Taste of Chicago

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT

Each year, dozens of local restaurants are represented, offering both full-size meals and smaller “taste of” portions to allow you to grab a bite of many different area specialties. There will also be amusement-park style rides, activities, and attractions fit for the whole family; for instance, past years have boasted zip lines, diving boards, and water slides, just to name a few options. For the full list of vendors, click here. 

LOCATION

Jackson & Columbus 

Chicago, IL 60602

RVING AT THE EVENT

Because Taste of Chicago is held in the heart of this major metropole, there’s no on-site RV camping. But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring an RV to the event!

Whether you drive your own rig from home or fly in and rent an RVshare vehicle once you get there, here are some RV camping options in the Chicago area.

• Camp Bullfrog Lake is a public campground nestled on the shores of this lake to the west of the heart of the city. Campsites with electric hookups are available, and there’s also a camp store, concession stand, restroom, showers, and on-site activities like boat rentals.
• Camp Sullivan is another public campground in the Orland Park area, only minutes from downtown Chicago. RV sites with electric hookups start at $35 per night for Cook County residents, or $45 per night for outside visitors. 
• Lakeshore Camp Resort may be across state lines in Indiana, but it’s still only a 45-minute drive to Grant Park. Plus, you’ll be living in the lap of luxury after your long days of wandering the festival booths; the campground features four outdoor swimming pools, gem mining for the kids, laundry facilities, and just about every other amenity you could ask for.

WHERE TO STAY

If you’re not planning on bringing an RV to the event, you’ve got plenty of alternative accommodations to choose from. Chicago is one of the biggest cities in the country, and it’s chock-full of hotels and inns of every class and caliber.

Whether you’re looking for a lavish, historic suite that’ll make you feel like you’ve been transported back to the 1920s, or you’d rather cut costs and make new friends by staying in a hostel dorm room, you can find the exact kind of accommodations that’ll make you most comfortable at Choose Chicago. The helpful tool allows you to filter for specific amenities and narrow your search to particular neighborhoods of town.

To get you started on your search for the perfect place to stay, here are a few options in the Loop neighborhood, which is where Grant Park is situated:

• Hostelling International, also known as HI Chicago, offers ultra-affordable, dorm-style rooms with all sorts of extras, like free in-room Wifi, complimentary continental breakfasts, concierge service and more. Private bedrooms are also available at slightly higher prices.
• The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is one of the most beautiful, distinguished hotels in the city, whose original marble staircases, wood-carved features and ballrooms date all the way back to 1893. If you want to round out your tasting tour with a touch of class and culture, these are the digs for you.
• The Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown at North Loop and Michigan Avenue offers a relatively affordable, yet utterly comfortable lodging experience, including extras like a 24-hour fitness room, free Wifi, and in-room coffee maker and refrigerators.

This is just a small sampling of the accommodation options available in this area, so be sure to check out Choose Chicago for a more complete listing.

PARKING

The closest parking options for those bringing their own vehicles are the facilities run by Millennium Garages, which own and operate several parking garages in town. Parking garage locations are as follows:

Grant Park North Garage

35 North Michigan Avenue

Grant Park South Garage

325 South Michigan Avenue

Millennium Park and Lakeside Garage

5 South Columbus Drive

These garages are pay-to-park facilities, but multi-day discount packages are available if you’re planning to attend for more than one day. Head to the Millenium Garage website for full pricing details and to purchase parking passes ahead of time.

TICKETS & PRICING

One of the best parts of this event? It’s totally free to enter! However, you will have to purchase food and beverage tickets in order to partake of the vendors’ offerings. 

Food and beverage tickets are sold in strips of 14 tickets for $10, and full portions run about 10-12 tickets. Smaller “taste of” portions are available at each booth for 3-6 tickets. Ticket sales end at 8:30pm.

WRAP UP

Whether you make this tasty adventure in an RVshare rental or you wend your way to the Windy City by some other means, we’re eager to experience your journey right along with you! Send photos and trip details directly to us at [email protected], or tag us in your social media posts on Facebook and Instagram. And make sure you try some deep dish and a loaded hot dog for us!

Check out @TheTasteOfChicago on Facebook and @TasteofChi on Twitter for event updates!