City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2021 N. Burling St.
17. Ping Tom Memorial Park
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 746-5962
Address: 300 W. 19th St.
Description: Before Chinatown’s late civic leader and lifelong resident Ping Tom rallied to establish some parkland in Chinatown, it didn’t have much. Now, this tranquil 13-acre riverfront park, a reuse of an old railroad yard, features a playground, picnicking areas, and a decidedly distinct Chinese style of landscaping, including pagoda-like covered shelters. Five more acres were recently acquired, with plans that include developing water access for boats, fishing opportunities, and a parking facility.
18. Washington Park
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (773) 256-1248
Description: The western partner to Jackson Park (separated by the wide Midway Plaisance), Washington Park fills a 371-acre expanse and features Lorado Taft’s epic Fountain of Time sculpture. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is also home to the DuSable Museum of African American History.
19. 63rd Street Beach
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 6300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Description: This Jackson Park beach stands out for its landmark beach house, a 1919 cast-in-place concrete Classical Revival pavilion that was renovated in recent years, using an aggregate from quarries that produced the same kind of stone that originally created its exterior. An added courtyard fountain provides summer fun for kids and a scenic backdrop to weddings that are often held here.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 5200 N. Lake Shore Dr.
21. North Avenue Beach
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1600 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Description: Hands-down the city’s most popular beach, the expansive North Avenue teems with 20-somethings who come to ogle and be ogled. But it’s also action-packed with loads of sand volleyball courts (a frequent site of tournaments), a roller hockey rink, the annual Air and Water Show, the Polar Plunge (for the brave—or crazy), a chess pavilion, bike rentals, and typically an outdoor workout facility in the summer. You can even grab some quick eats here at the concessions of the ship-shaped red, white, and blue beach house whose rooftop Castaways Bar and Grill (773-281-1200) has a happening summer happy-hour scene.
22. Oak Street Beach
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 742-5121
Address: 1000 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Description: It’s not just the sand that’s hot here. We’re talking hot bods and those who appreciate them. That’s why, despite its petite size, Oak Street is considered the most fashionable and most famous of Chicago’s beaches, and it makes sense, being right off the Magnificent Mile. In fact, it’s about as close to South Beach as Chicago gets—complete with several dozen palm trees imported from Miami and stuck right into the sand. The benefit over Florida? No sharks. If you’re not working on your tan, you might be working out, as Oak Street is a favored triathlon training ground because of its expanse of deep water. You’ll also find the only beachfront restaurant here, the Oak Street Beach Cafe.
23. Active Transportation Alliance
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 427-3325
Address: 9 W. Hubbard St.
Description: By “active transportation,” they mean by foot, bike, and public transportation. They advocate for it by helping to create legislation that protects cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders; and they support it by organizing bicycling clubs and developing more bike trails and better sidewalks; and they simply celebrate the cycling life with events like Chicago’s Memorial Day weekend annual Bike the Drive (www.bikethedrive.org), which closes down Lake Shore Drive to cars, allowing cyclists to take a turn for a change.
24. Chicago Cycling Club
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (773) 509-8093
Description: Established in 1994, the CCC offers about 200 different rides generally about three or more times each week from April through October; there are also winter rides on Christmas and New Year’s Day. They range from leisurely social tools around town with rest stops and meals, to longer and faster rides for cyclists in training. Monthly meetings offer up bike tech tips and socializing with spoke-minded folks. Membership is $20 for individuals, $25 for families. Meetings occur at various Chicago locations; check the website for updated information.
25. McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 742-1168
Description: New York has Rockefeller Center; Chicago has Millennium Park. Each winter, an ice rink pops up along the Michigan Avenue side of the park, and skaters line up to figure-eight—or slowly shuffle—their way around the small oval rink. With the city at your toes, it makes for perhaps the most exciting skating rink in town. Skating has historically been free, though that might change in the future; skate rental is $10 or just bring your own pair. Open daily during winter.
26. McFetridge Sports Center
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (773) 478-2609
Address: 3843 N. California Ave.
Description: This active rec center features the Chicago Park District’s only indoor ice-skating rink. Whether hosting ice-hockey games, ice-dancing rehearsals, or beginning ice-skating lessons, this rink is always hot. Named for a former park district president, McFetridge also boasts the park district’s sole indoor tennis courts. Open daily.
27. Midway Plaisance Park
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 745-2470
Address: 1130 Midway Plaisance (east 59th Street
Description: An outdoor ice-skating rink (inline skating in summer) lies just where the first Ferris wheel once stood as part of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The Midway Plaisance, the broad band of greenery that connects Washington and Jackson parks, was part of the grounds for this World’s Fair. It held midway amusements, restaurants, international exhibits, and more. It’s now a popular spot for strolling and exercising—and ice skating.
28. Rink At Wrigley
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 617-7017
Description: What’s an urban baseball stadium to do during the winter? Open a skating rink in the parking lot. That’s what Wrigley Field did a couple of years ago, and it’s been a home run with fans. It may not be the biggest rink in the world, but it’s the most spirited. Admission Mon through Thurs is $5, $3 for children; Fri through Sun $10, $6 for children. Call or check the website for hours.
29. Chicago Sport & Social Club
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (312) 850-8196
Address: 770 N. Halsted St.
Description: Get your game on and register for one of the thousands of teams for everything from basketball to soccer, kickball to softball, and the world’s largest beach volleyball league—more than 20,000 participants in 1,200 teams nearly every summer take to the sands of Montrose, North Avenue, and Oak Street beaches. Plus, when you join as a team or individual, you’re one of the 75,000 members privy to year-round social and charity events to fill your social calendar. So go ahead and suit up or drink up, or both. Fees vary per sport and event.
30. Players Sports Group
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (773) 528-1999
Address: 3617 N. Ashland Ave.
Description: This sports club has grown to more than 45,000 players since its beginnings in 1993, and now offers a variety of sports leagues that change per season and include the expected, like basketball, tennis, softball, and the offbeat such as cornhole and dodgeball, plus several tournaments, and plenty of opportunities to mix and mingle. You have to be age 19 and up to play in a variety of levels, and 21 to partake in the social activities. Fees vary per sport and event.