We met friends with their kids at the Maggie Daley Park area of Chicago's Millennium Park before a…read moreday of shopping (Feb 2026). It's a bit of a walk in, and the path from the southwest corner of the park at Columbus & Monroe is longer but less-steep than the winding path uphill from the southeast corner at Lakeshore & Monroe. You get some lovely views of downtown Chicago. We continued past the (seasonal, of course) ice-skating ribbon, because we were not prepared to skate. There are several play areas of swings, slides, and climbing structures, some intended for (and with signs to indicate) specific age ranges. The giant slides and towers, and the ship-shaped climber, were very popular. Busy, but not over-crowded. It was quite entertaining, and we played there over 1.5 hours!

It was a random 60-degree day in late March here in Chicago. I personally have been wanting to…read morecheck out "Maggie Daley Park" in downtown. With that thought, let the exploration begin! Of course we took our kids along because they would be the ones who could take full advantage of the facilities. The park itself was quite large, but we went for the kids playground. Signs were clearly marked for direction so we got to our destination with no difficulties. Our boys definitely enjoyed the suspension bridge, though my younger one was hesitant to go on first. I did see some older kids who were climbing "outside of the bridge infrastructure. There was a note to remind anyone not to do so. Oh well, it is what it is. Even if some accidentally fell when doing risky tricks, the soft padded ground would reduce the impact. On the other hand, there was one section of playground exclusively for children older than 5 years old. The slide seemed to be more advanced for young toddlers for sure. Therefore, we performed our sightseeing duty and walked away since our munchkins were 2.5 and 4.5 years old. Our older one enjoyed the straight slides. I liked that fact there were multiple slides with various speeds so that kids would not get bored on staying on the same one. Normally I wouldn't recommend anyone to drive to downtown but we did this time. My partner was able to secure a spot via SpotHero at the Harris Theater for a reasonable price. I got there much later than our scheduled arrival time yet he was able to extend for another 30 minutes in the app. Overall, we highly recommend parents to visit "Maggie Daley Park" and let the kids release some energy. We probably will be back again to poke around other areas when spring and summer in Chicago are in full bloom.

Beautiful place to get on a boat or just hang out in Chinatown. It also has great views of the…read moreskyline. Ping Tom Memorial Park is one of the bigger parks along with being a stop on the Chicago Water Taxi. Lots of events go on here. There's also athletic fields and a playground. Another park that got made from something that was abandoned. It used to be a railyard. This was quite a transformation. Good location by the river. In 1998 the Park District started changing the railyard into this park, and it opened the next year. It's named after Chinatown's most important civic leader. Ping Tom created the Chinese American Development Corporation, which created the outdoor shopping mall Chinatown Square. Before this park, there wasn't much green space in Chinatown. The park has a fieldhouse that was opened in 2013. It's named after former Advisory Council President Leonard Louie. This has a fitness center, a gymnasium, and pool. Best known feature in the park is probably the boat house. This has a dock than can be used by the public. Also there's a pavilion that looks like a pagoda next to here. The boat house has kayak rentals in summer. Has to be the best outside feature in Chinatown to be honest. It's got some pretty good views of the skyline. This is also a stop on a unique form of public transportation.

I've heard of this park but have never been whenever I'm in Chinatown. Now I know where the water…read moretaxi stops. There are bathrooms here. It's hidden away in a corner of Chinatown. It's nice to have greenery & it's very safe with lots of people waiting in line for the water taxi.

Yes, yes, yes! A must visit!! This place has been on my list for years to come visit and I finally…read morewas like let's gooooo!! Came on a nice spring day around 2 pm. The most annoying part was the line to get in. They have qr code to pre-pay in line. But not all guests choose to do this which slows down the line. They only had one staff scanning people in. Beautiful flowers and plants. We saw the turtles as well. Plan to spend about an hour here. There are some people that stop and take too many pictures to block walkways for other guests. Parking was free. Also located right on the green line for convenient public transportation option.

