Chicago Activities

Holy Name Cathedral

This is a beautiful and graceful, Old Catholic church in downtown Chicago. It is the heart of the diocese. Check the schedule and attend one of the masses with the local Chicagoan people.

Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Cultural Center is the nation’s first free municipal cultural center and one of the most visited attractions in Chicago. The stunning landmark building, opened in 1897 as the city’s first public library, is home to two magnificent stained-glass domes, and annually presents hundreds of free cultural exhibits and performances. The building also houses a Visitor Information Center, gift shop, and café. Admission is free.

Chicago Line Cruises

Offering Architectural Cruises, covering the north and south branches of the Chicago River, Historical Lake and River, Cocktail Cocktail Cruises and Firework Cruise offered in the evening, all cruises are 90 minutes, and have complimentary Starbucks Coffee and soft drinks.

The Newberry Library

The Newberry Library is a pleasant and studious place to spend the day. This institution houses a variety of old manuscripts, maps, and genealogy records, and in addition, topic-specific lectures and exhibitions are frequently hosted at the Newberry. The reading rooms and exhibitions hosted at the Newberry are always free and open to the public.

The Magnificent Mile

This upscale shopping district on North Michigan Avenue sparkles during the holiday season with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, featuring street sales, holiday music and entertainment.

Art Institute of Chicago

This Classical Renaissance structure, guarded by two bronze lions at its entrance, boasts one of the world’s great art collections, including the trademark “American Gothic”.

Showplace Icon

At Showplace ICON you’re not only watching a movie, you’re redefining how movies should be watched. Modern design and delectable dining, reserved seating and state-of-the-art cinematic technology converge for a feast of the senses.
Our LOBBY LOUNGE serves food and adult beverages to guests ages 21 and up; guests (over the age of 21) attending features in our VIP Premium Reserved seating enjoy large, leather, sofa-style chairs with tables just large enough for sharing in an adults-only seating section. For our standard Reserved Seating guests, our concession stands are stocked with Freschetta pizzas, premium frozen yogurt, real butter for your freshly popped popcorn and more!

Briar Street Theatre

It’s home to the long-running Blue Man Group. It originally was the carriage house for the Marshall Field and Company horses and was then bought by Walter Topel and reconstructed into the theatre it is today. Since this reconstruction, the theater has put on many different shows and performances yet the Blue Man Group remains the most recognized.

Second City

The Second City is the world’s premiere comedy theatre offering the best in Chicago-style sketch and improve comedy every night of the week and has launched the careers of Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many, many others.

Parks

Millennium Park

Discover a state-of-the-art collection of architecture, landscape design and art that provide the backdrop for hundreds of free cultural programs including concerts, exhibitions, tours, and family activities. In Millennium Park, you’ll find a new kind of town square – a lively, spectacular gathering spot located in the heart of the city and a destination for Chicagoans and visitors alike.
The Crown Fountain by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa features 2 glass block columns with LED display facing each other rotating 1,000 faces of Chicago residents at random for approximately 5 minutes, culminating with a pucker of the lips before a spout of water cascades onto the plaza below.

Garfield Park Conservatory

Large historic conservatory (primarily indoor but some outdoor displays) located near an el stop in Garfield Park, one of the city’s largest parks. Conservatory is operated by the Chicago Parks District administration.

Lincoln Park

Home to the Lincoln Park Zoo, this popular park is also located in a neighborhood called Lincoln Park.

Grant Park

Dedicated in 1844, this park covers 319 acres along Lake Michigan and is home to the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum and the Art Institute.

Oak Street Beach

One of a series of Chicago beaches, the Chicago Park District defines Oak Street Beach as the area from approximately 1550 North Lake Shore Drive to 500 North Lake Shore Drive, including Ohio Street Beach, the South Ledge, a concrete path running from Ohio Street beach to the Oak Street Curve, Oak Street Beachstro Restaurant, Oak Street Beach proper, the North Ledge, and a concrete path running from Oak Street Beach to North Avenue Beach.

