Parks in Chicago
From sandy beaches to woodland bike paths, Chicago holds the distinction of having more parkland than any other city in the United States. Over 220 parks and facilities cover more than 7,300 acres (30 km²) of land throughout the city, all managed by the Chicago Park District. This extensive network of parks also includes nine lakefront harbors, the nations largest municipal harbor system, along with dozens of forest preserves located along the original city limits and in suburban areas of Cook County.
The Park District also maintains many special use facilities for activities such as golfing, boating, boxing and even some specialty parks devoted entirely to dogs. In addition to maintaining the parks, the district holds thousands of special events and festivals for the citizens every year. The height of these events are during the summer months when more tourists are visiting city and when children are out of school for summer recess.
Some of the more famous parks and facilities include:
- Millennium Park - Chicago's newest marquee park, opened in 2004, just north of the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Grant Park - Home to Buckingham Fountain, this downtown park is also a favorite site of Chicago's biggest festivals including the Taste of Chicago.
- Lincoln Park - This is one of the more unique parks in terms of geography, because while it is centrally located in the Lincoln Park community area it spans many different neighborhoods throughout the city as it is nestled between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan.
- The Garfield Park Conservatory - One of the largest conservatories in the United States.
- Jackson Park - Famous for its role in the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition where much of the White City was built.
Other parks which may not be famous worldwide but are notable to citizens of the city include: