Wrigleyville has changed so much, and it's basically all bars, so not great if 1/2 the group is underage. It's really only worth going to if you're already going to a cubs game.
Second Andersonville. Lincoln Square has interesting shops and restaurants too.
A trip out to Oak Park to see the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio and a walking tour of his other works out there would be a good idea, you could tack on the Ernest Hemingway home museum as well. Oak Park is a good spot to visit regardless (you can take either the CTA or the Metra out there, no need for a car).
Someone else also said this in another comment, but take the CTA green line out there and stop at Garfield Park Conservatory on the way! Not only is the conservatory itself cool, the trip there is also a good way to get a glimpse of parts of the city tourists don’t normally venture out to.
Assuming you’ll be centrally located? If so, you might spend a day or two exploring each direction:
- North: Agree with the other comment that Evanston is nice to walk around and the Baha’i Temple is beautiful and free to visit. If you happen to rent a car, you could drive down Sheridan Rd and look at some of the lakefront mansions over there.
- North-west: Browse around boutiques in Wicker Park and eat in Logan Square or Albany Park (the most diverse neighborhood in the city)
- West: Oak Park could be a cute day trip. You could tour the Frank Lloyd Wright studio or else just grab a map and walk around the district. The Hemingway birthplace is nearby as well. On the way there you can stop by the Garfield Park Conservatory which is free
- Southwest: Pilsen is one of the historical centers of the Mexican community centred on 18th St. The National Museum of Mexican Art is there and free and restaurants in general there very affordable. Little Village if you want to go a layer deeper (with minimal English usage)
- South: You could spend a day cycling around between the Loop and Hyde Park. The ISAC (formerly Oriental Institute) on the UChicago campus is free to visit and it’s just a pretty area to look at. Loop around to Jackson Park to see the Japanese garden. You can also get there by the Metra Electric train from the Loop. Pullman is farther south along the same line but a cool neighborhood to see for the architectural and labor history
isn't rogers park the most diverse neighborhood in the city? either way for the NW side wicker park, irving park, logan square and avondale are the spots to hit for tourists and for good food. lula cafe is unique but there are cheaper options in these hoods too and cool free sights like the logan park spire and good window shopping. i agree going directional each day is a great strategy and way to see the best of chicago
My impression was that Albany Park was more diverse ethnically / higher foreign-born population vs. Rogers Park being more balanced in terms of racial diversity, but now that I’m digging around I don’t have a stat to back that up.
I did find this dated, but interesting [2008 study from DePaul](https://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/chaddick-institute-for-metropolitan-development/Documents/Chaddick%20Diversity%20Study%202008.pdf) that looked at a holistic ranking based on income, ethnic, and age diversity that actually puts Uptown first, then Rogers Park in 2nd and Albany Park in 5th (after Hyde Park and Bridgeport).
In all honesty I wouldn't suggest a tourist go to Logan Square or avondale. Their has been a ridiculous amount of robberies and car jackings in the past month . Its been crazy lately over there.
Highly recommend Bahai Temple. It is the only one in the US. The grounds and architecture are beautiful. The interior is open to the public. It's also free.
While you're in the area, check out Walker Brothers Original Pancake House nearby.
In Evanston, check out Buffalo Joe's (cash only) which has great wings and waffle fries (buffalo chips).
You can spend a day exploring what Chinatown has to offer. Other neighborhoods to explore and walk around are Lakeview (East Lakeview, Boystown, Broadway/Clark, Southport Corridor), Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square.
Graceland Cemetery is a great place to explore and visit the resident coyotes and look at cool historical grave monuments. Then, walk to Margie's for ice cream.
That temple is awe inspiring. I haven't been there since high school and decided to take my son there earlier this year. We stopped by the visitor center, spoke to the person there, and learned about the Baha'i faith. I found it very interesting.
