Grant Park is a 319 acre dispersed sizable urbanized park settled in the adorable city of Chicago, Illinois, in its Loop community region. It was rediscovered as ‘Grant Park’ to furnish respect to the United States’ 18th President, Ulysses S. Grant. However, it was previously identified as ‘Lake Park’ until it received the new name in 1901. The park is an extraordinary introducer of stupefying and stunning tourist features such as fountains, parks, gardens, monuments, artwork, and much more.
Places to Visit Around Grant Park
Museum Campus
A comely addition to the south east extremity of the park, the Museum Campus is found to settle on a land area of about 57 acres. The Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and Adler Planetarium are three famous museums which are devoted to natural sciences and which are placed in the campus. The McCormick Place, a Lakeside Center and football stadium of Soldier Field form great possessions of the campus. The campus area is found to be improved with spectacular walkways and jogging tracks along with heart binding botany and greenery. The Solidarity Drive of the campus is known for the heroic bronze sculptures of Nicolaus Copernicus, Havliček, and Kościuszko that are settled along its edge.
Millennium Park
Formed after the ’1998-2004 Redevelopment’ of the northwest area of the park, the Millennium Park is reputed as a celebrated region, which is composed of a magnificent diversity of aesthetic features produced by renowned creators and designers. On the other hand, it is designated as a salient civic center situated close to the boundary of Lake Michigan, a prominent lake among the 5 Great Lakes of Northern America. This outstanding landmark, which exhibits a fabulous assortment of public art, spreads over a surface area of nearly 24.5 acres of the park. The Millennium Park was opened with a glorious ceremony on July 16, 2004.
Art Institute of Chicago (AIC)
Settled in the park, the famed landmark of the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) is known as a comprehensive art museum, which incorporates a great variety of designing and artistic piece of work. It has an enduring accumulation of Post Impressionist and Impressionist artwork, which are one of the noteworthy gatherings on the entire earth. Contemporary and advanced artwork, remarkable American artwork, Asian artwork, Old Masters, American cosmetic artwork, and European artwork are some of the astounding multifarious possessions of the museum. Douglas Druick, the President and Director of the museum manages its operations and functionalities. The museum is found to hold an affiliation with the School of Art Institute of Chicago.
Petrillo Music Shell
The exterior bandstand or amphitheater of the park, the Petrillo Music Shell functions as a great platform for a number of bombastic yearly music celebrations of the city. Also named as James C. Petrillo Music Shell or Petrillo Bandshell, the Petrillo Music Shell had previously hosted many small scale events held annually like Chicago Latin Music Festival, Chicago Gospel Music Festival, and Grant Park Music Festival. Besides, other popular events including Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza, Chicago Jazz Festival, and Chicago Blues Festival are also hosted by the elated Petrillo Music Shell. Anton Cermak, the Mayor of Chicago, was known to commission the Petrillo Music Shell in 1931.
Grant Park Gardens
Different flower exhibits and brilliant gardens crowning the park serve as illustrious features enchanting the visitors towards its aesthetic beauty. Incorporating an ornamental post contemporary water stream, the Lurie Garden is one of the spectacular gardens of the park set in the fascinating Millennium Park. The garden is also famous for showcasing full length grass flowers, especially lavender. Comprised of several walking paths bordered by beautiful planters, the Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Garden is another dumbfounding feature of the park, which is situated at the north east section of the Daley Plaza. The Tiffany Celebration Garden is a splendid feature of the park which is built in a conventional fashion.
Buckingham Fountain
Devoted in 1927, the Buckingham Fountain is honored throughout the land of Chicago as an outstanding feature of the park. Constructed with a view to express the Michigan Lake, the alluring feature is known as one of the largest fountains around the globe. Enlivened by the Palace of Versailles’s Latona Fountain, this glorious extension is structured in a unique artistry fashion of the rococo wedding cake variety. During the chilly period of the Winter season, astounding festal lightings embellish this feature. On the contrary, the fountain incorporates daily evening color light exhibits and water displays during its regular functioning between April and October.
Chicago Lakefront Trail
Passing along the coast way of the Michigan Lake at a distance of about 18 miles, the Chicago Lakefront Trail is a noted greenway that is mainly used for cycling and walking. The trail plays an important role in intersecting different recreational amenities and beaches that are situated along the lake front. The trail users can get to see the glorious visuals of the Jackson Park, Lincoln Park, Burnham Park, and the other glorious regions of the park. Situated clearly within the regional limits of the Chicago city, the trail serves as a preferred track for most of the bicycle riders.
Grant Park Public Art
The public art section of the park has proved to be a leading impactor that has pulled in an unbelievable number of visitors from all over the world. Sculptures and monuments form major parts of the park’s public art segment. The state of the artwork can be viewed in many gardens of the park. Such incredible artistry work can also be found at the Congress Plaza, Buckingham Fountain, and Millennium Park. The huge equestrian sculpture of a reputable American soldier, John A. Logan, the Logan Monument is looked upon as a captivating art feature placed at the Michigan Avenue. Besides, the Agora and Columbus Monument including the Lincoln Memorial are resplendent public art additions of the park.
Congress Plaza Hotel
Find a new way to explore the Grant Park and the rest of Chicago with the Congress Plaza Hotel, which provides admirable services for its guests. The Gazebo Restaurant of the hotel comes with an informal ambiance and incorporates a dominant American cuisine that allures the hearts of the guests. Moreover, the hotel features a posh lounge known as the Congress Lounge, which supplies exuberant lounging services providing comfy relaxation for the guests after their busy day at the corporate meetings. The Florentine Room and Gold Room of the hotel fulfill every expectation of the guests and are reputed as the best spaces for hosting wedding parties.
Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel
Famed as a historical hotel, the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel renders a variety of illustrious amenities that make the guests feel at home. The food of modernistic Catalan cuisine incorporating chops and tapas is served in an impressive Mediterranean atmosphere at the hotel’s restaurants. Besides, the in-house recreational and fitness heath club of the hotel provides incredible fitness tools and machineries for the guests. Other fabulous services provided by the hotel include evening turn-down service, daily housekeeping services, concierge desk services, safety deposit services, etc. The grand decor and elegant chandeliers make the hotel premises the perfect venue for celebrating holiday parties, event celebrations, and special intimate events like marriage ceremonies.
Get enthralled into the entrancing features of the Grant Park to make your visit a significant and glorious one.
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