Do you know a good free place to park near/in downtown Chicago?

That’s like trying to find the holy grail.

Best you can do is get in real early for discount parking, but free? I don’t believe that exists.

I wasn’t quite sure, but I figured it was worth a shot to ask here if it did.

What about cheap parking?

For cheap parking I’d follow ladytmerie’s answer. Are you looking for a daily parking place or an occasional kind of thing? ‘cause I’d really just recommend the CTA and hoofing it.

I’m just going for one day.
but I’ll keep it all in mind.
Thanks.

If you do end up going the public transportation route, hopstop.com is good for directions, and I think you can get a pretty good deal on an unlimited ride two day tourist pass kinda thing… somewhere. I don’t know. I don’t pay enough attention to the traveling means of mere mortals after having received my u-pass.

Shop around local second-hand and vintage shops for old policeman’s hats. There used to be a place on Milwaukee in Wicker Park that sold them, but it’s been a long time since I lived there, so it may be closed. They’re around, anyway.

So once you’ve found a hat, take the checkered hat band, and hang that on your rear-view mirror. That’s the symbol that you’re either a cop or related to one, and means you’ll get special treatment. Voilà, free parking anywhere in Chicago.

Just hide it if/when you get pulled over, or you’ll cause yourself additional trouble. ;-)

Haha, thats amazing.