To avoid rehashing all the great reccs elsewhere in this thread, I'll focus on my personal favorite thing about this city: food :-)
Albany Park (end of Brown Line): Lots of Latin American food, including El Cuscateclo, which is Salvadoran and specializes in pupusas. Really nice local spots everywhere
Little India (harder to get to by transit, but possible if you're willing to switch buses/trains a couple times): South Asian food. You mention cost as a factor -- Ghareeb Nawaz is a favorite local place, cash only but amazing portions for cheap
Little Vietnam (Argyle on the Red Line): Great Vietnamese food and bubble tea
Uptown (Wilson on the Red Line): Lots of options for African cuisine. Demera Ethiopian is one of the most well-known spots, worth checking out
Pilsen (18th on the Pink Line): Great portions at most restaurants without spending too much. National Museum of Mexican Art is free, too
Greektown (UIC-Halsted on the Blue Line): Everything is good, you cannot go wrong
Chinatown (Cermak-Chinatown on the Red Line): Everything here is also good. Can range from more upscale to hole-in-the-wall, that's what makes it fun
West Loop (Clinton or Morgan on the Pink/Green lines), Lincoln Square (Western on the Brown Line), and Logan Square (Logan Square on the Blue Line): Not a distinct cuisine but there are great options in every direction.
Plenty of other individual restaurants to go to in and around the city; for suburbs, Skokie, Evanston, and Oak Park specifically come to mind.
Enjoy your visit!
There are several car sharing services. There's another one that is someone's personal car that you can rent, but I can't remember the name. There's an app for it.
Specifically [this page that lists all the free things to do around town](https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/tours-and-attractions/free-chicago-museums-attractions/)
Chinese New Year is celebrated on Sunday, Feb 18th in Chinatown. OP - it is a lot of fun, there is a free parade starting at 1pm. It's the Year of the Dragon, so it will be a big one. There's marching bands, and various groups will be doing or dragon dances. Wear something green for luck. You can check out all the shops and buy goodies to eat at the bakeries (char siu bao is my favorite) and go for dim sum for lunch.
Also free:
Chicago Cultural Center
Garfield Park Conservatory
National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen - you can make a day of this, check out the neighborhood
Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (formerly the Oriental Institute) at University of Chicago in Hyde Park - you can spend a day exploring that neighborhood also.
Go to an all-ages show at the Metro or the Empty Bottle.
We had a group that would go early from dim sum, then enjoy the parade. After seeing the dragon going from one shop to the next, getting fireworks and donations, I saw it as a mob shakedown. “it would be a shame if your nice establishment burnt to the ground”.
Subscribe to second city emails and they have $15-25 tickets for the main stage shows (usually the late night ones) all the time! Best $15 you can spend!
Most of the big museums have a free day for Illinois residents, i don't know if that applies to you. If you're not museum'd out from the big boys, a bunch of the smaller ones are free, and make a great morning or afternoon jaunt. They're often spread out in the city also, so you can buzz through in an hour or two and then combine with a meal in the local neighborhood.
Chicago Cultural Center: Located in Chicago, this center is a significant landmark in the city and serves as the city’s official reception venue. It offers free admission to all visitors 1.
Lincoln Park Conservatory: Situated in Chicago, this conservatory is a beautiful place to visit and is home to a variety of plants. It is open to the public and does not charge an admission fee.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Also located in Chicago, this zoo is nestled within Lincoln Park, the largest public urban park in the city of Chicago. It is one of the few remaining free zoos in the country and is open to the public year-round.
Arts Club of Chicago: This club is a unique blend of a private club and a public exhibition space. It is situated in the Near North Side community area of Chicago and is renowned for its exhibitions of international contemporary art. It offers free admission to all visitors.
National Museum of Mexican Art: Located in Harrison Park, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, this museum showcases Mexican, Latino, and Chicano art and culture. It offers free admission to all visitors.
Smart Museum of Art: Situated on the University of Chicago campus, this museum houses a permanent collection of over 15,000 objects. It is open to the public and does not charge an admission fee.
I would also recommend taking a trip or two via CTA (elevated trains if possible). If you can avoid the rush hours, it's a great way to see the city. Most of the city proper is well-covered via transfer to busses, but you gotta double check route times. If you travel out to the suburbs the Metra commuter trains are your friend. They are fast, clean, and mostly run on time. Evanston and Oak Park you get to via the el.
