{"id":2858,"date":"2022-06-04T06:06:16","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T06:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/?p=2858"},"modified":"2023-11-24T13:06:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T13:06:39","slug":"the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Things to Do In Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Chicago\u2019s food scene is fantastic, but, alas, you can\u2019t spend all your time eating (although it is a particular goal of mine, I have a tragically small stomach capacity. Please play the world\u2019s smallest, mournful violin for me.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What to do in between breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, second lunch, and all your <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/taste-of-thailand-11-best-thai-dishes-you-just-have-to-eat\/\" target=\"_blank\">various snacks<\/a>? What about after you\u2019ve <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/12-astonishing-amazing-parks-you-can-visit-in-usa\/\" target=\"_blank\">visited Millennium Park<\/a> and the Bean? Well, I suppose some other fun activities wouldn\u2019t be too amiss. Here are six of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/5-things-to-do-in-rome\/\">things<\/a> to do in Chicago this week (in my humble opinion, anyway). I\u2019ve included some more well-known activities as well as some hidden-gems, like a cult classic theater company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready? Here we go! <\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-678132f7b44f6\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" style='display:none' id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-678132f7b44f6\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#Discover_Chicagos_architectural_history_with_a_river_cruise\" title=\"Discover Chicago\u2019s architectural history\u00a0with a river cruise\">Discover Chicago\u2019s architectural history\u00a0with a river cruise<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#Experience_weird_theater_with_The_Neo-Futurists\" title=\"Experience weird theater with The Neo-Futurists\">Experience weird theater with The Neo-Futurists<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#See_world_class_improv_at_The_Second_City\" title=\"See world class improv at The Second City\">See world class improv at The Second City<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#Explore_beautiful_nature_at_Lincoln_Park\" title=\"Explore beautiful nature at Lincoln Park\">Explore beautiful nature at Lincoln Park<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#Witness_world-class_art_at_the_Art_Institute_of_Chicago\" title=\"Witness world-class art at the Art Institute of Chicago\">Witness world-class art at the Art Institute of Chicago<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/the-best-things-to-do-in-chicago\/#Appreciate_at_the_Museum_of_Contemporary_Photography\" title=\"Appreciate at the Museum of Contemporary Photography\">Appreciate at the Museum of Contemporary Photography<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"discover-chicagos-architectural-history-with-a-river-cruise\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Discover_Chicagos_architectural_history_with_a_river_cruise\"><\/span>Discover Chicago\u2019s architectural history\u00a0with a river cruise<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"695\" src=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-pixabay-161963-1024x695.jpg\" alt=\"Chicago River Cruise\" class=\"wp-image-2879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-pixabay-161963-1024x695.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-pixabay-161963-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-pixabay-161963-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-pixabay-161963.jpg 1279w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Chicago River Cruise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Pretend you\u2019re a river pirate and set sail along the Chicago river to admire the beautiful buildings and the Windy City\u2019s distinctive skyline. (I\u2019m not the only one who likes to pretend to be a river pirate, right? Okay, cool.) Since the Great Chicago Fire, the city\u2019s been shaped by innumerable famous architects and styles, including art deco, art nouveau, and Gothic revival. The Chicago Architecture Foundation runs daily cruises, where volunteers describe the architectural history of the city. Great for architecture lovers and aspiring pirates alike \u2013 just don\u2019t tell the Architecture Foundation I told you about the piratical part.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"experience-weird-theater-with-the-neo-futurists\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Experience_weird_theater_with_The_Neo-Futurists\"><\/span>Experience weird theater with The Neo-Futurists<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-kelly-l-2869205-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Chicago Theatre\" class=\"wp-image-2880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-kelly-l-2869205-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-kelly-l-2869205-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-kelly-l-2869205-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pexels-kelly-l-2869205.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Chicago Theatre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So, you like plays. But how about 30 plays in 60 minutes? The Neo-Futurists theater company has been running \u201cToo Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind\u201d since 1988, making it the longest-running play in Chicago (there are sister companies in San Francisco and New York). The 30 plays they try to complete during the 60-minute time frame can be funny, sad, poignant, thoughtful, weird, or just plain wacky\u2013but it\u2019s always a good time watching them try to beat the clock. This cult experience is a total hidden gem and one that can be repeated time and again\u2013the list of plays changes from week to week.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"see-world-class-improv-at-the-second-city\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"See_world_class_improv_at_The_Second_City\"><\/span>See world class improv at The Second City<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p>An incredible number of SNL greats got their start at The Second City, and for good reason: this is bound to be some of the best improv you\u2019ll ever see. Whether the cast are performing completely improvised material or pre-conceived skits, they\u2019re amazing at perfectly immersing and enrapturing you in a world of comedy and delight. The stage is located in a typical comedy club layout: tables and chairs are pretty tightly packed, but there isn\u2019t much tiering to the seats. So, arrive early to get good spots near the front (don\u2019t worry about being close to the stage\u2013audience participation is fairly rare, and they\u2019ll ask first.)