Points of Interest & Landmarks • Parks
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THE 10 BEST Chicago Parks & Nature Attractions
Nature & Parks in Chicago
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Nature & Parks
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99 places sorted by traveller favourites
- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
Recommended Outdoor Activities (19)
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Historic Sites • Gardens
East Garfield Park
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Biking Trails • Hiking Trails
Streeterville
Biking Trails • Scenic Walking Areas
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Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
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Beaches
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What travellers are saying
- Johnny TrekkieSan Diego, CA9,263 contributionsThis park is enormous! Be prepared to spend at least 90 minutes wandering around, enjoyed greenery, gardens, sculptures, fountains, and of course that big silver bean thing which is unfortunately under maintenance through Spring 2024, so that was disappointing! But otherwise everything is lovely. Admire the architecture of the Art Institute. Look out onto the waters of Lake Michigan. Buckingham Fountain was filmed in the opening of the tv show "Married With Children"...one of my favorites from the 80s and 90s! This should be great for you social media addicts!Written 21 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Eugene T3 contributionsI can't believe this was free. What an amazing experience. A short visit since I was only in Chicago for a day, but the variety of animals and the cleanliness of the place really blew me away given there was no charge to enter. I live near Busch Gardens in Tampa and would say this tops it. Thanks Chicago!Written 29 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- CaptainBristolSeattle, WA35 contributionsThis is pretty silly, It's a river that runs through downtown Chicago. It has a lot of buildings on both banks. Some buildings look great, some look blah. The water is watery. It's just a river in a city!Written 14 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- LaurenSCOScotland, UK48 contributionsA lovely place to spend a few hours! Staff were very nice and it was great to walk around and see the dolphins and beluga whales! It was very busy though which meant seeing certain things was a bit harder! A good place for the kids!Written 21 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TravelerPaul_12Saint Paul, MN145 contributionsVery pleasant experience walking through the variety of rooms with plants from different environments - tropics, desert, etc. One room depicts what Chicago looked like a million years ago. An outdoor section includes plants demonstrating "bit ideas for small city spaces". Easily viewable in about an hour, but someone can take longer if they want to. Just a few steps from Green Line stop.Written 1 October 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Cathy HPlainfield, IN17 contributionsWatched so many boats, people, and wildlife around the water even water taxis. People enjoying picnics on blankets. Vendors selling all kinds of tempting goods.Written 9 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TrailBlazer774531Potomac, MD25 contributionsMe and my wife decided to visit as we were exploring Chicago. Absolute amazed by the beauty. Free admission, but you just have to make an online reservation. You can see plants/trees from different parts of the world. Environment is serene and nice climate control. Absolutely stunning and must visit place.Written 18 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Adventurin!!Chicago, IL38 contributionsBeautiful place, free zoo, several activities ranging from a small golf course to small museums to a lively beachWritten 29 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Abe134 contributionsWhat a great park. We focused on the rock climbing wall - the kids had a blast. But there's a great playground for younger kids and roller skating too. Pretty cool options for a city park.Written 2 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- IrinaUnited States10,634 contributionsA large city park, planned in 1839, designed, built and dedicated by 1844, Grant Park spreads over 319 acres (1.29 sq. km) of land between the downtown area of Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan. Originally, the park was named Lake Park, and in 1901 it was renamed to honor Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the US (1869 -- 1877).
The vast grounds of the park include Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, Art Institute of Chicago, and Museum Campus -- Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium.
The park grounds look beautiful. The landscape design by architect Edward H. Bennett was done in a beaux arts style of French landscaping principles: the symmetrical space in the park was well defined by paths and plantings. Over time, the park became decorated with various sculptures and installations.
Nowadays, the park is crossed by wide boulevards between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, there's an underpass to Lake Shore and Lakefront Trail. To get to different parts of the park, pedestrians need to use traffic crossing. For us, the easiest way to explore the park was walking south from Millennium Park on pathways parallel to Michigan Avenue. By the way, the whole circuit of the walking paths in the park is estimated as 4 mi (6.4 km). One can easily spend half the day in this huge urban park!