Beautiful conservatory, but don't trust any of the online maps. They're super outdated!…read more Be sure to check out the Fern Room :]

My best friend picked me up at eleven o'clock. Never told me where we were going but did encourage…read moreme to wear work out clothes and bring a hat. She had water bottles for us in the car. We arrived at Promontory Park in Hyde Park. The event was Art Therapy in the park. Beautiful views of the water. Tickets to this event can be purchased on EventBrite. Sit, sip and create. Soft music played while we did water color painting, intricate color pages, beaded art work, bracelet making or name necklaces and there was even origami. A wine tasting from Un Wine which clearly means to relax. Relax we did. Included flavors such as sweet red, pineapple, blueberry and peach. Perfect blend of sweet and dry and very refreshing. We were in a very nice shaded spot. Lots of fun. Bottled water and Kind Bars were also provided. As we wrapped up, our host asked us to close our eyes and pick an affirmation stone. What a beautiful way to center the mind, calm the spirit and relax the body in preparation for the work week ahead. Thanks, bestie.

Nice spot along side Lake Michigan. It has a nice scenery during winter too with the ice buildup on…read morethe shore. You will still see some hardcore runner run past you on the trail. Near Museum of Science, just walk underneath Lake Shore Dr and it will take you there.

We stopped here whilst waiting for our pizza order to be done. It was just alright; I was rather…read moredisappointed. There are two sections to the park, with the big rocket being the centerpiece. It's huge, multiple levels. There are at least three slides coming out from it. Lots of places for kids to climb and scurry and jump. But that part was too big for my kiddo so we went to the smaller section a few steps away. There was a structure to climb, several slides, some bars, and then even a little further away a bunch of swings. I tried to keep her from seeing the swings, to be honest, since I didn't want to have to deal with an upset kiddo when we had to leave without enough swing time. She played around a bit but didn't seem as interested in the playground. We went down a slide or two, but some of them had standing water since it has been a bit rainy recently. The playground isn't technically fenced in, but it is effectively so because it's behind the practice courts which are all fenced in. It'd be hard for your kid to get away from you. There's a parking lot for the Norridge Park District building but the neighborhood parking could be tricky, especially in the summer because there is restricted parking from Memorial Day to Labor Day (ostensibly because of the large pool structure that would keep the residents from having any parking for three months otherwise). The terrain of the park is wood chips and soil, decidedly not my favorite (maybe especially after a rain) and she got dirty pretty quick. I may bring her back when she's old enough to play on the rocket ship, but this won't be a park that we return to much if ever.

Very very nice huge playground in the woods. The air is clean, the people are nice... I wish we…read morelived closer :))) it has actually 3 playgrounds near to each orher

Man, Lincoln Park was a blasts. We went jogging here and picnicking. They have made many movies at…read morethis famous historical park. I love the city view of the skyscrapers. Place is beautiful at nighttime too. Park is huge and so much to see. Parking may be a challenge, but we were lucky to find good parking. Awesome place to visit. We will be coming back on our next trip.

This is Chicago's largest park with 1,214 acres stretching from Hollywood Ave to Ohio St. It is…read morefilled with art, history & nature along Lake Michigan. It is an important natural resource with 15,000 trees and native habitats for many local and migratory birds. In the 1860s, the city set aside 60 acres as Lake Park. In 1865, it was named after Lincoln's assassination. This surrounding picturesque neighborhood it has manicured gardens, a hidden lily pond, a historic indoor botanical garden, and tons of lakefront green space with sweeping city views. It is home to one of the country's oldest free zoos & an acclaimed dining scene.

As a classic movie nerd who allows a local history of this park was a blast to visit on a really…read morenice summer day. Definitely go check out the different statues and tributes to all things Oz!

Oz Park is seriously so cute. It feels like a little hidden fairytale right in the city. The Wizard…read moreof Oz statues are adorable and instantly make you smile -- it's impossible not to stop for photos. The park is clean, peaceful, and has such a cozy neighborhood vibe. Whether you're walking around, sitting on a bench, or just enjoying the greenery, it's the perfect spot to slow down and enjoy the moment. A charming little escape that feels playful and relaxing at the same time.

Summer entertainment! It allows individuals to experience outside the house entertainment too! It…read morealso can show examples to new neighbors that the area is safe for entertainment!

High quality courts. Get there early as there's usually a wait…read more I found the court and hitting partners on joinplaytennis.com/chicago