You Can Watch Planes Land At This Underrated Park In Illinois
By Linze Rice|Published July 31, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
Like most Americans, I saw “Wayne’s World” in the 1990s, and, like most Chicago-area folks, its many references to life in the Illinois suburbs became a point of pride. A scene that I always cherished was Wayne and Garth’s planespotting convo when the pair lay on top of a car and stare up into the night sky, waiting for a plane to fly over them. As I got older, I became fascinated with airplanes and travel, and recently began to wonder, “Where would be the best place to watch planes around here?” Though Chicago has two international airports — O’Hare and Midway — there’s one in particular with up-close views that can’t be beaten. In fact, I discovered that perhaps the best place to watch planes in Chicago is from a tiny, nearly unknown park just outside the airport’s walls.
Chicago Midway International Airport is located in the Southwest Side neighborhood of Garfield Ridge and first opened in 1927 as a hub for airmail.
Its airfield is shaped like a square, bound by four roadways. It has tall white walls that create a barrier between plane and auto traffic, while bright blue signs welcome visitors at two of the corners.
And while anyone driving even within a few miles of the airport will likely get a great view of passing planes (I live about 15 minutes away and get great peeks of them in my yard!) — there is one place in particular where the views are simply spectacular.
Situated at the corner of West 63rd Street and Cicero Avenue near the southeast corner of the airport is a small park containing paver pathways and beautiful garden landscaping.
One of the coolest aspects of the park, aside from its proximity just feet from the end of the runway, is that its walkways mimic the famous crisscrossing runways at Midway. Here is the park...
And if you get hungry, no worries — there are several local and chain restaurants right there, such as AV Anthony's, 4720 W. 63rd St. — a family-run diner with pizza, ribs, hot dogs, Italian beef, sandwiches, and much more.
So, do you think this spot is the best place to watch planes in Chicago? Where’s your go-to planespotting location? Tell us in the comments! Read on to learn more about the history of Midway, which is one of the oldest airports in the United States.
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