Visit The Top Museums In Chicago
With more than three dozen museums to visit in the city, its hard to know where to start. You might want to begin byexploring this list highlighting dates, times or conditions when you can visit these amazing venues free of charge. This roster also includes the Lincoln Park Zoo which is open to the public year-round without paying for a ticket along with information about the other zoos in Chicago.
Theres also no charge to visit less than traditional locations like the Busy Beaver Button Museum and outdoors at the Chicago Botanic Garden. More classic venues are open for a small charge to cover expenses and donations are always encouraged at the following spots:
Visit A Chicago Museum
Chicago museums return to normal operational hours last weekend, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced, as part of Chicago’s move to a full reopening.
Some museums will continue to have COVID-19 protocols in place, though. The Shedd Aquarium still asks that visitors purchase tickets in advance, but will no longer require vaccinated guests to wear masks.
Explore The West Loop
What this neighborhood lacks in retail shops, it makes up for in swanky corporate headquarters and it offers dining options in spades! Were incredibly lucky to have some of the greatest restaurants this city has to offer all in one easily walkable area.
Hunger in the West Loop isnot a thing.
Randolph Street, aka Chicagos Restaurant Row, is home to multiple star-rated Michelin restaurants, Blackbird and The Loyalist, alongside more attainable fair . For example, Au Cheval won best burger in the country a few years back. Hot tip visit this spot at off-peak hours to avoid a 2-hour wait .
But you dont have to explore the wonders of this neighborhood on your own!
On the #1 TripAdvisor Rated Gateway To The West Loop Food Tour, youll experience an impressive introduction and subsequent deep dive into the West Loops renowned and extensive food and restaurant scene.
Youll enjoy a leisurely stroll down Randolph Street, often referred to as Chicagos Best Foodie Street, and learn why this distinction comes as no surprise to locals living in the area as its home to a unique mixture of James Beard Award-winning chefs, old school diners, Chicago-based breweries and eclectic dive bars. The diversity of this culinary hub allows us to feature master chefs ranging from the founder of a burger bar thats rated by the Food Network as one of the best hamburgers in the country, to an award-winning restaurant that has created over 1,500 different pizza recipes.
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Stroll Through The Chicago Botanic Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden in suburban Glencoe is open this weekend from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., although the Rose Terrace closes at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Due to COVID-19 mitigations, all visitors must pre-register to walk through the gardens and wear a mask indoors if not vaccinated against the virus. Parking on the weekends is free for members and costs $30 for non-members.
Capture The Magic At Buckingham Fountain
For more magical moments to capture on smartphones head over to theBuckingham Fountain in the famed Chicago Loop at the center of Grant Park. Constructed in 1927 from Georgian pink marble, its one of the largest fountains in the world with 200 jets shooting streams over statues more than 25-feet tall across a pool nearly 300-feet in diameter. After the sun sets, lights reflect upon, all around and throughout the water making this the perfect setting for some picturesque photo ops.
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Sail Down The Chicago River Or Lake Michigan By Boat Kayak
Take in the city’s iconic architecture while sailing along the Chicago River on one of several boat tours. The 90-minute tours run every hour and a half and cost $40 for an adult and $18 for a child.
Due to COVID-19 mitigations, the Wendella boat tours require that passengers wear a face covering while on the vessel and practice social distancing.
Trying to see the city’s skyscrapers from a new angle? Guided kayak tours and rentals give you a trip down the Chicago River into Lake Michigan.
Take A Selfie At The Bean
There are so many unforgettable sites to see in Chicago its hard to single one out but theres one at the AT& T Plaza Millennium Park thats definitely worth a visit. The anchor piece of this stunning park is the Cloud Gate public sculpture erected in 2006 by renowned artist Anish Kapoor.
Also known asThe Bean, this enormous rounded arch is decorated with 168 highly reflective seamlessly joined stainless steel plates measures 33-feet high, 42-feet wide, 66-feet long and weighs around 110 tons. Its become an emblem as a part of the 21st century Chicago landscape and a popular backdrop for selfies.
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Illini Basketball Tip Times Tv Assignments Released
Tipoff times and TV assignments for most of the Illinois men’s basketball schedule were released on Tuesday. Here are some notables, via Illinois athletics.
