This Charming Chicago City Park Right Next To Navy Pier Offers Intimate Lakeside Views

Chicago is home to more than 600 city parks, ranging from Lake Michigan beaches to small gardens. You'll find one underrated park right next to Navy Pier: Jane Addams Memorial Park, a 4.3-acre space with Lake Michigan views. The quiet park offers a place to recharge, away from the nearby tourist-packed areas.

Located in Streeterville, an affluent lakeside district with skyline vistas, Jane Addams Memorial Park is just a few minutes' walk from Navy Pier, Chicago's "year-round playground," and less than a 20-minute walk from the Magnificent Mile, Chicago's top shopping destination. However, the park is generally far less crowded than both destinations. Along with the adjacent Ohio Street Beach, a tucked-away urban oasis uncrowded by tourists, it offers a stark contrast to Navy Pier's hustle and bustle. 

As a Chicagoan, every time I've been there, I've been surprised by how quiet it is. You'll see some runners or walkers on the Lakefront Trail, which skirts its southern border, and perhaps a few people walking their dogs through the park. However, I've always found it easy to grab a spot on a park bench where I can relax and gaze out at Lake Michigan.

Jane Addams Memorial Park is a local favorite rather than a tourist destination. Unlike Navy Pier, there are no rides, museums, or shops, just paved walking paths, park benches, and greenery. Reviewers remark on the tranquil atmosphere and Lake Michigan views. One visitor called it the "best spot in the city to relax and admire the view of the cityline," on Google Reviews, adding, "The water is an amazing blue, and there is a nice breeze from the lake."

The park also offers a nod to local history. Originally named Navy Pier Park, it was renamed Jane Addams Memorial Park in 1996 after the Chicago-based activist and Nobel Peace Prize Winner. At its opening, it featured a sculpture called "Helping Hands," created by acclaimed artist Louise Bourgeois and dedicated to Addams. However, after enduring vandalism, the sculpture was relocated to the Chicago Women's Park and Gardens in the Near South Side neighborhood, where it remains to this day. History buffs still appreciate Jane Addams Park's connection to its namesake. "The park is a proper tribute to this prominent political activist and famous public figure in the history of the U.S.," writes one Tripadvisor reviewer. "The park is not large, but it's nicely designed and presented: huge trees, and vast lawns with paths and benches create a peaceful, undisturbed environment."