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Millennium Park

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caseyrunyan
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Millennium Park

  • August 2, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Iono from Durham, North Carolina
Millennium Park

It's a huge park, at least 10 blocks in length and width. There is ample parking underneath the park.

The park has an outdoor concert pavilion (all shows are free), a terraced garden, several large fountains, the huge Buckingham fountain, a playing pool, and of course the "Bean".

The concerts are great, often including famous and nationally touring artists, in addition to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (one of the best in the world). The terraced garden can be relaxing if the weather permits, but often it is very hot in downtown Chicago. The fountains are very pretty. In addition you can see "the Bean" a mirror-shined metal sculpture which melts the sky with the earth you stand on. This very fun to see and play around.

There is also the Millennium Park walkway, which is a metal/architectural stairway/walkway.

Also try to see the Facial fountains, which I described above.

From journal My Times in Chicago

Editor Pick

Millennium Park

  • July 27, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by crolsen from Fairfax, Virginia
Millennium Park

No tourist can come to Chicago and miss out on Millennium Park--it has some of the most people-friendly works of art I've seen as well as the requisite lawns and trees. One of Chicago's icons is the giant "bean," a huge silver sculpture on the edge of the park facing Michigan Avenue. It's hard to resist taking photos of your reflection in the smooth silver surface and playing "Where's Waldo?" Be sure to walk underneath it and get the kaleidoscope effect of seeing hundreds of your own face. During the summer, it seems to get pretty crowded, but it's also a good spot to people watch. There are picnic tables and benches surrounding it, as well as a refreshment stand, so it's a good place to take a break on a hot day.

My second favorite part of Millennium Park is the face towers, two tall towers of glass cubes that cover some kind of digital screens that display various faces of Chicagoans. It's fascinating to watch these faces as they change expressions and look right back at you, then purse their lips as a fountain of water shoots out of their mouth. I could watch it for hours! Guidebooks will tell you the details of how it all works, but I'll tell you that it's a great experience in a relaxing sense. It's almost interactive (and really can be if you feel like joining the kids splashing around in the shallow water between the two towers).

Other than that, check out the huge silver stage structure, then kick off your shoes and lounge on the lawn. Grant Park is all towards the south of Millennium Park, so head that way and get your snapshots in front of another great Chicago icon--Buckingham Fountain. Of course, it's all free!

From journal Quenching Travel Urges Without Leaving Chicago

Editor Pick

Millennium Park

  • July 17, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by stvchin from Tustin, California
Millennium Park

Millennium Park is in the heart of downtown Chicago. It's a 25 acre park that lies in between Randolph, Jackson, Columbus, and Michigan. It sits directly north of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The park features art exhibits, music festivals, and a nice restaurant. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the music soundstage. It was designed by award-winning artist and architect, Frank Gehry. I didn't explore too much of the Pavilion as the staff were busy setting up for a concert.

I went to see the Cloud Gallery at the AT&T Plaza (at the front of the park by Michigan Street) It's a mirrored elliptical structure designed by British artist Anish Kapoor. It resembles a glob of liquid mercury. It's very interesting in that it's basically a 360 degree elliptical mirror, offering unique perspectives of the Chicago skyline.

There is also the Crown Fountain. It's two 50 foot tall towers of glass blocks. The towers are backlit by LED lights to form faces looking from the inside of the towers. That's a very popular attraction.

There are more attractions as well. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to experience all of them. The restaurant at the park is the Park Grill. I was there quite early, so it wasn't open yet, but it looked quite nice inside.

I'd definitely go visit the Millennium Park! It's a very interesting, educational, and inspiring look at the city of Chicago.

From journal The Windy City in One Day!

Millennium Park

  • July 7, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by MalervyC from Norristown, Pennsylvania
Millennium Park

Millennium Park was a few blocks from our hotel. The Big Bean is the first thing you see because it's so big. There is also an amphitheatre for outside concerts. It was a nice place to people-watch and enjoy the city sounds.

From journal Long Windy Weekend in Chicago

Millennium Park (Part 1)

  • February 11, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by jlhphoto from Schererville, Indiana
Millennium Park (Part 1)

Chicago's newest park hosts one of the strangest, most extraterrestrial sculpture that anyone can touch, lean on, and be thoroughly amused by. The Bean is situated on a level just overlooking the Michigan Avenue skating rink. From the rink it peeks its silver body over to watch the humans below. Standing before The Bean, a person is about a fifth of the height of the sculpture, and The Bean is about 40 feet long, with a large opening underneath. Well, it’s just like a lima bean, but all silver and reflective. Fingerprints adorn the mirror-like finish, and the police could fingerprint half of Illinois just here.

From journal Chicago's Millenium Park-Bean there, done that!

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