AAPEX 2026

McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America, comprising a 2.6 million-square-foot campus situated on Chicago's lakefront. The complex consists of four distinct buildings — the North Building, South Building, West Building, and Lakeside Center (which also houses the Arie Crown Theater) — linked by a sophisticated network of climate-controlled skybridges and concourses that allow attendees to move between exhibit halls, session rooms, and connected hotels without going outdoors.

The campus functions as a self-contained city: walking from the West Building to Lakeside Center can take approximately 20 minutes, so comfortable footwear is essential for multi-day attendees. The venue features vast exhibition halls capable of accommodating hundreds of companies, extensive breakout and meeting room inventory for educational sessions and workshops, dedicated registration areas at multiple gates, and a Grand Concourse that connects the buildings. On-site amenities include permanent and pop-up coat and baggage check areas, Mamava private nursing suites (accessible via the Mamava Mobile App), and mobility equipment rentals through Scootaround Inc. McCormick Place is fully ADA-compliant, with elevators, ramps, and accessible entrances throughout the complex.

McCormick Place operates three on-campus parking lots, all ADA-accessible and close to the convention buildings:

• Lot A (2301 South Prairie Avenue): A six-level covered garage with 2,100 spaces on Martin Luther King Drive, adjacent to the West Building. Covered walkways connect Lot A directly to McCormick Place, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and Marriott Marquis Chicago. Rate: $27 for up to 16 hours; $40 for 16–24 hours. Overnight parking available in Lot A only. Prepaid guaranteed spaces ($40/day) can be purchased in advance and include in-and-out privileges; they are held even if lots fill to capacity.
• Lot B (3050 South Moe Drive): Surface lot; flat fee of $18 per day. No in-and-out privileges and no overnight parking.
• Lot C (Fort Dearborn Drive): Serves events in Lakeside Center. ADA accessible parking available.

The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Hotel also has a dedicated parking garage with hourly rates. Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) designated pick-up and drop-off zones are at Gate 4 (South/North Buildings) and Gate 40 (West Building). Prepaid parking can be ordered in advance through the McCormick Place online ordering system.

By Air: The two nearest airports are O'Hare International Airport (ORD), approximately 21 miles from McCormick Place, and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), approximately 9 miles away. Midway is often faster to reach due to lower traffic volume on the route south. Airport Express shuttle service provides transportation between both airports and the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Hotel (connected directly to the convention center); call 888-284-3826 or visit airportexpress.com to book.

By Train — Metra (Recommended): The Metra Electric Line stops directly at McCormick Place via the McCormick Place Station, located below the South Building. From Millennium Station in the heart of downtown Chicago, the ride takes approximately 7 minutes — one of the fastest and most reliable options for attendees staying in the Loop or South Loop.

By CTA Bus & 'L' Train: CTA bus routes and 'L' train connections serve the McCormick Place area from throughout Chicago. Contact the RTA at 312-836-7000 or rtachicago.org for schedules and route planning.

By Rideshare / Taxi: Designated rideshare (Uber/Lyft) pick-up and drop-off zones are at Gate 4 for the South and North Buildings and Gate 40 for the West Building. Allow extra travel time during morning and evening peak hours, particularly on busy show days.

By Car: From Midway Airport or the southwest, take I-55 North to US-41 South (Lake Shore Drive) and exit at 31st Street. From the north, follow Lake Shore Drive south and exit at 31st Street. Parking is available in on-campus Lots A, B, and C.

On-Campus / Skybridge-Connected (most convenient):

• Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (2233 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) — directly connected to the convention center via covered skybridge; the closest on-site hotel option, steps from the exhibit halls.
• Marriott Marquis Chicago (2121 S. Prairie Avenue) — connected to McCormick Place via skybridge; a modern 39-story property with multiple dining concepts and over 90,000 sq ft of meeting space.
• Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place / Hampton Inn / Home2 Suites — a tri-plex of Hilton-brand hotels directly linked to the campus via climate-controlled skybridges, offering a range of price points.

South Loop (short commute; event shuttles often available):

• Hotel Blake (South Loop, Ascend Hotel Collection) — boutique property in Chicago's historic South Loop, well suited for McCormick Place events.
• Chicago South Loop Hotel — comfortable mid-range option in the South Loop neighborhood.

Downtown / Loop (Metra or rideshare ride away):

• Hilton Chicago — iconic property overlooking Grant Park and Lake Michigan, approximately 1.5 miles north.
• Palmer House Hilton — historic Loop landmark a short Metra Electric or rideshare ride from the venue.
• Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center — a Chicago landmark on South Michigan Avenue, about 1.5 miles from McCormick Place.