The 200-acre park Humboldt Park is so much more than a big green oasis breaking up the dense urban landscape of the West Side. It has a picturesque lagoon (alligator free since 2019) and the city’s only inland beach, plus a boat rental service where $30 buys you an hour on a swan-shaped paddle boat that gives New York’s Central Park experience a run for its money. The best part is that even in the middle of this pristine slice of nature, you’re reminded that you’re privileged to be in the Puerto Rican capital of the Midwest. There’s no better way to spend a summer Sunday than to buy a jibarito, relleno, or pastelillo from the generator-powered food stand at the park’s southeast corner, pack a paddle-boat picnic, and float to the tumbao beats of the old-timers who bring their conga drums out to play. 1440 N. Humboldt Blvd., Humboldt Park