Located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, Chicago, Navy Pier is about 3,300 feet long. It was constructed in 1916 as a portion of the "Plan of Chicago". As a pier, it was designed and built to offer enough space for passengers and lake freighters. Today, it becomes a hub for public gathering and entertainment. Plus, it's the No. 1 tourist attraction in Chicago.

Many tourists come to the Pier because of the beautiful scenery, Strictly Sail boat show or the Ferris Wheel. However, the fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday nights are also amazing. Besides, the Children's Museum and IMAZ Theatre are worth your visit as well.

If you happen to be free on a sunny day, pay a visit to the Navy Pier and spend some quality time with fun and friendly people here. Self-driving tours are awesome. But you really need to read parking information before your trip to ensure you a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

For visitors who come to Navy Pier by car, there are several parking garages located at the center of the Navy Pier. They are operated by Standard Parking and can offer enough room for 1,600 vehicles. Parking at Navy Pier is really a little expensive. However, it gives you great convenience as these on-site garages provide easy access to almost every attraction and venue of Navy Pier. Plus, the best thing is that there are always parking lots for you!

Parking rates of these garages vary by day. 20 dollars would be charged for parking before 5 PM on weekdays except Friday. If you arrive at Navy Pier at Friday or weekend nights before 5 PM, parking would cost you 24 dollars. Rates for daily parking after 5 PM range from $20 to $24.

Please note that during Navy Pier's Promotional Season (from November 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011), discounted parking rates are available for every driving visitor. That is to say, you only need to pay 14 dollars per day when parking before 5 PM from Monday to Thursday. And the daily parking fee would be 6 dollars less than regular rate for parking during Friday, Saturday and Sunday before 5 PM. If you prefer to park your car after 5 PM, 10 to 14 dollar would be saved since the parking rate is 10 dollars during the Promotion Season.

For any problems, assistance or information on currently parking rates, you can contact Standard Parking by calling 312-595-5072. If you don't mind walking for a short distance, then you can choose to park in garages near the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Grand Avenue. A couple of parking garages can be found there.

Parking Details of Navy Pier

http://www.navypier.com/visit_us/parking.html

If you plan to go to Navy Pier by riding your motorcycle, keep in mind that you are not permitted to park your motorcycle in the Parking Garages. Head for the Entrance 1 and then you can find a dedicated area for motorcycle parking. Currently, the parking fee for motorcycle is 14 dollars per day.

In the case that you arrive at Navy Pier with you trailer, you really need to pay attention to Navy Pier's parking rules. Trailers are only allowed to entry the East Garage. Parking fees would be charged based on the size of your trailer. Before you drive into the garage, you are required to press a button labeled "assistance".

Navy Pier also offers a number of ADA Parking Lots for people with impairments. They can be found next to the entrances of the East and West Garages. If you have any problems or need assistance, feel free to get reach to the Standard Parking by calling 312-595-5360.

NOTE: The Pier does not offer any parking areas for motor coach. So, motor coach drivers are strongly recommended to check out parking information on choosechicago.com before driving to the Pier.

A Map of Parking Options near the Navy Pier

http://www.chicagoparkingmap.com/map_dynamic.jsp

After you know the location of parking garages and rates for different occasions, the next thing tops your list of driving preparation is how to pay for parking. Fortunately, Navy Pier offers some automated parking pay stations which would significantly save your time and energy. As they are placed throughout the Pier, you can pay for parking during your visit conveniently.