An interesting feature in Grant Park are commuter trains, that were placed to run through the park under street level, thus making the access to the park easier for public.
Grant Park hosts many annual cultural events -- music festivals, Chicago Jazz Festival, Lollapalooza, and also serves as a neighborhood park for baseball games, tennis, walking, jogging. Currently, the grounds of the Grant Park are going through restoration, but the park is open to pubic. Our visit to Grant Park was very enjoyable, it is a nice place to be on a warm summer day in a large, busy city!Written 3 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Tom BWorthington, OH465 contributionsEnjoyable area for a walk, jog, or bike ride when staying in the Gold Coast area of Chicago. Provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Adequately marked lanes for jogging/walking and bikes. Limited underground access across the busy multilane Lake Shore Drive. In summer the sandy stretches provide typical beach activities like sunbathing, volleyball, swimming, etc. Personally would have liked more opportunities for bench sitting though the more agile visitors use the stepped lake wall for taking a break or to simply enjoy the views.Written 14 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Taylor BChicago, IL8,751 contributionsFollow me to the site of Chicago's picturesque postcard, a spectacular and panoramic view of the city's breath-taking skyline that dwarfs anything this side of Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. Am I exaggerating just a little? Maybe so. But see for yourself. Walk east on North Avenue, past the Cardinal's mansion, go through the tunnel under North Lake Shore Drive, climb the grassy knoll, step across the concrete checkerboards, be alert for bikers and proceed along the path leading to North Avenue Beach and the breakwater in Lake Michigan. Find a comfortable spot on the grass, looking south across the water toward Oak Street Beach, the Drake Hotel, the Hancock Building and beyond. What a sight! On a clear day, you can see the high-rises along Lake Shore Drive, the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier, Lake Point Tower, the Aon Building, the Willis Tower, Trump Tower, Aqua Tower, Water Tower Place and Vista Tower. No, you can't see the United Center or Millennium Park or the Chicago River. But it's Chicago. No doubt about it. It's a picturesque postcard you don't see in New York City or Los Angeles or Boston or Miami or Houston or Seattle. Do any of those cities have a beach within steps of their busiest downtown thoroughfare? With a backdrop of Lake Michigan, like a colorful prop in a Hollywood movie.Written 23 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jamie C2 contributionsClean beach with great views of the city. Pretty crowded on a hot day, but we still found a spot in the shade. You may want to get there early for a beach umbrella.Written 4 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- joaniemariaEldridge, IA2,395 contributionsWe enjoyed this urban trail for three days in a row. It does get busy, but it is walkers, joggers and bikers only. The neighborhood has shops, restaurants, apartments, houses. We enjoyed this 2.7 mile trail very much and will return whenever we are in the area. I recommend!Written 23 April 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jezzmond130 contributionsDiscovered this park by chance when walking around, wow!! All the main characters from the wizard of oz in a park in Chicago 😳 yes! This is another place to visit and some great photos to be takenWritten 27 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chicago
- These experiences are best for nature & parks in Chicago:
- Chicago Sunset Cruise
- 2-Hour Guided Segway Tour of Chicago
- 30 Minute Lake Michigan Speedboat Ride
- Chicago's Ultimate City Bike Tour
- Bike Tour of Chicago's Lakefront Neighborhoods
- These places are best for nature & parks in Chicago:See more nature & parks in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for kid-friendly nature & parks in Chicago:See more nature & parks for children in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for couples seeking nature & parks in Chicago:See more nature & parks for couples in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for groups seeking nature & parks in Chicago:See more nature & parks for groups in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for budget-friendly nature & parks in Chicago:See more budget-friendly nature & parks in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the most romantic places for nature & parks in Chicago:See more romantic nature & parks in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best hidden gems for nature & parks in Chicago:
- Garfield Park Conservatory
- Lincoln Park Conservatory
- Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool
- Milton Lee Olive Park
- Jackson Park's Japanese Garden