Poised right on Lake Michigan—and with views overlooking the city’s iconic skyline—Northerly Island is where Midwest nature meets Chicago’s urban heights. Unveiled to the public in 1925, the man-made peninsula was the site of a World’s Fair in 1934 before being used as an airport. Today, in the midst of extensive rewilding efforts, the island now boasts miles of walking and bike trails, a lagoon, prairie ecosystems, and populations of migratory birds.
Its proximity to the Museum Campus makes it a popular destination for families (and the Adler Planetarium is technically located on Northerly Island), while the Huntington Bank Pavilion is one of Chicago’s major venues. Northerly Island also features hop-on hop-off bus tours and biking tours of Downtown Chicago.