Often referred to as “landscape art under glass,” the free admission conservatory occupies approximately 4.5 acres inside and out, where thousands of plant species are on display. Read more.
The Music Box plays a mix of independent and foreign films, as well as classic (black and white) movie matinees, and midnight screenings of cult classics. Read more.
Maxwell Street was once home to a bustling street market, and a place to hear many of the first great blues musicians, new arrivals from the South who would set up at a street corner and jam. Read more.
Situated on this stretch of the former ‘record row,’ Vee-Jay Records was the largest, most successful R&B label of its time, and recorded blues greats like Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker and others. Read more.
One of the most important sites in blues history, nearly every blues great passed through here when it was home to Chess Records. The building now houses the Blues Heaven Foundation. Read more.
This used to be the landmark 708 Club, one of the birthplaces of the Chicago blues. It was here that the instruments and style that defined the highly-charged electrified blues really came together. Read more.
Mark Blue Chicago on your map; comprising 2 clubs 2 blocks away from one another, Blue Chicago offers plenty of live music at a convenient downtown location.
Local and international legends play here, and Buddy Guy himself graces the stage of his authentic blues club, where memorabilia like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker’s guitars complete the atmosphere. Read more.
No blues tour would be complete without a trip to the Checkerboard--at least according to Prince and the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, who were known to pop in for late-night jam sessions. Read more.
Travel through an old railroad crossing to Lee's Unleaded Blues, where local blues musicians give visitors a taste of the real deal. Read more.
The Chicago Velo Campus is a large, banked track for bicycle racing, and is the first velodrome built in Chicago in a generation.
One of Chicago’s Always Free Attractions, the museum has a collection of treasures from the Middle East such as a 5,000 year old mummy, a 40-ton Assyrian sculpture & a 17-foot tall statue of King Tut. Read more.
Located just outside the Damen Pink Line ‘L’ Stop,this mural focuses on the individuality of the people that created the heritage and cultural identity of the community. Read more.
Stroll past three large window galleries with new and engaging artwork to enjoy. This “experimental cultural center” produces art exhibitions, readings, and performances. Read more.
Among the Park’s cool features are a pagoda-shaped pavilion, where you can catch a water taxi to downtown Chicago, and a unique railroad drawbridge. Read more.
Around since 1875, this apothecary's original location is stacked floor-to-ceiling with every medicine, scent and homeopathic brand you can think of. It's one of Lincoln Square's many hip boutiques. Read more.
Today, visitors can explore historic exhibitions, borrow seeds from an heirloom seed library, learn about urban horticulture, eat soup and debate politics, and see contemporary art exhibitions. Read more.
This free admission beach is one of Chicago’s 33 sandy Lake Michigan beaches. Read more.
Milio’s is the place to go for a punk rock haircut. It’s also the former location of 3 rock clubs that hosted now-famous bands such as the Velvet Underground, Prince, REM, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Read more.
The cobblestone, mural-lined Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Rogers Park is home to award-winning theaters, art galleries, a seasonal farmers market, and cute cafes. Read more.
Located outside the United Center’s east end, the sculpture, which can be seen without buying a ticket to a Bulls or Blackhawks game, celebrates one of Chicago’s most internationally known figures. Read more.
This Chicago landmark presents jazz nightly, from traditional to experimental, amid a "speakeasyesque" décor. Read more.
Mosaic portraits in Founders Hall celebrate Dr. Margaret Burroughs, co-founder of the museum, Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African American Mayor, and DuSable, Founder of Chicago. Read more.
Located in trendy Logan Square, Revolution Brewing is one of Chicago’s artisanal brewing companies. Try the Bacon Fat Popcorn at their restaurant, which also has vegan-friendly options. Read more.
Popular with locals and visitors, Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles serves soul food up in a stylish dining room. Read more.
Quimby’s features one-of-a-kind publications such as small and independent press books, magazines, zines, and underground comics, like Chicago cartoonist Chris Ware's Quimby the Mouse.
