Grant Park and the Lakefront
Chicago, IL
- Distance: 1.9 miles (3.0 km)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Loop
- Free
- 7 stops
A loop from the Adams/Wabash 'L' through Grant Park, the lakefront Chicagoans fought to keep "forever open, clear and free": the Route 66 sign, the Art Institute lions, the Bowman and Spearman, Buckingham Fountain and Millennium Park.
Trail start
Adams/Wabash 'L' Station. Public transit stop.
Stops
Route 66 'Begin' Sign
Route 66 was created in 1926, and for decades it started right here in Chicago and ran all the way to California. Look for the 'Begin' sign on Adams Street. It faces cars heading west, so turn around to read it. The starting point moved around over the years as downtown streets changed. In 2026…
Art Institute of Chicago Lions
The two bronze lions on the steps were made by Edward Kemeys and put in place in May 1894. The south lion weighs more than two tons. Kemeys described the south lion as standing in an attitude of defiance; the north one is on the prowl. Compare them and see if you can tell which is which. During the…
The Bowman and The Spearman
These two horsemen guard the entrance to Congress Plaza. Sculptor Ivan Mestrovic designed them in 1926, and they were dedicated in 1928. Each one is 17 feet tall. They were cast in Zagreb. Look closely at both riders. Something is missing, on purpose. Mestrovic wanted you to use your imagination…
Buckingham Fountain
This fountain is a memorial to Clarence Buckingham. He and his sister Kate were both art collectors and supporters of the arts. It opened on May 26, 1927. Architect Edward H. Bennett modeled it on a fountain at Versailles, and it's built of granite and pink Georgia marble. Count the groups of sea…
Lurie Garden
This garden opened in 2004, and it's sitting on a roof. Underneath is a parking garage, which makes it one of the largest green roofs in the world. That fits Chicago's story: the whole lakefront was filled in, raised up and built over. Look at the tall hedge around the garden. It's 15 feet high and…
Cloud Gate
Millennium Park opened in 2004 on top of old rail yards and parking lots. Cloud Gate, by British artist Anish Kapoor, was his first public outdoor work in the United States. It weighs 110 tons and is 66 feet long. It looks like one smooth piece, but it's made of 168 stainless steel plates. Walk…
Crown Fountain
Spanish artist Jaume Plensa designed these two 50-foot glass block towers with a shallow pool between them. The faces on the towers belong to 1,000 Chicago residents. Watch for a while and you'll see water seem to spout from a face. Directions to next waypoint: Walk south on Michigan Ave. to Adams…
Created by Gregg.