ParkingAnyTime

It’s that time again when millions trek to cram onto the shores of Lake Michigan near North Avenue Beach and enjoy the wonder of America’s air supremacy at the annual Chicago Air & Water Show. Besides being the oldest and largest free show of its kind in the US, this year is a especially cool because it marks the Air & Water Show’s 50th Anniversary and because the shows organizers added an extra day – Friday – to watch.  

The city of Chicago estimates over 2 MILLION people will be in attendance this year, rivaling only Independence Day’s Taste of Chicago.  That many people will surely create some parking demand and push parking rates into the stratosphere with “special event” prices. Although using ParkingAnyTime will make you a parking insider, don’t be fooled into thinking driving is the best mode of transportation to the show. Parking at North Avenue Beach is closed and parking in the very local vicinity is extremely limited on any given day. Taking public transit like Metra and the CTA should make you’re life easier and save some dough so you can spend it on better things like treating your family to the awesomeness of homemade ice cream purveyor, Bobtail, in Lakeview. 

The show begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday & Sunday and continues until around 4 p.m. The Air Show doesn’t start until 11. I’ve heard the Water Show is cool, but I’ve never gotten close enough to see it because the beach is usually too packed by the time I get there.

If you can take public transit, the 151 Sheridan is the most direct bus route to the festivities. According to the city’s official “Getting There“ web site, the 151 will begin additional service at 7 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. It begins at Union Station and heads north along the Lake. On any normal day, it takes around 25 minutes to 30 minutes to get up north to Lincoln Park. Budget doubling that this weekend.

If you take the 151, which is also within walking distance of Millennium Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center and the LaSalle Street Metra station, get off at Stockton and La Salle, Stockton and Fullerton, or Sheridan and Diversey for the shortest walk and best viewing. If you’re willing to walk a little further, try the 22 Clark, 36 Broadway, or the 146 Michigan/Inner Drive Express to Belmont. For viewing near Oak Street Beach, the 145 Wilson/Michigan and 147 Outer Drive Express buses are suitable alternatives. Their last stop before going express is Michigan and Delaware.

The CTA has a couple new tricks up its sleeve to help you plan the trip to the show. Use The CTA’s new Trip Planner powered by Google Maps, just like ParkingAnyTime, to look-up bus stops, routes and estimated transit times. The CTA’s new Bus Tracker can help you look-up in real time the position of some of the buses, but not the 151.  

The El is the best way to avoid the traffic because you’re either underground on the Red Line or above on the Brown Line. You’re best stops on the El are North/Clybourn, Armitage, Fullerton, and Diversey. Each stop is serviced by an East/West bus – respectively # 72 North, # 73 Armitage, # 74 Fullerton, # 76 Diversey. What intimidates some newbies on the El is only the Red Line services North & Clybourn and only the Brown Line services Armitage and Diversey. Fullerton is serviced by both trains. If you’re brave, take the Blue Line to North & Damen and transfer to the # 72 bus, which also has increased service. The 72 will take you directly to North Avenue Beach (terminates at North & Clark for the show though). Trains are operating at additional capacity too. I saw a sign yesterday saying the Brown Line will be running 8 cars (it usually runs less than 6 on weekends) and trains will arrive every 7 minutes. The El may be an option for drivers too. Some CTA stations are designated Park and Rides. ParkingAnyTime has more information about parking pricing and the CTA’s Park and Ride locations. 

If I haven’t convinced you yet NOT to drive, ParkingAnyTime is your best tool for looking up parking locations and comparing parking prices and amenities. Most garages nearest the Chicago Air & Water Show will be charging higher than standard rates – they call them “special event” rates. It might make you mad, but it also discourages others from driving, keeping supply and demand in check. Like I said before, parking on any given day is tough near North Avenue Beach. Although Oak Street Beach has no parking lot of its own, it is closer to the massive parking structures operated by Central Parking, Standard Parking, and InterPark along Michigan Avenue and nearby Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Streeterville. 

If all else fails, try a hybrid approach and park in the Millennium Park or Grant Park Garages and take the CTA’s 151 the rest of the way. These garages seem to be always empty – even during big event days like today. The four garages (Millennium, East Monroe, Grant Park North and Grant Park South) have over 9000 spaces combined! I used the garages to escape the crowds and crisscross the park after Chicago’s fireworks on the 3rd of July. I was shocked at how empty the garages were that night and took pictures. (It’s no wonder why the Park District sold them to a private operator) I’ve been meaning to post the pictures from that night and will do so in my next post, so stay tuned.

We don’t post rates for special event parking, but ParkingAnyTime can help you locate alternative parking near Millennium Park if for some reason the official garages fill up or don’t meet your fancy.  Save time and save money – use public transit today – but if you must drive, ParkingAnyTime is your tool for finding parking near this year’s Chicago Air and Water Show. Enjoy the show! 

With ParkingAnyTime’s parking map, you’re a parking insider. 

- the ParkingAnyTime team