List of parks in Chicago facts for kids

1886 map of parks in Chicago

Chicago is a super cool city, and guess what? It's packed with amazing parks! Imagine having 614 parks to explore – that's a lot of green space to play, relax, and have fun in. These parks cover a big part of the city, making Chicago a great place for outdoor adventures. This article will tell you about some of the most famous parks in Chicago and why they are special.

Awesome Parks You Should Know About

Chicago has many famous parks, each with its own unique history and attractions. Here are some of the biggest and most popular ones:

Burnham Park: A Lakeside Adventure

Burnham Park stretches for miles along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. It's like a long, green ribbon that connects other big parks like Jackson Park and Grant Park. It's a great spot for biking, walking, or just enjoying the lake views.

Calumet Park: Right by the State Line

Calumet Park is a large park located right on Lake Michigan, and it even shares a border with the state of Indiana! It's a great place to enjoy the lake and open spaces on Chicago's southeast side.

Columbus Park: A Historic Beauty

Columbus Park is a really special place, so special that it's considered one of the 150 Great Places in Illinois! It's known for its beautiful design and peaceful atmosphere, offering a quiet escape on the west side.

Douglass Park: Honoring Important Leaders

Douglass Park is named after two very important people: Anna Murray Douglass and Frederick Douglass. They were famous for fighting for freedom and equal rights. This large park is located southwest of downtown Chicago and is a hub for community activities.

Garfield Park: Home to a Giant Greenhouse

Garfield Park is a huge park on the west side of Chicago. It's famous for its amazing conservatory, which is like a giant greenhouse filled with beautiful plants from all over the world. It also has a lovely lagoon, perfect for a peaceful stroll.

Grant Park: Chicago's Front Yard

Grant Park is right in the heart of downtown Chicago, often called "Chicago's Front Yard." It's home to the famous Buckingham Fountain, which puts on a fantastic water show. This park is also where many of Chicago's biggest festivals happen, like the Taste of Chicago (where you can try lots of food!), the Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and Lollapalooza (a huge music festival).

Humboldt Park: A Cultural Gem

Humboldt Park is a very important place for Chicago's Puerto Rican community. It's a vibrant cultural center where people gather and celebrate. This park also has a cool historical story: a famous musician and leader named Ignace Paderewski held a rally here that helped Poland become an independent country again after World War I!

Jackson Park: A World's Fair Legacy

Jackson Park is on the south side of Chicago, right on Lake Michigan. It's super famous because it was a main location for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, a huge world's fair that showed off new inventions and ideas. Today, it's still a beautiful park with lagoons and open spaces.

Lincoln Park: Chicago's Biggest Park

Lincoln Park is the largest city park in Chicago! It's north of downtown and covers a huge area. What's cool about Lincoln Park is that it stretches through many different neighborhoods on the north side, making it a central green space for lots of people. It's home to the Lincoln Park Zoo, museums, and beautiful gardens.

Marquette Park: Southwest Side Fun

Marquette Park is the biggest park in southwest Chicago. It's a great place for sports and outdoor activities, with a golf course and many other attractions for everyone to enjoy.

Millennium Park: A Modern Masterpiece

Millennium Park is one of Chicago's newest and most exciting parks, opened in 2004. It's located just north of the Art Institute of Chicago within Grant Park. This park is famous for its modern art, like "The Bean" (Cloud Gate sculpture), and its cool outdoor concert venue, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

Washington Park: A Historic South Side Park

Washington Park is another large park on Chicago's south side. It has a rich history and was even considered as a possible location for the stadium if Chicago had hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics. It's a great place for sports and community events.

Other Awesome Parks in Chicago

Swings in Bauler Park, Chicago

Besides the famous parks listed above, Chicago has hundreds of other parks, big and small, scattered throughout the city. These parks provide green spaces, playgrounds, sports fields, and community centers for neighborhoods everywhere. Some are tiny neighborhood spots, while others are quite large, offering lots of room to play and relax. Here are just a few more examples of the many parks you can find in Chicago: