Millennium Park

Millennium Park is Chicago's best free family destination — and it's not close. With over 91,000 Google reviews at 4.8 stars, it earns every bit of that recognition. The Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate alone make it worth planning around, and the park delivers multiple compelling reasons to visit at different ages and seasons.

For families with young children, the Crown Fountain is the headline act. Two 50-foot glass towers project video of human faces and periodically spit a jet of water into a shallow basin. From late spring through October, kids transform this into a spontaneous splash pad — bring a towel and a change of clothes, because they will absolutely get soaked, and that's exactly the point.

The joy on a 6-year-old's face when the water jet hits is hard to manufacture artificially.

Cloud Gate (universally called "the Bean") is the other must-do. The reflective sculpture creates distorted mirror images of kids, the skyline, and each other — toddlers will stare at their reflections with genuine fascination, and older kids love the way it warps perspective.

In winter, the skating rink at McCormick Tribune Plaza becomes one of the Loop's most family-friendly scenes. Skating fees are reasonable, skate rental is available, and the backdrop of the Chicago skyline at night is genuinely spectacular.

For summer evenings, free concerts at the Pritzker Pavilion are worth planning around — kids who aren't normally interested in music often find the outdoor atmosphere and the novelty of lying on the Great Lawn engaging.

The park is fully free outside of ice skating and any ticketed events. Take the CTA to the Loop to avoid $20-30 in parking. The lakefront trail extends north and south from the park for biking and walking.