- Illinois’ season opener will air on BTN, with the conference network televising the Nov. 9 game vs. Jackson State.
- Illinois will appear five times on ESPN/2, twice on FOX, once on CBS, four times on FS1 and eight times on BTN during its 20-game conference schedule.
- Big Ten play begins Dec. 3, with the Illini hosting Rutgers at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
- Illinois will have a marquee audience on Dec. 11, with the Arizona home game slated for a 4 p.m. broadcast on FOX.
- Braggin’ Rights on Dec. 22 in St. Louis is set for an 8 p.m. tip-off on BTN.
- FOX will be in Champaign on King Jr. Day , televising the Purdue game at 11 a.m.
- Illinois’ home games against Michigan and Ohio State will both air on FS1.
- The Michigan State home game on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. is slated for ESPN/2 Super Tuesday showcase.
- The regular season concludes March 6, with FOX airing a Sunday night showdown with Iowa at State Farm Center
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St Patricks Day Events
Theres no doubt that Chicago is one of the best places on Earth to celebrate St. Patricks Day, other than maybe an actual city in Ireland, of course. The entire city is going green and theres no escaping the Irish spirit that will take over Chicago. Consult our St. Patricks Day Guide for an in-depth guide that will share every single event taking place for St. Pats. And yes, while St. Patricks Day is only on March 17, you know the city will be celebrating through the weekend.
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Daily Digest: Five Things To Watch At Illini Hoops Open Practice 2023 Chicago Stars To Visit This Weekend
There’s a lot of news each day. Illini Inquirer will try to make it easier to digest each weekday morning with the Daily Digest. Today, get up to speed on Illinois basketball’s open practice, a group of Chicago stars visiting, a top hoops target transferring high schools, a big round for Illini golf and Ayo Dosunmu’s NBA preseason debut.
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Can I Get An Apartment In Chicago For The Weekend
Most definitely! Airbnb is the perfect option for booking your accommodation in Chicago. You can easily filter whatever amenities you prefer and enjoy all the luxuries of having your own place for the weekend!This is a great money-saving option for larger groups, as you can find larger accommodation and split the cost without having to pay for separate hotel rooms! Staying in an Airbnb also comes with the added bonus of being able to stay with a local. There are plenty of friendly hosts who are willing to provide visitors with insider tips and useful insight on how to make the most of a two-day stay in Chicago! Booking.com also has apartment listings on their website to choose from, and often in premier locations. A perk to this is that you go through a company for booking accommodation, and not a private individual.
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Chomp On Some Chicago Foods
For Memorial Day weekend, there is nothing more Chicago than eating a Chicago-Style hotdog.
The true ingredients that make up a hot dog thats been dragged through the garden are: All beef hotdog, poppy seed bun, diced onions, sweet pickle relish, chopped tomatoes, sport peppers, pickle spear, celery salt, and of course, mustard. No ketchup. Unless youre under 12.
See The Worlds Largest American Flag
Hanging in the historic Marshall Fields Building which now houses Macys on State Street, is the worlds largest American Flag!
It is quite a sight to see and makes a great patriotic Instagram photo. It hangs from Memorial Day until the 4th of July. The tradition of hanging this American flag started in 1917, and still continues over 100 years later.
Take our guided Loop & Millennium Park Tourto see it up close!
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Browse The Frida Kahlo Exhibit In Suburban Chicago
The legendary life and notable works of artist Frida Kahlo are on display this summer in the Chicago area in the new Timeless Exhibition.
Open through Sept. 6, the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAnich Arts Center at the College of DuPage in suburban Glen Ellyn is featuring 26 original pieces from the 20th century artist.
Enjoy ‘sundays On State’ Street Fest
“Sundays on State” returns this weekend in The Loop, as Chicago prepares to shut down several of its busiest streets this summer to make room for outdoor dining and live music.
On State Street from Madison to Lake, the street fest will close to cars for live performances and outdoor dining on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Is Chicago Safe For A Weekend Trip
Chicago is largely a safe city, and tourists shouldnt have too much to be worried about when walking around downtown or when visiting well-known landmarks. However, it is always a good idea to do some research or ask locals before venturing out to the peripheral neighborhoods of the city.Chicago does experience violence and crime, but this is predominantly confined to specific hotspots, such as the far West Side of Chicago and the South Side of Chicago. While these areas are clearly dodgy, and gang violence and crime does occur, they are well away from Downtown Chicago. Be aware of your possessions when in crowds or around busy areas as pickpockets do frequent popular sights in the city. At night, it is best to keep to well-lit streets and populated areas as muggings do occur in dark side streets after dark.Be sure to check the weather forecast for potential natural hazards, which can occur during the particularly harsh Chicago Winter.
