Chicago’s tourist season is revving up just in time for one of the least convenient weekends to be here: the May 20 and 21 NATO summit at McCormick Place. Between world leaders and protesters shouting at those world leaders, congestion will be heavy even for a city accustomed to large-scale events.
Which facilities and roads will be closed is evolving, as evidenced by this week’s announcement that The Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute of Chicago will be closed May 19 to 21 — the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of NATO weekend. Also, Lake Shore Drive between Balbo Avenue and 39th Street will be closed in both directions on those days.
Public transportation on both the CTA and Metra will be affected (see details here and here).
Meghan Risch, spokeswoman for the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, said there will be inevitable traffic snarls that hopefully won’t extend beyond world leaders being shuttled to and from hotels or to and from O’Hare. Anyone in a car or taxi might not be thrilled, but those on foot could be spared aggravation.
“If you’re a visitor to Chicago on the weekend, odds are you won’t be in a car anyway — you’ll be on foot,” she said. “They may just want to stop if they see a motorcade.”
Losing three of the city’s key museums, she said, is an unfortunate necessity.
“You’re moving world leaders,” Risch said. “It’s a very tedious process, and we’re taking it very seriously. These museums are great partners for the city, and they’re doing what they’re being asked to do.”
As for the expected protests, Risch advised that visitors exercise standard big-city caution.
“When visiting any large city, be aware of your surroundings and remove yourself from any precarious situation,” she said. “We are more than hopeful that the people coming to our city to express their 1st Amendment rights will be cognizant of the fact that 9 million people call this city home and that they will conduct themselves in a polished manner.”
One other thought for visitors wanting to avoid the chaos: Explore areas other than downtown — like here, here, here and here. Also, the Cubs are hosting the White Sox that weekend at Wrigley Field, though that has as much potential for a riot as anything downtown.
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Finally, check chicagotribune.com for the latest news and NATO Summit press releases, even if the latter page is outdated as of this writing because it hasn’t been updated in a week.
Twitter @traveljosh