Maggie Daley Park Play Garden

Honestly, if you’re bringing kids to Chicago and you only hit one playground, make it this one. The Play Garden spans a huge chunk of Grant Park’s lakefront edge and packs in climbing structures, a maze, slides, swings, and a splash pad that gets absolutely mobbed on hot summer days — for good reason. The enclosed layout means younger kids (toddlers included) can roam without parents losing their minds, while older kids find enough to keep them busy way longer than you’d expect. Shaded seating is scattered throughout, which, if you’ve ever baked on a Chicago blacktop in July, you’ll appreciate more than anything. It’s right next to Millennium Park too, so you can easily make a full day of it.