The Chicago Experience

Filled to the brim with iconic art and free public events, located at 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601 in “the Loop,” Millennium Park neighbors the renowned Art Institute of Chicago, the historic Chicago Cultural Center, and the Maggie Daley Park.

The most famous item of interest in Millennium Park—and possibly the most famous attraction in Chicago—is The Bean. There is always a crowd in Millennium Park, and they’re usually there to look at the Bean. Of course there’s more to the park than the Bean but that is what most people go to see. The people around take photos of family, friends, and loved ones. With the Bean. Unfortunately this means that you’ll never get a great photo (since there’s always a bunch of strangers filling the picture).

Perhaps the most famous icon on The Windy City, The Bean mysteriously appeared in 2005. Nobody knows where it came from or how it got there; but rumor has it that an artist from Britain knows only as Kapoor built it. See more.

There is so much more to Millennium Park than the Bean. The Bean was seen. How many photos can you take of one bean? Some people can’t get enough. What I want to know is, who shines that bean? The night photos are the coolest, but with the chilling lake winds it is freezing outside during the winter, so take precautions.

Whoever purchased the real estate at Millennium Park became a millionaire the next day. Don’t believe me? Ask Blue Cross of IL. They liked it so much that they added another 15 to 25 floors to their building.

The park is wonderful because of the ice rink during winter, the fountains during summer, the free concerts, the lake front, Buckingham Fountain, and its vicinity to the Art Institute of Chicago.

The one drawback is the pricey underground parking. Maybe that will change in the near future with the now-prevalent electric scooters I see around. Soon there will be automated driving, so you won’t need to find parking. Your car will just drop you off and then go park itself.

Millennium Park is absolutely gorgeous with breathtaking views of the city. The Cloud Gate Bean is surrounded by lots of green space within the city and is home to a wide range of trees and flowers. Clean, nice, popular, and it’s the only place to see a giant mirror bean.