This spot is definitely a spot you need to stop by to enjoy. If you’re from Chicago and even if you’re not from Chicago, this fountain is awesome and we enjoy when they open it every year! We always try and take the kids and the family up here when it opens for the season.

I love visiting this fountain especially in the summer time! The surrounding plaza is very wide and open so it can be hard to get a photo without other people in the background, but that never stops crowds of folks from staging photo shoots. Night time is such a blast with lots of music playing and rickshaws darting around! Even without any shade, the space tends to stay cool in the summer thanks to the constant mist off of the fountain and the lake breeze. In winter the fountain is turned off, but it is still lovely to see

I love this place as a kid and I love it more so as an adult I always bring my kids to see it I moved away but I come back every summer bring my kids to see this beautiful place they love it.

Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago Landmark in the center of Grant Park, and between Queens Landing and Congress Parkway. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is designed to allegorically represent nearby Lake Michigan. It operates from April to October, with regular water shows and evening color-light shows. During the winter, the fountain is decorated with festival lights.

It was all dried up but still beautiful. This fountain is massive. There is no shade at all. You also get to see a nice view of Chicago city buildings. Located across the street from the water.

I took away a star only because the fountain was off and the water was drained. But the place is beautiful. Little gardens along the way.

Cant come to Chicago and not see this. A must do. Especially at night when they have the patriotic songs playing and water dancing to the songs.

Buckingham Fountain is beautiful. On a hot sunny day is cool around Buckingham Fountain

Very disappointed. I have a ritual to take pictures here each time I go. It wasnt even on whyyyyyy? A shame. This fountain is so beautiful in the day and spectacular at night. Still a great few tho ...Next time... I guess

Certainly a Chicago classic! Great to relax and take amazing pictures. Better than Millenium Park, in my opinion! The water view is just great! Feels like home!

Very clean and lovely lake view, and also very special rose garden

Its an AWESOME place where you can see the Sky line, fountain, beach nearby together. I have visited during July 4 so I had an opportunity of capturing a Firework from the Shore as well as Panoramic and Night View of the fountain. Have a Blissful visit!!

Always busy here but thats not a bad thing. Great park, great views & a good place to work out with all the paths that run along the lake. A good place to plan a meet up, a picnic, or any other social event with friends/family. Just keep in mind that plenty of other people will have the same idea you do!

It is sooooo beautiful here. You will be sooooo mesmerized by the lake and boats i know i was ..so much that i wanted a closer look i noticed the water was going over the edge and into the concrete so i decided to take my shoes off and let the water reach my feet but when i took a step closer i slipped and fell righ on my butt ...please be careful, i hurt my tailbone bad and still in a lot of pain

The lakeshore, landscaping, architecture, sculpture, history, location and people watching are fantastic! And it is free! Don’t park illegally anywhere in Chicago including here as it takes all of 5 minutes to get a ticket.

The Summer has come and gone...and yet, my thirst remains unquenched during this Pandemic. Every fountain, dry as a bone and left alone. No lightshows, no oohs and ahhs, no screams of delight as the wind takes the founts spray into the audience. Only the sound of traffic passing by and sirens wailing into the night. Our fair city survived The Great Fire and yet, Not once did They light it up, shoot a jet of water into the air; not even to show that Chicago is still here, still alive. We await the Fall season with our glasses fogged up, half-full. For we do not want to imagine what the Winter will bring.

Summer is here when the fountain is on! What a beautiful Chicago landmark and a must see during my tour of the city for friends who visit the city! You must stop by, take your pictures and revisit at night to see the beautiful colors and ambiance. There are benches around for you to enjoy the view or people watch. Whatever you like, this is the best place to sit and take a breather!

Pretty sure this Fountain is part of Grant Park. But I broke down right in front of the fountain wheres the city of Chicago told me for no charge to service station and I was able to find a mechanic to immediately fix my car. Its the only reason Im writing a great because prior to getting towed it was getting a little bit creepy out there lots of people in the middle of the night lurking around lots of crazy things being heard by me as far as like little screens and arguments. So the one hand is at 5 and the other hand it said?

It is STUNNING. Im not usually a fan of fountains. Its just water and art right? But the obvious love that went into crafting it. The well worn rails from people observing. Get their early for photos without visitors.

BEAUTIFUL!!!! Its even more beautiful seeing a wedding scenery setup by the fountain and rose garden area. Its just breathtaking! I will go again when possible. This is my favorite spot to hangout and just enjoy the scenery.

I have been there this past summer and was astonished by the serenity of the place. The fountain itself is pleasant and the views of skyline adds beauty to it. If you visit on a summer evening around sunset you get to view pink skies, great skyline and the beautifully lit up fountain adding charm.we went to a food festival here so the place was cramped yet once it lit up we forgot all of it. I have to chicago a number of times but never made it to this place. Glad I finally could make it.

Beautiful park and fountain, it lights up @night and music is played throughout the park. Well kept clean grounds. Great view of the city. Parking is very expensive $13 for fours hours!

What a great little gem tucked up in the hills! Perfect for picnics, casual walks or an easy run around the lake.

I had a wonderful time visiting here would definitely recommend visiting this place.The center piece of Grant Park is Buckingham Fountain, one of the worlds largest fountains. The fountain, built in a rococo wedding cake style, was dedicated in 1927 as a gift to the city from Kate Sturges Buckingham in memory of her brother Clarence. The fountain operates seasonally, generally from May to October, with water displays every 20 minutes and a light and water display from 9:00-10:00 p.m.Proudly referred to as Chicagos Front Yard, Grant Park totals 312.98 acres and is a public park located in Chicago’s central business district in the Loop Community area. Grant Park’s most notable features include Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus.A city centerpiece much like New York’s Central Park, Grant Park is home to some of Chicagos most iconic landmarks and attractions. The park includes Museum Campus, the site of world-class museums the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Grant Parks centerpiece is the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, built in 1927 to provide a monumental focal point while protecting the parks breathtaking lakefront views.Grant Park is also home to baseball diamonds, tennis courts and breathtaking gardens. The park plays host to some the citys largest food and music festivals, including The Taste of Chicago — a large food and music festival held around the Independence Day holiday — and The Grant Park Music Festival. Grant Park is also the site of the start and finish lines for the Chicago Marathon and Lollapalooza, a popular outdoor music festival.Grant Park has been the site of many large, historic civic events. In 1911, it hosted the major Chicago International Aviation Meet. In 1968, it was the scene of clashes between Chicago Police and demonstrators during the Democratic National Convention. In 1979, Pope John Paul II delivered an outdoor mass to a large crowd in the par,k, and in the 1990s, championship celebrations for the Chicago Bulls were staged here. The park was also the location for President Barack Obamas Election Day victory speech on the night of November 4, 2008.Named for U.S. President and Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant, Grant Park was developed as one of Chicagos first parks and expanded through land reclamation. The park was the focus of several disputes in the late 1800s and early 1900s over open space use. It is bordered on the north by Randolph Street, on the south by Roosevelt Road, on the west by Michigan Avenue and on the east by Lake Michigan.Grant Park offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is crossed by large boulevards and pedestrian bridges are used to connect Millennium Park and Maggie Daley so that patrons may cross S. Columbus Drive with ease. There are also several parking garages underneath the park, near Michigan Avenue.

One the most beautiful places i have seen. Amazing fountain in an awesome park. Perfect to spend sometime during summer

I was here for the first time for a BTS fan group photo and was really blown away by how beautiful this fountain was. It was the perfect spot to meet up, and had the space to be able to do so many fun activities. The areas surrounding the fountain were also beautifully maintained. Well done management!

Incredible view of the Lake Michigan and the city skyline. Just minutes away from the Bean. Good place to hang around and chill. There’s a trail connecting the city and aquarium/planetarium, walk or bike with amazing views.

Looks like a good place to visit, but because it is winter here, the fountain is shut down. Took some pics in the snow, but not your regular pictures posted. I enjoyed it even though no water. Enjoy!

Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago landmark in the center of Grant Park. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a Rocky rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is meant to allegorically represent Lake Michigan. It operates from April to October, with regular water shows and evening color-light shows. During the winter, the fountain is decorated with festival lights (source: Wikipedia)

If you arent from the area this is a must. The fountain is beautiful. Even the pavers are nice to look at! Its a nice feature to walk past to cool off on a hot day or just sit by and take in the atmosphere. The only way you can go wrong is by not stopping by.

