Welcome
to Travel+Experiment!
Sources:
The Huffington Post, February 18, 2015 by Annie Bruce
While
it may not be known for having the same sky-high costs as London, New York
City, or Tokyo, Chicago is still a big city, and spending time there can add
up. Fortunately, it's possible to enjoy much of what the city has to offer
without spending too much (or any!) money. From concerts and festivals to
Shakespeare and museums, there's no shortage of free activities in the Windy
City, whether you want to limit yourself to the Loop or venture out to explore
Lincoln, Park, Pilsen, and Chinatown. The next time you visit Chicago, make
sure you take advantage of street festivals, improve shows at The Second City,
and these other outstanding free activities.
- Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo With free admission every day of the year, the Lincoln Park Zoo is a
beloved Chicago institution. There’s a lot to see in the 35-acre park, so on a
nice day, you can see it all by strolling from the bear habitat on the northern
end, to the swan pond, to the nature boardwalk, stopping to spot giraffes,
jaguars, gorillas, and pythons along the way. Be sure to visit in the winter
months as well, when the Lincoln Park Zoo hosts ZooLights in the
evenings (also free of charge). While you can still spot some animals
throughout the park, the real spectacle is the collection of more than two
million lights that are part of this 20-year tradition.
- Watch Outdoor Movies
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Chicago Park District Choose from a range of classics (such as A League of Their Own and Willy
Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) and new releases (such as The Lego Movie and
Gravity) at one of the hundreds of free movie screenings offered during the
summer. As part of the Millennium Park Summer Film series, visitors can
head to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion to catch a flick on the 40-foot screen, or
branch out to view showings sponsored by the Chicago Park District at
parks throughout the city. Preview work from up-and-coming filmmakers as well,
when the Park District screens the winning entries from its Local Film Showcase
on select nights.
- Admire the Chicago Botanic Garden
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Chicago Botanic
Garden Free year-round, the Chicago Botanic Garden is home to 26
gardens and four natural areas spread across 385 acres and nine islands. While
it’s impossible to see everything in one visit, be sure to check out the
Waterfall Garden, Japanese Garden, and Rose Garden, along with a visit to the
five-acre Evening Island. Bring a bike and ride the one-mile path between the
Green Bay Trail and North Branch Trail to get a scenic workout. Signs along the
route point bikers towards the different moraine, wetland, and woodland regions
along the path, and there are bike racks throughout that allow riders to take a
break and explore the gardens.
- Tour Breweries
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Two Brothers Brewing Company There are plenty of options if you want a
behind-the-scenes look at some of Chicago’s most talked-about breweries. Take a
trip to Two Brothers Brewery in Warrenville for a 45-minute free tour
at select times on Saturdays and Sundays—no reservation
required. Lagunitas Brewing Company, the city’s largest brewery, gives
free tours at their Douglas Park location, with tasting tours offered at
various times Monday through Friday, and hourly tours on the weekends.
Revolution Brewing’s Kedzie Production Breweryoffers tours of their
60-barrel brewhouse on Wednesdays through Saturdays. Its tours often reach
capacity (30 people) on weekends, so be sure to get there early to ensure a
spot.
- Listen to Concerts at Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Photo Credit: Adam
Alexander Photography / Choose Chicago With a lineup
that includes the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performers from the Lyric Opera,
and Broadway touring companies, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion hosts a wide range of
concerts. On select weekday evenings, rock, pop, and indie performers take the
stage as part of the Downtown Sound and Loops and
Variations programs. Every year, the Grant Park Music
Festival also hosts a number of classical music performances on the stage,
with concerts from the Grant Park Orchestra and a number of internationally
recognized performers. And Broadway in Chicago hosts a concert
performance every summer, featuring cast members from the upcoming season's
productions. The pavilion seats 11,000, but visitors can also bring a picnic
and blanket and settle down on the Great Lawn for a more relaxed experience.
- Read a Book at Harold Washington Library
Photo Credit: Afagundes | Dreamstime.com Located in the South Loop, the Harold Washington Library
Center is home to a wide range of exhibits and a 385-seat theater. The
building, which is the Chicago Public Library’s main branch, opened in 1991 and
was designed by Thomas Beeby. It has a grand lobby with marble floors and
elaborate ceiling designs, but the real stunner is the Winter Garden—known as
the building’s architectural centerpiece—which has a 53-foot glass-paneled dome
and marble floor. Go to take in the scenery, read one of the more than two
million books, or admire the center’s public art collection.