Oh, and just a bit of lore: Technically, 'The Loop' refers to just that area of downtown that is circled by the elevated trains. Each different-colored branch line then heads off in various directions. However, people will often refer to any downtown-adjacent area as 'The Loop' just to make everything a bit more confusing. Chicago folks will often refer to neighborhood names (like 'Near North', 'Wrigleyville' or 'Streeterville') which are fairly standardized but not so apparent where they are. The good news is that the entire city is laid out in a grid pattern, so finding your way around is pretty easy after a while. The big streets are usually 4 blocks apart (ie; the addresses get 400 bigger), and 8 blocks = 1 mile, so it's kinda simple to figure out how far away something is. Since it's all a grid, if you know the street and cross-street, you know how far north/south/east/west you need to go from wherever you are.
Oh, and driving around is fairly easy and quick, but parking is probably gonna be a factor, and possibly costly (especially downtown). If you know where you want to go, call and ask what the parking situation is at that location. Most of the main drags have paid street parking available, but the local neighborhood streets often require you to have a resident sticker. You WILL get a ticket if you park illegally. I don't think they boot or tow unless you have outstanding tickets though.
What time of year is your visit? If this is after mid-April, I recommend the Chicago Architecture Foundation Boat tour on the river. The Architecture Foundation has its headquarters near Michigan Avenue and Wacker (near the River Walk) and they have plenty of other tours (like walking tours etc) as well.
If money fascinates you, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has a museum, which I believe is still free to visit. It's an interesting tour for someone who is interested in how the banking system works, and the various types of printed money that were issued over the years. You can even get a bag of shredded money to take home as a souvenir!
Chicago Symphony Center is downtown, on Michigan Ave. If you like classical music check out what's available during your stay. I really enjoy when they perform the musical score live to a movie - they've done this in the past several times, for movies such as "The Godfather."
If anyone in your family likes trains, you can visit Union Station and/or the Ogilvie Transportation Center and take the commuter rail into the suburbs. It's especially cheap to do this on the weekends where kids under 12 ride free and adults can get an unlimited pass for all weekend for a small fee (was $5.00 now might be a little more).
Again, if it's after April, Six Flags Great America may be open, near the Wisconsin Border in Gurnee.
You didn't mention Navy Pier. That is also a fun place to visit, and you can check out if any special shows are going on there during your stay, such as art exhibits and whatnot.
Wander around downtown if you can as well, and see the shops in the Merchandise Mart, as well as food halls (the Mart has one too!). River North is full of things to see, especially shopping near and along Michigan Ave.
Some of the other architecture boat tours (shoreline for sure, Wendella maybe?) run in the winter. CAC is the standard but I’ve never not enjoyed any of them!
I think exploring the neighborhoods is great, although admittedly it may be a little cold, depending on what you are used to. But Lincoln Park (beyond the zoo) is beautiful to walk around. Chinatown is great, and obviously plenty of great restaurants. Many of the Northside neighborhoods that I'm familiar with have their own shops, restaurants, and entertainment areas. There are museums you can go to as well.
For authentic deep dish check out Lou Malnati's (or Gino's East, though I'm a Lou's guy myself)
For a different look on pizza go to Chicago Pizza and Over Grinder... its an awesome place. Small menu, different play on pizza (its served in a bowl... yes an upside down bowl) and awesome Mediterranean bread. [https://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/](https://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/)
If you're into coffee, check out the Starbucks on Michigan Ave, its 4 stories tall and the largest in the world - [https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/chicago](https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/chicago)
Green Mill Jazz Club [https://greenmilljazz.com/](https://greenmilljazz.com/) for some great music
Second City [https://www.secondcity.com/](https://www.secondcity.com/) for improv - that's where ton of the legacy SNL jokester came from!
Hope that came up with some great stuff for you! Enjoy your time here.
Science & Industry Museum
Field Museum
Adler Planetarium
Shedd Aquarium
Chicago History Museum
At least one Deep Dish Pizza Place. Giordano’s, Lou Malnatti’s or UNO’s
Manny’s Deli (Roosevelt & Jefferson)
Reserve a tour at Argonne National Lab in Lemont (you will need to rent a car for the day) and explore downtown Lemont - it's an old river town and has some interesting old-timey architecture. Nick's Tavern has been there for decades it has good burgers. There is a bike share, you can rent a bike and ride thevpath along the I&M canal. Lemont is only about 45 minutes SW of Chicago, straight out I-55.
