Free Things to do in Chicago
Planning a trip to Chicago? There is plenty of things to do and a lot of different restaurants you can try. Here are a few things you can do for free with your friends or family. They also make for great photo backdrops!
Places to Visit
Lincoln Park Zoo
A lot of visitors don’t know this, but there is a free zoo in Lincoln Park. The drive from downtown to the zoo is just a few minutes. The zoo does have a paid parking lot, but you can usually find free parking around the area. The zoo has animals you can see and even a conservatory you can visit.
Plus, the zoo has a beautiful view of the city skyline!
If you are down for some animal spotting, strolling, and a beautiful city scape view—Lincoln Park is a fun option.
Garfield Park Conservatory
A beautiful conservatory located in Garfield Park. The conservatory has different rooms that features different types of plants. This conservatory is a beautiful place to take photos! (Of course, always be mindful others and the plants).
Each room you enter will take you to a different area of the world. It’s a beautiful place to walk through and enjoy.
Millennium Park
The infamous bean is located here, but millennium park is far more than just the bean. It’s a great place to walk, enjoy the different sculptures and art. It’s also right by the Buckingham Fountain! Take a walk to the fountain and you’ll be greeted by roses and beautiful, lush bushes next to the lake view.
Grant Park
This is where Buckingham Fountain is located. Here you can enjoy everything the park offers. It’s a great place to walk, there’s also a skating rank nearby and art to enjoy. It’s also near the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium.
Navy Pier
Navy Pier is a great place to walk around and shop. It has local vendors and an eating center. The infamous Ferris wheel is located here.
Chicago Cultural Center
Right across the street from Millennium Park (the bean). It’s a free place where they display different things you can go and see. I especially love the architecture inside the building!
Chinatown
China town is a good place to visit and shop. It has beautiful structure, great restaurants, and cool shops. Even if you’re not buying anything, it’s a fun place to just walk around and see everything the shops there have to offer.
Argyle
Argyle is in Edgewater/Uptown, but this location is a great place to also walk around and see the different Viet, Thai, Southeast Asian restaurants and shops. Argyle is aka Little Vietnan or Little Saigon. In the summer they have their night market which I’ve heard is fun and amazing! (Hoping they will open that up again this year).
Jackson Park (Spring time)
If you happen to be in Chicago during the spring (end of April/early May), check out the cherry blossoms at Jackson Park. With the Museum of Science in the back, you can capture many beautiful photos here!
Views and Walks
Lakeshore Trail & beaches
The lakeshore trail will take you north and south of the lake. It has the beautiful view of Lake Michigan and along the trail you can always find pockets of parks and rest areas to take photos, picnic, or simply enjoy the view.
Some parts of the trail, you will find local food vendors too! If you want to take a rest and go by the beach, here are a couple great city skyline views you can get to from the trail and beach stops:
North Ave Beach
Montrose Beach
Riverwalk
If you’re not in the mood for the lake, take your stroll downtown to the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk follows the river, but it features a variety of different restaurants and shops. The Riverwalk is also a great place to take photos!
I also like the Riverwalk because it’s a more peaceful way to feel the energy of Chicago without all the driving. You also get the tall building views with the river alongside you. If you haven’t been on the Riverwalk, definitely walk down there. It’s also beautiful in the evening!
Parking Tips:
Last but not least, how to find parking in Chicago. Something visitors ask about the most when they’re visiting is parking.
Park and Walk
This is my number one advice, park in a parking garage and then walk everywhere. I know walking is not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s so much to see that it’s almost better to actually walk around.
To save on parking garage cost, get the Spot Hero app. My sister introduced me to this app, and it has honestly saved so much time and money.
It lets you find the closest parking garage or parking lot to wherever you’re going and then it gives you a discounted price to park there for however long you want to park there.
It’s such a life saver!
If you plan to visit, definitely get the Spot Hero app! It’s free to use. The only time you pay is when you pay for your parking. It’s also easy to get a refund if you change your mind about parking.
Free Street Park
There are also free street parking, but it can be difficult to find especially in the summer and especially if you are closer to downtown. This is not to say it’s impossible, it’s just you may have to drive around to find free street parking.
If you are visiting Chicago neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, etc. you will have better luck at finding free street parking. But these neighborhoods are more residential so make sure to look at the streets to see if there is permit parking required. If there is, park somewhere else.
Paid Street Parking
Depending on where you are in the city, there is also paid street parking. On Sundays some areas are free to park which is super nice! Just make sure to track your time accordingly.
Park and Train
If you can park in a neighborhood or at a friend’s house, do so, and then take the train to the city. If you’ve never taken the train before, highly recommend the experience! It’s so much cheaper than a parking garage and you get the full city experience.
The train is also convenient if you plan to check out the different neighborhoods in Chicago.
My only advice is, make sure you get on the right train. I think the CTA is quite simple to figure out, so I’m sure you’ll have no trouble! If you realize you’re on the wrong train, get off at the next exit and then just head to the right one.
Closure
If you have time, Chicago is made up of so much more than just its downtown. While the tall buildings, lake front, and shopping centers are all great, there are amazing and different neighborhoods you can visit. I especially love that each neighborhood offers something different.
Here are a few neighborhoods to visit if you have time to walk around or even want to try out different restaurants:
Wickerpark/Bucktown
Lincoln Park
Lakeview/Lakeview East
Fulton Market/West Loop
There are so many things you can do in Chicago both free and paid. In the summer there are also free festivals and shows you can attend.
Regardless of what you have plan, I hope this post was helpful, and I hope you’ll have a great time in the city!
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