Chicago Bucket List

Landmarks first, then deep-dish and dinner, then the festival calendar.

A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.

  • Chicago Bucket List
  • Walk through Millennium Park
  • See Cloud Gate, the Bean
  • Catch a Cubs game
  • Visit Lincoln Park Zoo
  • Take in 875 North Michigan views
  • Stroll Lincoln Park in fall
  • Photograph the Goth Target
  • Deep-dish at Lou Malnati's
  • Deep-dish at Giordano's
  • Reserve a table at Alinea
  • Brunch at The Allis
  • Cocktails at Kumiko
  • Hear a jazz set at Andy's
  • Sip coffee at Sawada
  • Eat a Rainbow Cone
  • Catch the Chicago Blues Festival
  • Go to the Chicago International Film Festival
  • Tour Open House Chicago
  • Watch a free summer movie
  • Skate at Maggie Daley Park
  • Hike Starved Rock State Park
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Chicago bucket lists can sprawl fast, so this one keeps a tidy order. Landmarks come first, then food, then the calendar. Travel Noire says the Bean is 33 feet tall and over 110 tons of stainless steel, which is more than the selfie suggests. Hotel picks and group-tour packages are left out. What remains works for a first visit or for a local who has been meaning to go. Pick a few, tick them off, and go.

Why these items are on the list

  1. Walk through Millennium Park. The park is busy all year and is home to the Bean.
  2. See Cloud Gate, the Bean. Travel Noire counts 168 steel plates and 33 feet tall. Take the selfie.
  3. Catch a Cubs game. Wrigley Field is a historic ballpark with an electric crowd.
  4. Visit Lincoln Park Zoo. Lemon8 calls it one of the nation's oldest zoos, with free admission.
  5. Take in 875 North Michigan views. Lemon8 says formerly the John Hancock Center; skyline and lake views.
  6. Stroll Lincoln Park in fall. Foliage season is the whole point.
  7. Photograph the Goth Target. Lemon8 says it sits in the old Carson Pirie Scott building, a landmark since 1975.
  8. Deep-dish at Lou Malnati's. Travel Noire says family-owned since 1971, with a buttery crust and Wisconsin mozzarella.
  9. Deep-dish at Giordano's. Rich and filling. Pick a side, or do both.
  10. Reserve a table at Alinea. Travel Noire says three Michelin stars; tables are limited each night, so book ahead.
  11. Brunch at The Allis. Stylish brunch spot known for its spicy shakshuka.
  12. Cocktails at Kumiko. A Japanese cocktail bar that serves fried chicken snacks.
  13. Hear a jazz set at Andy's. Intimate venue, 90-minute sets per Lemon8, a very Chicago night.
  14. Sip coffee at Sawada. Lemon8 says world-champion latte art, in a sleek room.
  15. Eat a Rainbow Cone. An iconic Chicago ice cream treat for summer.
  16. Catch the Chicago Blues Festival. Travel Noire says free each June in Millennium Park, largest blues festival in North America.
  17. Go to the Chicago International Film Festival. Travel Noire says each October, founded in 1964, at venues like AMC River East 21.
  18. Tour Open House Chicago. An annual event that opens the city's architectural gems.
  19. Watch a free summer movie. Lemon8 says weekly outdoor screenings of classic films on the grass in Millennium Park.
  20. Skate at Maggie Daley Park. An outdoor rink with city views, for the holiday season.
  21. Hike Starved Rock State Park. Trails, sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls, just outside the city.

Tick things off as you go and pass the phone around when nobody can pick a dinner. Leave a few unticked; Chicago will still be there.

When to use it

Use it before a first visit or any time you want a reason to go out; Travel Noire puts the Blues Festival in June and the film festival in October.

Sources

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