Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Every October, more than 45,000 runners hit the streets of Chicago and take a 26.2 mile tour of the city by foot. While it's too late to enter the race (and complete weeks of grueling training), you can join tens of thousands of spectators on the city's streets to cheer on participants as they make their way through the course. The start and finish line in Grant Park isn't open to the public, but you can head to neighborhoods like Pilsen, Chinatown, Boystown and Lincoln Park to join crowds of onlookers toting handmade signs, blaring music and encouraging all of the runners as they whiz by, or meet your runner at the reunite area of Grant Park starting at 9:30am.