At a remove from the lead attractions in Millennium Park is a small secluded canal where weary people from all over may sit down, take off their shoes, and dangle their feet in a cooling stream.
This man-made water feature, bounded on one side by a limestone wall and on the other by a terraced boardwalk, slopes down from the Pritzker Pavilion, bisecting the Lurie Garden and running toward the southern edge of the Park at Monroe. The canal is a central feature of the Lurie Garden, whose very entrance can be hard to find.
Which makes dangling your feet in the stream all the more thrilling! Reaching the stream is like trading one culture for another, leaving behind the city’s bustle for a quiet refuge of a kind you might find in Japan.
Unlike the jubilant chaos reigning over the nearby Crown Fountain in summer, the foot canal is quietly patrolled by guards who enforce its rules. No standing up in the Canal is the main thing. Sitting is the rule of the game (though tossing in a coin for good luck is allowed).
When the weather is in the 90s and muggy, few things are more pleasant than the respite that this sweet foot bath provides.
Harley says
I don’t think I have ever seen the “canal.” Perhaps next time I am in the area and have the strength I’ll try to check it out……………From your description it seems to be a nice quiet place to relax.
Celia says
It’s really the most glorious foot bath ever! The term “canal” doesn’t strike me as particularly apt, but that is what it’s formally called. . . . I highly recommend it, particularly if you’ve been on your feet for hours, shopping or whatever, or if you happen to be wearing uncomfortable shoes! I have even gone there after shopping in the Loop–it helps me recover.
Sunny SBO says
I have dabbled my feet in this soothing stream–it’s wonderful!
Celia says
Yes! Thank you, Sunny! Good to hear from you!
thetalentedmsvik says
How is it that I never knew this existed until now??
Celia says
It’s really hard to find, but so worth the hunt. If you enter the Lurie Garden from the east or west, walk to the center; if you enter the Garden from the north (from the lawn of the Pritzker Pavilion), you’ll see it right in front of you. Enjoy!
thetalentedmsvik says
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be on the look out for it. 🙂