19 Unusual Things To Do In Chicago

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The busy city of Chicago holds a wealth of contemporary art, exquisite dining choices, comedy theaters, and attractions for avid sports fans.

It is an art lover’s dream with many destinations to enjoy. On the outskirts of the Millennium Park, you can visit a vastly diverse art museum.

The selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionism Art is abundant, and honestly, you have not seen the best of this city if you haven’t visited the Art Institute of Chicago.

At the Symphony Center , you have an opportunity to attend a classical concert and enjoy the show without needing to wear formal clothing.

Buy a ticket to see the “Cubs” at the majestic Wrigley Field Stadium and spend a fun-filled afternoon with hardcore baseball fans while watching an intense game.

Chicago has a lot in store for those looking to find entertainment and learn about a city rich in history. That is just a few of the rewards to be found in every attraction.

Visit Chicago; a large, progressive, and modern metropolis in the heart of the Midwest.

 

Things To Do In Chicago

Best time to visit Chicago?

The months of April to May or September up to October are the perfect time to visit the windy city. It is around these months when the temperature is warm and lodging rates are affordable.

Additionally, you’ll discover a great deal of local celebrations occurring in spring and fall.

Summer (June to August) is the official peak season, with travelers from around the nation planning to indulge in the warm temperature.

In case you want to visit during the summer, prepare yourself for the huge crowds and higher costs of housing or flight costs.

The winter season (November to March) is the time when Chicago encounters cold and biting temperatures.

However, if you can endure it, go and pursue your travel plans then, as lodging and airfare are priced much lower and is much easier to find during this season.

Best things to do in Chicago

These are my favorite things to do and beautiful places to visit on your next holiday to Chicago.

Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago is a distinguished gallery with a handy audio guide describing all the great masterpieces of the museum.

The museum holds a spectacular collection of contemporary art from renowned artists like Degas, Monet, Kandinsky, and Chagall (specifically his stained glass windows).

It is essential to take a full day to see everything – make sure you do not rush.

Like almost all other museums in America, there are interactive sections to explore and learn more about the artists and the history of the gallery.

 

Art Institute of Chicago

 

There is also a room devoted to artifacts of the Roman and Egyptian era.

You’ll likely admire the variety and richness of the collections (ranging from ancient to modern and antique items from Asia, Europe, and America).

You’ll also appreciate the beauty of the architecture (the notable Modern Wing by Renzo Piano ).

It is easy to view with a guide map given at the entrance and a descriptive app to download (there is free Wifi in the museum).

For your convenience, it is wise to use the CityPass card system to avoid standing in line for tickets.

My favorite stuff to do in Chicago

Millennium Park

The ideal place to take a small break from the urban chaos.

It stands right next to the Art Institute of Chicago. This park is full of many works of art and statues with a modern appeal.

Here you’ll find the big bean (a modern metal sculpture that reflects the skyline of Chicago), the music pavilion, the great totem, and the fountain of faces with their large screens.

 

Millennium Park

 

It is the first place every tourist should rush to visit once they land in Chicago in order to experience the real atmosphere of the city.

The park is modern, there is a double fountain where children play, and the Bean is always surrounded by tourists.

It is a popular attraction for many good reasons; it is fun, unique, and one of the best parts of the park to pose and take pictures in.

Nearby (at the two-way side) there is a sign documenting the beginning of Route 66, which starts in Chicago and travels straight through to the West Coast.

Fun things to do in Chicago

Symphony Center – Chicago Symphony Orchestra

A visit to the Symphony Center or the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is worth its weight in gold.

This theater shuns away the formalities, as you don’t need to be dressed in a tux to experience classical music and enjoy this show.

Its conductor, Ricardo Muti, is excellent and very popular with the regular guests. The acoustics are fantastic, and you can see the performance at any spot in the venue.

You can enjoy a performance of Verdi’s Macbeth and appreciate 3 hours of high-quality classical performing.

And, after experiencing all of the above, you can admire the architecture of the building – it is a spectacular site to see.

 

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

 

Tickets can be purchased on the same day, and reviews are available for giving you an idea of the great shows to see.

The box office is open daily with regular business hours. Arrive one hour prior to the show to catch a brief preview or summary of the story before the entire presentation.

The Symphony Center stands just across the Millennium Park. You can admire its beauty during the intervals of the concerts.

Popular Chicago tourist attractions

Cloud Gate (The Bean)

A remarkable piece of modern art and is one of the major symbols of Chicago. In this huge bean, you can view the skyscrapers as well as the people passing by, creating a surreal and vivid impression.

The area is always filled with people curious about this extremely photogenic object. The Bean is a photo opportunity not to be missed.

 

The Bean

 

This metal sculpture, created by Anish Kapoor, delights absolutely everyone.

The sculpture resembles a bean and is made of interconnected sheet metal so that the connection points are completely transparent, making it appear as it is entirely cast from metal.

This art symbolizes the flow of incomprehensible and indescribable joy. The best time to visit this area is around 6-8 am, when there are few tourists, and you can take beautiful pictures.

What else to do in Chicago?

