We like to think we have a handle on what's going on in Chicago's real estate world (if we didn't, we wouldn't really be doing our jobs very well, now would we), but that doesn't mean that we don't feel the need to escape from all that skyline every once and a while just to trick ourselves into thinking that we don't live in a city. There are wild animals in the Midwest and seeing them on your biannual visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo doesn't count. We're talking real Chicago wildlife—yes, we concede, Illinois doesn't exactly have exotic species in spades, but Chicago itself has a pretty decent variation of fauna (read: a whole lot of bunnies). Living next to Lake Michigan with its snazzy microclimates does have its own special advantages. Of course, everyone has their own favorite place in Chicagoland to get their outdoorsy on, so we compiled a map of places we think offer some of the best zoology sightings in town, weather permitting. We can't promise anything larger than a coyote, so don't get too excited.

—Arabella Watters