Normandy Park

Softball nights here are kind of a neighborhood institution — the open grass field gets a solid crowd, and it has that reliable, no-drama energy that makes it easy to just show up. It’s one of those parks that stays genuinely clean, which sounds like a low bar but really isn’t in this city. Families with kids of all ages use it regularly, and the restrooms are actually functional, which longtime Chicagoans know not to take for granted. The surrounding block is quiet enough that it feels like a bit of a retreat, even though you’re firmly in the city.