One Day in Chicago by Bike: A Route From Millennium Park to Navy Pier

Chicago is built for a single day on two wheels. The sights cluster along the lakefront, and one paved trail ties them together. This route runs south, then north, then ends at the river. More rides live in Plan a Ride.

Get your bike first

Choose one of two ways. Rent a bike by the day, or buy a Divvy day pass.

A comfort hybrid from Bobby’s Bike Hike lists at $14.99 an hour with a two-hour minimum, $34.99 for a half day and $39.99 for a full day⁵. The rental comes with a free map, lock, helmet and service⁵. A Divvy day pass costs $19.90 and includes unlimited 3-hour classic bike rides within a 24-hour period⁶. For a full day of stops, a rental removes the clock. For short hops, Divvy works. Compare the two in Divvy versus a rental shop or see downtown bike rental.

Stop 1: Millennium Park, first thing

Millennium Park opens daily at 6 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.¹. Be there early. Cloud Gate, known as “The Bean,” stands on the Chase Promenades at Grainger Plaza¹. Crown Fountain’s water feature opens in May and closes on October 13¹. The whole park takes 15 to 20 minutes to see⁴.

Lock the bike at the perimeter. Bike parking sits around the edge of Grant and Millennium Parks, close to the Chicago Cultural Center⁸. A Divvy station stands at the Cultural Center on the Michigan Avenue side⁸. The city counts more than 15,000 public racks⁹.

Details are in our Millennium Park by bike guide.

Stop 2: Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain sits in the center of Grant Park and is a Chicago Landmark¹⁰. It was dedicated in 1927 and donated to the city by Kate S. Buckingham¹⁰. It is within walking distance of Millennium Park⁴. Monroe Street is the access point to the Lakefront Trail for both².

Stop 3: Museum Campus

Ride south on the Lakefront Trail. Museum Campus is a 57-acre park along the lake¹¹. It opened on June 4, 1998¹¹. It holds the Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium⁴. A pedestrian tunnel under Lake Shore Drive serves the campus¹¹.

Pick one. The major museums each require at least a couple of hours, so you will likely have time for only one⁴. Check that your museum is open on the day you plan to visit⁴.

Stop 4: Navy Pier by the Flyover

Turn north. The Lakefront Trail has carried bikes over the busy intersections at Illinois Street and Grand Avenue since the Navy Pier Flyover opened³. The project was finished in May 2021³. Exit at Ohio Street, the underpass closest to Navy Pier².

Navy Pier offers a food court and attractions including the Centennial Wheel and Flyover Chicago⁴. Its Divvy station is in Polk Bros Park, at the northwest corner of Streeter and Grand¹².

Need a rental here? Read bike rental at Navy Pier.

Stop 5: The Riverwalk on foot

End with the river. Walking the full length of the Riverwalk takes about 20 minutes one way⁴. Lock the bike at a rack and walk it. The path passes the Wrigley Building, Marina City and the Merchandise Mart⁴.

The Riverwalk grew in stages. Sections from State Street to LaSalle Street opened in June 2015¹³. The Water Plaza, the Jetty and the Boardwalk, from LaSalle Street to Lake Street, followed in October 2016¹³. The Market district runs from Columbus Drive east to Lake Shore Drive¹³.

Trail conditions

The Lakefront Trail runs from Ardmore Avenue on the north to 71st Street on the south⁷. Since 2018 it has had an 18-mile bike trail and an 18.5-mile pedestrian trail⁷. Ride on the bike trail. Dismount where posted, especially near underpasses and crowded parks².

Park District repairs are asphalt patching and seal-coating, starting at 6300 South and moving north to Foster Avenue one section at a time⁷. Signs go up ahead of each work zone⁷. Read the full Lakefront Trail guide before you go.

Swap-ins for a different day

• Add Chinatown. The Red Line runs south to Cermak/Chinatown⁴.
• Replace Museum Campus with Lincoln Park. Many riders go a few miles north toward Lincoln Park⁴. The Lincoln Park Zoo is free⁴.