Grant Park is a protective curve of green by Lake Michigan, stretched over 300 acres of modular verdant rectangles of landscaped shrubs and hedges. A walk along its paved walkways wedged between the gardens and the endless blue will bring you across 23 miles of parkland. Initially intended to mirror the delicate elegance of the gardens of Versailles, the park has since been injected with the vitality and inquisitive spirit of Chicago. A simple stroll will bring you past curious installations of art, both transient and permanent, in bronze, steel and stone. Walk up to the Art Institute of Chicago, guarded by the watchful gaze of a copper maned lion, before you explore the aisles of one of the oldest historical archive of America. Park benches and picnic grounds abound within Millennium Park, known for its public installations dashed with modernistic flair. If you’re in for a more laid back outing with the family, grab a kite instead and feel the constant breeze as it carries these colorful contraptions into the air. As the last rays of light give way to the still and chilly night, stop by the majestic Buckingham Fountain for an orchestrated spectacle of lights and sounds. Grant Park has quickly grown to serve as an oasis that has long since discarded its veil of secrecy, much to the delight of both tourists and locals.