Chicago becomes gentle when the sun comes up, providing a serenity which is lost once the streets get busy. Downtown Chicago even has its own pace, and if you venture outside while the streets are just unfolding into the morning, you’ll catch nuances which are lost once the crowd materialises.
The Loop, in particular, presents a morning scene which is airier, brighter, and abundant in small instances which leave you wondering if you’ve hit the mother lode of the best-kept secret of the city.
A Walk Worthy of Setting Your Alarm For
Begin your day at Millennium Park, because not many places hold the sunrise so beautifully. When the early morning light reflects off the Cloud Gate sculpture, you’ll find a small group of photographers, runners, and visitors all existing in a moment of silence together.
Continue walking down toward the Lurie Garden and listen as the sounds of the birds blend with the hum of the waking-up city in the distance. It’s serene and yet alive, the type of space which reenergizes you long before your first cup of coffee even comes into the equation.
Quiet Corners During the Pre-Rush
Beyond the well-known spots, the Loop has corners that most people never pause to see. The Chicago Riverwalk, for instance, is almost unrecognizable at sunrise. The water glows with soft color, and bridges that usually echo with footsteps feel still.
If you enjoy architecture, stand along the river’s edge and watch the sun catch on the glass of the surrounding towers. You’ll feel the contrast later in the day when the same space is packed with lunchtime walkers and sightseeing tours.
Where Breakfast Becomes an Adventure
Of course, no Chicago early morning would be complete without breakfast. That’s when you’ll want to avoid the predictable chains and discover a spot that brings personality to your morning. The Loop boasts cafes and hidden diners seemingly designed for the morning roamer.
Get wild about pancakes and strong coffee at Wildberry Pancakes and Café, just around the corner from Millennium Park. For a no-fuss option, Goddess and the Baker doles out flaky pastry and brightly colored lattes to perk up your table and your day. Both opened early and both cater to an equal clientele of locals and visitors who know mornings are meant to be enjoyed.
A Hotel That Makes Life Easier
When you’re keeping close, your morning can start on foot without giving it a thought. When you’re in the Arlo Chicago Hotel, Chicago downtown, you’re steps from the Millennium Park, the Riverwalk, and the cafes mentioned above.
That proximity adds up to less time worrying about transportation and more time savoring the way the city springs to life before nine o’clock. That’s the practical advantage which makes the early start so natural.
Making the Morning Your Own
Every visitor goes at his own speed, and the Chicago of the morning leaves room for both. If you are the linear type, stick to the straightforward itinerary: park, river, coffee, and repeat. If you like to ramble, allow yourself time to veer off into a side street and see how murals and storefronts appear under diffused light.
Either way, you’ll take the exuberance of the morning into the afternoon and beyond. That, I think, is the true benefit of rising early in the Loop: you experience your Chicago as a more intimate, less rushed, and all-yourself city for a moment or an hour or whatever.
