Best Parks for Outdoor Fun
Explore the best best parks for outdoor fun options for kids and families in Chicago
Millennium Park
Green space with art, theater & ice rink. 24.5-acre green space with a video display, the reflective "Bean" sculpture & an outdoor theater.
Northerly Island Park
Lakefront nature park & music venue. 91-acre peninsula with skyline views, hiking, fishing & playing plus a fieldhouse & live music acts.
Lincoln (Abraham) Park
Vast public space with a zoo & museums. Expansive outdoor urban refuge containing its own zoo, conservatory, theater, museums & playgrounds.
Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo
Pathways through a prairie-style garden. Prairie-style garden with trails, filled with native plants & home to birds, frogs & other wildlife.
Adams (George & Adele) Park
Petite kid-oriented neighborhood park. Tiny neighborhood park featuring playground, seasonal splash pad & regular indoor kid activities.
Palmisano (Henry) Park
Wetlands, fishing pond & athletic track. 27-acre area providing interpretive wetlands, a fishing pond, athletic track & field & city views.
Humboldt (Alexander Von) Park
Ball fields, tennis & an inland beach. Suburban recreational area with soccer & baseball fields, tennis courts & playgrounds, plus a beach.
Welles (Gideon) Park
Park with an indoor pool, stage & more. A 15-acre green space featuring numerous ballfields, indoor pool & fitness center, & concert stage.
West Ridge Nature Park
Green space with paved trails & a pond. Walking, bird-watching & fishing are popular in this lush, outdoor area with a large pond.
Gompers Lagoon and Wetland
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Scoville Park
Grassy area with concerts in the summer. Small park with a grassy meadow, fountain, tennis courts & playground, plus a summer concert series.
Schiller Woods-East
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Schiller Woods
Wooded space with fishing ponds & deer. Fishing for bass & catfish, plus walking trails, picnic areas & roaming deer in protected woodland.
Spring Rock Park
Landscaped space for athletics & more. 40+ acres with a playground, athletic fields, lighted tennis courts, BBQ areas & flower gardens.
Redmond Reservoir
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Wilder Park
Recreational area with museums & fields. Popular public space comprised of museums, formal gardens, play & picnic areas, sport courts & more.
Central Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Ty Warner Park
Landscaped play spot with a spray park. Landscaped area with ballfields, tennis & bocce ball, spray park, trails & outdoor fitness station.
Patriots Park
Laid-back locale with a pond & trails. Unassuming spot with nature trails, a pond for non-motorized boats & kids' play areas.
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve
Preservation area with trails & fishing. Wildlife & plant preservation area with glacial potholes, multi-use trails, fishing & picnicking.
Village Green Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Greene Valley
1,414-acre space for hiking & camping. Massive park with trails for hiking & cross-country skiing, plus picnic areas & camping facilities.
Sensory Garden Playground
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Herrick Lake Forest Preserve
Large area with trails & boat rentals. 885-acre nature preserve with over 5 miles of trails, plus boat rentals & fishing opportunities.
St. James Farm Forest Preserve
612-acre preserve for fauna & flora. Hikers, bikers & horseback riders can explore a protected area of woodlands, prairies & wetlands.
Weigand Riverfront Park
Picnicking, hiking & seasonal sledding. Quaint green space featuring picnic tables & benches, plus hiking trails & a seasonal sledding hill.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center
Kid-friendly nature & educational center. Nature center with kid-oriented exhibits, including an aquarium, live animals & a playground.
Blackwell Forest Preserve
Woodlands with trails, camping & boating. Scenic area with 9 miles of trails, picnic sites, fishing & boat rentals, camping, tubing & more.
Knoch Knolls Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve
Leafy destination with trails & fishing. This 465-acre wooded area has multi-use trails & recreation such as fishing, boating & picnicking.
Springbrook Prairie
Bird habitat, biking & running trails. Expansive natural area including meadow & prairie habitat for birds plus running & biking trails.
Country Lakes Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Oakhurst Forest Preserve
55-acre lake & marsh area for wildlife. This large marsh with lake offers wildlife viewing, fishing, picnic areas, a boat launch & trails.
Fabyan Forest Preserve
Scenic riverfront area for recreation. Riverside nature preserve with a museum & historical windmill offering fishing, boating & biking.
Lippold Park - Fox Valley Park District
Visit this great place for kids and families!
North Aurora Island Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve
Scenic spot for outdoor recreation. Serene, lakeside park with hiking, cycling, horseback & cross-country ski trails, plus boat launch.
Kenosha Sand Dunes
Lakefront spot with hiking trails. Modest stretch of protected sand dunes on Lake Michigan with hiking trails & scenic views.
Southport Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Lincoln Park
Recreational sports & a kids' play area. 42-acre park offering a disc-golf course & sports fields/courts, plus a playground, pond & walkways.
Boundless Adventures - Kenosha Zipline & Aerial Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Bristol Woods County Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Eichelman Park
Scenic park with a beach & playground. Quaint park offering a beach & views of Lake Michigan, plus trails, a playground & flower garden.
Wolfenbuttel Park
Picturesque, lakefront green space. Popular for weddings, this scenic area has a flower garden with a large pergola & water views.
Library Park
Open grassy area with a war memorial. A war memorial & statue of Abraham Lincoln are features of this grassy, open park by an old library.
HarborPark
Waterfront park with seasonal events. Scenic green space boasting a lakeside promenade, a splash pad, a sculpture garden & summer events.
Navy Memorial Park
Small lakefront park honoring veterans. City green space with a walking track, a fishing pier, outdoor events & statues honoring veterans.
Simmons Island Park
Lakefront area for sports & recreation. Scenic Lake Michigan park with a beach, lighthouse & picnic tables, plus trails & a playground.
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