Grant Park551

Soccer and softball fields, volleyball and tennis courts, and an outdoor skating rink (at Daley Bicentennial Plaza) are just a few of the excellent recreational options at Grant Park.

Grant is organized in rectangles, with the Prairie Garden, a 1.5 acre pair of oval plots that bloom with wildflowers during the summer, at the top. Petrillo Music shell is just south of the Garden (near Jackson Drive), Buckingham Fountain at the Grand Entrance (Congress Parkway, between Jackson and Balbo Drives) and the Hutchinson Athletic Field and Avery Field is again to the south, opening onto the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. To the south of the Field Museum is the famous Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears Football team and the Chicago Fire soccer team.

A bicycle path runs along the lakefront, and boat tours depart from an area near Buckingham Fountain at Lake Shore Promenade.

Grant is, of course, especially active in the summer months, when the Taste of Chicago festival offers live music and the opportunity to sample restaurant fare from around the city. In late July, a parade of decorated boats graces the Monroe Street Harbor during the Venetian Night festivities, which include a concert and a fireworks display. And in August, Lollapalooza takes over the park with the largest musical festival in the city.

The Visitor Center is located at Daley Bicentennial Plaza (337 E. Randolph Street) and is open year-round Mon-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12n-5pm.