5 Awesome Things You Must Do In Chicago

The Windy City. Second City. Chi-Town. While it has many nicknames, Chicago has plenty more reasons why you should stop off on the shores of Lake Michigan on your next visit to the Midwest. From high sporting drama to landmark architecture to the finest restaurants, the City by the Lake has it all!

Watch a baseball game (or hockey, or football, or basketball…

Chicagoans are obsessed with sport. You will struggle to walk very far without seeing a local proudly sporting the navy blue and orange on their way to a Bears football game or the charging bull of the Bulls basketball team. Watching a Cubs game from Wrigley Field’s bleachers is a unique experience while the recent success of the Blackhawks ice hockey team has the city riding a massive sports high. Check out StubHub! for tickets to all of the Chicago sides’ games.

Visit one of Chicago’s many great museums

Chicago’s museums are considered to be some of the best in the world and there are dozens of institutions to cater for everyone’s tastes. The Field Museum is a huge natural history museum with impressive dinosaur and Ancient Americas exhibits while The Shedd Aquarium next door contains over 1500 species on show. Art fans can’t go wrong with the varied collections of the Art Institute of Chicago or the innovative exhibitions of the Museum of Contemporary Art. From world-famous establishments to small galleries, you can be as cultural as you like in Chicago!

Try the famous Chicago deep-dish pizza (or loads of other tasty treats!)

If you think you’ve had a deep-dish pizza, think again! Making pizza is an art form here and there is no shortage of places to try the giant slices of piping hot pie heaped with a multitude of toppings. For a truly authentic experience, try Giordano’s famous stuffed crust pizza, a Chicago favourite for over 40 years! If the coma-inducing slices are not for you, there is plenty more to get excited about on the Chicago food scene, from Michelin restaurants to ethnic street food trucks.

Get out and about and enjoy Chicago’s great outdoors

Chicago is a great place to enjoy the outdoors, with the city’s design perfectly suited to an active lifestyle. Explore the green oasis of Grant Park, in the heart of the city’s business district, and marvel at the Buckingham Fountain, landscaped gardens and the breathtaking skyline of the city. Reflect over Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate (or The Bean as it’s universally known) at the Millennium Park or visit the animals at Lincoln Park Zoo. Or for something more active, join Bobby’s Bike Hike tour for a great way to see the city on two wheels. In the summer, people watch at one of Chicago’s many lakeside beaches.

Enjoy live entertainment

While Chicago continues to wow Broadway crowds, there is no shortage of entertainment in the city the musical is set in. Take time to listen to free concerts in the city’s parks and promenades or head to a dedicated venue. The legendary Chicago Theater plays host to concerts, stage productions and special events while small speakeasies and comedy clubs provide alternative entertainment. With breweries like Goose Island based here, Chicago’s bars are a great place to grab a quality craft beer and watch some sports on the big screen. End your night listening to some live music at The Hideout or dance the night away at one of the many hot spots around The Loop.

What are your favourite spots in Chicago? Let me know!