Spring weekend in Chicago
Spring in Chicago — blossoms, opening patios, markets and the first warm-evening dinners worth booking.
Top spots in Chicago
North Avenue Beach
FamilyLincoln Park
Boathouse-shaped beach pavilion and skyline-backed swims.
Wrigley Field
FamilyWrigleyville
Ivy-covered walls and Old Style beer — catch a Cubs day game.
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, Wrigley Field. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Chicago and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.