§ Missions // Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois

Operation Cloud Gate

Millennium Park is full of things most visitors walk right past. Someone left a message here, one word at a time, in steel and stone. Four objectives, about a third of a mile on foot, all inside the park. No streets to cross, kid-sized finds, and a giant playground next door when you finish. Find the words.

A junior field kit on pale limestone: a phone showing a park map, a yellow walkie-talkie, kids' binoculars, a compass, a magnifying glass and a notebook with colored pencils around a glowing green grid marked 41°53′N 87°37′W, with a small mirror-polished chrome bean at the center
Field kit · Millennium Park, Chicago
04Objectives
⅓ miOn foot, about
30 minTypical time
KidsPark paths only
§ Route // the walk

Where you'll walk

Start at the Bean and finish at Wrigley Square, all inside Millennium Park. About a third of a mile on park paths with no streets to cross, and the stops in between revealed as you play.

Route map of Operation Cloud Gate in Millennium Park, Chicago: four numbered stops from the Bean to Wrigley Square
§ Recon // field photos

Where the mission takes you

Real places, all inside Millennium Park: Cloud Gate (the Bean), the giant faces of Crown Fountain, the building the Bean sits on, and the white columns of Wrigley Square.

§ 01 // In the field

What to expect

A short walk around Millennium Park with puzzles on its landmarks. Every puzzle is outdoors and free: no tickets or lines.

01

Start at the Bean

Begin at Cloud Gate in Millennium Park. The team plays on one phone, in its web browser.

02

Walk and solve

Each objective asks you to find something real: a count, a name, a word carved in stone, a building hiding under the Bean. Every puzzle has three free hints, and the third is the answer.

03

Calls from Operations Center

After each stop, Operations Center calls with what you found and your next objective. Every message also appears on screen.

04

A finale worth the walk

Collect the words along the way. At Wrigley Square they come together. Then cross the BP Bridge to the giant playground at Maggie Daley Park.

Route // one way
StartThe Bean, Millennium Park
FinaleWrigley Square
Getting thereCTA or a downtown garage
AccessFree, outdoors
Park hours6 am to 11 pm
TeamAbout 5 per phone

No streets to cross: every stop is inside the park. The stone around Crown Fountain gets wet and slippery.

§ 02 // Mission pass
$20

One phone runs a team of about 5. Add phones for $5 if you'd like to split up.

Buy this mission · $20

Secure checkout on play.questthecity.com. Your play link arrives by email.

First phone$20
Each extra phone$5
Your play linkBy email
PassGood for one year
RefundsFull, within 30 days
App or accountNone needed
Mission FAQ
How long is the pass good for?

One year. Play on the day that suits you; the link waits.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. Full refund within 30 days of purchase. Reply to your order email.

What if we lose signal?

Open your link once with signal, before you head out. After that the mission keeps working if service drops between stops.

Do we need an app or an account?

No. It runs in the phone's web browser. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.

How many phones do we need?

One phone runs a team of about 5. Add phones for $5 each if you'd like to split up; each phone keeps its own progress. Bringing a school or youth group? See Groups.

How is this different from Operation Four Stars?

Four Stars is the full Chicago mission: about a mile, from the Bean up Michigan Avenue to Tribune Tower. Cloud Gate stays inside Millennium Park, about a third of a mile with no streets to cross, sized for families with younger kids.

Is it safe for kids?

It's a short walk on park paths with no streets to cross. You're responsible for your group's safety: supervise minors, especially on the wet stone at Crown Fountain. Full details in the terms.

Also in the network

Operation Four Stars · the full Chicago mission, from the Bean to Tribune Tower · Operation Liberty Tree · Annapolis, Maryland · Operation Long Shadow · Washington, DC · and Operation Falls Sentinel · Sioux Falls.

See every mission