Hotels for Chicago Marathon 2026

The Chicago Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the world, drawing tens of thousands of runners and spectators to Grant Park each October. Where you stay can mean the difference between a quick walk to the start line and a lengthy commute on race morning.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon, first run in 1977, is one of the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors and among the flattest and fastest courses in the sport. Its single loop winds through 29 city neighbourhoods and starts and finishes in Grant Park on the Lake Michigan shore, cheered by well over a million spectators.

Chicago has a rich record of fast times: Kelvin Kiptum set a men's marathon world record here in 2023, and Ruth Chepng'etich set a women's world record on the course in 2024. Because it is a loop, the logistics are among the simplest of any major — base yourself near Grant Park and you can walk to the start and back from the finish, with no race-morning transit to worry about.

October in Chicago is often crisp and bright, and marathon weekend fills the downtown hotels. Collect your bib at the expo, usually held at McCormick Place, in the days before — there is no race-day pickup.