Bored During the Summer? Six Cheap Adventures!
Summer in Chicago is (in my opinion) the best reason to live here! After
an entire season of sitting inside, staring out the window to gray skies
and snow, you need to get out of the house! And there is no shortage
of amazing and inexpensive things to do right here in the windy city. The city comes alive with folks
riding their bikes, walking their dogs and pushing their babies in strollers.
Suddenly, everyone has a new beau, trees are blooming and (GASP!) there
is sun! We implore you, Columbians, leave your homes and get a taste
of some of these fun summer activities (on the cheap):
1. Explore Chicago's Beaches!
What? There's a beach here? Yes, in fact, several. While they're not
exactly Brazil's best, Chicago beaches are sweet and filled with nice
people playing volleyball. Arrive early and get yourself a spot on the
sand (yes, we actually have sand)! Spots are hard to come by especially
on sunny days. You'll be surprised at the span of the water. Lake Michigan
really looks like an ocean! Beware the cold, though. It's still pretty
chilly.
Cost: Free!
Location: 1000 North Lake Shore Drive
2. Go for a Walk in the Park!
Chicago may not have Central Park, but we make up for it with Grant Park, and Millennium Park. In fact, we have so many parks it's hard to
name them all: Dearborn Park, Lincoln Park, Garfield Park and many more.
The list could go on for days. Every park features special programming
and attractions. Millennium Park, in particular, brings summer programming
to its pavilion with free orchestras and opera performances. Grant Park
plays Movies in the Park every Tuesday night during the summer. Last
summer's favorite: The Blues Brothers. Grant Park also features the Dancing in the Park series, where city goers can learn to dance
for free.
Cost: Free!
Location: 52 East Randolph Street / Millenium Park
337 East Randolph Street / Grant Park
3. Printer's Row Book Festival
Imagine a day when hundreds of white tents go up around Printer's Row
and take over favorite hangouts like Plymouth Court, Hackneys', Bar Louie
and Mediterra. In fact, no stone is left unturned by the Printer's Row Lit Fest, which brings hundreds of publishers, authors and book lovers
together for three days in June. The fair features poetry readings,
kids activities, cooking demos, wine tastings and book signings. Get
there early- cheap books go fast!
Cost: Free!
Location: Printer's Row between Dearborn and Polk streets
4. Visit Navy Pier
Hum Drum. You've already heard of Navy Pier and this option may not
excite you. But what you don't know is that Navy Pier has bunches of
activities you've never even heard of going on right under Chicago's
nose. You can get a ride on Shoreline's Water Taxi for 6 bucks and see
the city from the river! It's cheap and takes you all the way to the
Sears Tower. See fireworks shows which happen most nights through the
summer, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater always has a performance
going (this summer: Twelfth Night and Aladdin) . You can visit the IMAX
and see a new movie on its giant screen, or see Cirque Shanghai (an
acrobatic spectacle). There's a children's museum, and the Smith Museum
of Stained Glass Windows.
Cost: Anywhere from 0 to 50 dollars (for Cirque)
Location: 600 East Grand Avenue
5. Lincoln Park Trip (Especially the Zoo)
Lincoln Park is packed with things to do. There's a free zoo (the animals
actually emerge in the summer, we promise), dozens of boutiques, restaurants
and coffee shops, and of course, Lincoln Park. The Lincoln Park Zoo features races,
picnics, and moonlight benefits. There are all kinds of animals to see,
and food to eat.
Cost: Free!
Location: 2001 North Clark Street
6. Taste of Chicago
By far the most highly attended event of the Chicago summer, The Taste of Chicago
brings together over 70 of the best food vendors from the city offering
ethnic items, family favorites and feeding more than 3 million people.
It's packed with musical performances, a Ferris Wheel and kiddie rides.
Paying for The Taste can be a little complicated, so we'll give you
the head's up. Taste-goers don't pay for admission (admission is free
to the event), but then buy tickets in order to purchase food. You can
get 12 tickets for 8 dollars. Then, you take your tickets to the food
vendor of choice, and pay in tickets for your food. A food item can
cost anywhere between 3 and 5 tickets (some of the huge meals cost 6).
Cost: 8 dollars for 12 tickets
Location: Spans from Millenium Park to Grant Park
Luisa Cabrera
Fiction Writing