My husband and I will be in Chicago this weekend having some kid-free time. We have plans in the afternoon and evening on Saturday, but nothing figured out for the morning. There’s so much to do, we just haven’t decided on anything. Each time we try, we end up finding new things to do, and it just gets harder!
So it’s 60s and sunny, Saturday morning, and you’re in Chicago. What do you do?
The Gospel Music Fest is on, including Gospel Yoga, whatever that is. Me, I’d probably be at home baking or puttering in my garden.
Might not get the answers you wish, as residents might be unlikely to wake up early to do touristy stuff.
Me, I’m playing bluegrass music at coffee shops/farmers markets every Sat at 7 a.m.
I was talking to someone from St Louis, and decided the one unquestionable thing Chicago has over many other big cities is the lakefront. The lakefront is especially beautiful in the a.m., with the sun rising over the lake. I’d take a walk up and down the lakefront - or rent a bike. Or check out Lincoln/Grant/Millennium Parks. Hit the areas that will be crowded later in the day.
Or, if you want to drive someplace, you could do that early, walk around, and drive back before the roads get congested. For example, if you wanted to drive west to Oak Park, you could walk around for an hour or so, look at a bunch of neat houses, and then get back into the city before the Eisenhower stopped.
I go to Xoco for a quick breakfast, then I walk over to Eataly to browse, followed by a walk over along the river and zigzag to Millenium Park and hang out or walk along the lakeshore. Given that you’ll likely find a few shops to stop in on the way, that’ll be plenty to take you to lunch and then whatever you have planned for the afternoon.
There is a bike and walking path along lakeshore drive.
I don’t want to do touristy stuff. I’ve been to Navy Pier, the Willis Tower, etc. That’s why I’m asking Chicago natives. What would you do with a morning on the town?
So where’s the best farmers market? I’d love to get some fresh, local fruit for breakfast! Or maybe a good independent coffee shop with great music?
I’ve been to Eataly and, honestly, I love it. It’s food heaven. I mean, NUTELLA BAR!! But I don’t think I want to cart it all around all day. (We’re doing public transit because yikes on the parking prices downtown!) And there’s the whole Batali of it all. We’re thinking about maybe stopping there Sunday before we head out of town, if I can get past my squick of Batali.
This is kinda tough to answer. If you’re here visiting, you’re likely staying in a hotel in the Loop or River North and there’s plenty to do there in the AM. However, most of us don’t live in those areas and we wouldn’t be likely to head there first thing in the AM on a Saturday.
I’ll occasionally head to the art institute on Saturday AM since members get in early. But, most of my Saturday mornings are pretty boring. Typically have a coffee, watch European football, read Barron’s, and perhaps some cleaning or errands. I’m not a big breakfast/brunch person.
It’s probably more helpful if you tell us what part of the city you’re in and what your interests are. I’d find it odd if most residents wake up on a typical Saturday and immediately want to do something that’s of interest to a tourist unless we’ve got visitors in town.
Personally, sleep. But I imagine you want something more interesting!
There is a very big and festive Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings in Lincoln Park called the Green City Market. If you take Clark Street to around 1800 North (around Wisconsin Street) you can’t miss it.
Download Spot Hero and/or Park Whiz to your phone. With those apps, you should be able to find something for about $12-$15 for the entire morning in downtown Chicago. I use those all the time for work for parking downtown, on weekends, and I can usually find parking for 8-12 hours in that price range. For example, I just typed in 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for this Saturday, and picked the Water Tower area and found three places around $15, and then I picked the Art Institute and found several places at $16 and one place at $11 for that time period if you want to walk about two blocks or so (1/4 mile.) Still more expensive than other cities, but not the insanity of $40-$60 like some of the parking spots are.
That was the one I was going to mention. And then, if you want to just walk around and enjoy the day, you’ve got Lincoln Park and the zoo there, the Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Caldwell Lily Pond (entrance on the south side of Fullerton, just west of Cannon Drive). If you cross over to the north side of Fullerton, you’ve also got the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, with its cool butterfly room and all. And if you feel like looking at the lake, just cross under Lake Shore Drive at Fullerton and there you are.
I mean that, to me as a Chicagoan, would be a very pleasant Saturday morning. I’ve never spent one in that manner, but it appeals to me. That whole area is just nice and nature-y and walkable.
We’re going to be in the city all day; we’re going to a show that won’t be done until after midnight. So we can either spend $20 total for the both of us to ride public transit all day or we can spend a lot more to park, then move, then park… etc. Parking at night is what really costs. We’re totally fine with riding the L and walking; we get to see more of the city that way instead of me being stuck behind the wheel.
As far as where we’re staying, we’re actually staying out by O’Hare. Couldn’t afford the places closer to downtown. But we’re game for going just about anywhere.
Our afternoon plans involve meeting up with an old friend at the Logan Street Arcade and then Saturday afternoon mass at St. Hyacinth Basilica. So we’ll be in the Logan Square area for the afternoon. So we probably don’t want to head too far south.
That’s a rough one. Ohare is about an hour away using the Blue Line, there should be still a Park and Ride at Rosemont, which shouldn’t be too ridiculously priced. From there you can take the Blue Line into the city.
I’ll leave it to the drivers on here to discuss the driving and parking options.
Night time parking doesn’t make a much difference with those apps. There’s always a garage that’ll give you 12+ hours no matter the time of day for around $20. But if you’re moving around a lot, driving from one place to the next then, yes, it will cost you. I found a lot (for example, if you wanted to hang out in the Loop area) on State and Jackson-ish for $20 from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m Sat to Sunday. And more choices at around the $25 price point in the Loop area. So just something to keep in mind in case you change your mind.
If you were to visit the farmer’s market/Lincoln Park Zoo, there is free parking along Stockton Drive. Now whether you can find a space is another matter – I’ve certainly parked there for free during the day, but there is a good bit of luck involved. But there’s about 3/4 of a mile or so of street parking there in both directions. Cannon Drive also has a free spots, but would be about a mile walk or so to the market from there (but right by the zoo, nature museum, lakefront, lily garden. Get there early enough and I wouldn’t be surprised if you could find parking.) But that may be more potential stress than a tourist would want to deal with.
I’m not so concerned with parking. We’re ok with taking public transit. I don’t really want to be driving in the city because navigation apps always lose contact and we end up getting lost since I don’t know the city. I am totally fine with taking the L and buses.
I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my morning. Has anyone been to the SNL Experience thing at the Broadcast Museum? Is that any good?
We have a Broadcast Museum? The things you learn here! 
I do know we have a Museum of Surgical Science that is also in the Lincoln Park area near North and LSD if you’re into the off the beaten path and/or macabre.
I haven’t been to the Broadcast Museum since it was located in the Cultural Center. It was small and kinda lame then, and focused mostly on local broadcast history. But now it is in a much bigger space (on State Street, I think) so it might be more impressive.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications, at State and Kinzie (close to House of Blues).
It took them a long while to actually move into that space; I think that they had some funding issues with the construction, as the space sat half-built for a number of years.
I saw that on one of Anthony Bourdain’s many travel shows. He was oddly into trepanning.
Interesting. I only know it because I photographed the reception of a wedding there.
That goes beyond “quirky.” :eek: