Play

Here is a collection of Internet resources for making the most of “playing” in the great city that is Chicago. 

Chicago Events

Mayor’s Office of Special Events - 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, orchids, 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 rail and bus mass transit system

Google Maps - the popular mapping service, integrated with the CTA and Metra to conveniently plan trips by car, bus, or rail

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

The Expired Meter - a blog dedicated to educating and informing Chicagoans about contesting parking tickets and parking issues in general

Tourism

Explore Chicago - the official city page 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 2,100 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