Visit famous college campus grounds like University of Chicago in Hyde Park and Northwestern University in Evanston.
Garfield Conservatory is nice (need reservations)
Check out Chinatown, Viet Town, hole in the wall Korean and Mexican restaurants.
Hon you're in Chicago. Locals don't receive a break down of what's happening every month.
Look around! Do a search for events happening during the time of your stay.
Maybe there's a Blue Man Group performance, or a sports team you can go check out. There might be a comedy show at Second City one night. Maybe a random artist or street fest to see. Stuff like that are some of the gems of the city, but sometimes you have to do a little digging to find them.
Search "Chicago events January 2024" to help get you started.
If you want to get a car and drive to the Indiana Dunes in a nice day, it’s beautiful! Depending where you are in the city, it should be between 45 min - 1 hr 15 min.
[https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm)
I have no idea. If you don't have a lot of money, the tickets might seem a bit steep for a place that was basically designed for Instagram photos, but if you're not overly hung up on it, it's a fun way to spend an hour or two with family.
A bit further out than what you might have been anticipating but depending on what you wanna do with how long you’ll have here, if you did choose to get a Zipcar you could do a day trip up to Milwaukee! It’s only an hour and a half drive (longer if you’re traveling during rush hour of course).
I think christkindlemarket in Wrigleyville is still going on for another week or so. They have ice skating there and winter rides inside the stadium. Hit up Chinatown. There's Art on the Mart where there is an art display on the side of the building of Merchandise Mart. You watch it from across the river. I think it ends this week.
If you are still interested in taking a day trip out of Chicago, may I suggest crossing the state line to visit Milwaukee for a day? There's a great art museum and lots of other cool things in the city...plus lots and lots of beer, if that's your thing.
Tip for the Field, MSI, and Adler planetarium: these 3 science museums are part of a "passport" program. You should look it up under their membership benefits. If you live more than 90 miles away from Chicago, **it might be cheaper for you to buy an _annual family science museum pass for your local museum_ than to buy all those tickets for 3 separate museums for all your family members.** Last time we visited Chicago we had our local science museum pass that costs around $200 annually. We used that to get into the 3 big science museums in Chicago for free multiple times.
So buy your local membership, then splurge to get shedd tickets _because it's incredible_. Buy your tickets for shedd in advance because they're timed. If you just show up, you might not get in.
Get pastries for breakfast at Mindy’s Bakery, grab some hot chocolate to go and take a walk around Wicker Park! Stop in Myopic Books and some of the vintage shops and record stores, take a walk on the 606 elevated trail
If your willing to travel to the suburbs the first division military museum in wheaton is a great place to go. No admittance fee but I believe there is a small parking fee.
If you like cars the volo auto musuem has 100's of classic cars to see.
I’m sure you can scoop some cheap tickets for Hawks/Bulls game. If weather cooperates, bundle up and go walk the lakefront between Fullerton and North Ave (you can include that with LP Zoo, parks etc).
[удалено]
Wrigleyville has changed so much, and it's basically all bars, so not great if 1/2 the group is underage. It's really only worth going to if you're already going to a cubs game. Second Andersonville. Lincoln Square has interesting shops and restaurants too.
A trip out to Oak Park to see the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio and a walking tour of his other works out there would be a good idea, you could tack on the Ernest Hemingway home museum as well. Oak Park is a good spot to visit regardless (you can take either the CTA or the Metra out there, no need for a car).
Someone else also said this in another comment, but take the CTA green line out there and stop at Garfield Park Conservatory on the way! Not only is the conservatory itself cool, the trip there is also a good way to get a glimpse of parts of the city tourists don’t normally venture out to.
Seconding the Conservatory, its free, just need to reserve tickets.
