Things To Do In Chicago
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When Frank Sinatra said that Chicago is “my kind of town” I couldn’t help but agree with him, ‘cos Chicago is my kind of town too . . . Chicago is bursting with things to do, and not just any old things, but the very best of things to do. You won’t know where to start so hang on to your hats and we’ll have a look at just what types of things you can enjoy on a vacation (short or long – stay as long as you like vacations are great) to Chicago, or as Calamity Jane would say “Chicargi”.
Great Things to See and Do in Chicago
Take a Tour of Chicago
No matter how long or short your vacation is going to be, it’s always a good idea to take a tour close to the beginning of your time in a new place. A tour of Chicago can really show you the bits and pieces which you must add to your “to do” list, where all of the main attractions are etc. A tour can save you loads of time later in your trip when you can visit stuff which is in the same area all at the same time . . . clever huh? Right, what types of tours can you take in Chicago?
- Chicago walking tour
- Chicago cable car tour
- Chicago bicycle tour
- Chicago bus tour
- Chicago Segway tour (I’m told that it’s not difficult)
- Chicago helicopter tour
- Chicago horse and carriage tour
- Chicago boat tour
They seem to have got the hang of it okay, but don’t go too close to the waters edge . . . splash!
Of course, not all of the tours can cover all areas of Chicago, otherwise you’d be gone for days! Some tours are themed . . . fancy going on a tour of Al Capone’s old haunts, or talking of haunts, how about a tour of Chicago’s most haunted bits? Chicago is a paradise for foodys and some of the tours embrace those who “live to eat”, rather than those who “eat to live” . . . how boring is that. Anyway, if you’re a real foody then you could take a Food Tasting Tour, there’s even a chocolate tasting tour – now you’re talking! My kind of town, Chicago is . . . .
Explore the Navy Pier
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Explore is the right way to describe spending time on the famous Navy Pier in Chicago. This bustling boardwalk is 1.5 miles long and bursting with fun stuff to do for the whole family. Why not take a ride on the 15 storey Ferris wheel (you can’t miss it), catch a movie at the IMAX movie theater or watch a masterpiece by the master of theater, Shakespeare. Don’t forget to take the kids to the Children’s Museum for a real “hands on” experience. Feeling peckish after such a busy few hours? There’s a great variety of eating experiences ready to enjoy too at Billy Goat’s Tavern, Bubba Gumps or Capi’s Italian Kitchen. Eat a little, drink a little, shop a little, whatever you decide to do on the Navy Pier in Chicago – don’t forget to add this experience close to the top of your “Stuff to do” list when you visit Chicago. Over 8 million visitors enjoy the Navy Pier in Chicago every year . . . why don’t you join them?
Brilliant, I love fireworks. Right, other stuff to do in Chicago . . . once you’ve seen enough of the Navy Pier, why not leave via one of the fantastic cruises which depart from the Pier.
Take a Cruise in Chicago
There’s are loads of cruising options to choose from on Lake Michigan or the Chicago River. You can spend just an hour or two cruising, or go for a real treat and book a place on a dinner cruise for a few hours.
Maybe you should take that ride before lunch . . .
Take In a Chicago Park . . . or Two . . . or Three
There are loads of fantastic parks to visit in Chicago, some large, some small, but all are well worth the visit. Choose from the lakefront Grant Park, on a sunny day you’ll be able to join the joggers and picnickers, wanderers and sitters . . . just wandering or sitting and generally enjoying the ambiance. Lincoln Park, on the North Side is itself full of things to see and do. It has a nature museum, a zoo, tennis courts, baseball fields, running paths, there’s even an outdoor theater. Open all year (it has some really cool lights shows in the holidays) this is well worth a visit. Arrigo Park is in Little Italy and home to an enormous statue of Christopher Columbus, or there’s Jackson Park, 600 acres on the South Side and home to the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. Millennium Park is great too, whatever time of year, the kids can have fun splashing about on a hot summers day and ice-skate in the winter . . . seems to me like wherever you are in Chicago, and whenever you visit you’re never far away from a brilliant park.
