Chicago Day Trip
Free Things To Do
Free Things To Do
Millennium Park is great for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is free to explore, and let me tell you there is a lot to explore! The park is a massive 24.5 acre space filled with greenery, sculptures, fountains, and an outdoor theater (concert center). Home to the famous Cloud Gate (aka the Bean, or as we like to call it, the Jelly Bean). For those who don’t know about the Bean, the best way I can describe it is a giant (60 foot) seamless curved mirror in the shape of a bean. It’s smooth surface reflects the city, sky, and tourists making it a great spot for taking photos. Another popular piece of public art in the park is the Crown Fountain. This is an interactive video fountain made up of two 50 foot high towers that shoot and pore out water. The towers often display faces that shoot water from their mouths. A great spot to check out and cool off if you are in the city on a hot summer day. There are many other things to look at in the park, but if you don’t have the time these are just a couple of favorites.
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Millennium Park
201 E Randolph StMillennium Park is great for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is free to explore, and let me tell you there is a lot to explore! The park is a massive 24.5 acre space filled with greenery, sculptures, fountains, and an outdoor theater (concert center). Home to the famous Cloud Gate (aka the Bean, or as we like to call it, the Jelly Bean). For those who don’t know about the Bean, the best way I can describe it is a giant (60 foot) seamless curved mirror in the shape of a bean. It’s smooth surface reflects the city, sky, and tourists making it a great spot for taking photos. Another popular piece of public art in the park is the Crown Fountain. This is an interactive video fountain made up of two 50 foot high towers that shoot and pore out water. The towers often display faces that shoot water from their mouths. A great spot to check out and cool off if you are in the city on a hot summer day. There are many other things to look at in the park, but if you don’t have the time these are just a couple of favorites.
The Chicago Riverwalk is a pleasant 1.25 mile path that takes you through a corridor of impressive skyscrapers and runs along the river all the way to Lake Michigan. At one end of the Riverwalk is Lake Street and at the other is Lakeshore Drive/Lake Michigan. There are restaurants and places to stop and sit along the water way. A wonderful way to see Chicago’s architecture and natural beauty all together making it another great place for taking pictures.
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Chicago Riverwalk
306-370 W Wacker DrThe Chicago Riverwalk is a pleasant 1.25 mile path that takes you through a corridor of impressive skyscrapers and runs along the river all the way to Lake Michigan. At one end of the Riverwalk is Lake Street and at the other is Lakeshore Drive/Lake Michigan. There are restaurants and places to stop and sit along the water way. A wonderful way to see Chicago’s architecture and natural beauty all together making it another great place for taking pictures.
Okay okay I know what you’re thinking - “you call the magnificent mile free??” Well, it is if you aren’t shopping… and I know this is considered “the place to shop,” but there are things to do here other than shop! Plus many of the shops around here are high end and pricy (not within everyone’s budget). With that being said, it is actually fun to walk Michigan Avenue and simply look at the shops. I’m serious, there are some pretty cool ones. Take for example the Burberry store with its glossy black and chrome plaid-etched five story building - it’s like a shiny building-sized Burberry bag on the side of the street.
For another thing to do in this area we recommend seeing the Chicago Water Tower which is an iconic landmark most known for surviving the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. (See “City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower” post under free things to do for more information).
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Hot Tix - Mag Mile Location
Okay okay I know what you’re thinking - “you call the magnificent mile free??” Well, it is if you aren’t shopping… and I know this is considered “the place to shop,” but there are things to do here other than shop! Plus many of the shops around here are high end and pricy (not within everyone’s budget). With that being said, it is actually fun to walk Michigan Avenue and simply look at the shops. I’m serious, there are some pretty cool ones. Take for example the Burberry store with its glossy black and chrome plaid-etched five story building - it’s like a shiny building-sized Burberry bag on the side of the street.
For another thing to do in this area we recommend seeing the Chicago Water Tower which is an iconic landmark most known for surviving the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. (See “City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower” post under free things to do for more information).
3 Greens Market
354 W Hubbard StGrant Park is the largest park in Chicago covering 319 acres and is known as the “front lawn” of downtown Chicago. Grant Park actually includes Millennium park, but since there is much to cover in each, I have broken them down. The park is named after the U.S. president and civil war general, Ulysses S. Grant. The park contains several large grassy areas and flower beds where people like to bring pets, have picnics, and just relax. It has a large skateboarding park too. Some special features of this park include the John Alexander Logan Monument/Memorial which displays a large bronze statue atop a mound surrounded by stairs leading up to it. The statue has quite a history including being the site of the 1968 Democratic National Convention anti-war protests, where people took to climbing up the monument and surrounding it in a massive crowd of protesters.
Another site to see in Grant Park is Buckingham fountain which sits between Lake Michigan and the city’s skyline. The fountain lights up at night making it a lovely place for an evening stroll and to walk off some of that deep dish pizza!
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Grant Park
337 E Randolph StGrant Park is the largest park in Chicago covering 319 acres and is known as the “front lawn” of downtown Chicago. Grant Park actually includes Millennium park, but since there is much to cover in each, I have broken them down. The park is named after the U.S. president and civil war general, Ulysses S. Grant. The park contains several large grassy areas and flower beds where people like to bring pets, have picnics, and just relax. It has a large skateboarding park too. Some special features of this park include the John Alexander Logan Monument/Memorial which displays a large bronze statue atop a mound surrounded by stairs leading up to it. The statue has quite a history including being the site of the 1968 Democratic National Convention anti-war protests, where people took to climbing up the monument and surrounding it in a massive crowd of protesters.
