The 14 Best Things To Do in Chicago, Illinois

This is a list of the top activities to do when on a trip to the city of Chicago, Illinois.

When visiting a famous city, it can be hard to narrow down exactly what you need to do to get the most out of your trip. That is certainly the case with Chicago, Illinois.

Here are the 14 things that are most commonly among the favorites to do when in town:

Millennium Park

Home of the famous Cloud Gate statue, colloquially known as "The Bean." This public park is a great place to go for a day outside surrounded by fountains, gardens, art and more.

Field Museum

This is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. There are plenty of fossils, conservation exhibits and more around the facility. It has been open for 130 years and has countless items worth seeing.

Gangsters and Ghosts Walking Tour

The city of Chicago is famous its history of mobs and gangs. This trip will teach you the vast backstories and bring you across some interesting ghost locations that are related to the gangsters that once inhabited the city.

Chicago Architecture River Tour

A 90-minute cruise through the Chicago River gives an extremely detailed look at the beautiful architecture and the history behind it.

A Self-Guided "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Tour

It's impossible to watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" without wanting to take a trip to the city. Even if you haven't seen the movie, most of these locations are prime spots to visit.

Wrigley Field: If going in the baseball season, catching a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley is an undeniable must. It's one of the most unique ballparks in the country and makes for a fun day for all, even those that don't love the sport.

The Art Institute of Chicago: The location of one of the most famous movie scenes of all time, you can spend an entire day observing the over 300,000 works on display here.

Sears Tower: Though it is officially called the Willis Tower, no one is going to refer to it as that. It was once he tallest building in the world. It still has a wonderful sky deck that gives a great view of the city.

Daley Plaza: This is the place that Bueller rides through while singing in the parade. In it is a sculpture that was a gift from Pablo Picasso, making it an incredibly unique location.

Chicago River: There's more to see and do around the river than just the architecture tour. The river walk has many shopping and eating options, plus other boat tours that focus on other things.

Lincoln Park Zoo

One of the oldest zoos in the United States. This also offers free admission, making it a perfect way to spend a day as a family.

Garfield Park Conservatory

Considered to be one of the largest and most beautiful indoor gardens that the country has to offer. It is described as "landscape art under glass."

The Chicago Theatre

Catch a show at one of the most storied venues in the world. There are many different options for what takes place here. Even just walking past it will give a great view of one of the most famous marquees of all time.

Food

Deep Dish Pizza: If you can only try one deep dish pizza, you might as well make it Lou Malnati's.

Chicago-style hot dog: There's no consensus best place to go for a Chicago dog, but it's unlikely that you'll be dissappointed wherever you choose.