And have you thought about getting Travel Insurance for your trip? Weve put together a roundup of Travel Insurance for backpackers check it out here, or if youre low on time, get a quote from World Nomads, our favorite travel insurance provider.
Things To Do In Chicago This Weekend Including Pride Fest And Spring Awakening: Autumn Equinox
Pride weekend in Chicago: Americas first recognized LGBTQ community is hosting Chicagos 2021 Pride Fest. Three stages provide live music, local favorites, dancing, DJs and drag shows. This years street festival is home to more than 100 vendors selling arts, crafts, food and drink. The Chicago Pride Parade is slated to return in 2022. Chicago Pride Fest 5-10 p.m. Oct. 1, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Oct. 2-3 Halsted Street from Addison to Grace Street $15. Full event information at northalsted.com
Give back to the environment: We only have one planet Earth we all call home. To raise awareness for waste reduction, guests are invited to learn different techniques to turn trash into works of art including by dissecting, cooking, pressing and shredding. This drop-in demonstration offers workshops taught by local artists to create tote bags, journals, mandalas and more. Hack-a-thon from 1-4 p.m., Oct. 3, at the Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. free, hydeparkart.org
Local storytellers: Community members submitted local stories to the Jackalope Theater Co. and the writers took it from there, creating scripts for each story. Touring the parks in Edgewater, East Side and Humboldt Park, this years Night Out in the Parks brings the voices of the neighborhood to the stage. Neighborhood Narratives at 4 p.m., Oct. 2 at Calumet Park Beach, 4001 E. 98th St.. free, jackalopetheatre.org
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Catch ’em All At The Pokmon Go Fest
A giant Pokémon GO egg can be found in Chicago’s Maggie Daley Park this weekend as part of a global, virtual event for players worldwide.
Niantic picked 20 cities to host in-person activities for the Pokémon GO Fest from Saturday at 10 a.m. to Sunday at 6 p.m., with Chicago being the biggest event, organizers said.
The event will consist of Legendary Pokémon raids live with trainers from around the world, all teaming up to catch rare Pokémon characters, which will be projected onto a 50-foot tall Egg, according to organizers.
Fun Chicago Events Festivals & More This Weekend
Its no secret that every month, Chicago puts on amazing events that will seriously upgrade your weekends. But its not always easy to decide what to do and where to go! What are a couple of fun things to do in Chicago this weekend? Thats where we come in.
We have the inside scoop on all of the latest events, festivals, and parties happening this . Finding parking can be a hassle, but we got you. Other than that, were just here to show you fun Chicago events this weekend!
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Watch A Shakespearean Play
The Navy Pier also hosts theChicago Shakespeare Theater , the largest performing arts venue in the Windy City. Along with classics penned by William Shakespeare like Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo, and Juliet, CST also presents light-hearted musical favorites for kids of all ages like Bedknobs and Broomsticks or the high-flying adventures of Peter Pan.
This non-profit production company and location have helped to keep Chicago on the cultural map since 1999 winning multiple Laurence Olivier Awards and a regional Tony Award in 2008 with up to 600 presentations annually.
Illinois Mens Golf Makes Big Move At Blessings
Illinois mens golf on Tuesday shot an 8-under 280 second round, the best in the field, at The Blessings Collegiate Invitational to move within one shot of leader and host Arkansas. The No. 12-ranked Illini entered the round eight strokes back of the Razorbacks, but three Illini Adrien Dumont de Chassart , Piercen Hunt and Tommy Kuhl shot under par to put the Illini in the mix to win a tournament title entering Wednesdays final round.
Illini individual scores through two rounds
- T3) Piercen Hunt 69-69 138
- T7) Adrien Dumont de Chassart 72-67 139
- T12) Tommy Kuhl 73-69 142
- T26) Jerry Ji 72-75
- T49) Dylan Keating 75-79 154
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