Lincoln Park

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Lincoln Park Unlike its often status-conscious namesake neighborhood, Lincoln Park itself is a serene escape from the bustling city, providing access to a host of sandy beaches, cultural events, outdoor theater, water activities, and wide... Chicago United States 41.917128 -87.63073
3.95 8
Lincoln Park - Beach | Culture | Outdoor Activity | Park in Chicago.
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4 User Reviews
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Lucas
Adriana
Jonah
Emma

Party Earth Review Unlike its often status-conscious namesake neighborhood, Lincoln Park itself is a serene escape from the bustling city, providing access to a host of sandy beaches, cultural events, outdoor theater, water activities, and... ... read full review

  • Neighborhood:

    Lincoln Park

  • Address:

    2045 Lincoln Park West
    (address of Lincoln Park Cultural Center)
    Chicago, IL 60610

    Get Directions

  • Train:

    Brown, Purple Express, Red Lines: Fullerton, Belmont; Brown, Purple Express Lines: Sedgwick, Armitage, Diversey, Wellington; Red Line: Addison, Argyle, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Lawrence, Sheridan, Wilson

  • Phone:

    312-742-7726

  • Links:

    Official Website

  • Hours:

    Daily 6am–11pm

  • Recommended as:

    • Day Spot

Party Earth Lincoln Park Review

The Scene

Unlike its often status-conscious namesake neighborhood, Lincoln Park itself is a serene escape from the bustling city, providing access to a host of sandy beaches, cultural events, outdoor theater, water activities, and wide...

Lincoln Park, Chicago –

Unlike its often status-conscious namesake neighborhood, Lincoln Park itself is a serene escape from the bustling city, providing access to a host of sandy beaches, cultural events, outdoor theater, water activities, and wide open spaces.

Spanning nearly six miles, the park runs through the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, and Edgewater, and offers activities as diverse as the four areas it crosses.

Serious athletes can kayak and canoe on the lagoons stretching along the east side, or hit up the golf course and tennis courts scattered on the north end.

In the summer, North Avenue Beach on the park’s southern edge becomes a sea of preppy boys and sorority girls – many of whom descend on Castaways, a massive boat-shaped beach bar and grill near the lake – while those who want to catch the rays in a quieter atmosphere make their way to Foster Avenue Beach at the opposite end of the park.

Plenty of expansive lawns and winding paths keep the soccer players, joggers, and bikers happy, while animal lovers won’t want to miss the city zoo and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum at the center of the park, where winter-weary Chicagoans and frozen visitors alike will find an indoor butterfly haven where they can enjoy nature on even the most blustery days.

A large Hispanic population near Montrose Harbor to the north ensures a steady salsa beat from the boom box brigade on Montrose Beach, while grunge kids and punk rockers congregate nearby at the area’s only skate park.

Perfect for mellow bookworms, beach lovers, and athletes alike, Lincoln Park is a true urban escape year round.

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Tip from Lucas:

Going for a run? There are a lot of winding paths to choose from, but stick to the main route. Handy park district signs mark every half mile, and on summer Saturday mornings, a running club sets up water/Gatorade stations along the route for marathon training groups and anyone else who needs a drink.

  • Crowd

    Athletes, jocks, beach lovers, cyclists, joggers, water enthusiasts, kayakers, boaters, golfers, sports teams, couples, families, and free spirits of all ages.

  • Entertainment / Music

    Highlights include:
    Lincoln Park Zoo (2200 North Cannon Drive) open year-round. Zoo Lights in December, a holiday festival with warm drinks and Christmas decorations.

    The Chicago History Museum (1601 North Clark Street).

    Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 North Cannon Drive).

    Theatre on the Lake (2401 North Lake Shore Drive).

    Beaches include:
    North Beach, Foster Avenue Beach, and Montrose Avenue Beach, which also has a fenced-in dog beach.

    Sporting options include:
    A skate park (700 West Wilson Avenue).

    The Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course (3600 North Recreation Drive).

    A driving range (141 West Diversey Parkway).

    Tennis courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and running/biking paths throughout.

  • Food / Miscellaneous

    Options include:
    Café Brauer (2021 North Stockton Drive) for the beer garden and postcard views of the lake.

    Northstar Eatery (1765 North Stockton Drive) for traditional American cuisine.

    Casual (and sometimes crazy) beachside diner Castaways Bar & Grill (1603 North Lake Shore Drive) for traditional bar food (May–September).

    Street food vendors throughout.

    Parking:
    Metered parking at Belmont Harbor, Diversey Harbor, Montrose Harbor, Waveland Avenue tennis courts, and Foster Avenue Beach.

  • Prices

    Nature Museum $9, History Museum $14. Restaurant entrées $8–$30. Driving range $9–$14, golf course $23–$26. Zoo and Conservatory are free. Parking free–$10 depending on location and season.

