Grant Park
Chicago's 'front yard' — the big lakefront green that hosts Lollapalooza and the marathon finish.
The call
Worth it for the right traveler.
Why
- 01
A vast, open lakefront park that's the stage for the city's biggest events and a fine place to lie on the grass with the skyline behind you.
Our read - 02
The catch is that as a day-to-day destination it's somewhat featureless — its best moments are during festivals, and the more designed corners (Millennium, Maggie Daley, Buckingham) are what actually pull visitors.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Think twice if
You are watching the budget
On a budget, weigh it — Grant Park isn't cheap for what it is.
You only have one day
Grant Park is a real time commitment — fit it in only if it's a priority.
You are traveling with kids
With kids, it depends on the day.
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, it depends on the day.
Plan it well
- Cost
- Free
- Timing
- Warm-weather afternoons; check the events calendar, as festivals can close large sections.
- Allow
- 1–2 hours
- Accessibility
- Flat and fully accessible, though distances between corners are long.
- Getting there
- Stretches along the Loop's lakefront; multiple 'L' lines and Metra stops border it.