Park No. 571 — Attraction in Chicago

This is a lovely park for marine activities. They have a boat house where you can rent boats. Theres plenty of spots to set up fishing lines. Most importantly theres a dock you can use for free to launch your smaller boat like vessels (kayaks, canoes, etc). Its a low traffic water way and the dock is on a large opening where the Chicago River meets bubbly creek. You can ride south to the suburbs (although it'll be a very industrial area), you can head north in the loop, or you can head east into bubbly creek. Bubbly is a calm branch off of the Chicago river. It ends at some industrial buildings where you can turn around and head back to the dock. Theres a good variety of birds, fish, and turtles on bubbly creek. Overall this park is a great launching point for inexperienced boaters looking to utilize the Chicago River. Just keep a look out for the occasional speed boat violating the...

Lovely underutilized boat house park at a very wide section of the south branch of the Chicago River. This spot is where the River connects not just with Bubbly Creek, but is also where the Chicago Canal connects to the Chicago River! This is is actually the endpoint of the Canal — which connects the south branch of the Chicago River with the Des Plaines River north of Joliet. The Park District has built a well designed modern boat house and nearby are attractive new condos as well as smaller nicely maintained Chicago neighborhood style homes. It all makes it a really pleasant hangout. Quiet place with beautiful views of the Chicago River/Canal. There’s easy parking along...

This is more a boat/kayak launch than a park in that there is no playground so it would probably not be very fun for small kids. But beauty is where you find it! And there are a lot of things to look at. There is also a free little public library box and a bench so if you want to read near the river this is a decent place to go. There are some short walking paths that go near the river and there are a few flowers and some landscaping but the concrete is a little rough to longboard. It is also connected to some other park paths there is another park with a playground...