Top 10 things to do in the Chicago summer

Our Local Expert Says:

If you are in the mood for a relaxing day, Millennium Park is the perfect place for a afternoon picnic, where you can take in the art and architecture. In the summer catch a performance at Pritzker Pavilion, while enjoying a bottle of wine with friends from the Great Lawn.

Description:

Chicago is full of must-see attractions, but at the top of the Can't Miss list is Millennium Park. It debuted in 2004, several years overdue, but it was worth the wait. It is a true gem, right downtown between Michigan Avenue and the lake. One can easily spend an afternoon just sitting on the benches at the perimeter of the Pritzker Pavilion, stare at their warped reflection in Cloud Gate ("The Bean" to locals), and watch the rotating faces in Crown Fountain spew water every five minutes or so. Immediately to the south of Millennium Park lie the Art Institute and Grant Park, which all together would make for a wonderfully relaxing day. If you only have time for one of the three, though, do not pass go, do not collect $200- without going to Millennium Park.

Our Local Expert Says:

If you are an independent traveler, the bike tours are the way to go. Explore Chicago at your own pace, making all kinds of discoveries along the way!

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Grab a friend, rent a bike or in-line skates and sweat your way though Chicago. You may trek the 18-mile lakefront or choose any of the other scenic bike paths. Mountain bikes, kids bikes and quadricycles available. Bike Chicago has three other locations at these popular tourist spots: Oak Street Beach, Lincoln Park Zoo and Buckingham Fountain, and you may pick up your bike or skates at one location and drop them off at another.

Our Local Expert Says:

If you are visiting in the summer, you must spend a day at the beach and take a dip in Lake Michigan. It is clean, there is food on the beach, and even palm trees. You will be wondering if you are actually in the big city!

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With so many beaches to choose from in Chicago, make sure to put this one at the top of your list. There is plenty of room for lounging, playing volleyball, and running with the kids, all while you take in great views of Lake Michigan, Lake Shore Drive, and the Hancock building. Plus, enjoy food from Avenue, the adorable cafe right on the beach. The beach is also within walking distance of Gold Coast museums, restaurants, and fantastic shopping. This beach is also never quite as crowded as the North Avenue beach just 1/2 a mile away.

Our Local Expert Says:

A perfect choice for those looking for a family fun activity. Most of the day could easily be spent here viewing the animals, having a picnic in the open park areas, then walking to the lake to play on the beach. Plus, admission is FREE!

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As the only zoo in the City of Chicago, the Lincoln Park Zoo is free and open to the public 365 days a year. Founded in 1868, it is also one of the nation's oldest zoos. The Lincoln Park Zoo does an impressive job with its various exhibits, most notably the Regenstein Center for African Apes, where you can look a gorilla in the face (from the other side of the rail or glass, of course). The Lincoln Park Conservatory is directly to the north of the zoo, where you can take in some flora to complement your fauna fix from the zoo. A nice pre or post-zoo meal can be had at R.J. Grunt's, directly across the street. During the Christmas season the zoo lights up with a free light show every evening.

Our Local Expert Says:

Not only is the museum great for art lovers, the performances are not to be missed. World class performances are hosted by the MCA year round that are always cutting edge.

Description:

Located in the heart of the loop, The Museum of Contemporary Art brings today's most innovative visual work ranging from painting to sculpture to live performance. Pieces date from 1945 to present day, with works by famous artists like Andy Warhol. The MCA's permanent 2,500 piece collection focuses on a broad sampling of modern art in a variety of medias, and also shares works by great Chicago based artists. The performance series spans a wide scope from around the world as well, featuring artists like Philip Glass. Culture, history, and art become one at the MCA, sparking a great venue for new ideas and discussion. The MCA also features a great dining experience at its' restaurant Puck's, led by Chef Wolfgang Puck.

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Throughout the summer months (June-August), a symphonic ensemble performs at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park, and this is no ordinary festival orchestra. Many of the guest performers are internationally acclaimed stars of opera and Broadway. The orchestra is composed of players in the renowned Chicago Symphony and music teachers from throughout Chicagoland. The roster of music is usually on the lighter side. For the best listening, arrive early and grab a seat at the shell itself. Otherwise, a tree-covered speaker system will fill your ears inside the park. Reserved seating is available for a fee. General lawn admission is free.

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To be or not to be, that is the question - if this famous line rings a bell, then pop on down to the Chicago Shakespeare theatre. This place is known for its high quality productions of the bard's plays. It is also the hub for new and original works by some of the country's exceptionally talented playwrights and directors. Highlights at this theatre include Measure For Measure, Comedy Of Errors, Kabuki Lady Macbeth, and the classic, Romeo and Juliet. Viewers who are interested in knowing more about an upcoming play can attend the free introductory lecture given by cast members or a scholar.

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1876 saw the founding of this team and the ivy-covered Wrigley Field is where one can get most of the action. The blue, red and white colors fly high as the blaze the ground with some much-loved and eagerly-awaited baseball skills. The last championship they won may seem a bit outdated, but the fans are loyal, nonetheless. "Maybe next year" is their rallying cry. The last time the Cubs one a World Series was in 1908, although they came close in 1945. In 1984, they were on their way again, but were eliminated during the National League playoffs. Oh well. Maybe next year.