Museums

Richard H. Driehaus Museum

Take a step back in time to the Gilded Age with banker Samuel Nickerson’s mansion. Explore all three floors of the museum and discover how the Nickerson family lived and socialized. The museum is closed on Mondays. Tours are an extra $5, but well worth it.

Museum of Science and Industry

It’s a highly engaging museum located in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. It features an extensive variety of exhibits ranging from transportation to sociology. For example, the Museum features a real United Airlines Boeing 727 hanging from the balcony that is accessible to visitors, a captured German U-Boat, and a model of an early 20th century American town.

The Field Museum

One of America’s premier natural history museums, the Field’s “Live over Time” exhibit now houses “Sue,” the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered.

Oriental Institute Museum

The Oriental Institute has a world-class collection of artifacts that document the history, languages, and cultures of the entire ancient Middle East. The Institute was founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted, the first American Egyptologist. Admission is free, though a $10 donation is suggested for adults.

Chicago Children’s Museum

The “Dinosaur Expedition,” where kids dig for bones and conduct archaeological research is just one of the many hands-on exhibits at the Chicago Children’s Museum.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

A nature museum that combines learning with high-quality interactive displays and activities.

Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank

Inside this museum, tourists can take pictures with a million bucks, create their own currency & learn more about currencies. It’s Located at 230 S La Salle St, the Bank’s Money Museum is free and open to the public year-round from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Bank holidays.

Sports

United Center

his modern arena replaced the old Chicago Stadium as home court for the NBA’s Bulls and the NHL’s Blackhawks.

Soldier Field

Venerable home field of the Chicago Bears football team.

Bike & Roll Chicago

Bike and Roll offers fun, easy and safe bike tours in your favorite cities. Learn about the history, see the sites, take lots of photos, and make new friends. Both daytime and nighttime bicycle rides for the whole family.

Harborside International Golf Center

This urban course, in sight of the Chicago skyline, was created on top of a pit of construction refuse.

Shopping

Oak Brook Center

The status stores at Oak Brook Center attract crowds from towns all around the Western suburbs, and the mall truly provides a luxurious way to spend a day. Big name shops like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Burberry and Tiffany’s show the high end appeal of this mall, and for the little ones Build-A-Bear Workshop and the Disney Store are huge draws. You can even get a beautiful new style at the Mario Tricoci or Aveda salons. If you get hungry from all that shopping and primping, great restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Wildfire, and Maggiano’s can be found for an after-splurge bite to eat.

Yorktown Center

Yorktown Center has something for everyone, from department stores like Von Maur and Target to restaurants like Harry Carry’s Italian Steakhouse and the Capital Grille. For the young and trendy, there’s a Forever 21 and American Eagle Outfitters, and for the athletic there’s a Sports Authority and Champs Sports. Yorktown is also great for a night out. If you have to drag your kids along with you to go shopping, promise them an after shopping reward with a movie at AMC 21 Theater or even a game of bowling at Lucky Strikes.

Gurnee Mills

If you’re a bargain hunter who thrives off looking for great deals, Gurnee Mills provides more than 200 shops from which to choose from. Visitors come to Gurnee from all around to check out the outlet stores here. Last Call by Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5, Abercrombie and Fitch Outlet, Nike Factory Store and Kenneth Cole Outlet store are a just a few of the reduced price stores at this mall. This year the outlet has tacked on two new additions: Kitchen Collection and Shoe Encore. And with a variety of restaurants like Ruby Tuesday and Rainforest Café to take a shopping break, you could make a whole day out of your trip to Gurnee Mills.

Woodfield Mall/Streets of Woodfield

Woodfield Mall is a destination for shoppers of all ages and backgrounds. Located in a modernly designed building, Woodfield’s customers enjoy stores like Hollister, Talbots, Armani Exchange, Boss and Puma. More unique stores like Dry Goods, which sells sophisticated fashion clothing and accessories, and CO Bigelow, an apothecary shop that claims to be the oldest in America, and Gilly Hicks, a lingerie store, can also be found here. When all of that shopping has worked up an appetite, there are restaurants like Red Robin and Texas De Brazil for a bite to eat.