Things to do in Chicago

Pilsen (Lower West Side)

Chicago has long attracted writers, musicians, artists, and other creatives. Take in the arts, dining, and nightlife of the Pilsen neighborhood to see firsthand where the people who live here go out to enjoy life’s finer things in areas such as the Chicago Arts District, home to National Museum of Mexican Art, the Chicago Art Department, and more.

Hyde Park (South Side)

For a low-key day, head to the South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park where you’ll find people roaming tree-lined boulevards en route to indie bookstores, under-the-radar museums, and the University of Chicago to enjoy prolific Gothic architecture.

Logan Square

Want the Wicker Park hip factor without the brunch wait lines? Check out the Logan Square neighborhood. Here you can get your fix of Michelin-rated restaurants and cocktail bars before cozying up indoors at the Logan Theatre for an indie flick. On Sundays, take a stroll through the farmers’ market that operates all year. For those who want to get hands-on, try making your own street art in a nearby studio with local artists.

When it comes to what locals eat in Chicago, it can depend on who you ask. No one is going to tell you not to grab a slice of deep-dish pizza or a hot dog, but also that there’s more to savor than these classics. Dry-aged steaks on the Loop, West African cuisine in Bronzeville, tacos in Little Village, pierogies downtown: the food here a reflection of this multicultural Midwestern city.

The Andersonville and Argyle neighborhoods are a must when it comes to food. On Argyle Street, a cluster of Southeast Asian restaurants offer some of the best Asian food in all of the city, meanwhile in Andersonville you’ll find Turkish, Lebanese, and Swedish eats.

Chicago’s unique architecture is the result of an otherwise tragic historical event: the Great Fire of 1871 which destroyed most of the downtown buildings. By the 1880s, a group of architects called the Chicago School began to promote a new way of building known as “commercial-style” architecture characterized by steel-frame construction and large plates of glass. The result? The world got the first modern skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, in 1885. Since then, Chicago has always been a world leader in design, with notable styles such as Chicago bungalows, two-flats, grandiose graystones, and Polish cathedrals.

Whether it’s your first visit to Chicago, or you’re a lifelong resident, there are plenty of fun architecture-related activities (both indoors and outdoors) to experience this iconic piece of Chicago history firsthand.