theaters, and attractive tree-lined promenades. Thousands of people gather here each day to take in the park's beauty over lunch or to enjoy its many fascinating sights, among them the dynamic "Crown Fountain," two towering glass structures that feature changing videos and lights dramatically bathed by cascading water. The stunning Harris Theater for Music and Dance, a state-of-the-art facility that hosts performances by groups like the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Chicago Opera Theater, is also located in Millennium Park. Bounded by Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue to the east and west and Randolph and Monroe Streets to the north and south, respectively.
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North Avenue Beach

1603 N Lake Shore Dr, Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL 60610 312-742-7529

Description: GOLD COAST. One of the metro area's most popular parks, North Avenue Beach is at its prime during the warmer months, when hordes of families, exercise nuts, and tourists flood here to do everything from sunbathe and play beach volleyball to roller-blade and cycle along the shoreline. Across the street is Lincoln Park Zoo.
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Oak Street Beach

1000 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611 312-742-5121

Description: GOLD COAST. Oak Street Beach, one of Chicago's most popular sites, is always busy. The park entertains a constant flow of locals and visitors, all eager to jog, run, cycle, skate, or swim. The beach, located at Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, offers deep-water plunges, and swimmers enjoy exercising in sight of Chicago's famous Drake Hotel.
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Washington Park

5531 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60637 773-256-1248

Description: SOUTH SIDE. Originally designed by the much-respected Frederick Law Olmsted, Washington Park is named for the nation's first president. Today, along with several historic buildings, the urban park has baseball, tennis, and swimming facilities, as well as a fitness center. A playground and plenty of paths for jogging and biking also provide opportunity for recreational fun, and city festivals often grace the park as well.
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