- Laugh at Second City Improv Shows
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg Watch the next Tina Fey, Steve Carell, or Stephen Colbert after
hours at this famous Chicago theater company. Known for sending numerous
comedic actors along to successful careers at Saturday Night Live and beyond,
you can get all the laughs you want without paying for a ticket. Every night
(except for Fridays), you can enjoy free, one-hour improv sets offered
after The Second City mainstage performances.
- Enjoy Free Entertainment at the Chicago Cultural Center
Photo Credit: Adam Alexander Photography / Choose Chicago Sometimes referred to as the “People’s Palace,”
the Chicago Cultural Center is home to the largest Tiffany
stained-glass dome in the world. The architectural masterpiece, featuring a
Carrara marble lobby and large windows, opened in 1897 and hosts more than 700
free exhibits, screenings, performances, and lectures every year. Visitors can
take a free 45-minute tour of the building on Wednesdays, Fridays, and
Saturdays at 1:15 pm.
- Tour the City with Chicago Greeter
Photo
Credit: Courtesy of Choose Chicago / Chicago Greeter Learn about
the Windy City from a local by taking a free, two- to four-hour guided tour
with Chicago Greeter. Visitors need to register at least 10 days in advance on
the website, where they can then select which neighborhoods they’d like to
explore and mark specific interests they have (such as the Great Chicago Fire,
Latin Chicago, or theater), for a truly customized tour experience. If you want
a more spontaneous sightseeing excursion, you can take part in the InstaGreeter
program for a one-hour tour (no registration required) on Fridays, Saturdays,
and Sundays.
- Gawk at the Chicago Air and Water Show
Photo Credit: Courtesy of City of Chicago / Choose Chicago More than two million spectators line Lake Michigan every year to
see this free, two-day spectacular in August. The Chicago Air & Water
Show is the largest and oldest free air and water show in the U.S. Listen
to the legendary Herb Hunter, who’s announced the show for the last 20 years,
narrate as performers take to the skies and waters with their best tricks. In
past years, the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, the U.S. Coast Guard,
and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels have all performed. Grab a spot on North Avenue
Beach from Fullerton Avenue to Oak Street for prime viewing.
- Attend Festivals
Photo Credit: Courtesy
of City of Chicago Chicago is home to a number of entertaining festivals
throughout the year. In June, head to Printer’s Row along Dearborn Street for
the largest free outdoor literary event in the region. The Printer’s Row
Lit Festival features book signings, speakers (Rachel Ray, John Green, and
Judy Blume have all attended in the past), and readings. Visitors should
reserve free tickets to events in advance online, but some standby tickets are
available day-of as well. That same month, Chicago hosts the largest free blues
festival in the world. The Chicago Blues Festival lasts for three days and
has featured the legendary B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Etta James in past years.
The city’s Taste of Chicago draws more than three million people to
Grant Park each July and features free musical performances, if you don’t feel
like spending on food tickets. From June through September, more than 40 bands
take the stage at the Spirit of Music Garden in for the SummerDance
Festival. Visitors head to the open-air dance floor for pre-show dance lessons
in a variety of different styles before each performance. Plan Your Trip:
Visit Fodor’s Chicago Travel Guide
- Explore Museums
Photo Credit: Courtesy
of the Smart Museum of Art While most of the big-name Chicago
museums have free visit days for Illinois residents, you can have free
admission year-round at some of these lesser-known institutions. Explore an
original settlement house dating back to 1889 at the Jane Addams
Hull-House Museum, with a rotating crop of exhibits and film screenings
throughout the year.The National Museum of Mexican Art is a hidden
treasure in Pilsen, with a 7,500-piece permanent collection that dates back
3,000 years. The Museum of Contemporary Photography, founded by Columbia
College Chicago, regularly displays work produced by up-and-coming national and
international artists, and it is home to the Changing Chicago
Project—photographs recording city life taken by 33 commissioned photographers.
The University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art opened in 1974 and has a
collection of ancient, modern, and contemporary art from around the world,
including work from Frank Lloyd Wright and Henry Moore. And the DuSable
Museum of African American History offers free admission on Sundays to any
visitor. This Washington Park-housed museum is the only one of its kind in the
country and includes letters from W.E.B. DuBois, handwritten lyrics from Motown
performers, and a number of rotating exhibits.
