The Millennium Park is the epitome of world class art, music, architecture and landscape design. It is surrounded by Columbus Drive in the east, Michigan Avenue on the west, Randolph Street in the north and Monroe Street in the south. The Millenium Park is a part of the Grant Park. It is the 'front lawn' of downtown Chicago. If you are on a visit to the park, there are four major highlights that you should not miss. They are the Crown Fountain, the Cloud Gate, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the Lurie Garden.

Millennium Park art and architecture

http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is a stylish concert venue. It houses the Grant Park Music Festival and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Here, you can enjoy performances by rock band artists, opera singers and classical musicians.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Pritzker_Pavilion

The Crown Fountain is the seat of interactive public art. Water cascades down from the two towers which are 50 feet high. This is a great place to hang out with your family. The Plensa's themes of dualism, water and light form its major highlights.

Crown Fountain on Fine Art America

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/chicago-crown-fountain-8-jean-macaluso.html

The Cloud Gate is a 110 ton steel sculpture that reflects not only the city's skyline but also its visitors in a funny and distorted manner. It holds special attraction for the kids. You can also enjoy having funny photo sessions because of its peculiar reflective surface.

Cloud Gate on Find Free Graphics

http://www.findfreegraphics.com/search/7/cloud+gate.htm

The Lurie Garden is situated in the southern end of the park. It is the largest 'green roof' in the world. Its sculpted hedgerows and pedestrian pathways are unique. The McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink gives you the best views of the Michigan Avenue. It is located at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street. The rink offers skate rentals, public lockers and a warming lobby.

Lurie Garden Wild Life on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurie_Garden#Wildlife_features

Millennium Park is a part of the larger Grant Park and is widely known as the "front lawn" of downtown Chicago. The park has four distinct artistic highlights, including the Lurie Garden, Cloud Gate, the Crown Fountain and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. If you're thirst for more detailed info, check out the following websites on Millennium Park.

Official Website for Millennium Park

http://www.millenniumpark.org

Millennium Park in Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Park

How to find Millennium Park? Featuring a variety of public art, Millennium Park is one of the leading Chicago tourist attractions. You can find the park on 350 E Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60603. The park borders Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive and East Monroe Drive. Visitors can walk through the BP Pedestrian Bridge and the Nichols Bridgeway to other parts of Grant Park.

Millennium Park features many separate attractions. You can browse through the websites below to have a better sense of direction while exploring the park.

Simplified Version of Millennium Park

http://www.grantparkmusicfestival.com/the-park/map-of-millennium-park

Map for Millennium Park and Nearby Surroundings

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=millennium+park+maps

How to get to Millennium Park? After knowing the park's address, next you may need to plan how to get to Millennium Park. Don't worry! Millennium Park boasts convenient transportation to offer maximum convenience for visitors.

1) By Public Transportation - Public transportation is one of the most convenient and economical way to get around in Chicago. CTA buses & trains and Metra are great urban traffic system for tourists to travel around.

Many bus stations are located near the entrances of Millennium Park. You can find the nearest available bus routes to get to the park. Nearby bus stations and bus routes are prepared for you.

Randolph & Field Blvd: Bus 60

Randolph & Michigan: Bus 4, 60

Michigan & Washington: Bus 3,4,19,26,60,66,124,143,145,147,148,151,157

Michigan & Madison: Bus 3, 4,6,26,143

Michigan & Madison/Monroe: Bus 3,4,26,143,145,147,148,151

Michigan & Monroe: Bus 3,4,6,14,26,143

Visitors can also choose to get to Millennium Park by CTA trains. Several CTA train stations are situated adjacent to the park, including the Red Line Monroe and Lake Exit and Orange, Green, Brown and Purple Line Madison and Wabash Street Exit. Call 836-7000 to find the quickest and most direct transit route to Millennium Park via CTA buses and trains. Or you can visit www.rtachicago.com for any directions.

