Lincoln Park features a lovely natural boardwalk that is a wonderful place to get some fresh air.

A half-mile of flat, accessible boardwalk winds around Lincoln Park’s South Pond, through lush prairie grasses, wildflowers, and stands of mature trees. Young children love racing along the length of the boardwalk over the pond to spot turtles and fish, while older kids and adults won’t want to miss the photo opportunities provided by the famed “Honeycomb” pavilion and the Chicago skyline in the distance.

Throughout the seasons, the changing landscape offers glimpses of native wildlife and the life cycle of the prairie, with educational signage placed along the boardwalk to provide more information. Spot nesting barn swallows and red-winged blackbirds in the spring, pollinators such as bees and butterflies hovering over native plants in the summer, and beautiful bursts of fall color reflected on the pond in the autumn. Even in the winter, the setting provides a stroller-friendly spot to connect with nature. 

The boardwalk is ideally situated for a day of adventures in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. It is adjacent to (and maintained by) the free Lincoln Park Zoo. North Avenue Beach, the Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum are all within walking distance. The wide walkways are well-maintained and easily accessible for those with little ones in strollers or on scooters. Expect the boardwalk to be busier on weekends in the summer and fall, when the landscape is especially beautiful.

Great restaurant options nearby include the historic Café Brauer, with a kid-friendly outdoor patio that looks over the boardwalk, and R.J. Grunts, a neighborhood institution that has been a favorite with locals and tourists for decades.