Entertainment & Attractions - Featured Articles

Chicago | Entertainment & Attractions

From Navy Pier to Millennium Park to Michigan Avenue, Chicago has no shortfall of great entertainment and attractions. While summer is truly the best time to visit the city, winter has its perks too.

In summer, Chicago explodes with excitement and energy. The lakefront offers boundless options -- from hitting the beach to riding bikes along the lakefront trail to having a picnic in Lincoln Park (many grocers and sandwich shops will help you pull together your lunch). Hit the open-air architectural boat tour that moseys down the Chicago River through the Loop and parts of River North. And warm summer nights allow for al fresco dining.

Millennium Park is one of Chicago's best attractions, featuring the Cloud Gate (aka the Bean) and the Pritzker Pavilion for free concerts -- and it's across the street from the Art Institute. Navy Pier is great for entertaining small children with endless energy. Michigan Avenue is one of the world's greatest shopping destinations -- and you can take a trip up to the Observation Deck of the John Hancock building and see for miles on a clear day.

Grant Park's south end offers access to the Museum Campus featuring Adler Planetarium, Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. A 10-minute drive down Lake Shore Drive to Hyde Park takes you to the Museum of Science and Industry and the University of Chicago -- and nearby President-elect Barack Obama's Kenwood home.

Hop back in the car and head north to the Botanic Gardens. The 40-minute drive up highway 94 or on Sheridan Road (worth it just to ogle the mansions lining Lake Michigan), pays off with beautifully manicured gardens, walkways and tree-lined streams.

While winter conjures images of bundled Chicagoans scurrying to flee harsh winds, brave souls win a new level of fun at the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink at Millennium Park. Open from Nov. 12 through March 15 (weather permitting), the ice rink offers free skating with $10 skate rental.

And since Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, part of the fun of exploring the city is just walking around and getting a feel for the different areas. You never know what sort of attractions you'll find. And don't worry about getting lost - hop on the train, a bus or in a cab and head back to wherever you started.

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