If you're traveling from the suburbs to downtown Chicago and the surrounding areas, the premier commuter rail system - Metra provides an easy and convenient way with four downtown stations. Take CAT #151 and #147 bus from the Lasalle Street Station to the park. The Ogilive Transportation Center is connected to Millennium Park via CAT's #20 and #56 bus. Visitors traveling from Union Station can take #151 bus directly to the park.

Metra Downtown Chicago Stations

http://metrarail.com/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/downtown_chicagostations.html

2) By Car - More and more tourists prefer family car travels. You can move anywhere you like and you do not need to worry about parking problems as many tourist spots offer onsite and offsite parking services. This is also true to Millennium Park. Specific driving directions can guide you to the park quickly.

If you're driving from the North via I-90 or I-94, take exit on Monroe Street and continue to drive towards Michigan Avenue on the east. If you're driving via the Outer Drive, you can exit either at Monroe Street or Randolph Street. Then drive east to Michigan Avenue.

When traveling from the South along the Dan Ryan Expressway, you can exit at Congress Parkway. Then turn east to Michigan Avenue and keep on driving north to Monroe Street. If you're coming from Lake Shore Drive, take exit at Randolph Street and proceed west towards Michigan Avenue.

When driving from the West along the Eisenhower Expressway, you can merge onto Congress Parkway. Keep on driving to Michigan Avenue eastward. Then you need to turn left to Monroe Street.

If you're from the East while driving on the Indiana Toll Road, take exit at the Chicago Skyway towards the Stony Island. Drive along Highway 41 to downtown Chicago. Take exit at Monroe Street and proceed west to Michigan Avenue. If you're driving on I-94 or I-90, go on driving on the Dan Ryan Expressway and take exit at Congress Parkway. Afterwards, you need to turn east to Michigan Avenue and proceed north to Monroe Street.

Parking deserves your attention. Convenient and secure 24-hour parking is offered for Millennium Park tourists. You can call 312-616-0600 for driving directions to the parking garages inside the park.

Millennium Park Garages

http://www.millenniumgarages.com/garages/millennium-park-garage.aspx

3) By Air - For long-distance travelers, traveling by air can be the premier option. With two airports, O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport, Chicago Airport System provides convenient access and intensive flight services for Chicago tourists. After exit the airports, airport shuttles, Airport Transit System, taxi cabs, CTA's "L" Train to Downtown Chicago and various regional buses can take you to various Chicago interesting places, including Millennium Park of course.

Chicago Department of Aviation

http://flychicago.com/Default.aspx

Covering 24.5 acre, the Millennium Park is a public park which features various public art. It's a major tourist attraction of Chicago. Originally opened on July 16, 2004, the Park is highly appreciated by visitors due to its easy accessibility as well as its amazing green design. Situated atop the commuter rail and a large parking garage, the Millennium Park has been considered to be the largest rooftop garden in the world.

Apart from a couple of great attractions above ground, like the Crown Fountain, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the Lurie Garden, the Park is also characterized by its large parking garage that offers space for 2,218 vehicles. As a portion of the Grant Park, the Millennium Park is linked to it by the BP Pedestrian Bridge and the Nichols Bridgeway.

With a number of events held in the Park throughout the year, it attracts millions of visitors. Plus, its annual attendance still keeps increasing. As for 2011, a variety of festivals are going to be celebrated here. Let's focus on the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink - a multipurpose venue located inside the Millennium Park. It's undoubtedly a paradise for people who love ice skating. The Rink is free to the public and draws over 100,000 skaters every year.

As it opens through Sunday, March 13, 2011, time for skating is somewhat limited. You really should not miss it. Although the Millennium Park opens from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, operation hours of the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink vary by day.

Generally, from November 19, 2010 to March 13, 2011, it would open at 12 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on weekdays except Friday. On weekends, its opening hours is from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. When it comes to Fridays, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens at 12 p.m. and does not close until 10 p.m.

However, during the events of Chicago Winter Dance, February, 2011, the Park will treat visitors with extended weekend hours. In that case, ice skating hours would begin at 12 p.m. and end until 11 p.m. on Fridays. On Saturdays, its opening time is at 8 a.m. and closing time is at 11 p.m. while it opens from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.

