A flat, fast World Marathon Major where the ballot window, not the course, is the hard part to plan around.
Professional access: Athlete entry is by ballot drawing (application window open now, closes 2 PM CT Oct 29, 2026), qualifying time, charity or tour-operator guaranteed paths. Spectators watch free from public points along the 29-neighborhood course; the Grant Park start/finish is restricted to participants and ticketed guests.
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Athlete entry is by ballot drawing (application window open now, closes 2 PM CT Oct 29, 2026), qualifying time, charity or tour-operator guaranteed paths. Spectators watch free from public points along the 29-neighborhood course; the Grant Park start/finish is restricted to participants and ticketed guests.
Check official access requirementsBallot application for 2027 is open now through 2:00 PM CT October 29, 2026. Entry fees confirmed on the official site: $250 US residents, $260 international (non-charity); $325 US, $335 international (charity); a processing fee applies. Guaranteed entry paths include qualifying times, charity programs and tour operators.
Open official ticket informationStart and finish in Grant Park on Columbus Drive; the loop course runs through 29 neighborhoods and returns to Grant Park. The Abbott Health & Fitness Expo is at McCormick Place in the days before the race.
Chicago 2027 is a ballot-window race: the application closes October 29, 2026, eleven months before the start, so the planning work happens now. The course itself is the known quantity, flat, fast and spectator-dense. The honest constraint is entry uncertainty; every travel booking before the December 8 ballot results should be refundable.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2027 runs Sunday, October 10, 2027, starting and finishing in Grant Park. The 49th edition keeps the flat, fast loop through 29 Chicago neighborhoods that has made Chicago a personal-best course, with first waves from 7:30 AM CT.
Chicago is a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and carries the World Athletics Platinum label. Entry is by non-guaranteed ballot drawing or guaranteed entry paths (qualifying time, charity, tour operator, legacy). The 2027 application window opened October 8, 2026 and closes at 2:00 PM CT on October 29, 2026; ballot results are emailed December 8, 2026 and payment plus registration closes 11:59 PM CT December 15, 2026.
Wave starts from 7:30 AM CT on Columbus Drive, with the city waking up around the course.
The loop passes through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, each with its own cheer zones and character, before returning to Grant Park.
The final miles down Michigan Avenue toward the Grant Park finish, lined with the densest crowds on the course.
Apply for the ballot before 2:00 PM CT October 29, 2026; results arrive December 8. Book refundable Loop or Grant Park hotels now and confirm after the ballot; race weekend sells out central Chicago. Guaranteed paths (qualifying time, charity, tour operator) remove the uncertainty if the ballot does not suit you.
Official reservation guideFly into Chicago O'Hare (ORD), the primary gateway, or Midway (MDW) for domestic connections. Take the CTA Blue Line from O'Hare or Orange Line from Midway to the Loop; Grant Park is walkable from downtown hotels. Collect your race pack in person at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place (North Building, Level 3, Hall B1) with government photo ID; the 2027 Expo dates had not been published on the official site at review time, so check the race-weekend events page before traveling.
Official transport guideEntry fees confirmed on the official site: $250 US residents, $260 international (non-charity); $325 US, $335 international (charity); a processing fee applies to all entries. Budget for Chicago race-weekend hotel premiums, which are the largest trip cost; Expo, transport and meals are secondary.
Expect 50,000+ runners and 1M+ spectators. The Grant Park start/finish area is restricted to participants and ticketed guests; the best free viewing is along Michigan Avenue, State Street and the neighborhood cheer zones. Arrive early for the 7:30 AM CT wave starts.
Chicago Marathon is a full race-day commitment for runners; spectators, including families, watch free from public points along the course. The 27th Mile Post-Race Party in Grant Park is the runner reunion point. Plan childcare around the early start and the 6h30m course window.
