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    Buckingham Fountain

    4.5 (417 reviews)
    Closed • 8:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Buckingham Fountain Photos

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    Dave T.

    Iconic Chicago spot to visit while in town. Beautiful fountain located in Grant Park. As I watched the fountain all I could think of is the beginning theme of married with children...lol. Another free attraction to see

    Wendy F.

    Large and beautiful fountain for all to enjoy and see. There's a few benches surrounding it so you can take a moment and enjoy the scenery. You can look out at the lake from here as well and stroll around the roses. Stunning views!

    Ariel W.

    If you are vising Chicago, this is one of the not to be missed iconic landmarks. The Buckingham Fountain is managed by the Chicago Park District is one of largest fountains in the world. It features impressive water displays and stunning architecture in the beautiful setting of Grant Park. The Buckingham Fountain was built at a cost of $750,00 and it was dedicated on August 12, 1927. Philanthropist Kate Buckingham donated the funds for the fountain as a tribute to her brother, Clarence who was an art collector of Japanese prints. Kate collected medieval sculpture, tapestries, and decorative arts. In addition to the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain she also donated a statue honoring Alexander Hamilton in Lincoln Park and her family's art collection to the Art Institute of Chicago. Clarence Buckingham had been a governing member and a trustee of the Art Institute and Kate was influenced by his association with the institution. The Buckingham Fountain was designed by architect Edward H. Bennett in a classic Art Deco style out of pink marble. The sculptural elements were created by French artist Marcel Loyau. The fountain resembles a rococo style wedding cake and was inspired by the Bassin de Latone and modeled on the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles in France. The fountain symbolizes the vastness of Lake Michigan, with four groups of bronze seahorses representing the four states bordering the lake: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The fountain is able to propel 14,000 gallons of water per minute. At night the fountain comes alive with lights and dancing water jets. The fountain is known for being featured in the opening of the television show, Married with Children. The Buckingham Fountain stands as a symbol of Kate Buckingham's philanthropic generosity and her love for her brother and the City of Chicago. Enjoy a picnic one one of the well maintained lawns and seating areas near the fountain where you are to create a lasting memory in the heart of Chicago. I will always treasure my visit.

    So neat!!!
    Lisa L.

    Still five stars. It's running today and it's very crowded. Great to see so many people enjoying it!

    Andrea U.

    This is a prominent landmark in Grant Park & one of the largest fountains in the world, symbolizing the enormity of nearby Lake Michigan. It uses as much as 15,000 gallons of water per minute. While in operation, the Fountain produces a major water display for :20 on the hour. During the major display, a center jet shoots water 150 feet into the air. In 1927, the fountain was a gift from Kate Buckingham to honor her brother, it is a testament to their family's philanthropy. The fountain's design is in the Beaux-Arts style, with decorative details and bronze sculptures, particularly the four seahorses representing the states bordering Lake Michigan.

    Nick G.

    Stopped by Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park after seeing The Bean and Crown Fountain. The scale of it is impressive, with the water shooting high into the air and the city skyline as a backdrop. On a clear day it's a great place to sit for a bit, take photos, and enjoy the view. The fountain runs on a schedule, so catching the larger water displays adds to the experience. It's also lit up at night from what I heard, which makes it worth seeing more than once. Bathrooms are also available on site. A classic Chicago landmark that's easy to fit into a walk through the park.

    Buckingham fountain
    Roger M.

    Wow - amazing fountain - I think more amazing that it fits right into the surroundings of the Chicago skyline - like it's so belongs here! All I gotta say is you gotta see it to really enjoy it. It was donated by Kate Buckingham, who the fountain is named after of course. Is in the shape of a wedding cake spouting and cascading waters all about. Per Wikipedia one of the largest fountains in the world so wiki can be wrong but it's a damn big big fountain in a darn big big big city.

    Brad G.

    It's a fountain! This reminds me of the grandiose fountain in Philly. I love it! The only difference is the lack of shade and park area. It sits right next to Grant/Millennium Park but it's well away from any trees. The fountain in Philly seems like it was built with every intention of constructing a park around it and having it hug the fountain. This place could be that but it's just wide open and sun baked. There are a few tree areas close by but you might as well be elsewhere because they don't make you feel like you're visiting the fountain. I was actually surprised by how empty it was around the fountain. It was in the mid-60s to mid-70s while we were in Chicago. It was perfect weather to be hanging out at the fountain but with little shade. Since this is further south in the park, I feel like it might not get noticed as much as Cloud Gate and things on the north side. Even without the shade, this is absolutely a spot worth trekking to.