Ice Skating Hours Information of the Millennium Park

http://www.millenniumpark.org/parkevents/event.aspx?id=1203

Highlights of the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink during Chicago Winter Dance in February also include some free Ice Skating Lessons, various games and Late Night Ice Dance Parities. With all these, how could there be any reason to keep you away from hitting the ice? Visitors coming to Chicago this winter would surely have a great time here!

Ready to take ice dancing or skating lessons at the Rink? Beginners can get a head start on their ice skating skills on Saturdays from 5th to 26th, February. Lessons for intermediate would intersect with beginner lessons from 8 to 10 a.m. If you come to the Millennium Park in early mornings on February 6th, 13th or 27th, you would be able to experience Ice Sports of Sorts. Speed Skating Demonstration, Noodle Ball and Curling on Skates are going to take place here.

Beside, various ice dance parties and kinds of celebrations have been prepared for you on every weekend in February. They would offer you plenty of chances to enjoy long hours skating and appreciate spectacular ice skating performances.

More Information about Chicago Winter Dance in Millennium Park

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/tourism/chicago_winter_dance.html

Millennium Park is a prominent civic center in downtown Chicago. The park covers an area of 24.5 acres of northwestern larger Grant Park. The park is a great center for top-ranking art, music, landscape design and architecture design. You can experience everything you wish, from ice skating and public art to al fresco dining and free classical music presentations. With stunning park sceneries and gorgeous attractions, Millennium Park can be your must-stop spot for Chicago vacation.

As the park is located in downtown Chicago, convenient public transportation is available for visitors. Various CAT buses and subway trains can take you directly to the park. Plus the Metra commute rail system has many bus routes connected to Millennium Park. Of course, you can choose to drive to Millennium Park. It can be reached easily through many nearby highways.

Public Transportation and Directions to Millennium Park

http://www.millenniumpark.org/generalinformation/directions_parking.html

If you're traveling to the park by car, you may need to check out parking options offered in and around Millennium Park. Take it easy! The park offers visitors convenient and security-patrolled 24-hour parking option. Comprised of four parking garages, Millennium Garages serving Millennium Park and Grant Park is considered to be the largest downtown underground parking system throughout the US. Millennium Park Garage is one of four parking facilities and is also the newest one.

Where to find Millennium Park Garage? The garage is located in the center of Millennium Park that is directly under the Millennium Park. The address is 5 S Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL 60601. The contact number is 312-616-0600. The park is connected to the Harris Theater to ease your journey. Other famous landmarks near the Millennium Park Garage include Blue Cross Blue Shield Building and the AON Building.

Covering an area of 1 million square feet, Millennium Park Garage has a total of 2,126 parking spaces, offering ample parking lots for tourists, even on holidays and festivals. Remember to enter the Millennium Park Garage via the automobile entrance that is located on South Columbus Drive between Randolph Street and Monroe Street.

What about the parking rates at the garage? First 3-hour parking at Millennium Park Garage will have an expenditure of $19. Parking from 3 to 8 hours will lead in a parking rate of $21. Parking from 8 to 12 hours will be charged $23. A parking fee of $24 is enough for any longer parking hours up to 24 hours in a day. You can also choose monthly parking rate - $240. Notice that this is non-reserved parking rate. Remember there's special event parking rate for customers - $25.

If you want to save money for your parking rates at Millennium Park Garage, you need to be an early bird. If you park in between 5 AM and 10 AM and exit before 7 PM from Monday to Friday, a total of $14 is enough. So get up early and make the best use of the hours to navigate the park.

Are you monthly parkers? If so, why not join Club Millennium? Then you can receive a Club Millennium Window Cling. Put the small cling on your car's rear window or windshield to be recognizable for weekly prize give-away. You may get gift certificates to Park Grill or tickets to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra surprisingly.