Official family guidanceThe Chicago Marathon publishes accessibility information for athletes and spectators; the flat course and Grant Park venue are wheelchair-accessible. Contact the organizer in advance for specific accommodation needs. CTA rail and bus routes serving the Loop are accessible.
Official accessibility guideSite rulesGear check follows the official race-weekend rules published closer to the event; the 2027-specific policy had not been published at review time. Expect standard large-event security screening at Grant Park and the Expo.Check the official safety guidance
Stay in the Loop or near Grant Park to walk to the start and finish. Michigan Avenue and the Loop keep you inside the race-weekend footprint; the Expo at McCormick Place is a short ride south.
Best for: Walk to the start and finish; the race-weekend footprint.
Tradeoff: Highest race-weekend rates in the city; book refundable and early.
Best for: Dining and shopping with an easy walk or short ride to Grant Park.
Tradeoff: Race-morning street closures complicate early transfers; allow extra time.
The Loop, Michigan Ave & Wacker
Loop location at Michigan Avenue and Wacker, under a mile from the Grant Park start and finish, with a fitness center and consistently strong review scores across both platforms.
Know before booking: Luxury pricing; not a full resort-style spa setup, and premium rates spike on race weekend.
The Loop, 151 E Wacker Dr
A 2,032-room Loop hotel with a fitness center and a 4.7/5 Tripadvisor location score; an easy walk to Grant Park and well placed for the race-weekend footprint.
Know before booking: $30 daily destination fee on top of the room rate; a huge conference hotel that can feel crowded, and on-site parking is pricey.
River North, 33 W Illinois St
River North near the Loop with free hot breakfast and free WiFi; a reliable value base for a race weekend within walking distance of Grant Park.
Know before booking: Sits exactly at the 8.0 floor; rooms are smaller than the luxury tier and the property lacks a spa or full-service fitness center.
Hotel ratings move over time. We check at least two independent sources and include a drawback, but you should still read recent reviews before paying.
Grant Park sits on the eastern edge of the Loop, bounded by Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive along Lake Michigan. The Loop is Chicago's downtown core, served by all CTA rail lines; McCormick Place (the Expo) is about 3 km south of Grant Park.
Collect your race pack at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place in the days before the race; bring government photo ID, as runners must collect their own packs.
Walk the Lakefront Trail from Grant Park north to Navy Pier for an easy recovery stroll with skyline views, then refuel deep-dish style.
The Loop and River North hold the race-weekend dining; book dinners ahead because 50,000 runners carb-load in the same 48 hours.
River North · Chicago deep-dish pizza
The classic Chicago deep-dish carb-load dinner, a short ride from the Loop hotels.
Know before booking: Race-weekend waits are long; order ahead or go at off-peak hours.
Loop · Breakfast and brunch
A reliable pre-race breakfast spot in the Loop, open early and used to feeding runners.
Know before booking: Expect a line on race-weekend mornings; go early or take away.
Restaurant details and hours can change. Reconfirm the operating day and reserve directly before relying on a recommendation.
Sunday, October 10, 2027, starting and finishing in Grant Park, Chicago. The 49th edition; first waves from 7:30 AM CT.
Through the ballot application (open now, closes 2:00 PM CT October 29, 2026), a qualifying time, a charity program, or a tour operator. Ballot results are emailed December 8, 2026.
Confirmed on the official site: $250 for US residents and $260 for international runners (non-charity); $325 US and $335 international for charity entries. A processing fee applies to all entries.
In person at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place (North Building, Level 3, Hall B1) in the days before the race, with government photo ID. Runners must collect their own packs. The 2027 Expo dates had not been published at review time.
6 hours 30 minutes, about a 15 min/mile pace, enforced on the course.
Race date, venue, application window, deadlines and entry fees verified against the official Chicago Marathon site on 2026-10-10. The 2027 Expo dates had not been published on the official site at review time; the McCormick Place venue is confirmed. Hotel scores checked against Booking.com and Tripadvisor the same day.
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