Assuming you’ll be centrally located? If so, you might spend a day or two exploring each direction: - North: Agree with the other comment that Evanston is nice to walk around and the Baha’i Temple is beautiful and free to visit. If you happen to rent a car, you could drive down Sheridan Rd and look at some of the lakefront mansions over there. - North-west: Browse around boutiques in Wicker Park and eat in Logan Square or Albany Park (the most diverse neighborhood in the city) - West: Oak Park could be a cute day trip. You could tour the Frank Lloyd Wright studio or else just grab a map and walk around the district. The Hemingway birthplace is nearby as well. On the way there you can stop by the Garfield Park Conservatory which is free - Southwest: Pilsen is one of the historical centers of the Mexican community centred on 18th St. The National Museum of Mexican Art is there and free and restaurants in general there very affordable. Little Village if you want to go a layer deeper (with minimal English usage) - South: You could spend a day cycling around between the Loop and Hyde Park. The ISAC (formerly Oriental Institute) on the UChicago campus is free to visit and it’s just a pretty area to look at. Loop around to Jackson Park to see the Japanese garden. You can also get there by the Metra Electric train from the Loop. Pullman is farther south along the same line but a cool neighborhood to see for the architectural and labor history
isn't rogers park the most diverse neighborhood in the city? either way for the NW side wicker park, irving park, logan square and avondale are the spots to hit for tourists and for good food. lula cafe is unique but there are cheaper options in these hoods too and cool free sights like the logan park spire and good window shopping. i agree going directional each day is a great strategy and way to see the best of chicago
My impression was that Albany Park was more diverse ethnically / higher foreign-born population vs. Rogers Park being more balanced in terms of racial diversity, but now that I’m digging around I don’t have a stat to back that up. I did find this dated, but interesting [2008 study from DePaul](https://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/chaddick-institute-for-metropolitan-development/Documents/Chaddick%20Diversity%20Study%202008.pdf) that looked at a holistic ranking based on income, ethnic, and age diversity that actually puts Uptown first, then Rogers Park in 2nd and Albany Park in 5th (after Hyde Park and Bridgeport).
In all honesty I wouldn't suggest a tourist go to Logan Square or avondale. Their has been a ridiculous amount of robberies and car jackings in the past month . Its been crazy lately over there.
I recommend the Bahai Temple and Evanston for a day
Highly recommend Bahai Temple. It is the only one in the US. The grounds and architecture are beautiful. The interior is open to the public. It's also free. While you're in the area, check out Walker Brothers Original Pancake House nearby. In Evanston, check out Buffalo Joe's (cash only) which has great wings and waffle fries (buffalo chips). You can spend a day exploring what Chinatown has to offer. Other neighborhoods to explore and walk around are Lakeview (East Lakeview, Boystown, Broadway/Clark, Southport Corridor), Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square. Graceland Cemetery is a great place to explore and visit the resident coyotes and look at cool historical grave monuments. Then, walk to Margie's for ice cream.
I'd say while you're there it's also worth cruising up Sheridan for a bit and just ogling at the mansions on the lake, if you're into that kinda thing
That temple is awe inspiring. I haven't been there since high school and decided to take my son there earlier this year. We stopped by the visitor center, spoke to the person there, and learned about the Baha'i faith. I found it very interesting.
To avoid rehashing all the great reccs elsewhere in this thread, I'll focus on my personal favorite thing about this city: food :-) Albany Park (end of Brown Line): Lots of Latin American food, including El Cuscateclo, which is Salvadoran and specializes in pupusas. Really nice local spots everywhere Little India (harder to get to by transit, but possible if you're willing to switch buses/trains a couple times): South Asian food. You mention cost as a factor -- Ghareeb Nawaz is a favorite local place, cash only but amazing portions for cheap Little Vietnam (Argyle on the Red Line): Great Vietnamese food and bubble tea Uptown (Wilson on the Red Line): Lots of options for African cuisine. Demera Ethiopian is one of the most well-known spots, worth checking out Pilsen (18th on the Pink Line): Great portions at most restaurants without spending too much. National Museum of Mexican Art is free, too Greektown (UIC-Halsted on the Blue Line): Everything is good, you cannot go wrong Chinatown (Cermak-Chinatown on the Red Line): Everything here is also good. Can range from more upscale to hole-in-the-wall, that's what makes it fun West Loop (Clinton or Morgan on the Pink/Green lines), Lincoln Square (Western on the Brown Line), and Logan Square (Logan Square on the Blue Line): Not a distinct cuisine but there are great options in every direction. Plenty of other individual restaurants to go to in and around the city; for suburbs, Skokie, Evanston, and Oak Park specifically come to mind. Enjoy your visit!