<\/p><div class=\"f20d6726fb9d9dc0ca999d712cd859d9\" data-index=\"3\" style=\"float: left; margin: 10px 10px 10px 0;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Viral Vacation Ideas Article Middle -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4887266588189027\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9915562726\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"explore-beautiful-nature-at-lincoln-park\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Explore_beautiful_nature_at_Lincoln_Park\"><\/span>Explore beautiful nature at Lincoln Park<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Lincoln_Park_kz01-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Lincoln Park\" class=\"wp-image-2878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Lincoln_Park_kz01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Lincoln_Park_kz01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Lincoln_Park_kz01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Lincoln_Park_kz01.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lincoln_Park_kz01.jpg\">Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If the weather is nice, balance out your time indoors with a stroll through Lincoln Park. It\u2019s been compared to Central Park, though it\u2019s actually got quite a different vibe. During summer, cicadas buzz in the trees, and tall native plants sway in the breeze. The Lincoln Park Zoo is open 365 days a year and is completely free; there are biking and walking paths; and,&nbsp;for a great photo op, an impressive sculpture overlooking a <a href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/california-lakes-camping\/\">lake<\/a> has a beautiful view of downtown Chicago. When you tire of the park, wander the nearby neighborhood streets (also called Lincoln Park) to admire the beautiful brownstone architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"witness-world-class-art-at-the-art-institute-of-chicago\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Witness_world-class_art_at_the_Art_Institute_of_Chicago\"><\/span>Witness world-class art at the Art Institute of Chicago<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Downtown_Chicago_Illinois_14024062257-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Art Institue of Chicago Aerial View\" class=\"wp-image-2882\" srcset=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Downtown_Chicago_Illinois_14024062257-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Downtown_Chicago_Illinois_14024062257-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Downtown_Chicago_Illinois_14024062257-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Downtown_Chicago_Illinois_14024062257.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Downtown_Chicago,_Illinois_(14024062257).jpg\">Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\">CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The AIC has been rated the best museum <a href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/exploring-the-most-dangerous-places-in-the-world\/\">in the world<\/a> for the last several years in a row, and for good reason: vast museum has a long and storied history. Founded in 1879, it\u2019s one of the largest and oldest museums in the country. It\u2019s home to a variety of famous paintings, including Claude Monet\u2019s&nbsp;<em>Water Lilies,&nbsp;<\/em>Grant Wood\u2019s&nbsp;<em>American Gothic<\/em>, and a variety of paintings by Pablo Picasso. It would take pages and pages to list all of the incredible items this <a href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/7-museums-not-to-miss-in-mexico-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">museum<\/a> has, so if you\u2019re curious to learn more, head on over to the Wikipedia article about their <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Art_Institute_of_Chicago#Collection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">collections<\/a> or website to learn more (and if you love modern art, they\u2019ve got a modern wing, too.)<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"appreciate-at-the-museum-of-contemporary-photography\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Appreciate_at_the_Museum_of_Contemporary_Photography\"><\/span>Appreciate at the Museum of Contemporary Photography<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you love photography and thoughtful exhibits that get you thinking about the world, just off of Michigan Avenue and up the street from the AIC is the Museum of Contemporary Photography, where they run free photo exhibits, often accompanied by documentaries and art installations. When we went, there was a 3-level exhibit on Petroleum Coke in Chicago, including two short films and an installation piece. It was both moving and informative; a great way to spend an hour appreciating another photographer\u2019s work and learning about an unfamiliar \u2013 but important \u2013 issue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Admission is free!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are some of my absolute favorite <a href=\"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/things-to-do-in-london-going-out\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">things to do<\/a> in Chicago (and, to be perfectly honest, I\u2019ve done them multiple times on repeat visits.) Chicago locals and visitors: what are some of your favorite sights and activities in the Windy City?<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chicago\u2019s food scene is fantastic, but, alas, you can\u2019t spend all your time eating (although it is a particular goal of mine, I have a tragically small stomach capacity. Please play the world\u2019s smallest, mournful violin for me.)&nbsp; What to do in between breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, second lunch, and all your various snacks? What about after you\u2019ve visited Millennium Park and the Bean? Well, I suppose some other fun activities wouldn\u2019t be too amiss. Here are six of the best things to do in Chicago this week (in my humble opinion, anyway). I\u2019ve included some more well-known activities as <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"The Best Things to Do In Chicago","_seopress_titles_desc":"Here are six of the best things to do in Chicago. I\u2019ve included some more well known activities as well as some hidden-gems, like a cult classic theater company.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[162,387,418,105,61],"tags":[460,462,459,461],"class_list":["post-2858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america","category-things-to-do","category-things-to-see","category-travel","category-usa","tag-best-things-to-do-in-chicago","tag-chicago-activities","tag-things-to-do-in-chicago","tag-things-to-do-in-chicago-this-week","has_thumb"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2858"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5110,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2858\/revisions\/5110"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viralvacationideas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}