20 Free Things To Do In Chicago

Given how expensive hotels and parking can be in Chicago, the third largest city in the US isn’t the cheapest place to visit.

A trip to Chicago doesn’t have to break your budget though. We recently spent a couple of weeks in and around Chicago and, although we spent quite a lot on food and drink, most of our activities were free.

To help you save money, here are 20 free things to do in Chicago the next time you visit.

1) Architecture

Chicago is one of my favorite cities when it comes to walking around and admiring the architecture. I’m no architecture buff, but there’s something striking about all the buildings you’ll see when wandering around.

Even the city’s old water tower was beautifully designed.

2) Chicago River

The longer we’ve been on our 5 year, 50 state road trip, the more I’ve realized I enjoy being near water. Whether it’s an ocean, river or lake, there’s something about a body of water that enhances a town or city’s appearance and vibe.

Chicago is no exception and it’s helped by having both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. There are multiple bridges crossing the river where you can admire the view, while you can also take a stroll along the Riverwalk.

3) Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate is the iconic sculpture in Millennium Park that’s often referred to as the Bean due to its shape. Reflecting both the Chicago skyline and visitors walking around and beneath it, this sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor is well worth checking out. Don’t expect to get a photo with no one in it though!

4) Millennium Park

Cloud Gate isn’t the only thing worth checking out in Millennium Park. The park is also home to other attractions including Crown Fountain – a couple of video sculpture fountains. From May to October, the fountains also spout water from ‘mouths’.

During the summer you can also take advantage of free concerts, movies and more that are held in the park in the evenings.

5) Buckingham Fountain

Millennium Park is part of the larger Grant Park which is spread across more than 300 acres of downtown Chicago. One of the other free attractions there is Buckingham Fountain, a three tier fountain that offers water displays every 20 minutes. If you visit Grant Park in the evening, you’ll see water and light displays from 21:00-22:00.

6) The Magnificent Mile

If you’re interested in some light exercise, take a walk along The Magnificent Mile. This stretch of North Michigan Avenue is home to the John Hancock Center, the Chicago Water Tower (pictured earlier) and more, as well as all kinds of upscale stores.

7) Lighthouses On The Mag Mile

Depending on when you visit Chicago, you might get to see public art displays on The Magnificent Mile. When visiting in August 2018, we arrived just in time to see Lighthouses On The Mag Mile. There were 51 of these six feet tall lighthouses that had been decorated uniquely by different artists.

It looks like the display ended on August 11, 2018. However, they’re selling the lighthouses and, if it’s anything like the mermaids in Norfolk VA, they’ll be bought by local businesses and displayed outside them in the future.

8) Tribune Tower

One of the first buildings you’ll spot when entering The Magnificent Mile on the south end is Tribune Tower.

This building is especially notable as the lower levels of its exterior include bricks and rocks from other structures around the world. This includes stones from the Taj Mahal, the Alamo, Notre Dame, the Great Wall of China and many more.

9) Chicago Landmarks

While walking around Chicago, you’ll likely see many buildings with plaques on them stating that they’re one of Chicago’s landmarks.

With what seems to be at least 100 landmarks in downtown Chicago, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to see them all over the course of a weekend. Many of them are close to each other though, so you should spot plenty even if you just stay close to the Chicago River.

When stopping in the Chicago Water Tower, I took a quick photo of a map showing all the Chicago landmarks downtown.

10) Fourth Presbyterian Church

Towards the north end of The Magnificent Mile and opposite the John Hancock Center is Fourth Presbyterian Church. This place of worship is beautiful inside and is open during the day for you to be able to walk around.

11) Meditation

If the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much for you, Fourth Presbyterian Church offers a free 20 minute silent meditation session in Stone Chapel on Tuesday mornings.

12) Statues

There are numerous statues dotted around downtown Chicago, including this bust of Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable. He was the first resident of Chicago and is recognized as the city’s founder.

13) Statue Stories

If you’d like to learn more about the statues you find, keep an eye out for one of these nearby signs. Either visit the website listed or scan the QR code and you can hear the story of the person depicted by the statue.

14) Sculptures

Lighthouses and statues aren’t the only art-themed free things to do in Chicago. Wander around the city and you’ll see all kinds of public sculptures on display.

15) Four Seasons Mosaic

A block or two east of the Kimpton Gray Hotel that we stayed at for a few days is Chase Tower Plaza. Outside the entrance is the Four Seasons Mosaic by Marc Chagall.

The Four Seasons mosaic is 70 feet long, so I can only admire the patience of Chagall when creating it.

16) Museum Of Contemporary Photography

Art lovers have all kinds of options when it comes to free things to do in Chicago. Another of those options is the Museum of Contemporary Photography that Shae and her friend Megan visited as they’re both into photography.

The Museum of Contemporary Photography is free every day of the week. There are also several other Chicago museums that offer free admission at least one day per week.

17) River Esplanade Park

If you like fountains, one option is Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park that I mentioned earlier. Another is Centennial Fountain that’s found in River Esplanade Park.

Every hour, on the hour, Centennial Fountain sprays a water arc across the Chicago River for five minutes. All the river cruises therefore have to time their cruises to avoid their customers from being sprayed by the water.

18) Beaches

Chicago has several beaches on the edge of Lake Michigan that are free to visit. We visited Montrose Beach on a beautiful August afternoon.

The reason we chose Montrose Beach was because they have a separate dog-friendly beach that’s completely fenced in, so your dogs are free to be off-leash without having to worry about them running off.

19) Pedway

Chicago can get extremely hot and humid in the summer and frigid in the winter. If you need to walk around Chicago but don’t want to be boiling or frozen, one option is the Pedway.

The Pedway is a series of enclosed tunnels, concourses and bridges in downtown Chicago. It’s not particularly exciting, but it’s a free way to get around the city without being exposed to the elements.

20) Music

So long as the weather’s good out (and possibly even when it’s not), there’s a good chance that you’ll see and hear some street performers.

Question

Those are 20 free things to do in Chicago that we enjoyed during our time there, but how about you? Do you have any suggestions of other free things to do in Chicago? Let us know in the comments below.