Travel Guide
Race Location
Jackson Park
6401 S Stony Island Ave | Chicago, IL 60637
Start Line: Near the Statue of The Republic (Golden Lady)
The Life Time Chicago Half Marathon & 5K presented by HOKA starts and ends in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park. The race venue is easily accessible and we put together a list of travel options to help you get to the event without any hassle.
Transportation Options
We HIGHLY encourage athletes to take the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) and then head East toward the Museum of Science and Industry parking lots. Note: Google/Apple Maps or your Uber/Lyft driver may be routing you to Lake Shore Drive, however we HIGHLY recommend selecting an alternate route.
We can’t reiterate enough the importance of planning ahead and arriving early. Lake Shore Drive will completely close at 6am. Any half marathon athlete that arrives late and misses the start of the half marathon will only have the option to participate in the 5K.
Shuttle Service
Limited shuttle tickets are available and going fast. You can reserve your spot on a race day shuttle through the link below. If spots are still available, you will be able to purchase at the Pre-Race Party on a first-come-first serve basis.
Shuttle Pick Up Locations:
- Millennium Park – Corner of Randolph & Michigan Ave.
- CTA Belmont “L” Station – 950 West Belmont Ave. (Red/Brown/Purple Lines)
Athletes will have a sticker, listing which shuttle service they chose at registration, placed on a designated area on their bib. Spectators that purchased shuttle access will receive a digital pass via email.
Tentative schedule (times subject to change):
- The Millennium shuttle will depart at 4:45 AM and the Belmont shuttle will depart at 4:30 AM. Only those athletes presenting relevant shuttle bus location bib stickers will be permitted to board. Please, DO NOT remove the sticker from your bib and DO NOT be late as the buses must depart on time!
- Last shuttle will arrive at Jackson Park at 6:00 AM.
- Shuttles will begin returning to both locations at 9:45 AM
- The last shuttle back from the Finish Festival will depart 12:00 PM sharp.
- You will need your bib with shuttle sticker still attached in order to board the returning shuttle (Do not remove from bib).
- We highly encourage shuttle riders to arrive 15-20 minutes early to ensure we are able to load the shuttles prior to departure.
Ride Sharing
One of the most convenient ways to get around these days is by the use of ride sharing apps such as Uber or Lyft. By now, most of us have either one or both installed on our phones. If not, you can easily upload these apps by visiting the App Store for iPhone or Play Store for Android.
It is highly recommended to plan ahead of time by reserving a ride from one of these apps a day or more in advance. This will keep the ride cost down and ensure that you have a ride reserved for you already.
Metra
METRA Rail – METRA Electric Line
METRA’s Electric Line departs Millennium Station (at Randolph and Michigan Ave) and arrives at 63rd Street Station – less than 1/4 mile from the Race Venue. You have the option of a one-way ticket or purchase a $10 All Day Pass. Visit metra.com to purchase tickets and to confirm schedules.
Current Race Day train options include:
Jackson Park
Trains TO Race:
Depart Millennium Station Arrive 63rd St. Station
#8301 4:40 a.m. 4:58 a.m.
#101 4:50 a.m. 5:10 a.m.
#803 6:10 a.m. 6:28 a.m.
#8305 6:40 a.m. 6:58 a.m. (5K only)
Each of the above trains are flag stop which means passengers must notify the conductor for drop-off at these stop locations.
Trains FROM Race:
Depart 63rd St. Station Arrive Millennium Park
#8310 9:57 a.m 10:16 a.m.
#810 10:27 a.m. 10:49 a.m.
#8314 11:57 a.m. 12:16 p.m.
#814 12:27 p.m. 12:49 p.m.
Each of the above are flag stops which means passengers on platform must be visible to the conductor in order for the train to stop for pick-up.
Taxi
The classical way of getting around any urban area and still widely used today. Taxis are still in abundance throughout the city of Chicago. However, you’ll want to plan ahead of time and reserve a ride from any of the taxi service companies operating in the city before race day.
Ride Your Bike
Dedicated, unsecured bike parking will be available in the Finish Festival area in Jackson Park. Look for bike parking racks on the tennis courts near the southeast corner of Cornell Ave and Hayes Dr. Please plan to lock up your bike while you participate.
*The event is not responsible for loss, theft or damages.
Parking & Directions
Parking
Parking is limited near Jackson Park
- We highly encourage all athletes + spectators that will be driving race morning to carpool, if possible.
- If carpooling is not an option, your best choice for parking is the Museum of Science and Industry parking lots, which open at 4:30am.
- Walking directions to the start line from here:
- Exit the garage > head south on Cornell Dr towards Midway Plaisance
- Turn left and head south onto S Stony Island Ave.
- Take that to E Hayes Dr, then head East towards the start line which is located past the Golden Lady.
- Walking directions to the start line from here:
- S Stoney Island Ave is experiencing major construction that is making it difficult to access regular street parking areas in the neighborhoods west of Jackson Park.
- If you’re able to access the Hyde Park/Woodlawn neighborhoods via 90/94, you may find it easier to access the Midway Plaisance which has street parking but keep in mind that spaces are limited.
*If you drive, plan to arrive early. The event is not responsible for those who drive and do not make the start of the race. Please pay attention to the NO PARKING zones near the race venue.
**The public lots at Hayes and Lake Shore Drive are NOT available to participants or spectators.
Driving Directions
- From the North: Lake Shore Drive will close at 31st Street at 6:00 AM
- If accessing Lake Shore prior to 6:00 AM, exit at 57th Street to proceed to parking garages and street meters. Those accessing Lake Shore after 6:00 AM will need to exit at 31st Street, proceed westbound to King Dr. and south to 55th Street.
- From the Dan Ryan, take Garfield Blvd exit to Midway Plaisance
- From the Skyway, take Stony Island Exit to Midway Plaisance
- Please monitor the Jackson Pack Transportation Improvements page for construction updates
* Times and street locations are subject to change.
Hotel Bookings
If you’re traveling from out of town or wish to stay closer to the race venue during the weekend, you can take advantage of the best hotel rates available in the marketplace through our hotel partner – Hotel Planner. This partnership provides the following advantages to make your stay in the windy city a breeze.
- Best Rates – Negotiated and online discounts
- Save Time – No more calling around to hotels
- Compare Offers – Hotels bid for your business
- Automation – Makes the process simple and fast
- Long Term Stays – Get discounts for long term stays
- Testimonials – Top notch customer service
- Administration – Free Event Website for your group
Long Distance Travel
If you plan on flying into Chicago, you have two airport options: Chicago Midway (MDW), located 11 miles southwest of downtown, and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) located 15 miles northwest of the city.
At Midway, the L Train line that operates from the airport to the Loop is the Orange Line. Additionally, you can order a rideshare service, taxi cab, and shuttle buses. For more information, please visit the link below.
At O’Hare, the L Train line that operates from the airport to the Loop is the Blue Line. Additionally, you can order a rideshare service, taxi cab, and shuttle buses. For more information, please visit the link below.
Chicago Gallery