Our Local Expert Says:

Great activity for the entire family, located on Museum Campus.

Description:

The Shedd is one of the world's largest indoor aquariums, and houses thousands of river, lake, and sea denizens in standard aquarium tanks and elaborate new habitats within its octagon-shaped marble building. The only problem with the Shedd is its steep admission price ($24.95 for adults). You can keep your costs down by buying the "Aquarium Only" admission, but you'll miss some of the most stunning exhibits. A CityPass can save you money if you visit enough of the other included attractions.

The first thing you'll see as you enter is the Caribbean Coral Reef. This 90,000-gallon circular tank occupies the Beaux Arts-style central rotunda, entertaining spectators who press up against the glass to ogle divers feeding nurse sharks, barracudas, stingrays, and a hawksbill sea turtle. A roving camera connected to video monitors on the tank's periphery gives visitors close-ups of the animals inside, but I'd recommend sticking around to catch one of the daily feedings, when a diver swims around the tank and (thanks to a microphone) talks about the species and their eating habits.

The exhibits surrounding the Caribbean coral reef re-create marine habitats around the world. The best is Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River, a rendering of the Amazon basin that showcases frogs and other animals as well as fish (although the sharp-toothed piranhas are pretty cool).

You'll pay extra to see the other Shedd highlights, but they're quite impressive, so I'd suggest shelling out for them if you plan to spend more than an hour here. The Oceanarium, with a wall of windows revealing the lake outside, replicates a Pacific Northwest coastal environment and creates the illusion of one uninterrupted expanse of sea. On a fixed performance schedule in a large pool flanked by an amphitheater, a crew of friendly trainers puts dolphins through their paces of leaping dives, breaches, and tail walking. Check out the Oceanarium schedule as soon as you get to the Shedd; seating can fill up quickly, so you'll want to get here early. If you're visiting during a summer weekend, you may also want to buy your Oceanarium ticket in advance to make sure you can catch a show that day. (Note: The Oceanarium will be closed for structural maintenance from Sept 2008 until early June 2009.)

Wild Reef -- Sharks at Shedd is a series of 26 connected habitats that house a Philippine coral reef patrolled by sharks and other predators. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring the toothy swimmers up close and personal (they even swim over your head at certain spots).

If you want a quality sit-down meal in a restaurant with a spectacular view of Lake Michigan, check out Soundings. There's also a family-friendly cafeteria.

Allow 2 to 3 hours.

Our Local Expert Says:

Even if art is not your thing, you must visit the Art Institute for its brand new Modern Wing that overlooks Millennium Park.

Description:

You can't -- and shouldn't -- miss the Art Institute. (You really have no excuse, since it's conveniently located right on Michigan Ave. in the heart of downtown.) No matter what medium or century interests you, the Art Institute has something in its collection to fit the bill. Japanese ukiyo-e prints, ancient Egyptian bronzes, Greek vases, 19th-century British photography, masterpieces by most of the greatest names in 20th-century sculpture, and modern American textiles are just some of the works on display, but for a general overview of the museum's collection, take the free "Highlights of the Art Institute" tour, offered at 2pm on Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

If time is limited, head straight to the museum's renowned anthology of Impressionist art, which includes one of the world's largest collections of Monet paintings; this is one of the most popular areas of the museum, so arriving early pays off. Among the treasures, you'll find Seurat's pointillist masterpiece Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The galleries of European and American contemporary art include paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol. Visitors are sometimes surprised when they discover many of the icons that hang here (Grant Wood's American Gothic; Edward Hopper's Nighthawks).

Often overlooked but worth seeing are the Arthur Rubloff collection of delicate mid-19th-century glass paperweights, and the great hall of European arms and armor dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Composed of more than 1,500 objects, including armor, horse equipment, swords and daggers, polearms, and maces, the collection is one of the most important assemblages of its kind in the country. (If you do head down here, you'll see Marc Chagall's stunning stained-glass windows at the end of the gallery.)

Children younger than 12 get in for free, and the Art Institute goes the extra mile to entertain them. The Kraft Education Center on the lower level features interactive exhibits and has a list of "gallery games" to make visiting the museum more fun. When I was a kid, I was entranced by the Thorne Miniature Rooms, filled with tiny reproductions of furnished interiors from European and American history (heaven for a dollhouse fanatic).

The museum has a cafeteria and an elegant full-service restaurant, a picturesque courtyard cafe (open June-Sept), and a large shop. It offers a busy schedule of lectures, films, and other special presentations, as well as guided tours. The museum also has a research library. Allow 3 hours.

Touring the Art Institute -- If you want to enjoy your favorite masterpieces in something resembling peace and quiet, put some thought into the timing of your visit to the Art Institute, a museum so popular that it draws as much traffic as our jammed expressways.

Some tips for avoiding the rush hour: Many people don't realize the museum is open on Monday; keep this secret to yourself, and visit when the galleries are relatively subdued. Also, many visitors aren't aware that the museum stays open late on Thursdays, so consider stopping by after an early dinner (another bonus: free admission).