Its a beautiful spot! The fountain is breathtaking with a fantastic view of the skyline behind it. The park area surrounding it is just as beautiful. I never realized there was a small rose garden before the fountain. Definitely a sight worth seeing, and great backdrop for portraits/photography shoots. Definitely a must visit if you’re downtown Chicago in the summer! It’s a huge open platform area with a huge fountain in the middle that is just the perfect, beautiful place on a hot summer day. It’s very huge and just beautiful and when the wind blows, you get the mist on your face and it feels so good. Sometimes they play beautiful classical music there and you feels so grand with the beautiful music and the huge fountain! It’s right across the street from the lake so from there I’d recommend to cross the street and take a walk along the lake to the shed aquarium or to navy pier. The fountain is definitely one of my favorite summer spots in Chicago. In the evening it even light up with all these different color and looks so cool!

I enjoyed spending my time around this massive fountain. Its one of the best water fountains in the states was there before the sunset, and when its started getting dark the fountain became stunning with the colorful lights, the classical music playing in the background, and the spectacular view of Lake Michigan and the skyscrapers of Chicago. And when it shoots water up in the sky you think its raining.

I grew up watching married with children so seeing the fountain in person was a highlight to my trip! Not to mention I caught it when it was shooting high... sooo beautiful!

It was Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a Rocky rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is meant to allegorically represent Lake Michigan. It operates from April to October, with regular water shows and evening color-light shows. During the winter, the fountain is decorated with festival lights. It is extremely beautiful

Stunning! You will not be disappointed! There are music, kiosk and plenitude of places that you can take pictures, see the lake and have a truly Chicagoan experience!

Not so popular but a must see attraction in downtown Chicago. The beautiful fountain overlooking the Lake Michigan is a great photo spot. The background high rises give extra charm to this site. The fountains look even more charming evening into night when the light display starts. Not too much food options around and its not too crowded. The hop on hop off bus tour has a stop for it . So make sure to stop for some memorable photos

Love the fountain. Finally got to see it running. In the winter, it is too cold to run it. Beautiful.

It seems to be an underrated point of interest, I highly suggest that you visit; it is not too busy compared to the bean -- the mist coming from the fountain is great on hot summer days. The fountain is about a 10 minutes walk from the bean.

It would have been better if it were on.

A beautiful place to visit while visiting the Grant Park area. The Fountain is huge with water spewing every where from the main fountain to the statues and jets that surround the fountain while your engulfed by the excellent views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. I especially like to visit at night when the city and fountain are all lit up, its spectacular, there is a light and music show around 9pm. The Fountain is open from 8am to 11pm seasonally, I think May through Sept. There is a fast food/bar locate in the area as well as rest rooms. Also, if you are driving there is metered parking on the street and nearby parking garages.

Beautiful fountain, reminds me of Versailles a little bit. They were setting up for Lollapalooza as I was traveling through but its still impressive how high that water shoots up into the sky. You also get a nice view of the skyline near here.

It’s is a beautiful place as part of the must go places in Chicago. We went during the summer so it was very pleasant to be near the water.

Cute water fountain! Very large, there are lights at night. There were ppl that were selling kids toys in that courtyard. There is a nice breeze in that area.

This place gets just as crowded as the bean but for good reason. Its HUGE and gorgeous. With the lake and the city as a backdrop, its a must see.

This is the location for the finish area for the Chicago Marathon. Ran this race on 10-23-19 and was a little cold this day. The park and the area is very nice and a great looking fountain.

Great place to relax, especially around sunset. You can enjoy the music and the show. It is a great photo opportunity!

One of the best and biggest water fountain I ever saw. Wish we saw it at night. Worth the trip there.

