Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix
A serene Japanese garden and Olmsted-designed park on the South Side, near the future Obama Center.
The call
Worth it if you're watching the budget and you only have one day.
Short answer
Is Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix worth it?
Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
A tranquil, little-known Japanese garden on Wooded Island, anchored by Yoko Ono's 'Skylanding' — twelve steel lotus petals, her first permanent public artwork in the Americas — with the legacy of the 1893 World's Fair all around.
- 02
A true escape from the tourist core.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're watching the budget
Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix.
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix is an easy yes.
Plan it well
- Cost
- Free
- Timing
- Daytime in the warmer months when the garden is in bloom; loveliest in spring.
- Allow
- 1–1.5 hours
- Accessibility
- Mostly flat paths; some garden routes are gravel.
- Getting there
- On Wooded Island in Jackson Park on the South Side; Metra Electric or the #6 bus.