    No water
    Trevor C.

    Buckingham Fountain is absolutely stunning and a must-see in Chicago. The size, but unfortunately it was closed and empty for cleaning. Nonetheless the skyline backdrop make it the perfect photo spot. Whether you visit during the day or catch it lit up at night, it's a beautiful and iconic experience.

    Kathleen A.

    Finally rolled through Chicago when the fountain was on and it did not disappoint. Shooting high in the sky and spraying people down on a hot Chicago day. I think this fountain was worth the wait. Yeah, I grew up watching Married With Children so there was a certain nostalgia that came with the visit but that is fine by me! Reminded me of that episode where Kelly was on the trivia show but her brain was full and every nonsensical thing she learned pushed on eof the trivia answers out of her brain. What an episode!

    View of the city from Buckingham Fountain.
    Tim S.

    I really wanted to see the "Married with Children" Fountain so I made my way down here. I paid for parking at the Millennium Garage and walked a couple blocks down here to see the fountain in action......or so I thought. I got there and see a sign that says it doesn't open until next weekend (May 10th, 2025). Lame! I was a week early. Still cool to see though, and the park its in would be an awesome place to hang out and walk in if it wasn't so cold outside.

    Lana E.

    Super gorgeous fountain! We caught it at the perfect time when the spray was extremely high! The area around is large and spacious. This is the perfect place to walk! Just past the fountain you can take a water taxi ride back to your desired destination.

    James L.

    Popularized back in the late 80's to mid-90s in the opening sequence of the "Married with Children" TV show, Buckingham Fountain has been a historical landmark in Chicago since philanthropist Kate S. Buckingham donated it back in 1927. Almost in the center of Grant Park, it is worth a visit to observe as the mechanical jets manipulate the water into all manner of ariel acrobatics, with some water streams shooting water up to 150 feet into the air. There are benches lining the perimeter of the fountain to appreciate the spectacle; which also provides a nice respite from the hours of walking which tourists usually engage when in Chicago. We weren't able to return in the evening when decorative lights accompany the water show, but it was still lovely to visit during the daytime. So do as visitors and locals do and stop by, snap a few pics and then upload to your social media platform of choice.

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    Pretty tame for a prominent landmark. Nothing very special, but it's cool at the very least.

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    Page 1 of 11

    Buckingham Fountain Reviews in Other Languages

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    Review Highlights - Buckingham Fountain

    “Yes, this is the fountain we all remember from the opening credits of "Married With Children." I'm getting old.”

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    Skydeck - NEVER FORGET (look closely)

    Skydeck

    3.5(958 reviews)
    0.9 mi•The Loop

    Skydeck Chicago was amazing! I went for my scheduled 2 PM visit and was actually surprised that it…read morewasn't too crazy busy. Once you check in, you go through a museum-like walkthrough that covers Chicago's history as well as the history of the Sears/Willis Tower. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop and take pictures along the way. Once you reach the end of the walkthrough, you head up 103 floors to the Skydeck. As soon as I walked in, I was honestly blown away. Even though the building was once the tallest in the world, it's still such an incredible experience to see the entire city of Chicago from that high up. The skyline is absolutely breathtaking, and you can even see Lake Michigan from the top. It also wasn't too crowded when I went, which made the experience even better. I was able to do the Ledge as well, where you can step out onto the glass and take pictures and videos. You get up to 90 seconds when it's your turn, and you can get back in line if you want to go again. Everything was exactly as described, and I'm so glad I got to visit again for the second time as an adult. I also got my ticket through CityPASS Chicago, and the whole process was super smooth with no hiccups. Definitely one of the highlights of my Chicago trip and a place I'd recommend checking out, especially if it's your first time in the city!

    We started our Chicago adventures by visiting the sky deck and Willis Tower. We had a great time…read morelearning about the history of Chicago. We purchased city pass tickets since we were visiting for a couple of days and chose the sky deck as one of our activities. They recommend making a reservation through the app so you can book the time you'd like to visit. Once we were in we went through the experience where we got to see exhibits and take fun pictures throughout. From there we took the elevator to the 103 floor to see the sky deck. The views of the city are super beautiful and of course we have to get our fun photos from the ledge!