Just a peaceful & relaxing site near Lake Michigan. Perfect for tourist & photographers. Must see when visiting the city, great historic,iconic of Chicago

In continuation from my account of my visit to the city of Chicago - next we started walking our way out from the Millennium Park. Although the roads are quite busy, but walking on the sidewalks and through the park was a pleasant experience. The best part was they have placed road maps on the streets, which are a useful guide.The Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain - is the largest fountains in the world. There is a beautiful display from the fountain at regular intervals.The fountain in itself is a beautiful piece of architecture and is one of the major landmarks of Chicago.It is said that the fountain was donated by Kate S.Buckingham in honor of her brother Clarence.Kate was an art patron and a philanthropist and was the last of the Buckingham family.There is the Grant park in less than 500 meters - which is heavily planted with trees and blooming flowers. The pathways have a special charisma and have been designed in such a way that they bring out the photographer in you to capture the beauty.The fountain is surrounded by a good number of hotels, I believe - the Congress Hotel was easy to spot nearby.There are few benches where you could just let yourself get sunk in the view. :)Just have a look at the first picture - fountain with the surrounding high rise buildings,picturesque isnt it?!Cheers to life!!~Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! :)

Fun and relaxing place for kids and adults. Summer time Chi Fun. Went for the taste of Chicago event and had a lot of fun.

Love Buckingham fountain in Chicago. Beautiful backdrop of downtown Chicago and a nice walk through Millennium Park to get to this. Pick a sunny day in summer to check it out.

Such a beautiful landmark in the heart of Chicago. It is located right on Grant Park and is a must visit to everyone. The Fountain represents Lake Michigan with four sets of sea horses symbolizing the four states that border the lake.You can visit in with daylight to appreciate the lake front and also at night to watch the light show.

The fountain was not running when we were there..but the place had some great views of lake Michigan. If you cross the lake shore drive you can get up close to the chilling water. Good for visit on a sunny day.

Gorgeous! A must add to your sight seeing when visiting chicago! Not too busy either so you can get your pics in.

Great viewing spot in Chicago. Beautiful on a sunny day!

What a fabulous place. Built in 1927 its probably one of the largest water fountain in the world. Operates from April to October. Live the height of water it throws up and it signifies lake Michigan. There are 2 cute restaurant shaks to enjoy the view with a chilled beer and ice cream as well

Great skyline view for those IG/SC photos. The fountain itself is amazing! Warning Splash Zone on east side when in full effect!

Great atmosphere, one of the best places to be in the greatest city in the world.

Neat outdoor space and fountain shoots high it is a must see in summer

Because of COVID-19, it’s not open yet.

No one tell us it’s closed!! Since COVID-19Also, they close the water and all fountains after labor day every year

I had seen pictures of the fountain but didnt really understand just how expansive the fountain was. The water was shooting so high up in the air and it was a gorgeous day to snap a photo.The water was nearby so you can have that as the backdrop or you can take a photo with the skyscrapers in the background.As I walked past the fountain, I felt the wind blow the mist into me.A sight to see!

Interesting place to visit. Beauty view of the lake. It was cold. I’d like to go back when it’s warmer. Chicago has become gentrified so it’s a completely different place downtown. It feels safer but don’t be comfortable. Be aware and hyper vigilant.

Was shutdown due to Covid.

Its a nice fountain, not too crowded, at least during the time of year we went (December), and it was a great photo opportunity. It was also on our way to the Field Museum so it was a nice little scenic stop. Over all, very nice monument and very interesting to see.

Really cool fountain! Came here when I was on vacation and it did not disappoint! The park is really nice as well. Great for pictures and you can just walk to the navy pier. Really cool place! Also, there are views of the Chicago Skyline everywhere.

A Sunday walk or visit. Lovely place to visit.

This huge fountain is an icon of Chicago. A must-see place, especially at night when there was a show of light and music on the water. It is good to take a picture or two in this place, but that is all about it. Otherwise, it is closed to many other attraction places around downtown Chicago and the Lake of Michigan like the Art Institute of Chicago, Navy Pier, and Shedd Aquarium.

Beautiful park to visit in the city. The fountain is beautiful to look at. It was my first time visiting from Arizona.

Summertime chill! A great park to walk around!

Must visit if you have kids or if there kid in you is still alive :D directly in front of lake Michigan and one of the coolest, openest spots to hang out during summer for sure!

Beautiful place but no in winter lol. You ca see all the buildings from here. The view is amazing.

