Table of Contents
- Is There a Water Taxi to Soldier Field?
- Chicago Water Taxi Schedule for Bears Season
- How to Get Chicago Water Taxi Tickets
- What Are the Parking Options at Soldier Field?
- Why Take the Water Taxi Instead of Driving to a Bears Game?
- Where to Go Before a Bears Game Near Navy Pier
- Things to Do Before a Bears Game Near Museum Campus
- Sail to Your Next Bears Game
- FAQs About the Soldier Field Water Taxi
Getting to Soldier Field on a Bears game day usually means one of two things: sitting in traffic, or paying a premium to park close enough to actually make kickoff. The Chicago water taxi is a scenic, traffic-free alternative that turns the trip itself into part of the game day experience.
Quick answer: Shoreline Sightseeing’s Chicago water taxi connects Navy Pier to Museum Campus, a short walk from Soldier Field, avoiding street traffic and stadium-area parking. During Bears season, Shoreline has also partnered with Harry Caray’s Tavern on Navy Pier for special “Park, Tailgate & Sail” game days, offering water taxi transportation as part of a pregame tailgate package. Water taxi service typically runs May through September, with additional dates added for events like Bears home games.
Here’s how to get to Soldier Field by water with Shoreline Sightseeing, plus where to eat and drink near Navy Pier before you go.
Is There a Water Taxi to Soldier Field?
Yes. Shoreline Sightseeing’s Chicago water taxi serves a Museum Campus stop, which is within walking distance of Soldier Field, Northerly Island, the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. Riders board at Navy Pier and travel Shoreline’s Lake Route to Museum Campus, avoiding the street traffic that builds up around the stadium on game days.
During Bears season, we have also run special water taxi service tied to Bears home games in partnership with Harry Caray’s Tavern at Navy Pier, as part of their “Park, Tailgate & Sail” events. Details, dates, and pricing for these game day partnerships can change season to season, so it’s worth checking our current water taxi schedule or Harry Caray’s event calendar before planning around a specific game.
Chicago Water Taxi Schedule for Bears Season
Shoreline Sightseeing’s Chicago water taxi typically operates from May through September, with additional service added in the spring and fall for special events, including Bears home games. All water taxi service is weather permitting, so it’s worth checking the current schedule the morning of a game before finalizing your plans.
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Season | Typically May through September, with select additional dates for events |
| Departure Point | Navy Pier |
| Stop Near Soldier Field | Museum Campus (short walk to the stadium) |
| Frequency | Every 20 to 30 minutes, weather and customer traffic permitting |
| Weather Policy | Service is weather dependent and may be delayed or canceled in poor conditions |
How to Get Chicago Water Taxi Tickets
Chicago water taxi tickets can be purchased online in advance or in person at the dock. Buying ahead is worth considering on game days, since docks can get busy right around kickoff and the return trip afterward. Current pricing and ticket options are available on Shoreline’s water taxi page.
What Are the Parking Options at Soldier Field?
Soldier Field parking is split across several lots and garages, most of which require a season coupon, a pre-purchased pass, or cash paid on arrival. Knowing the options makes it easier to see why a lot of fans skip driving altogether.
| Parking Option | What to Know |
|---|---|
| North Garage | Primarily reserved for season coupon holders on Bears event days |
| Waldron Deck | Also mainly coupon-based; cash parking is limited |
| South Lot | Coupon-based on Bears event days, with limited cash availability |
| Adler Planetarium Lot | Cash parking is typically available here on game days |
| Burnham Harbor Lot | Cash parking option, with single-game passes available later in the season |
| McCormick Place Lot B | Overflow option for fans without a season coupon, served by a game-day shuttle |
Even with a plan in place, most of these lots involve arriving hours early to beat traffic, paying event-day rates that shift by game, and then sitting in a slow exit afterward. The water taxi sidesteps that entirely: no coupon, no cash lane, and no lot to navigate out of once the game ends. You simply walk from Museum Campus to Navy Pier (or vice versa) and let the boat handle the rest.
For fans coming from downtown or Navy Pier specifically, the water taxi is often the more direct option, since it skips the drive to a stadium lot altogether rather than just finding a shorter walk once you’re already parked.
Why Take the Water Taxi Instead of Driving to a Bears Game?
