Potter Palmer, Marshall Field, Daniel Burnham, David Adler and Bruce Graham are just a handful of the notable burials at Graceland Cemetery in the Uptown neighborhood. While cemeteries may creep some people out, this one is notable for being a lush, tranquil place for Chicagoans to relax and enjoy the silence. The 2,000 trees and 50 species here are certified by the Morton Arboretum and carefully maintained. Tour the cemetery’s horticulture witnessing White Pine, Crab Apple, Gingko and Silver Maple trees.

This is often the first “secret” park newcomers hear about in Chicago. The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool is simply enchanting. There are Prairie School pavilions and a rocky trail surrounding a serene lily pool. The park wasn’t always a hidden oasis—for a time it was an aviary exhibit at the zoo and then it was closed to the public. A massive restoration lifted the park out of despair and earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark.

The 606 is one of Chicago’s most popular east-west trails. In 2015, an old elevated track was converted into a pedestrian and bike path with greenery and art installations. However, at the western end of the trail is an observatory platform perfect for stargazing. Every second Friday of the month in the spring and summer (the third if weather is an issue), The 606’s resident astronomer Joe Guzman hosts public observation sessions with telescopes.

In 2001, City Hall’s rooftop was turned into a 38,800-square-foot garden to mitigate urban heat island effect. At the time, no one was looking at greenroofing as a solution to this problem. The garden also keeps the building cooler in the summer and absorbs some rainfall before there is runoff into the sewers. Shrubs, vines, flowers and two trees make up 20,000 plants and 150 species that thrive on top of City Hall. While its not open for the public, officials have arranged tours.

The Art Institute is one of the city’s most remarkable institutions, and there is so much to explore. Hiding along Michigan Avenue is the South Garden featuring a sunken plaza with rows of honey locust trees in a raised bed. There’s also a dramatic pool and sculpture, Fountain of the Great Lakes, by Lorado Taft which sits back against a vine-covered wall. A perfect escape from the chaotic Loop.

Once a small airstrip for private jets, the man-made peninsula is a quiet space with walking paths and excellent fishing. During the spring and summer fieldhouse staff will take visitors on a discovery tour of the island’s ecosystem. The 30,000-seat Huntington Bank Pavilion hosts concerts and offers sweeping views of the lakefront and skyline.

Promontory Point offers some of the greatest skyline views in Chicago. The concrete breakwater is popular for sunbathing and biking or running around the area isn’t a bad idea either. In the winter, it becomes an outdoor sculpture garden as the ice forms stunning layers around the shore. While the day here is blissful, if you get here early enough—the sunrises are pure magic.

Located in Jackson Park, the Garden of the Phoenix is actually a remnant of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition that helped put Chicago on the map. The authentic Japanese garden features a moon bridge, Shinto gate, traditional Japanese horticulture, and an art installation from Yoko Ono. The mini waterfall and footbridges across Wooded Island make it a place where you can truly hide out from the city.

The South Shore Cultural Center is a great example of what the South Side has to offer. The sprawling landscape surrounding the center features manicured gardens, a golf course, nature paths, a butterfly garden, and picnic areas. Next to the former country club is a wild, overgrown nature preserve with a fire circle and views of Lake Michigan and the city.

At 280 acres, Big Marsh certainly lives up to its name, but this far southeast side public park—opened in 2016 in the Calumet Area Reserve—is still a relative secret to most locals. The park includes 45 acres of recreation areas designed specifically for mountain and BMX biking and casual trail riding. The rest (234 acres) is a nature preserve great for hiking and bird-watching.

This slag-filled site at the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Calumet River was once home to the massive South Works U.S. Steel manufacturing plant that employed 20,000 workers at its peak. But the steel giant closed in the early ‘90s and the Chicago Park District acquired the vacant land. In 2014, it re-opened as Steelworkers Park—a 16.5-acre lakeside landscape dotted with pleasant walking paths, artifacts of the old U.S. Steel plant, and one of the concrete ore walls has been retrofitted into a 40-foot-tall recreational climbing wall.