20 Ultimate Things to Do in Chicago

Fodor's Travel: In Millennium Park, make a beeline for Frank Gehry’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where an incredible sound system allows audiences to enjoy concert-hall sound in the great outdoors. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: There’s great food all over the city, but you’ll find a high concentration of some of the city’s finest restaurants in both the West Loop and River North. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Three of Chicago’s most notable museums, all dedicated to the natural sciences, sit inside this 57-acre park on Lake Michigan. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Take the ear-popping ride to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (né the Sears Tower) to get to Skydeck Chicago, where on a clear day you can see as far as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Originally designed by 19th-century architect Daniel Burnham, this famous section of Michigan Avenue is a potpourri of historic buildings, upscale boutiques, department stores, and posh hotels. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: The Art Institute of Chicago has the country's best collection of Impressionist and Postimpressionist art, as well as the Renzo Piano–designed Modern Wing. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: During the ride, a knowledgeable volunteer guide will give you the details on more than 50 buildings along the river, and explain how Chicago grew into the important metropolis it is today. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: An institution since 1959, Second City has served as a launching pad for some of the hottest comedians around. Alumni include Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and the late John Belushi. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Tours of the park and the dugouts are given from April to October, when the Cubs are on the road. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: In Chicago’s downtown theater district, you’ll find at least one big-budget production musical or a show that’s bound for Broadway, but it would be a shame to miss the outstanding local theater scene. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Navy Pier is fun, especially for families. Everyone can fan out to shop in the mall, play minigolf in Pier Park in summer, see a movie at the IMAX Theatre, or explore the Chicago Children's Museum. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: At this urban enclave near Lake Michigan, you can face off with lions, watch about two dozen gorillas and chimpanzees, and see animals both slithery (pythons) and strange (sloths). Read more.

Fodor's Travel: In case you didn’t already know, Chicago is fringed by miles and miles of beaches on Lake Michigan, and Oak Street Beach is one of the best and most popular among them. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Skip the observatory and head to the 96th-floor bar on the 95th floor—you'll spend your money on an exorbitantly priced cocktail instead of the entrance fee and enjoy the same view. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: For deep-dish pizza, stop into any of the eight Lou Malnati’s locations in the city or Pequod’s Pizza in Lincoln Park; for a classic Chicago-style hot dog, try Portillo’s downtown. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Open since 1968, Kingston Mines is one of the city’s favorite blues clubs. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: Stop by Pilsen, a historically Mexican neighborhood, for the eye-catching Pilsen Murals, art galleries, authentic Mexican eats, and the famous Maxwell Street Market. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: This handsome neighborhood is home to the incredible Museum of Science and Industry; the man-made peninsula Promontory Point; Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House; and the University of Chicago. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: One of the city’s hippest corners is Logan Square, where you can have a fun night out eating and drinking at some of the neighborhood’s buzziest spots. Read more.

Fodor's Travel: One of the best ways to navigate the city’s scenic lakefront (and many neighborhoods) is on a bicycle along the lakefront trail. Read more.