You’ll always find great views and adventure in the Lakefront – Clark hub of Lincoln Park. A lush, green park on the lake, museums, theatre, dining — you can spend an entire weekend and still want more. From morning to night, Clark Street is filled with vibrant businesses ready to welcome you to Lincoln Park. Shop, grab a cocktail or sit down for an out of this world meal on one of Chicago’s most famous streets.
The Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the nation’s oldest, is free and open year-round (Chicago is so hardy even the zoo animals go to work in the winter). Grab a bite to eat or cocktail at The Lakefront Restaurant at Theater on the Lake with Lake Michigan and the city skyline as your backdrop.
Two museums are a short walk from the park. The Chicago History Museum presents an interactive narrative of the city’s history. Kids flock to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, but grown-ups love it, too, for its science and nature exhibits (the butterfly haven is a must-see). When it’s warm, you can find Green City Market, Chicago’s largest sustainable farmer’s market in Lincoln Park.
The North and Wells intersection is home to nationally recognized Chicago theatre and comedy. Most every name you know in comedy got their start at The Second City, an improv and sketch theatre founded in 1959. Its sister theatre, UP Comedy Club, is housed in the same complex, and offers sketch, improv, and stand-up. For more stand-up from local and national comedians, head to the intimate, old-school Zanies.
See. Experience. Taste. Touch.
Clark Street in Lincoln Park enjoys proximity to a treasure-trove of nationally-renowned cultural gems: The Lincoln Park Zoo, The Lincoln Park Conservatory, Theater on the Lake, a rowing canal, the Chicago History Museum, The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, ponds, beaches and playing fields.
So stroll among the park’s statues, saunter down the beach, smile at a zebra, enjoy yoga with butterflies, and engage your senses all year long. And while visiting these Clark Street area attractions, be sure to step into a local restaurant, refresh yourself at a pub, or pick up any number of last minute essentials to round out your Lincoln Park experience.
For data about attendance at local attractions and local events, download Doing Business on Clark Street in Lincoln Park.
Not to Miss Clark Street Area Attractions:
Standing at the crossroads of America’s past and its future, the Chicago History Museum cares for, showcases, and interprets millions of authentic pieces of Chicago and U.S. history.
Chicago’s only year-round farmers’ market promoting local, sustainable farmers, producers and chefs by connecting them to the public through educational programming and special events.
Open 365 days a year and always free, the Lincoln Park zoo offers fun for the whole family. As one of its 3 million+ visitors annually, you’ll be transported from the urban jungle to an actual jungle while spying some of the world’s most exotic animals.
Here you will find tropical palms and ancient ferns, right in the heart of Lincoln Park.
This museum is the urban gateway to nature and science. It’s a unique venue for the public, especially urban dwellers, to find new ways to reconnect with the natural world.
Located at Fullerton, right along the Lake Shore, Theater on the Lake is a historic building that offers breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and Chicago’s skyline, fine dining at their Lakefront Restaurant, and outstanding shows throughout the year. Theater on the Lake is a partnership between Lakefront Hospitality Group and the Chicago Park District.
As one of the most renowned comedy theaters in the country, The Second City sits at the south end of the Clark-Lakefront area. Offering both improv and sketch comedy performances, you’ll laugh your socks off any night of the week when catching a show at The Second City.
Escape the stress of city living at this urban sanctuary with native wildflowers, trees and calming still water that provides a home for turtles, dragonflies, butterflies, small mammals and over 230 species of resident and migratory birds.
Considered Chicago’s favorite beach, it is the focal point of the Chicago Air & Water show, AVP pro volleyball, and recreational sports leagues.
A monument in the truest sense with its massive dome, heroic sculptures and intricately detailed friezes, built in 1926.
The Art on Clark program is a public sculpture exhibit designed to showcase and support local artists and artisans, as well as beautify the neighborhood. Six sculptures can be found along Clark Street from Armitage to Diversey.