- Wander Around Navy Pier
Photo Credit: Courtesy
of Choose Chicago Located right on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier not
only provides visitors with stunning lakefront and skyline views, but it also
has a number of free activities offered year-round. The winter is filled with
Snow Days Chicago, a snow-sculpting competition that draws professional teams
from around the world, and the Neighborhoods of the World tribute, featuring
performances from members of Chicago neighborhoods. During the warmer months,
head to the Landshark Beer Garden to enjoy live musical entertainment.
- Explore Neighborhood Festivals
Photo Credit: Adam
Alexander Photography / Choose Chicago Every year, more than
400 festivals occur in neighborhoods throughout the city. Each one
highlights unique characteristics of the different parts of Chicago, with
special themes, traditions, music performances, and food offerings. No need to
pick and choose—visit them all from June through November. Highlights include
the Fiestas Puertorriqueñas (Puerto Rican Festival) in Humboldt Park, the Green
Music Festival in Wicker Park, and the Fiesta del Sol in Pilsen.
- Watch Shakespeare in the Parks
Photo Credit: Julie Stanton Members of Chicago Shakespeare Theater take the stage at
18 different parks throughout the city each summer to perform a new production.
From their home base at Navy Pier, to Tuley Park in Chesterfield, to Loyola
Park in Rogers Park, the company brings their own stage to the different
destinations to perform for audiences of all ages.
- Cool off at the Beach
Photo Credit:
Blueelephant | Dreamstime.com Contrary to popular belief, Chicago
weather does get hot. When it does, take your pick from the collection
of public beaches along 26 miles of scenic lakefront. North Avenue
Beach and Oak Street Beach tend to be the most popular in the city, but all
beaches are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Oak Street location
stretches just over a mile and has the largest span of deep-water swimming. The
North Avenue beach holds volleyball courts and a path along the lake for bikers
and joggers. For a change of scenery, head to the 57th Street Beach, where you
can admire Promontory Point and the skyline, and dip into the water across from
the Museum of Science and Industry.
- Admire the Navy Pier Fireworks
Photo Credit: Adam
Alexander Photography
/ Choose Chicago Fireworks aren’t just for Fourth of July
celebrations in Chicago. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, Navy Pier
hosts fireworks twice every week, with additional shows added
throughout the season. The lights show is synched with music, so if you want to
get close enough to hear, watch from the pier. You can also catch great views
of the sky by heading south to Buckingham Fountain.
- Join a Parade
Photo Credit: Adam
Alexander Photography / Choose Chicago No matter the season, there’s
usually a reason to celebrate in Chicago. In March, one of the biggest St.
Patrick’s Day Parades in the country winds its way up Columbus Drive. Before
the parade even starts, head to the Chicago River to watch the water turn a
bright shade of green during the annual dyeing ceremony. In November, the city
hosts the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, featuring elaborate floats, Mickey
Mouse and Minnie Mouse as grand marshals, and a tree-lighting ceremony at the
end. Over the summer, head to North Halsted Street (between Belmont Avenue and
Grace Street) for the best views at the Chicago Pride Parade, which
features more than 200 floats, cars, and participating groups. Various
neighborhoods host additional parades that you can attend throughout the year,
including the Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen, the North Halsted
Halloween Parade, and the Chinatown New Year Parade. You can always pull a Ferris
Bueller and join right in.
- Ice Skate Around the City
Photo Credit: Adam
Alexander Photography / Choose Chicago If you bring your own skates, you
can head to the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park or the Maggie
Daley Park Skating Ribbon for free ice skating during the winter. From November
through March, "the Bean" is your backdrop as you skate around the
McCormick Tribune Rink off of Michigan Avenue. If you need to brush up on
your skills, you can attend free lessons on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
before the rink opens. Maggie Daley Park offers a more unique skating
experience, with a track that takes visitors through a winding, quarter-mile
path with stunning skyline views.
- Celebrate the Season with Christkindlmarket
Photo Credit:
Christkindlmarket by Marcin Wichary CC BY 2.0. This festive
German marketplace is the perfect location to soak up some holiday spirit.
Inspired by the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, the Chicago
version of the festival dates back to 1996. From November through December,
visitors can admire the handmade crafts (more than half of the vendors travel
from Germany to Chicago to participate each year), take pictures by the giant
Christmas tree in Daley Plaza, watch the lantern parade on St. Martin’s Day,
and listen to live music.
Happy
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