Chicago is known for its skyscrapers, incredible foods, sports, and tourist hot spots like Navy Pier and the Bean (aka Cloud Gate). What outsiders may not realize is that it’s also full of nature, with amazing lakefront paths, parks, and beaches. Though the city shares a shoreline with Lake Michigan, the big blue body of water feels like an ocean. And one of the best places to enjoy a view of both the city’s famous landmarks and its outdoor beauty is at this often-overlooked natural wonder in Chicago, Illinois.

Promontory Point, 5491 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive, is a piece of natural landscape architecture in the shape of a peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan on Chicago's South Side.
TonyTheTiger, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
The peninsula is man-made in the sense that the shape was created from filling in the land, but its concept is rooted in pure nature. Designed by Alfred Caldwell, the peninsula features a meadow, native plants, trees, shrubs, stone fire pits, and a limestone promenade that leads down to the shore of Lake Michigan.
Marco Verch/Flickr
Promontory Point opened in 1937 and is part of the larger Burnham Park system, which runs along 6 miles (nearly 600 acres) of the lakefront.
Kim Scarborough, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Easily accessible from "The Point" by bike or foot are the McCormick Bird Sanctuary, Burnham Centennial Prairie, Burnham Nature Sanctuary, and plenty of displays of public art, like sculptures.
Don Burkett, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Its massive, four-tiered stone steps act as a sea wall and are a popular place among locals to sit in peace and enjoy the lake breeze.
Kim Scarborough, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
The site is beloved for its closeness to nature, while offering some of the best views of the skyline.
Peter Fitzgerald, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
It's an extremely popular spot for photo ops like engagements, proms, and weddings. In fact, it's considered one of the most romantic spots in Chicago.
Kim Scarborough from Chicago, IL, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
From dawn to dusk, the idyllic environment at "The Point" soothes the soul. The natural landscape, though designed by humans, is unlike anywhere else in the city and has been a favorite outdoor space of Chicagoans for more than 85 years.
natural wonder in chicago illinois
Quinn Dombrowski/Flickr

Have you ever spent time at this man-made natural wonder in Chicago, Illinois? What’s your favorite thing to do there? Tell us in the comments! Start planning your trip now by checking out the Chicago Park District’s website.

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Promontory Point, 5491 S Dusable Lk Shr Dr, Chicago, IL 60615, USA