Visit Chicago in the summertime for free (almost)

As with most large cities, Chicago can quickly eat up your vacation dollars.  What many people don’t realize, though, is that it’s possible to have a memorable summertime vacation in this city without spending any money beyond what you pay for your hotel and food - if you know where to go.  So, whether you’re a Chicagoan staying home this summer or a visitor to the city, keep reading to find out how to enjoy much of what this great city has to offer for very little money.

Millennium Park  

Whether your musical tastes lean toward classical, jazz, world, or alternative music, http://explorechicago.org/city/en/millennium/Music_in_Millennium_Park.html you can find it here almost every day of the week during the summer.  Bring a picnic lunch with you, or buy food at the Park to enjoy on the Great Lawn before or during the concert.

Want to get in some exercise?  Meet up with like-minded people on Saturday mornings for Yoga, Pilates, and dance aerobics. http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/events/dca_tourism/millennium_park_weekly.html

Kids will enjoy the crafts, science, and music activities at the Target Family Festival http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/dca_tourism/family_fun_festival.html every day.  They’ll also love the Crown Fountain http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/Crown_Fountain.html where they can play in the shallow reflecting pool or get soaked by the water spraying out of the 50 foot towers.

There is more to enjoy at Millennium Park, including Cloud Gate (“the Bean” to locals), the Lurie Garden, http://www.luriegarden.org/ and art in the Boeing Galleries, and, other than food, everything is free.

Museums

Most of Chicago’s museums have some free days throughout the summer: 

Art Institute of Chicago http://www.artic.edu/aic/ – free the first and second Wednesday of every month

Chicago Children’s Museum on Navy Pier http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/ – free from 5-8pm on Thursdays

Chicago History Museum http://www.chicagohs.org/ – free on Mondays

DuSable Museum of African American History http://www.dusablemuseum.org/ - free on Sundays

International Museum of Surgical Science https://www.imss.org/ - free on Tuesdays

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html - free every day ($5 suggested donation)

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago http://www.mcachicago.org/ – free on Tuesdays (with a free outdoor jazz concert from 5:30-8:00 pm)

Museum of Contemporary Photography http://www.mocp.org/ – free every day

National Museum of Mexican Art http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/ – free every day

Smart Museum of Art http://www.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/ – free every day

Free days at the Museum of Science & Industry, http://www.msichicago.org/ Field Museum, http://www.msichicago.org/ Shedd Aquarium, http://www.sheddaquarium.org/ and Adler Planetarium http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/ vary, so check their websites for information.

Beaches

Oak Street beach, located in the Gold Coast area and steps from the Magnificent Mile’s shopping and restaurants, is the one for people watching.  It also has a unique concession stand shaped like a boat.  There’s no parking at this beach, but parking garages are located nearby, and public transportation http://www.transitchicago.com/ is available.

North Avenue Beach has an outdoor mini-gym and biking and running path.  This is a great beach for volleyball (professional volleyball tournaments are held here).  In August, this is the location of the Air & Water Show.  http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_air___water.html Public transportation http://www.transitchicago.com/ is recommended due to limited parking.

12th Street Beach is located on Northerly Island, http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/5235d96e-2f1c-4c63-80b7-c9e7c589e0ba.cfm which also contains a 30 acre prairie where you can stroll and view the birds.  While the beach is small, the location is great: adjacent to the Museum Campus (where the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium are located).  There is a small parking lot next to the beach and a larger one between the Field Museum and Solider Field.  Public transportation http://www.transitchicago.com/ is also available.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo http://www.lpzoo.org/ is one of the nation’s few remaining free zoos.  Here you’ll find 1,200 animals, a children’s zoo, and a recently opened Nature Boardwalk.  One block north is the Lincoln Park Conservatory http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/45aa3ed2-7c6f-4461-83b2-29cb991637e6.cfm with plants and flowers from around the world.  You can often find parking for free along Stockton (if you don’t mind driving up and down the street a few times), or use the zoo’s paid parking lot.  Public transportation http://www.transitchicago.com/ is also available.

Festivals & Fairs

Taste of Chicago http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/park_district/Taste_of_Chicago.html is the most popular lakefront festival with food from Chicago’s favorite restaurants along with musical entertainment and activities for the entire family.  Free admission.

Some of the more popular music festivals are Chicago Blues Festival, http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_blues_festival.html Grant Park Music Festival, http://www.grantparkmusicfestival.com/the-music/2011-season Chicago Jazz Festival, http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_jazz_festival.html and Hyde Park Jazz Festival.  http://hydeparkjazzfestival.org/ All have free admission.

Chicago is also known for its quality art fairs.  Among the favorites are the Gold Coast Art Fair, http://amdurproductions.com/f-goldcoast-public.html Old Town Art Fair, http://www.oldtowntriangle.com/fair/general_information/index.html and 57^th Street Art Fair.  http://www.57thstreetartfair.org/ All have free admission.

Another don’t miss festival is the Printers Row Lit Fest, http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/books/chi-printers-row-lit-fest-faq-112910,0,448509.htmlstory the Midwest’s largest literary event.  Free admission.

Films

The Chicago Park District’s Movies in the Park http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/events.results/object_id/b85d63cb-6aec-45f0-8cdb-9c38d0a57e19.cfm allows you to enjoy free outdoor movies in several of the city’s parks during June and July.

There are also free films at the Chicago Cultural Center http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/attractions/dca_tourism/Chicago_Cultural_Center.html downtown (as well as music and dance performances and art exhibits).

Dance

If you like to dance, or want to learn how, you can do so during Summerdance in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park.  http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/dca_tourism/Chicago_SummerDance.html There, you can take free dance lessons and then practice what you learned at the dance afterward.  It all takes place outdoors every Thursday through Sunday for 11 weeks July to September.