Maggie Daley Park Play Garden

If you visit Chicago with kids and miss Maggie Daley Park's Play Garden, you've left one of the best free family experiences in the entire city on the table. Located between Grant Park and Lake Michigan at 337 E Randolph, this is not a playground — it's a 3-acre adventure landscape that has redefined what an urban play space can be.

The Play Garden opened in 2015 as part of the complete redesign of what was formerly a parking lot near Grant Park. The result is a multi-zone outdoor destination with a ship-themed climbing structure, an enchanted forest section with towering climbing walls and slides, a seasonal splash pad that runs May through September, an 18-hole mini-golf course, extensive swing installations, and winding paths that connect fantasy-themed activity zones throughout the grounds.

For families visiting downtown Chicago, the Play Garden solves a real problem: a world-class free outdoor destination that keeps kids engaged for 2–3 hours while letting parents soak in the Grant Park and lakefront setting. The views from the park toward Millennium Park's Crown Fountain and the city skyline are genuinely spectacular — you're not sacrificing scenery to give your kids play time.

The Play Garden has two distinct zones worth knowing: the Sea and Sky area skews toward younger kids (toddlers through age 6) with gentler climbing structures and age-appropriate equipment. The Enchanted Forest section has more challenging climbing elements, taller structures, and longer slides — better suited for ages 5 and up. Planning which zone to hit first based on your kids' ages saves a lot of cross-park running.

In summer, pack swimsuits: the splash pad is genuinely fun and kids will use it. In winter, the outdoor skating ribbon that winds through the park is one of Chicago's best cold-weather experiences — free to use with paid skate rental. Year-round, Maggie Daley Play Garden is the single best argument for a downtown Chicago family day.