Local Links

Here is a collection of Internet resources for making the most of living and playing in Chicago. 

Real Estate

JenniferAmes.com - my single-family, condo, coop, and rental listings as well as my agent contact should you be interested in sell or buying your home through the Jennifer Ames Team

Chicago Events

City of Chicago Events Page - the city’s official listing of major upcoming events

Chicago Metromix - targeted towards the younger demographic, this product of the Chicago Tribune is one of the most robust ways to find what’s happening in Chicago

Parks and Gardens

Chicago Park District - the webpage for Chicago’s city-run parks and facilities and the events they host

Chicago Greening Network - a network of Chicago community gardens with information on how to get involved

Millennium Park - the 25 acre downtown park that is a signature Chicago attraction with its public art, bandshell, gardens, restaurants, and ice skating rink

Chicago Botanic Garden - Chicago’s always beautiful (and always free) botanic garden in Glenco, Illinois

The Lincoln Park Conservatory - Lincoln Park’s lush indoor green house full of ferns, orchid, and other tropical plants — free and open every day

Sports

The Chicago Cubs - (MLB)

The White Sox - (MLB)

The Chicago Bears - (NFL)

The Chicago Bulls - (NBA)

The Chicago Blackhawks - (NHL)

The Chicago Sky - (WNBA)

Transportation

City of Chicago - Traffic and Transportation Page - city resources for traffic conditions, parking permits, towed vehicle information, and other means of local transportation

Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago’s all-important though sometimes-frustrating public transportation network

Google Maps - the popular mapping service, integrated with the CTA and Metra to conveniently plan trips by public transportation

Metra - the main commuter rail service serving Chicago and the outlying suburbs

Chicago Traffic Map - a map of traffic conditions and accidents on Chicago’s major arteries

Tourism

Chicago Office of Tourism - offering tourism info and printable discounts for visitors to the city

WikiTravel Chicago - a user-compiled tourist guide to Chicago

Museums & Zoos

The Chicago History Museum - preserving and retelling Chicago’s history - from backwater trade route to present day metropolis - through documents, artifacts, and exhibits

The Museum of Science and Industry - host to an expansive array of exhibits including a working coal mine, a German WWII submarine, a 3,500-square foot model railroad, and the first diesel-powered streamlined stainless-steel passenger train

The Field Museum of Natural History - home to Sue, the largest and most complete T-Rex skelton in existance, and countless other artifacts of natural history

The Chicago Children’s Museum  - the fourth largest children’s museum in the U.S. with 57,000-square feet of exhibit space

The Adler Planetarium - the oldest planetarium in existance though still boasting three modern full-sized theatres and numerous astronomical exhibits

The Shedd Aquarium - frequently Chicago’s most popular cultural destination with its 2100 species of fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects

The Art Institute of Chicago - one of the nation’s premiere art institution with its extensive collections of Impresionist, American, and old master works

The Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago’s renowned (and free!) zoo with some 1,250 animals and numerous exhibits and habitats

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - butterflies, insects, amphibians, reptiles and other creatures delight at the this year-round Lincoln Park museum

Music & Dance

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Lyric Opera of Chicago

The Joffrey Ballet

Threatre & Comedy

Second City - Chicago’s renowned improv threatre headquartered in the Old Town neighborhood

Steppenwolf - Lincoln Park’s Tony Award-winning theatre

Victory Garden - another of Chicago’s Tony Award-winning theatres and one of the nation’s most important incubators of new playwrights

Reviews

Zagat Survey Chicago - professional reviews of Chicago restaurants, nightlife, hotels, and other city attractions

Yelp Chicago - community portal and user ratings of every aspect of Chicago life from dining to public transportation to auto mechanics

News

Chicago Tribune

Chicago Sun-Times

CBS 2 Chicago

NBC 5 Chicago

WGN TV Chicago

My Fox Chicago

Local Politics

Chicago Board of Election Commissioners - information and resources for Chicago voters

Civic Footprint - find out which aldermanic ward and county district you reside in

District/Official Search - find which local and state legislators represent you

Elected Officials - a list of local, county, and state elected officials