Mary Bartleme Playground

If you live on the Near West Side and haven’t figured out Mary Bartleme yet, you’re missing one of the better-kept secrets in the neighborhood. The enclosed play area is a genuine selling point for parents of toddlers — no chasing kids toward the street while you’re trying to catch your breath. The climbing structures lean more creative than your standard park setup, which keeps kids in the 2-to-12 range actually engaged instead of bored after ten minutes. Shade trees and covered seating mean you can actually stick around in July without melting, and the picnic tables make it easy to turn a playground trip into a proper afternoon out.