Lincoln Park, the green heart of Chicago

There are plenty of birds (herons, seagulls), squirrels in abundance, jumping from branch to branch, and the lakes are also home to a few beavers. Like New York's Central Park, Lincoln Park attracts huge crowds. It is estimated to attract over 20 million visitors a year!

Lincoln Park has a number of attractions:

• Lincoln Park Zoo, this free zoological park is open all year round. Opened in 1868, it is home to a large number of animal species. From polar bears to chimpanzees and zebras, the animals are numerous. In all, more than 1,000 animals can be found here.

Every effort is made to ensure that the environment in which they live resembles their natural habitat as closely as possible. As a bonus, this is one of the last free zoos in the United States. Several food courts and car parks make it easy to explore this Chicago tourist mecca.

• Lincoln Park Botanical Garden, an extraordinary conservatory dating back to 1877! An incredible variety of plants are on display here. The tropical greenhouse (also dating from 1877) is superb and houses tropical vegetation protected from the city's harsh winters!

👉 Booking is essential, so make sure you book well in advance. The Botanical Gardens are located just north of Lincoln Park Zoo.

Lincoln Park also houses two museums:

• The Chicago History Museum: a museum tracing the history and major events of the city since its foundation. Admission charged.
• The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, dedicated to the environment. The exhibitions on butterflies are magnificent. It is run by the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

Finally, there are numerous recreational and sports facilities. There are baseball diamonds, football fields, basketball courts, tennis courts and a golf course. The park also includes marinas for sailing on Lake Michigan.

The Lincoln Hotel, part of Joie de Vivre by Hyatt, is ideally located to the south of Lincoln Park. In fact, you are only a few steps from the park and 400 metres from the zoo.

The rooms are colourful and decorated with works of art. They feature modern comforts such as flat-screen cable TV and an iPod docking station.

Some family suites offer a bedroom with a large double bed and a living room with a sofa bed, ideal for families. The J. Parker bar is located on the roof of the hotel. Enjoy a homemade cocktail with a view of the city...

The Lincoln also has a fitness centre and a dry cleaning service.