There are dozens of festivals in Chicago, at different times of the year. If you’re lucky enough to time your visit to Chicago when one of the festivals is taking place then you simply must take a look. Music lovers (especially jazz lovers) would have a great time at the Jazz Festival, started in 1974 just a little while after the death of Duke Ellington the “Jazz Father” the Jazz Festival is now an annual event over the Labor Day Weekend. If you’re a more “Blues” dude, then there’s a terrific Blues Festival too, it’s generally held in June so check it out to see if you can time your vacation just right. All of this talk of music is making me hungry . . . a topic never far from my heart (or my lips) . . . and the most widely attended festival of all Chicago festivals is the Taste of Chicago . . . 3 million people visit the Taste of Chicago every year, billed as the “world’s largest food extravaganza”. You’ll be able to sample many different foods from around the world as well as the very best of local cuisine – chocolate, pizza, cheesecake, noodles, African food, Italian food, Thai food, Vietnamese food . . . . “heaven, I’m in (food) heaven . . . “
Visit a Chicago Museum
They’re a very cultural bunch in Chicago, the city has got loads and loads of interesting museums, whatever your passion there’s probably a museum about it.
- The Museum of Science and Industry is probably one of the most famous and “must visit” museums in Chicago. With exhibits including Leonardo Da Vinci and Bodyworks, plus the CSI: The Experience, it’s a great place to visit for “science nerds” and “non-science un-nerds” alike. There’s a great Omnimax Theater there too where you can enjoy a very unique experience . . . I’m not saying any more about that, you’ll have to go and see for yourself.
- Museum Campus, Chicago is a whole bunch of museums brought together in view of the lake and joined by green fields. You’ll find the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum in the Museum Campus, a great family friendly, picnic perfect way to marvel about fish, dinosaurs, the wonder of the universe . . . plus, of course, a whole lot more.
Shop Till You Drop in Chicago
If shopping is your thing, then Chicago is the right place to get your fix. There are loads of different shopping venues in Chicago, with probably every store you could ever imagine. Don’t forget to stop by Water Tower Place, one of the most famous malls in the city . . . there are more than 100 stores on 8 levels. Wow, shoppers heaven! Of course, there are loads of great restaurants too, for when you need to take a break and energize for a while. The Magnificent Mile is another “must visit” shopping destination in Chicago, with over 400 unique and interesting shops and restaurants, the Magnificent Mile is a mecca for shopaholics and tourists alike.
Sports in Chicago
If you’re a bit of a sports fanatic then Chicago is the place for you too. Chicago sports fans are passionate, and they’ve got some great teams to be passionate about. Two baseball teams ensure that there’s plenty of (friendly) rivalry among the locals, The Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs. Football fans will know all about the Chicago Bears, at home in Soldier Field. If you happen to visit Chicago on game day you’ll witness thousands of Bears fans, bedecked in orange, making their way through the South Loop.
Chicago Nightlife
If you thought that Chicago was packed and colorful during the daytime, just wait until after dark. Chicago really comes to life when the sun goes down with a fantastic selection of restaurants serving scrummy food from around the world, live music lounges, casinos, bowling, dancing . . . so whether you like to spend the evenings drinking, eating, dancing, listening to music, playing the tables or just chillin’ . . . then Chicago is the place to do it.
Chicago Zoos
I know that I’ve already touched briefly on the subject of zoos, (remember Lincoln Park?) but there are some other great zoos around too. Brookfield Zoo is in suburban Brookfield (clever . . . ) and it is just enormous. There are fantastic animal exhibits both indoor and out, an Adventure trail, tours, programs and much much more. Going back to the zoo at Lincoln Park (which is free by the way), not sure whether I mentioned all of the great stuff there is to do there. There’s a children’s train ride, a Bird House, a Lion House, a Primate House, Sea Lion Pool, Antelope and Zebra area, Reptile House, – there are bears, snakes, wolves, beavers, turtles . . . animals galore!
Things To Do In Chicago . . . there are just too many to list them all, but I hope that this has given you a taster of what this fantastic city has to offer travellers of all ages, types and interests. Visit Chicago . . . you’ll love it.