First time in Chicago — what locals actually recommend
If it's your first weekend in Chicago, this is the locals' shortlist — the sights worth the queue, the food you can't skip, and the neighbourhood walks that show you the place.
Top spots in Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
CultureGrant Park
American Gothic, Nighthawks and one of the world's great impressionist collections.
Pilsen Mural Walk
CulturePilsen
Mexican-American street art along 16th and 18th Streets.
Chicago Riverwalk
OutdoorsLoop
Walk or kayak past the city's famous architecture on river level.
Millennium Park
OutdoorsLoop
Anish Kapoor's Bean (Cloud Gate), free concerts at Pritzker Pavilion.
Where to eat
Au Cheval
$$Diner / Burgers · West Loop
Two-hour wait for the country's most-talked-about cheeseburger.
Lou Mitchell's
$Diner · West Loop
Route 66 diner since 1923 — fluffy omelets and free Milk Duds.
Alinea
$$$$Modernist tasting · Lincoln Park
Grant Achatz's three-star theater on a plate.
Girl & The Goat
$$$Modern American · West Loop
Stephanie Izard's wood-fired plates, share everything.
Pequod's Pizza
$$Deep-dish · Lincoln Park
Caramelized cheese crust — the locals' deep-dish pick.
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Millennium Park, Chicago Riverwalk, Art Institute of Chicago. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Chicago and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.