  • What to Wear / Dress Code

    Anything goes. Appropriate golf attire for driving range and golf course.

  • Hot Nights / When to Go

    Any warm, sunny days between May and October.

  • Close By

    Wrigley Field (1060 West Addison Street), home of the Cubs and central to dozens of bars, clubs, and shops.

Tags:
20s30s40sAnything goesBar FoodCasualCouplesDinnerDiverseDog FriendlyFormer JocksFrat GuysFreeGolf CourseJocksLunchPeople WatchingPerformancePicnicPreppyPunksSkatersSoccerSorority GirlsSports FansSportySunbathersTeenagersTennisTourists

Lincoln Park User Reviews

Average rating:
Endless possibilites!
Kimberly F.
Kimberly F. May 23, 2013
There must be a reason why Lincoln Park is one of the most congested areas of Chicago. I would venture to say that reason is because there's ton to do! I spent 4 years in the Lincoln Park area attending high school, so believe me when I tell you that finding something to do after an 8hour long school day was NOT difficult! Lincoln Park has everything from theatre, to the zoo, to great trendy boutiques. And with a neighborhood constantly buzzing with joggers, dog walkers, and nanny's, you feel as if you have been catapulted into the heart of what Chicago is all about! If you're looking for food, I highly recommend the Thai food place down Clark just past Fullerton. I have spent countless afternoons slurping down delicious noodles from "Thai Bowl" just before I went to see a show at Victory Gardens Theatre, or Steppenwolf Theatre, OR the Apollo theatre! I have also gone to the zoo in the afternoon, then took the brown line over to Belmont for a show at Comedy Sportz in the Belmont and Clark area. And if you don't feel like spending money, you can always go for a walk in Chicago's iconic Oz park! If you're looking for a way to spend your time, Lincoln Park is the perfect place to be for its popping activity!
Great place for a walking tour
Adam N.
Adam N. Feb 25, 2013
If you ever wake up to a day of beautiful weather (Chicago does get a couple of them a year), and you feel like checking out the city on foot, I suggest taking the Blue Line to Wrigleyville and then heading south down Clark St. In addition to some photo-ops in front of Wrigley Field, and some shopping in the trendy Clark and Belmont area, you'll eventually tread past Lincoln Park. Most people head there for the zoo, but the park itself is pretty impressive. My wife and I decided to wander around the numerous paths one day and stumbled upon a butterfly conservatory, a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired botanical garden, and a Shakespeare garden filled with memorable quotes hidden on rocks among the flowers. We even got some beautiful pics of the Chicago skyline.
Lovely park in the summertime
Christina W.
Christina W. Dec 9, 2012
Lincoln Park is one of my favorite places to spend a lazy afternoon in the summertime. It's gigantic, so it's really easy to just walk along the trails for hours without getting bored. My favorite part is definitely the Zoo. It's not huge and definitely doesn't live up to those "great zoo" standards put out by places like San Diego. But it is free, in the city, and really clean and pretty. The greenhouse and gardens near the zoo are also really awesome. There isn't much by way of food nearby, but the park is so big and full of open spaces, making it the perfect spot for a picnic. There are also a few beaches nearby, so on a hot day it's easy to wander the park and then go for a dip to cool off.
One of the best city parks
Chris M.
Chris M. Sep 25, 2012
Lincoln Park is huge and has a ton to offer and really should be ranked up with Central and Hyde Park as great urban parks. Throw in the lakeside location and it truly is something special although there is something about Lake Shore Drive that makes it seem more separate than some of the other parks. The PE review covers the big stuff, but the highlights are the Zoo and the sports fields. Lincoln Park Zoo is not huge but few cities offer a more convenient, downtown zoo option (DC comes to mind as one that does) that you can walk/bike to. Also, there are sports field spread up and down the park that are used by kids and adult leagues for soccer, softball, football, frisbee, kickball and all sorts of other things that make it really easy and convenient to join a league. There is nothing better than Sunday afternoon kickball at the park followed by the beach or a bar or to play soccer at one of the many fields a short bike ride from your apartment. I played soccer at Montrose as well as by Addison and there some good turf fields and some pretty ragged grass fields. Parking is miserable around the North Avenue part of the park, but much more accessible up by Addison and even more so by Montrose. Public transportation is best accomplished by taking a bus along LSD instead of trying to do the train as the red line is about a mile west at best. The butterfly sanctuary is a great, unique place to take a date and when paired with the zoo is a fun and cheap way to get to know someone. Food is one area where Lincoln Park does not shine; there are a couple eateries that aren't great and other options are a bit of a trek in. Great for visitors and residents alike, Lincoln Park truly is an elite urban park and I didn't even talk about the beaches in here.
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