Another site to see in Grant Park is Buckingham fountain which sits between Lake Michigan and the city’s skyline. The fountain lights up at night making it a lovely place for an evening stroll and to walk off some of that deep dish pizza!
One of the very few free zoos in the United States, Lincoln park zoo is a great place for families and adults. The zoo is 35 acres large and houses a wide variety of wildlife (totaling about 1,100 animals from 200 species) - monkeys, lions, tigers, rhinos, giraffes, polar bears, etc. Call us boring but some of our favorite exhibits include the otters and the prairie dogs (honestly we feel they are more entertaining to watch than some of the bigger ones that pretty much just lay around). Within the zoo there is also a petting zoo called “farm-in-the-zoo” that allows you to pet and interact with the animals. In addition to all of the animal fun, the zoo is actually part of a larger park. The park is gorgeous with an abundance of amazing views and plenty of spots that are perfect for taking photos. Some of the best photo spots include: nature boardwalk (just east of the zoo - honeycomb arch), bridge over south pond (skyline backdrop - many people take their engagement photos here), and north pond nature sanctuary (skyline backdrop, more trees and plants here - better for taking pictures in the fall when you want the trees to add to the picture and not take away from it).
Note: while pets are not allowed in the zoo they are allowed in the park :)
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Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark StOne of the very few free zoos in the United States, Lincoln park zoo is a great place for families and adults. The zoo is 35 acres large and houses a wide variety of wildlife (totaling about 1,100 animals from 200 species) - monkeys, lions, tigers, rhinos, giraffes, polar bears, etc. Call us boring but some of our favorite exhibits include the otters and the prairie dogs (honestly we feel they are more entertaining to watch than some of the bigger ones that pretty much just lay around). Within the zoo there is also a petting zoo called “farm-in-the-zoo” that allows you to pet and interact with the animals. In addition to all of the animal fun, the zoo is actually part of a larger park. The park is gorgeous with an abundance of amazing views and plenty of spots that are perfect for taking photos. Some of the best photo spots include: nature boardwalk (just east of the zoo - honeycomb arch), bridge over south pond (skyline backdrop - many people take their engagement photos here), and north pond nature sanctuary (skyline backdrop, more trees and plants here - better for taking pictures in the fall when you want the trees to add to the picture and not take away from it).
Note: while pets are not allowed in the zoo they are allowed in the park :)
Navy Pier stretches 3,300 feet out into Lake Michigan and is the place to be for fun. The festive carnival-like atmosphere is exciting and there are many things to do (most will cost you money, but it’s free to just enjoy the views and atmosphere). Upon entering the pier you will find several places to eat including a food court, shops, an IMAX theater, and a children’s Museum. Continuing on down the pier you will run into the Crystal Gardens (a six story glass atrium botanical garden). Just beyond the gardens is the famous Pier Park complete with a carousel, ferris wheel, and the wave swinger swing ride. The Pepsi skyline stage is located toward the back of this area. Moving on down the pier you will find more shops and places to eat as well as a funhouse maze and the Shakespeare theater. The Smith museum of stained glass windows is not much farther on. Finally, at the end of the pier is the Grand ballroom, beer garden, and terraces for viewing the lake and city. There are also multiple tour boats and dinning cruise ships parked up and down the long pier. On the weekends come here at night to watch a stunning fireworks display.
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Navy Pier
600 E Grand AveNavy Pier stretches 3,300 feet out into Lake Michigan and is the place to be for fun. The festive carnival-like atmosphere is exciting and there are many things to do (most will cost you money, but it’s free to just enjoy the views and atmosphere). Upon entering the pier you will find several places to eat including a food court, shops, an IMAX theater, and a children’s Museum. Continuing on down the pier you will run into the Crystal Gardens (a six story glass atrium botanical garden). Just beyond the gardens is the famous Pier Park complete with a carousel, ferris wheel, and the wave swinger swing ride. The Pepsi skyline stage is located toward the back of this area. Moving on down the pier you will find more shops and places to eat as well as a funhouse maze and the Shakespeare theater. The Smith museum of stained glass windows is not much farther on. Finally, at the end of the pier is the Grand ballroom, beer garden, and terraces for viewing the lake and city. There are also multiple tour boats and dinning cruise ships parked up and down the long pier. On the weekends come here at night to watch a stunning fireworks display.
“The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan transformed Chicago into Gotham City for his 2008 blockbuster. Wayne Enterprises was actually the former IBM building at 330 N. Wabash Ave. And, in an especially intense aerial shot, Batman surveys Gotham City from the top of the Willis Tower. Don’t leave without taking a cab through Lower Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, where the highly explosive chase scenes between Batman and the Joker were shot.”
Gebouw van de Chicago Board of Trade
141 W Jackson Blvd“The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan transformed Chicago into Gotham City for his 2008 blockbuster. Wayne Enterprises was actually the former IBM building at 330 N. Wabash Ave. And, in an especially intense aerial shot, Batman surveys Gotham City from the top of the Willis Tower. Don’t leave without taking a cab through Lower Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, where the highly explosive chase scenes between Batman and the Joker were shot.”