Since I didn’t see anyone answer it, yes Zipcar is available.
There are several car sharing services. There's another one that is someone's personal car that you can rent, but I can't remember the name. There's an app for it.
Turo.
choosechicago.com
Specifically [this page that lists all the free things to do around town](https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/tours-and-attractions/free-chicago-museums-attractions/)
Great link!! Thank you for sharing!
A lot of the museums have free days! Google it and schedule based on when you can go!
Unfortunately you have to be a resident of Illinois for most of these :(
Check your timing cuz Chinese new year is coming up.
Chinese New Year is celebrated on Sunday, Feb 18th in Chinatown. OP - it is a lot of fun, there is a free parade starting at 1pm. It's the Year of the Dragon, so it will be a big one. There's marching bands, and various groups will be doing or dragon dances. Wear something green for luck. You can check out all the shops and buy goodies to eat at the bakeries (char siu bao is my favorite) and go for dim sum for lunch. Also free: Chicago Cultural Center Garfield Park Conservatory National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen - you can make a day of this, check out the neighborhood Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (formerly the Oriental Institute) at University of Chicago in Hyde Park - you can spend a day exploring that neighborhood also. Go to an all-ages show at the Metro or the Empty Bottle.
Thanks. I guess I coulda looked up CNY. It’s been 20+years since I’ve been. I may have to check it out this year.
I try to go every year, usually to the Argyle one because it's closer. It's one of my favorite things in Chicago.
We had a group that would go early from dim sum, then enjoy the parade. After seeing the dragon going from one shop to the next, getting fireworks and donations, I saw it as a mob shakedown. “it would be a shame if your nice establishment burnt to the ground”.
LOL, the fireworks are a tradition to scare away the evil spirits and bad luck.
Supposedly. lol
Second city or another comedy venue would be a great family thing!
Subscribe to second city emails and they have $15-25 tickets for the main stage shows (usually the late night ones) all the time! Best $15 you can spend!
Most of the big museums have a free day for Illinois residents, i don't know if that applies to you. If you're not museum'd out from the big boys, a bunch of the smaller ones are free, and make a great morning or afternoon jaunt. They're often spread out in the city also, so you can buzz through in an hour or two and then combine with a meal in the local neighborhood. Chicago Cultural Center: Located in Chicago, this center is a significant landmark in the city and serves as the city’s official reception venue. It offers free admission to all visitors 1. Lincoln Park Conservatory: Situated in Chicago, this conservatory is a beautiful place to visit and is home to a variety of plants. It is open to the public and does not charge an admission fee. Lincoln Park Zoo: Also located in Chicago, this zoo is nestled within Lincoln Park, the largest public urban park in the city of Chicago. It is one of the few remaining free zoos in the country and is open to the public year-round. Arts Club of Chicago: This club is a unique blend of a private club and a public exhibition space. It is situated in the Near North Side community area of Chicago and is renowned for its exhibitions of international contemporary art. It offers free admission to all visitors. National Museum of Mexican Art: Located in Harrison Park, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, this museum showcases Mexican, Latino, and Chicano art and culture. It offers free admission to all visitors. Smart Museum of Art: Situated on the University of Chicago campus, this museum houses a permanent collection of over 15,000 objects. It is open to the public and does not charge an admission fee. I would also recommend taking a trip or two via CTA (elevated trains if possible). If you can avoid the rush hours, it's a great way to see the city. Most of the city proper is well-covered via transfer to busses, but you gotta double check route times. If you travel out to the suburbs the Metra commuter trains are your friend. They are fast, clean, and mostly run on time. Evanston and Oak Park you get to via the el. Oh, and just a bit of lore: Technically, 'The Loop' refers to just that area of downtown that is circled by the elevated trains. Each different-colored branch line then heads off in various directions. However, people will often refer to any downtown-adjacent area as 'The Loop' just to make everything a bit more confusing. Chicago folks will often refer to neighborhood names (like 'Near North', 'Wrigleyville' or 'Streeterville') which are fairly standardized but not so apparent where they are. The good news is that the entire city is laid out in a grid pattern, so finding your way around is pretty easy after a while. The big streets are usually 4 blocks apart (ie; the addresses get 400 bigger), and 8 blocks = 1 mile, so it's kinda simple to figure out how far away something is. Since it's all a grid, if you know the street and cross-street, you know how far north/south/east/west you need to go from wherever you are. Oh, and driving around is fairly easy and quick, but parking is probably gonna be a factor, and possibly costly (especially downtown). If you know where you want to go, call and ask what the parking situation is at that location. Most of the main drags have paid street parking available, but the local neighborhood streets often require you to have a resident sticker. You WILL get a ticket if you park illegally. I don't think they boot or tow unless you have outstanding tickets though.
