Chicago Like a Local blog

Unique perspectives on the city from the people who live here.

Museums & art

Visit the Art Institute of Chicago

The renowned Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country. The only museum in the world to…

Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music

Grant Park Music Festival

Free admission • Millennium Park Experience a summer of extraordinary music with 30+ free classical concerts. The 86th annual Grant Park Music Festival at Millennium…

Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music

Chicago Gospel Music Festival

Free admission • Millennium Park Gospel music has deep roots in Chicago. The city helped transform the genre, propelling it onto a world stage. The…

Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music

Chicago Blues Festival

Free admission • Millennium Park The annual Chicago Blues Festival in June is the city’s largest music festival. More than 500,000 blues fans gather in…

Architecture & history, Food & drink

Chicago’s historic Loop restaurants

Chicago’s downtown Loop has an abundance of great dining choices. And while there’s plenty of new and trending spots to choose from there’s also a…

Food & drink, Tours & attractions

Chicago craft brewery itineraries: Downtown and South Loop

Historic architecture and world-renowned cultural institutions aren’t the only things that define downtown Chicago. The heart of the city, made up of the Loop and…

Shopping and fashion

Your Chicago State Street shopping guide

Chicago’s State Street is a one-stop spot for some of the city’s best shopping. Locals head here for the blocks on blocks of modern malls,…

Itineraries

Spend the weekend in downtown Chicago

The Loop is Chicago’s vibrant urban and cultural hub, named for the distinctive elevated train tracks (called the ‘L’) that loop around it. You’ll find…