City Sightseeing in Chicago, Illinois

Lincoln Park is a 1,208-acre (489 hectares) park on the north side of the city along Lake Michigan. The park got its name from the president Abraham Lincoln and is the largest park in the city. Lincoln Park is a recreational park which is home to Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The park's facilities include baseball/softball fields, basketball courts, soccer/football fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, field houses, a target archery field, a skate park, a driving range, and a golf course and is the second most toured park in the United States. 

Lincoln Park Zoo is located in the Lincoln Park and is one of the oldest Zoos in the United States. The Zoo is a wonderful place to go to if you are at the Lincoln park not only because you will not need transportation there, but also because it is a free-admission Zoo. There are nearly 200 different species of animals at the Zoo.

Lincoln Park Conservatory situated in the Lincoln Park is a botanical garden and a conservatory. The conservatory is a Victorian-era glass house with four rooms displaying exotic plants from different parts of the world. There is a formal garden in front of the Conservatory, which is amongst the oldest public gardens in the country.

Foster Avenue Beach is located in Lincoln Park and is an excellent choice for tourists who want to swim. Dog Beach for travelers with pets is located on the northeast end of Foster Beach. The beach is located to the north from the Grant Park.

Grant Park  

Drive 10 minutes to the south from Lincoln Park to reach the Grant Park . The park is a vast urban park located in the Loop Community area, and in its substantial open space features many of Chicago’s must-see attractions Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum Campus. If you want to explore the whole park, spend the entire day there, and you will not even need transportation. All of these attractions can be seen while walking around the park. To reach the Millennium Park there is a bridge, and to go to the Museum Campus, one must use the underpass connection. Grant Park is edged on the north side by Randolph Street, on its South by Roosevelt Road and McFetridge Drive, and the west of the park is bordered by Michigan Avenue and on the east side by Lake Michigan.

The center of the park is a Buckingham Fountain which is one of the largest fountains in the world that operates from April through October. It is a landmark in Chicago constructed in Georgia pink marble in rococo wedding cake style. The fountain allegorically represents the Lake Michigan.

Millennium Park , a contemporary park in the northwestern corner of the Grant Park, features an interactive sculpture Crown Fountain, the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion and the Cloud Gate (aka the Jelly Bean), which is very famous among tourists. Millennium Park is connected to the other parts of Grant Park by the BP Pedestrian Bridge and the Nichols Bridgeway.

One of the leading art museums in Chicago City, Art Institute of Chicago is located on the western edge of Grant Park. The museum is known for the extensive collection of Impressionist and American Art. Adler Planetarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and Shedd Aquarium are located at Museum Campus which is 57-acre addition to Grant Park’s southeastern end. Grant Park’s western edge is Congress Plaza, a ceremonial entrance. 

Navy Pier

Another great place to visit in Chicago is a Navy Pier - a 3,300-foot-long pier on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. The Navy Pier is located in the Near North Side community area, close to downtown Chicago. The world's most massive public pier attracts more than 9 million guests per year. The most eye-catching attraction is the 148ft (45m) Ferris Wheel. There is a 44ft high Musical Carousel near the Ferris Wheel. 100ft (30m) high vaulted roof structure – The Skyline Stage is used as an ice skating rink during the winter time and as a 1500-seat theater during summer. Many boat trips start at Navy Pier, and you can also opt to take a romantic dinner cruise there.