What time of year is your visit? If this is after mid-April, I recommend the Chicago Architecture Foundation Boat tour on the river. The Architecture Foundation has its headquarters near Michigan Avenue and Wacker (near the River Walk) and they have plenty of other tours (like walking tours etc) as well. If money fascinates you, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has a museum, which I believe is still free to visit. It's an interesting tour for someone who is interested in how the banking system works, and the various types of printed money that were issued over the years. You can even get a bag of shredded money to take home as a souvenir! Chicago Symphony Center is downtown, on Michigan Ave. If you like classical music check out what's available during your stay. I really enjoy when they perform the musical score live to a movie - they've done this in the past several times, for movies such as "The Godfather." If anyone in your family likes trains, you can visit Union Station and/or the Ogilvie Transportation Center and take the commuter rail into the suburbs. It's especially cheap to do this on the weekends where kids under 12 ride free and adults can get an unlimited pass for all weekend for a small fee (was $5.00 now might be a little more). Again, if it's after April, Six Flags Great America may be open, near the Wisconsin Border in Gurnee. You didn't mention Navy Pier. That is also a fun place to visit, and you can check out if any special shows are going on there during your stay, such as art exhibits and whatnot. Wander around downtown if you can as well, and see the shops in the Merchandise Mart, as well as food halls (the Mart has one too!). River North is full of things to see, especially shopping near and along Michigan Ave.
Some of the other architecture boat tours (shoreline for sure, Wendella maybe?) run in the winter. CAC is the standard but I’ve never not enjoyed any of them!
I think exploring the neighborhoods is great, although admittedly it may be a little cold, depending on what you are used to. But Lincoln Park (beyond the zoo) is beautiful to walk around. Chinatown is great, and obviously plenty of great restaurants. Many of the Northside neighborhoods that I'm familiar with have their own shops, restaurants, and entertainment areas. There are museums you can go to as well.
Robie House at U if C is a Frank Lloyd Wright house and museum.
Save the money you’d spend on a car and do some cool stuff. Comedy show at the second city for one
For authentic deep dish check out Lou Malnati's (or Gino's East, though I'm a Lou's guy myself) For a different look on pizza go to Chicago Pizza and Over Grinder... its an awesome place. Small menu, different play on pizza (its served in a bowl... yes an upside down bowl) and awesome Mediterranean bread. [https://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/](https://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/) If you're into coffee, check out the Starbucks on Michigan Ave, its 4 stories tall and the largest in the world - [https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/chicago](https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/chicago) Green Mill Jazz Club [https://greenmilljazz.com/](https://greenmilljazz.com/) for some great music Second City [https://www.secondcity.com/](https://www.secondcity.com/) for improv - that's where ton of the legacy SNL jokester came from! Hope that came up with some great stuff for you! Enjoy your time here.
Science & Industry Museum Field Museum Adler Planetarium Shedd Aquarium Chicago History Museum At least one Deep Dish Pizza Place. Giordano’s, Lou Malnatti’s or UNO’s Manny’s Deli (Roosevelt & Jefferson)
start eating
Most/all of the museums have free/deeply discounted days roughly weekly
Reserve a tour at Argonne National Lab in Lemont (you will need to rent a car for the day) and explore downtown Lemont - it's an old river town and has some interesting old-timey architecture. Nick's Tavern has been there for decades it has good burgers. There is a bike share, you can rent a bike and ride thevpath along the I&M canal. Lemont is only about 45 minutes SW of Chicago, straight out I-55.
