The first time I went to Chicago, my impression of Millennium Park was two words: “bean”. Yes, that fat and shiny “silver bean” (it has an official name “Cloud Gate”, but everyone calls it a bean), it looks pretty cool on the picture, but on the spot, there are so many people, how to take pictures are the backs of other people. Originally, I thought the park was just for taking photos and playing cards, but after hanging out with my friends in the area for a whole day, I realized that this place is not just a “Netflix installation”, but an underestimated treasure of the city. So here's the arrangement - don't step on mines, don't waste time, and have a worthwhile and relaxing day of fun.
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Many people out of the subway or parking lot straight to the cloud door, the result is just to be surrounded by a circle of people, even stand a good angle is difficult. In fact, I suggest you put the “beans” later, the first stop in the morning, first around the Chicago Cultural Center.
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It's right across the street from Millennium Park. There's no admission fee, and the key is that there are very few tourists, so it's a good place for you to take your time if you're not yet “in the zone” at the beginning. The main attraction here is the world's largest stained glass dome, super beautiful, air-conditioned, seating, and a number of small exhibitions, art but not tired. The whole thing will slowly sink in, ready to enter the city.
After strolling through the Cultural Center, then slowly walk south from the north gate of the park, when you will pass a large lawn area, the famous Pritzker Pavilion, which looks like a steel organ, a variety of free concerts in the summer, film screenings, the atmosphere is particularly relaxed. It doesn't matter if there are no performances during the day, a photo in front of the stage will give you a sense of “urban art”.
Then, it's time to focus: walk to the central axis and you'll see the “bean” - Cloud Gate - by this time the light is already softer and the crowds are slightly “diverted”, making the photo experience more enjoyable than in the morning. This time, the light is already softer, and the crowd will be slightly “diverted”, so the photo experience is much better than in the morning when the park was just opened. Photographing beans have skills, do not stand in front, we recommend that you lean a little closer to the left, with a wide-angle shot of the side arc, fewer people, reflections are beautiful, can be photographed in the reflection of the Chicago skyline, but also not easy to collide with the picture.
After shooting the beans you are likely to be hungry, and Millennium Park around the meal options are actually quite a lot, but want to eat “Chicago a little bit”, I recommend that you go to Revival Food Hall, within a 10-minute walk, is a collection of a number of local restaurants in the food court, the decoration of the fashionable, not too many people, there are falafel, and fried chicken tacos, but also can be a good place to eat. There are falafel, fried chicken tacos, and an iced coffee to energize you. Sit down and rest your feet, there's no rush.
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If you don't want to walk too far, order a burger at the Park Grill Café on the south side of the park. It's a little more expensive, but it's in a great location with a great view - right by the beans - so you can continue on to the next stop after you're done.
Don't rush back to the attraction after you've eaten, it's a good time to take a little stroll around Lurie Garden in the southeast corner of the park. This “secret garden” is overlooked by many, but it's actually very well-designed, with a wide variety of plants and bees and butterflies, which is especially beautiful in the summer. You can follow the path and walk around slowly, just like a secret forest in the city, and it's much quieter afterward.
What you do next depends on your physical strength and interest. If you're a fan of exhibitions, head straight to the Art Institute of Chicago on the south side of the park, which has one of the top three collections in the country and is a haven for art museum buffs, with works by Monet, Van Gogh, and Sulla, as well as local Chicago artists, and it's well worth the two hours it takes to stroll through it. Don't miss the giant pointillist painting of “Sunday Afternoon on Big Bowl Island”; real people standing in front of it will really geek out.
If you don't want to see the exhibit and just want to take it easy, then I suggest you walk across the street and follow the BP Pedestrian Bridge east. The bridge itself is a work of sculptural art that wraps around the freeway like a silver snake, taking you from the hustle and bustle of the city into Maggie Daley Park, which has a large lawn, a climbing park, an ice rink, and a Sky Garden with a view of the lake that's perfect for sitting back and relaxing and watching the sunset.
Special reminder: the afternoon sun will hit from the direction of Michigan Avenue, this time and then look back at the cloud door, the reflection is particularly strong, do not recommend this time to take pictures, the phone is easy to overexposure.
If the physical strength is still enough, it is recommended that you extend the trip in the evening, from the east side of the park all the way to Lake Michigan, this section of the road is actually very close to the Lakefront Trail along the past is the waterfront. This time of day happens to be the most comfortable time to be on the Chicago lakefront, with an unusually high number of locals running, dog-sledding, and skateboarding.
You can take in a night view of the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, or simply sit back and enjoy the breeze as you watch the sky slowly turn purple in the distance and the city light up a little bit. Walking back at this time of year, the park's amphitheater may be showing a movie, and sometimes you'll hear live music in the distance, like a summer walk through the city.
For dinner, we recommend the nearby The Gage, an American restaurant that even Chicagoans love, with good steaks and craft beers, and a less noisy atmosphere for slow eating.
If you only take Millennium Park as a “hit spot”, you may only stay for ten minutes, shoot a bean and leave. But if you are willing to spend a day to walk down slowly, from the cultural center to the art museum, from the garden to the lake, you will find that it is not only the living room of the city of Chicago, but also a business card to show the spirit of the city. It's not flashy, it's not noisy, it's all about sincerity in the details. And this sincerity is worth spending a day to respond to.