Club Millennium for Millennium Garages

http://www.millenniumgarages.com/news/2010/5/5/club-millennium-is-here!.aspx

Are you looking for driving directions to Millennium Park Garage? When planning your visit to the Millennium Park and the larger Grant Park, you need to be clear about the driving directions to your nearest parking garage. Follow the directions below to Millennium Park Garage.

From the South via I-55 and Lake Shore Drive - You can take the I-55 E for Chicago and Lake Michigan. Then you need to exit at the Lake Shore Drive North Exit. Drive along Lake Shore Drive North until you come to the Monroe Street Exit. Turn left onto Monroe Street. Proceed on the street and turn right onto Columbus Drive. You can see the entrances on your both sides in the middle of Columbus Drive.

From the North via I-94 - When traveling from this direction, you can take the East Ohio Street Exit. Keep on driving towards West Ohio Street. Then you need to turn right on North Fairbanks. When North Fairbanks Court meets with North Columbus Drive, you can drive southbound on North Columbus Drive. The garage entrance will be on your right.

From the North via Lake Shore Drive - If you're driving on Lake Shore Drive, take Lake Shore Drive South Exit onto Monroe Street. Turn right when driving along Monroe Street to Columbus Drive. Continue to turn right on Columbus Drive. You can enter via the garage entrances either on your right or on your left in the middle of Columbus Drive.

Three other garages also serve Millennium Park visitors. You can choose among Grant Park North Garage, East Monroe Street Garage, and Grand Park South Garage. For more parking info, you can browse through several websites listed for you.

Millennium Park North Garage

http://www.millenniumgarages.com/garages/grant-park-north-garage.aspx

Grand Park South Garage

http://www.millenniumgarages.com/garages/grant-park-south-garage.aspx

East Monroe Street Garage

http://www.millenniumgarages.com/garages/east-monroe-street-garage.aspx

The 24.5 acre Millennium Park, designed by Frank Gehry, is located in downtown Chicago, along Michigan avenue, that lies adjacent to the Monroe and Randolph streets. It's considered to be so unique, due to the outspoken architectural structures, magnificent landscapes and mind-boggling music concerts, performed by the famous Grant Park Orchestra and chorus group.

What restaurants can be found near Millennium Park?

What's more, you can either decide to dine at any of the fancy restaurants nearbyor more preferably, buy and eat as you take a fine stroll around the park.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2823841-chicago_restaurants-i-nearoid-3154184-radius-10-sort-distance

What attractions can be found inside the Millennium Park?

That's not all, it's only at the Millennium Park that you will get the perfect chance to see some of the most breathe-taking attractions ever! The perfect family outing spot.

http://www.chicagotraveler.com/chicago_millennium_park.htm

Are there any hotels near the Millennium Park?

If you are in Chicago for the summer holidays, care to book yourself into one of the aggravated Chicago hotel rooms, and get a spectacular view ofthe entire park.

http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/2671-NEAR-Millennium-Park

The Millenium Park is conveniently located at the Chicago loop area just within the Cook County. If you have tourist friends or if you're a tourist yourself, you would love to be staying near Millenium Park because this park never gets boring. The architecture and sculptures here will entertain you over and over again.

Looking for affordable hotels near Millenium Park is really not that hard. After all, many tourists love to stay near Millenium Park even if they have a tight budget. There are different sites to start your search. Here's where:

1. You can browse for the cheap hotels near Millenium Park on realtravel.com. This is the most convenient because you can check for the hotel rating and the budget price and you would get a narrowed-down search.

http://realtravel.com/dh-1451-chicago_hotels-x-s_price-dstnc_5,61020

2. Tripadvisor is another great site to quickly look for the nearest and cheapest hotels near Millenium Park, Chicago. The map helps you find the nearest hotels but you could also type in the class and budget to find which of these nearby hotels fit!

http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/LocalMaps-g35805-d278811-Millennium_Park-Area.html

3. Look for hotels in Chicago Loop. Since Millenium Park is located in Chicago Loop, it's a lot easier to find hotels there. Chicago Loop is really not that big so any hotel around this area is not that far away from Millenium Park.

http://travel.nextag.com/chicago-loop-hotel/hotels-html