Northerly Island Park — Attraction in Chicago

Saw Dave Matthews at this venue on the 4th of July. I will start with what is good. If you are one of the 8000 people in the seated areas, it's great. I think all seats are really good. Pit is a good size but wasn't oversold and packed, people had room to move. The sound was really great. Plenty of concessions, plenty of porta potties. I was completely happy with seats in section 205. Skyline views are magnificent. Atmosphere is wonderful.

Here's what I did not like. If you have bought a ticket for the lawn you won't see anything and are separated from the other 8K people with a big prison looking fence. There is no hill or anything it's flat and almost looked like it was sloped down. My sister is nursing a new baby and needed to pump. There are no other bathrooms except porta potties making this really difficult for her. They did give her access to the medical trailer but with no running water or anything else, well it was not easy. There needs to be a real bathroom and real running water here somewhere.

Getting to the venue was a lot easier than leaving. We had no idea where to go. Were told at the beginning (by a CTA employee) the 130 Museum bus would be there shuttling people by the Planetarium. Then when the mass exodus from the concert occurred no buses could get back there. There was no one directing where to go to find a bus or any public transportation. We rolled the dice and walked towards the History Museum. Finally got on a bus to Ogilvie and made the last train north at 12:30pm.

There is also not ONE covered part in this venue unless you are in VIP. Bring your sunblock it's hot. My daughter wants to go to Panic at the Disco and I'm not ready to go here again...

Honestly, in my opinion one of the BEST views of the Skyline and the Navy Pier fireworks! The main park is a live concert venue in the summer, however the lake front paths right outside of the Planetarium are open to the public. Parking is very limited along the street here, especially in the summer on Wednesday and Saturday evenings for the fireworks. If you want to be able to park here and enjoy this SPECTACULAR view of our beautiful city then early arrival is strongly suggested. The fireworks start after 9pm, and I will arrive to this spot around 7pm to ensure a parking spot. It gets crowded quickly, but do not get discouraged; just keep driving around and keep your eyes peeled. Not everyone stays for the fireworks, so a watchful eye will easily spot vehicles leaving and can snatch up the parking spot. Parking is free but be extremely mindful of no parking, emergency lanes, and fire hydrants. Basically if it’s after 8pm, almost any visibly open spots will be fire hydrants and no parking. CPD actively patrols the area, especially before,during and after the fireworks. They generally do not disturb anyone looking to get a glimpse of the fireworks, but after as it gets closer to the 11pm closing time they will start pushing people towards the exit. If you’re looking for a fantastic view of the Navy Pier fireworks, as well as a spectacular view of the Chicago Skyline, this is...

Review of the Venue:

The sound is (usually) pretty good, and the two jumbotrons are a huge plus. If there's nothing happening at nearby Soldier Field then it's not terribly difficult to get here, either. The view of the Skyline at night when you are leaving the show is breathtaking.

But this place has some absolute cons:

There are tons of gnats and other small flying bugs due to the proximity to the lake.

The permitting restrictions prohibit any permanent structures so the majority of seating consists of unanchored economy-grade folding chairs zip-tied together on a completely flat asphalt surface. It is difficult to see the stage from a distance even when people are sitting down, and the rows get moved around as the night goes on.

They upsell VIP tickets that don't guarantee seating- and trust me- the seats with views of the stage have all been spoken for. There's a lounge area behind where small groups of. 3-4 people "claim" chairs, couches, etc that easily seat 6-7 and they look at you like you're insane if you ask to sit in an unoccupied seat where they are squatting.

Also- If there's an event at Soldier Field, don't purchase parking ahead of time- you won't be able to get there. No refunds from Ticketmaster when this happens - they just tell you you should have gotten there 4-5 hours earlier. Oof.

I wish they'd stop booking so many shows here. I miss...