Soldier Field parking fills up fast on game days, and the surrounding streets can be gridlocked for an hour or more after the final whistle. The water taxi sidesteps both problems: no parking to find, no lot to circle, and no sitting in postgame traffic while everyone else tries to leave at once.
It also turns the commute into part of the experience. Riders get skyline and lakefront views on the way to the game, a different way to arrive than sitting in a car or rideshare.
Where to Go Before a Bears Game Near Navy Pier
Skipping stadium parking doesn’t mean skipping the pregame tradition. Several bars and restaurants near Shoreline’s Navy Pier water taxi dock make for an easy pregame stop before boarding.
Harry Caray’s Tavern
Located right across from the water taxi dock, Harry Caray’s Tavern at Navy Pier is a longtime pregame spot named for the legendary Cubs broadcaster. During Bears season, it’s also the home of Shoreline’s “Park, Tailgate & Sail” partnership, pairing a tailgate spread with water taxi transportation to the game.
Timothy O’Toole’s
A Streeterville staple since 1992, Timothy O’Toole’s Pub is known for its wall of HD TVs and casual pub food, a solid option for watching other games or grabbing a bite before heading to the dock.
Lizzie McNeill’s
A neighborhood Irish bar with river views, Lizzie McNeill’s offers both indoor seating and a patio, a relaxed option if you want food and a drink with a view before the game.
Billy Goat Tavern
Right on Navy Pier, the Billy Goat Tavern is known for its no-frills cheeseburgers and Chicago sports history. Indoor and outdoor seating make it an easy stop with lake views before boarding.
Things to Do Before a Bears Game Near Museum Campus
If your plans include arriving early, Museum Campus itself offers a few ways to fill time before kickoff. The Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium all sit within the same lakefront stretch as Soldier Field, and the Adler occasionally offers free or discounted admission days worth checking for ahead of a game.
Even a short walk along the Museum Campus lakefront gives you skyline views and a look at Soldier Field from outside before you head in, a nice way to build some anticipation before the game starts.
Sail to Your Next Bears Game
Between stadium traffic, parking costs, and the wait to leave afterward, driving to Soldier Field isn’t always the easiest option. The Chicago water taxi offers a scenic, traffic-free alternative that gets you close to the stadium and turns the ride itself into part of game day.
Ready to skip the traffic? Book your Chicago water taxi with Shoreline Sightseeing and check the current schedule before your next Bears home game.
FAQs About the Soldier Field Water Taxi
Yes. Shoreline Sightseeing’s Chicago water taxi stops at Museum Campus, a short walk from Soldier Field. Shoreline has also offered special game day water taxi service in partnership with Harry Caray’s Tavern during Bears season.
The Chicago water taxi from Navy Pier to Museum Campus is one option that avoids stadium traffic and parking. Other options include CTA trains and buses.
Shoreline’s water taxi typically runs May through September, with additional dates added in spring and fall for special events, including Bears home games.
Riders board at Shoreline’s Navy Pier dock and travel the Lake Route to Museum Campus, near Soldier Field.
Shoreline has partnered with Harry Caray’s Tavern at Navy Pier in past seasons for “Park, Tailgate & Sail” events, which include water taxi transportation as part of a pregame tailgate package. Availability and details can vary by season.
Soldier Field parking includes the North Garage, Waldron Deck, and South Lot, which are mostly reserved for season coupon holders, along with the Adler Planetarium Lot and Burnham Harbor Lot, which typically offer cash parking. Fans without a season coupon can also use the McCormick Place Lot B shuttle.
For many fans, yes. The water taxi avoids the coupon requirements, cash lanes, and postgame exit traffic that come with most Soldier Field parking lots.
Soldier Field transportation options include driving and parking on-site, CTA trains and buses, Metra with a shuttle connection, rideshare drop-off zones, and Shoreline’s Chicago water taxi to the nearby Museum Campus stop.
Popular pregame spots near Shoreline’s Navy Pier dock include Harry Caray’s Tavern, Timothy O’Toole’s, Lizzie McNeill’s, and the Billy Goat Tavern.
Before a Bears game, visitors can explore Museum Campus, including the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium, all within walking distance of the stadium.
Current Chicago water taxi pricing is available on Shoreline’s water taxi page, since rates and ticket options can change by season.
No, not always. Chicago water taxi service is weather dependent and may be delayed or canceled during poor conditions, so it’s worth checking the current schedule before a game.