Nice area beautiful scenery located right next to lake Michigan. Not as crowded as the Bean but it definitely had plenty of wedding and sweet 15 parties.

This place is gorgeous, just in front of the lake. Vibes are amazing, It´s a great place to visit and relax.

I love the down town area of Chicago. Its truly a beautiful part of the City and Buckingham Fountain is gorgeous! And may I add breezy on a hot summer day...

Even though, it is super touristy, yet it is one of the best places to visit in Chicago. Waterfront, shows, amazing views of skyline makes it a perfect place to visit. Best place to relax after work. Good pickup point if you like to take pedal cabs. Parking can be nightmare. However, there are few on Wabash ave like loop auto parks which provide cheap parking spots. Definitely recommended for anyone in Chicago.

Gorgeous fountain! Good luck getting a nice couple shot without others in your picture through on a nice day. I had the perfect shot but this one Asian dude refused to get out of the frame and ignored me when I asked him. I had to crop him out

Beautiful atmosphere. Breathtaking View.

Is it beautiful? Yes. Is it slightly overrated? Also yes.

Beautiful park, I wish fountain was running.

Beautiful fountain day or night. I would recommend visiting at night if you can but its gorgeous anytime.My only complaint has nothing to do with the fountain. Its based on the bike trolleys. They need to turn OFF their music and allow people to just experience nature and the sounds of the water.

Really looked like it would be beautiful if it had been turned on

Beautifully preserved, historical Chicago landmark! The fountain is on view all year but the fountain is only operational during the warm seasons, usually end of April through mid-October. Chicago Police often patrols the area, keeping it safe for visitors.At night, the fountain lights up and music plays in the immediate area. Again, this is only during the warm seasons. Its a nice place to just chill out. Please keep Chicago clean & utilize the garbage cans when visiting, thanks!Quick Story: When I was little, I first saw Buckingham Fountain on the show Married With Children and told my dad that I wanted to move from Los Angeles and live in Chicago! He laughed at me and said, Kid, you dont know what youre talking about! Several years later, after my time in the military, I stayed true to my childhood wish and moved to Illinois.Whos laughing now? ;) LOL

One Chicagos beautiful landmarks,a must see for all visitors!

Nice big, clean area with lots of benches. Unfortunately the fountain was not on.

Its a lovely, quiet fountain. The park was closed to prepare for Lalapalooza (1 week in advance ), so the fountain was all we got to see but its nice.

Beautiful place to hang out with friends. Endless photo ops. One of my favorite spots in the city.

Relaxing place hearing the fountain enjoying lights and waters movements

Beautiful fountain but at certain times it shoots the water WAY higher making it rain all over the walking areas.

Beautiful area to visit. unfortunately there was no water running or flowing when I visited. it wasnt even that cold so that was disappointing but its still very beautiful. I hope to come visit again when its nicer so I can see it in its full glory. but there are nice benches around so you can sit there and people watch or see performances there.

Oh my goodness, beautiful!!Must go to if you are in the city, incredible.

Best public place in Chicago night times. But it will be closed after mid October. Its a good hang out spot.

Magnificent view of Chicago.Should come again in Summer to see the wafer fountain.

Bucks, the boozy concession stand is open now, but the fountain has been drained all summer.the park is huge though, quantity over quality. Chill spot for being the center of the city though.

Very beautiful place. Recommended you go if make an stop by in Chicago. One of the few places you may go in your visit in that area. Have a wonderful experience reading books especially the Bible. Your will find a spiritual renovation. Nowadays when things change fast and time almost is not enough, please enjoy every second of this finite life.

We had souch fun there we went at night and even got on one of those bike cabin rides. Love the park and the fountain

Gorgeous fountain and huge! A great spot to take pictures of the city in the background. It is a busy place, so you have to be patient if you want to take a picture with minimal people in it. Because of it size I recommend using a wide angle or a Gopro. A must see while in Chicago.

Its the most wonderful place in Chicago city. Its a big parc located in the center of Chicago. There, you can have a relaxing moment, to see different flying everywhere, its a ️ place. If you are near at 7:00 oclock you can enjoy the landscape and its beautiful colors.

Five stars. We had a blast!

It was rainy, but the fountain was beautiful. Also, we caught a ton of Pokemon.