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Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicFreeOutdoor Adventure

Grant Park

331 E Randolph St · Chicago, IL

Why you should go…

Grant Park, known as Chicago's Front Yard, covers about 313 acres between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan, from Randolph Street south to Roosevelt Road. Its centerpiece is Buckingham Fountain, dedicated in 1927 and running typically from early May through mid-October. The park also holds Maggie Daley Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza and the Chicago Jazz Festival all take place here.

  • #city park
  • #buckingham fountain
  • #lakefront
  • #festivals
  • #gardens

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Grant Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Buckingham Fountain

    Free

    Grant Park's grand 1927 fountain fires its center jet skyward every hour, with music-and-lights shows after dusk.

    Right next doorSwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Big Bus Tours Chicago

    $25–$50

    Open-top, hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus tours looping past Chicago's downtown landmarks.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Quirky Fun

    Chicago Prime Tours

    $25–$50

    Narrated bus tours covering Chicago's true crime, gangster history, and general sightseeing highlights.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Millennium Park & Cloud Gate (The Bean)

    Free

    Snap your reflection in The Bean, splash at Crown Fountain, and catch free concerts downtown.

    0.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Lincoln Park Zoo

    Free

    One of America's last free zoos, lions, gorillas, and gardens minutes from downtown.

    3.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    Garfield Park Conservatory

    Under $25

    "Landscape art under glass", two acres of palms, ferns, and desert plants inside one of the nation's largest conservatories.

    5.1 mi awayMore like this