360 Chicago (John Hancock Center Observation Deck)

Compared with its famous brother (Willis Tower Skydeck) building, the John Hancock Center Observatory offers not only a magnificent view of the city from 95 floors with a well-equipped observation deck, but also has a delightful restaurant on the floor above.

In the evening, the place lights up, and you can enjoy a delicious and enjoyable dinner at a table with panoramic windows.

The restaurant is a little pricey, but the ambiance is well worth it.

 

John Hancock Center Observation Deck

 

From the top, it is great to see the fantastic views of downtown Chicago and to admire the size of nearby Lake Michigan.

One of the great things to do while in 360 Chicago is to try the “Tilt Experience!” It is highly recommended for those who need to conquer their alto phobia or fear of heights.

You walk into the window and grip the handlebars on the side while the deck tilts and you will are projected into the air from the 94th floor.

If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, this is it! This is a must try when you visit the windy city.

Is Chicago worth visiting?

The answer is Yes. Chicago is worth visiting. This is because it is such a magical place
full of beauty and adventours.
Make sure you visit the following stunning stadium:

Wrigley Field Stadium

This baseball stadium is one of the oldest in the United States and retains all the elements of the early 1900s, when it was first built.

Aside from seeing the Cubs play, the best part is the American national anthem solo saxophone performed before the game.

The interior of this large stadium is full of shops and stalls selling hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn.

Be sure to watch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field Stadium – it is a historic sports arena with nearly a century of history that is truly a Chicago experience to remember.

What else to see in Chicago?

Michigan Avenue

One of Chicago’s main streets.

Explore every corner to feel the spirit and rhythm of the windy city.

This avenue offers a lot of elegant buildings, a bridge that goes over the Chicago River, and, a little further along the street, the wonderful Millennium Park.

Check out the block called the “Magnificent Mile” where all of the brand names shops you could hope to find in Chicago are located.

The decorated shops are worthy of attention, especially for shopaholics. Here you will find anything and everything for every budget.

Be on the lookout for shops with discount promos and sales.

The streets are broad and beautiful, plus it is great to look at the drawbridges that rise to the yachts of rich locals that pass its berth.

There are many excellent restaurants that are open for visitors of different social strata.

Everything around here is well organized, neat and safe.

The buildings are all well-maintained, and even the Water Tower-the oldest landmark in the city- is still in excellent condition.

Popular places to visit in Chicago

Richard H. Driehaus Museum

Here is the home of a wealthy collector with original decorations, furnishings, and a fantastic collection of Tiffany lamps.

All rooms have panels providing information about the furniture and the two families that have lived in the house.

The stained glass domes are hard to miss. The Richard H. Driehaus Museum is a three-story building located just a few blocks away from busy Michigan Avenue.

This museum is a beautiful palace from the eighteenth century (established since 1870-77). Everywhere you look there is a work of art; sculptures, lamps, tapestries, and paintings.

From the main lobby, up the towering alabaster staircases, there are beautiful and well-preserved rooms where everything looks grand and nothing is simple.

In this museum, you can admire the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the famous glass artist. His blue and purple mosaics were transformed into chandeliers, windows, and accessories.

It is truly charming and leaves a good impression on anyone who enters this gallery of lavish living.

Things to do in Chicago with kids

Lyric Opera of Chicago

The excellent lyrical theater has an exceptionally historical tradition. The building looks simple from outside, but the hall’s interior is stunning, with near-perfect acoustics.

The style is staged according to American taste – quite traditional, but still elegant and bright.

The new CEO, Anthony Freud, offers a little more modern approach in presenting the Opera House for its regular clientele.

If you’re in Chicago and you like the lyric art, you must go to the Lyric Opera as you would in Milan or Vienna.

If you’ve never been to the opera, you will not be disappointed. In addition to its unique architecture, the Lyric Opera of Chicago also has a great place for a post-performance dinner.

Things to do around Chicago

Holy Name Cathedral

The Holy Name Cathedral is an Anglo-Saxon style church, hidden among the skyscrapers and built in 1870.

It is very modest in size (just 64 meters in height), but this cathedral promises a big surprise. From the outside, it is a little church with a spectacular quarry stone façade.

When you enter the church, you’ll experience a genuine spectacle for the eyes.

You will be welcomed by its massive neo-Gothic interior and stunned by its magnificent wooden ceiling construction that you cannot see in any other Chicago churches.

 

Lyric Opera of Chicago

 

The cathedral is supported by creatively designed columns of solid marble. Equally as fascinating is the mighty organ with a magnificently ornamented prospectus.

The whole room glows with bright lights coming through the windows.

Like everything classic in Chicago, it is the perfect counterpoint to the modern skyscrapers that have encompassed this side of the city.

This cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago and is one of the largest Catholic dioceses in the United States.

The vision of its stone facade is truly remarkable, but the real architectural value lies within.

The modern approach and style of the interior pictures is a beautiful contrast to the surrounding architecture.

When in Chicago, a visit to this church is a definite must.


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I’m Jeff – I’m like a human GPS, but instead of giving you directions, I give you the inside scoop on how to have the time of your life on your next holiday.

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