While I was in Chicago, I hoped to see the famous Millenium Park, which holds one of the most popular attractions in the city, Cloudgate. I had seen it in pictures and movies, but I was so excited to see it in person! It was fun exploring the park, and it’s a great place to relax and enjoy an afternoon.
Getting there:
Getting to Millenium Park was very easy, and it took only fifteen minutes to walk and roll there from our hotel. The park is super accessible and so much bigger than I realized—in fact, it’s over 24 acres. This space is very friendly for wheelchair exploring. It has wide, smooth, and flat paths, multiple accessible entrances, and ramps to all of the popular sights. There are also maps around the area, which is handy when you need to find ramps. Accessible bathrooms can be found in parts of the park, making it convenient for wheelchair users. If you want to drive, there are many parking spaces along the street, however, due to the park’s popularity, they can be full.
Wide and smooth paths Maps on the main streetcorners Nice gentle inclines on the ramps
Sights to see:
Cloudgate, created by Anish Kapoor in 2004, is one of the most popular attractions in the park─as it draws 12 million tourists a year! Commonly referred to by its nickname “the bean”, it’s a great spot to head to for pictures and shade. Going inside Cloudgate was so much cooler than I thought it would be. Because the sculpture is 33 feet high and 66 feet long, there was plenty of room to roll around and watch myself on the reflective metal.
However, Cloudgate is not the only must-see. Make sure you don’t miss Crown Fountain, comprised of two 50 feet tall blocks with digitally displayed faces of Chicago citizens. The day we visited was hot, so it was really nice to roll through and cool off near the water. It’s a good spot if you just want to feel your feet in the refreshing water, but it’s also entertaining to watch the faces slowly change. Some faces are simply staring straight ahead, while others have their mouths open and water begins to fountain out the side of the block, making it seem as if the mouths are squirting water.
I had a great time taking in these two attractions, but there are still many more to see! The Great Lawn in Pritzker Pavilion is often open for concerts and shows, and you can enjoy sitting on the grass or in your chair to listen. It’s a great place to enjoy the impressive Chicago skyline. There are plenty of paved spaces around the lawn, and there is ample green space to enjoy.
Seating:
There is an abundance when it comes to seating areas. Benches are located everywhere around the park, along with magnificent views of the Bean, the Great Lawn, and much more. Many of these seating areas are easy to get to and are clean.
Final Note:
Millennium Park is tons of great, free fun. With so much to do and see, it’s no wonder it’s so popular! With so much thought put into accessibility, this park definitely can be marked as awesome. And the next time I come, there will be even more to explore and share with you all!
Anna’s Top 5:
