Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
218
of colored lights, and building to ward a grand finale befor e it shuts do wn for the night
at 11pm. You'll find concession areas and restrooms here, as well.
Favorite annual events are the free outdoor blues festival (in June) and the jazz festival
(Labor Day).
Taste of Chicago
(
&
312/744-3315
), purportedly the largest food festival
in the world (the city estimates its annual attendance at o ver 3.5 million), takes place
every summer for 10 days ar ound the July 4th holiday. Local restaurants serve up more
ribs, pizza, hot dogs, and beer than y ou'd ever want to see, let alone eat. (S ee chapter 2
for a comprehensive listing of summer events in Grant Park.)
Scattered about the par k ar e a number of sculptur es and monuments, including a
heroic sculpture of two N ative Americans on horseback titled
The Spearman and the
Bowman
(at Congr ess Pkwy. and M ichigan Ave.), which has become the par k's trade-
mark since it was installed in 1928, as w ell as likenesses of Copernicus, Columbus, and
Lincoln
(The Seated Lincoln),
the latter by the great American sculptor Augustus Saint-
Gaudens, located on Congress Parkway between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
On the western edge of the par k, at Adams Street, is the
Art Institute
(p. 178), and at
the southern tip of the M useum Campus ar e
The Field Museum of N atural History
(p. 162), the
Adler Planetarium
(p. 157), and the
John G. Shedd Aquarium
(p. 165).
At the north end of the par k, adjacent to the nascent M illennium Park, is Daley Bicen-
tennial Park, featuring an outdoor sports plaza with a dozen lighted tennis courts, a rink
for ice-skating in the winter and 'blading or r
oller-skating in the summer , and a field
house.
331 E. Randolph St.
&
312/742-7648.
Subway/El: Brown Line to the Loop. Bus: 3, 4, 6, 60, 146, or 151.
LAKE SHORE PARK
Located just behind the M useum of Contemporar y Art, this par k has a vie w of the lake,
and packs some good facilities into a small space. (I f you enjoy a meal in the dining r oom
at American G irl Place on the second floor of the adjacent Water Tower Place mall, y ou
might have the pleasur e of o verlooking this lo vely park.) You'll find baseball diamonds, a
fitness center, a gym for basketball, an outdoor r unning track, and tennis cour ts. Again,
although it's tiny, this green space is a big find for families staying in the hear t of the city.
808 N. Lake Shor e Dr. (at Chicago A ve., 3 blocks east of M ichigan Ave.).
&
312/742-PLAY
(742-7529).
Bus: 151.
8
LINCOLN PARK
Straight and narr ow Lincoln Park begins at N orth Avenue and follo ws the shor eline of
Lake M ichigan nor thward 6 miles to Ar dmore A venue (not far fr om the East Asian
enclave radiating from Argyle Ave. and quaint Andersonville), making it the city's largest
park. Within its elongated 1,200 acr es ar e a world-class z oo, a half-doz en bathing
beaches, a botanical conser vatory, two ex cellent museums, a golf course, and the usual
meadows, formal gar dens, spor ting fields, and tennis cour ts typical of urban par ks.
Attractions in the par k include the
Chicago History Museum
(p. 180),
Lincoln Park
Zoo
(p . 197),
Lincoln P ark Conser vatory
(p . 199), and
Peggy N otebaert N ature
Museum
(p. 200).
The park's lakes, trails, and pathways make it ideal for biking, hiking, picnicking, and
enjoying nature. Baseball, softball, and soccer fields, and basketball and tennis courts are
concentrated mainly ar ound the S outh Field, Waveland, and M ontrose sections. You'll
find archery and a 9-hole golf course in the Waveland area; minigolf and a driving range
are located near Diversey Harbor. Families can rent paddle boats and explor e the South