    Photos
    Skydeck - Use your phone flash!

    Use your phone flash!

    Skydeck - Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Skydeck - Our friend living his best life

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    Our friend living his best life

    Chicago Riverwalk - PS. Chicago I love you.

    Chicago Riverwalk

    4.6(273 reviews)
    0.9 mi•The Loop

    The Chicago Riverwalk was one of our favorite things to do in Chicago. It was also very convenient…read moreto reach from our hotel because we were on the Loop and our room faced the Riverwalk. We got some great photos! Be sure to put this fabulous and popular activity on your List of Things to Do. There are many wonderful restaurants, bars, shops, great architecture buildings, great views, as well as the river cruise boats to see as you walk along. There are benches along the way as well as people sitting stairs to rest. It is about a mile + to walk. The Chicago Riverwalk starts at Lake Michigan (near Lake Shore Drive) on the east and ends at Lake Street on the west. It takes between 20 to 30 minutes to walk it without any stopping.

    The Chicago Riverwalk is a beautiful place to walk along the river, and it would be easy to spend a…read morefew hours stopping for tapas snacks and bar hopping from one place to the next. We visited around 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday, and it was already becoming very crowded. The walkway was easy to navigate, but the number of people made it feel much less peaceful. Even the river itself was busy with tour boats and other traffic. We stopped at The Northman but skipped trying anywhere else because of the crowds. I would visit earlier in the day or on a weekday for a more relaxed experience. After seeing how busy it was, I also decided I would rather rent a boat and cruise along the river than fight the weekend crowds on foot. The Riverwalk is worth experiencing, but your timing will significantly affect how much you enjoy it.

    Photos
    Chicago Riverwalk - 07.04.25 view of the Chicago River and the RiverWalk from Michigan Avenue Bridge

    07.04.25 view of the Chicago River and the RiverWalk from Michigan Avenue Bridge

    Chicago Riverwalk - Rainy day today

    Rainy day today

    Chicago Riverwalk - Wrigley and Tribune buildings.

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    Wrigley and Tribune buildings.

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres

    3.4(27 reviews)
    18.1 mi

    Can you turn the freaking air on? Maybe at least the fan to circulate air. If you want to watch a…read moremovie in great seats but hot stuffy air and warm and musty this is your place. I get times are tough but it makes for a miserable experience

    When we were looking for a local cinema to see Ne Zha 2 for the second time, this time with English…read moredubbing, we were happy to find Landmark at the Glen! It replaced Arclight which was in a decline. The cinema had been renovated 2 years ago. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the cinema was pretty quiet. There were big kiosks for ticket purchases, and the process was quick and easy. We got a small bag (which was not too small) for $10 plus tax, a little pricy for popcorn, but it was good. The popcorn guy was friendly, and he also doubled as the guy to collect our ticket stubs, and informed us which cinema room to go to. We were there for the preview of the movie, and we got the entire cinema #5 to the 3 of us! While the lobby and hallways of the cinema was nice and cool, this room was a little too warm. We totally understood that they would not cool down an entire room when there was no audience inside. I went to talk to the popcorn guy about the air temperature issue, and he promised to have it adjusted. As I went back to the cinema room. We could feel that cool air started to come out, and it was comfortable for the rest of the showing. The chairs were big, clean, and comfortable. Sound and picture were great. The movie itself was enjoyable just like the first time, and the English dubbing was perfect. The entire cinema was very clean. I was especially pleased with their restrooms being spotless clean. There is a bar in the lobby, and across from it was the biggest poster I've ever seen in a cinema lobby, it was a colorful digital poster of Ne Zha 2, very appropriate for such a spectacular movie. When we left the cinema after seeing the movie, there was another guy at the hallway collecting ticket stubs, and there was obviously more audience coming in. We enjoyed this cinema experience very much, and would definitely return to see other movies in the future.

    Photos
    Landmark Theatres - Kiosks in the lobby

    Kiosks in the lobby

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres - Front doors

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    Front doors

    Buckingham Fountain - landmarks - Updated October 2026

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