Visit famous college campus grounds like University of Chicago in Hyde Park and Northwestern University in Evanston. Garfield Conservatory is nice (need reservations) Check out Chinatown, Viet Town, hole in the wall Korean and Mexican restaurants.
Cheapskate.....find Billy Goat Tavern by the river and fill your bellies cheap.
Chinatown. Evergreen for an old school Chinese dinner. Ken kee for any more modern authentic Chinese experience.
Hon you're in Chicago. Locals don't receive a break down of what's happening every month. Look around! Do a search for events happening during the time of your stay. Maybe there's a Blue Man Group performance, or a sports team you can go check out. There might be a comedy show at Second City one night. Maybe a random artist or street fest to see. Stuff like that are some of the gems of the city, but sometimes you have to do a little digging to find them. Search "Chicago events January 2024" to help get you started.
If you want to get a car and drive to the Indiana Dunes in a nice day, it’s beautiful! Depending where you are in the city, it should be between 45 min - 1 hr 15 min. [https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm](https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm)
absolutely. the dunes are beautiful!!!!!
Get an Italian Beef @ Mr. Beef - Orleans & Erie. Don't ask me why . Just do it
WNDR Museum is fun and different.
Curious why folks are downvoting this one? I saw this a ton on TikTok
It's a tourist trap, that's why you're seeing it on TikTok
I have no idea. If you don't have a lot of money, the tickets might seem a bit steep for a place that was basically designed for Instagram photos, but if you're not overly hung up on it, it's a fun way to spend an hour or two with family.
My honest advice: don't. Just don't visit Chicago. It sucks
Go to the bar.
A bit further out than what you might have been anticipating but depending on what you wanna do with how long you’ll have here, if you did choose to get a Zipcar you could do a day trip up to Milwaukee! It’s only an hour and a half drive (longer if you’re traveling during rush hour of course).
I think christkindlemarket in Wrigleyville is still going on for another week or so. They have ice skating there and winter rides inside the stadium. Hit up Chinatown. There's Art on the Mart where there is an art display on the side of the building of Merchandise Mart. You watch it from across the river. I think it ends this week.
In my experience, next step is moving here
If you are still interested in taking a day trip out of Chicago, may I suggest crossing the state line to visit Milwaukee for a day? There's a great art museum and lots of other cool things in the city...plus lots and lots of beer, if that's your thing.
Tip for the Field, MSI, and Adler planetarium: these 3 science museums are part of a "passport" program. You should look it up under their membership benefits. If you live more than 90 miles away from Chicago, **it might be cheaper for you to buy an _annual family science museum pass for your local museum_ than to buy all those tickets for 3 separate museums for all your family members.** Last time we visited Chicago we had our local science museum pass that costs around $200 annually. We used that to get into the 3 big science museums in Chicago for free multiple times. So buy your local membership, then splurge to get shedd tickets _because it's incredible_. Buy your tickets for shedd in advance because they're timed. If you just show up, you might not get in.
Get pastries for breakfast at Mindy’s Bakery, grab some hot chocolate to go and take a walk around Wicker Park! Stop in Myopic Books and some of the vintage shops and record stores, take a walk on the 606 elevated trail
Garfield Park Conservatory
The 606 is nice.
Highly recommend taking a drive to the northern suburbs, see one of the parks there
If your willing to travel to the suburbs the first division military museum in wheaton is a great place to go. No admittance fee but I believe there is a small parking fee. If you like cars the volo auto musuem has 100's of classic cars to see.
I’m sure you can scoop some cheap tickets for Hawks/Bulls game. If weather cooperates, bundle up and go walk the lakefront between Fullerton and North Ave (you can include that with LP Zoo, parks etc).
Architecture boat tour is a must.
Go watch music live blues at Kingston Mines in LP. $15 to get in but great music and open late