Guide to Chicago: Outdoor Living

Chicago's Great Outdoors

If you like the outdoors, it seems odd that Chicago, a city famed for its harsh winters would have so much to offer the outdoorsman. However, in Chicago's relatively temperate spring and summer months, biking, hiking, sailing, and running are popular activities.

Hit the Beach: Great Lake Recreation

One great place to visit in the summer time is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. A short drive away from the city, these beautiful dunes on Lake Michigan's south shore cover twenty-five miles of white-sand beach, and are home an unbelievable array of plant species. In the summer, a group of hang gliders have been known to launch themselves from the tallest dunes. Also visit Kathy Osterman Beach, the Ohio Street Beach, and Jackson Park Beach.

Fore!: Chicago for Golfers

Chicago offers several options for golfers, including Harborside International Golf Center and the South Shore Golf Course, two of the greenest and most well-designed urban courses in the country.

More Outdoor Highlights

Take a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo, a 35-acre expanse free to visitors. Besides the wonderful ape house, the Paul. H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary--a huge nature reserve in the heart of Chicago--is well worth a look-see.

Source
Trip Advisor