Free Things to do in Chicago

MICHIGAN AVENUE

Walk North on Michigan Avenue from Lake Street to Water Tower Place.  This is Chicago's fanciest street with hundreds of shops, restaurants and plenty of  window shopping. 

LINCOLN PARK ZOO (2200 N. CANNON DRIVE) 

As one of only a few free zoos in the country, Lincoln Park Zoo covers over 35 acres and features tigers, polar bears, lions and more than 230 other species of animals. The Farm in the Zoo and Nature Boardwalk bring you up close and personal with the animal world.

MILLENNIUM PARK (201 E. RANDOLPH STREET) 

One of the state's most popular tourist attractions features larger-than-life public art (don't miss Cloud Gate for a mirrored look at the skyline or splashing in Crown Fountain during warm weather months); a cutting edge performance stage (the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Prizker Pavilion) featuring free concerts all summer; and the all-seasons beauty Lurie Garden. Be sure to check the Millennium Park schedule for a listing of upcoming events.

CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS (224 S. MICHIGAN AVENUE)

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people to discover why design matters. In addition to their popular architecture river boat cruises and docent-led tours, CAF pursues this mission through free exhibitions, special events and youth/adult education programs. Visit their Loop headquarters to see their impressive 3D model of the city, try to catch a lunchtime seminar, or plan your trip around their marquee event Open House Chicago each September.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART (1852 W. 19TH STREET) 

Located in the cultural epicenter of the colorful Pilsen neighborhood, this museum is focused on celebrating Mexican culture and is the largest of its kind in the nation.

NAVY PIER (600 E. GRAND AVENUE) 

One of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks boasts gorgeous lakefront views — take a stroll and enjoy the breezes, admission is free to the pier's boardwalk. Summer features free weekly fireworks Wednesday and Saturday evenings as well as free outdoor concerts in the LandShark Beer Garden.

CHINATOWN

Take the red line train to Chinatown for the sights, sounds and wonderful smells of Chinatown.

THE 606 (BLOOMINGDALE AVENUE FROM ASHLAND TO RIDGEWAY)

Trek this stunning new 2.7 mile elevated park trail set above city streets and explore its five interconnected neighborhoods. With its linear walking/bicycle/jogging paths, as well as ample green space, it boasts scenic lookout points, public art murals and an outdoor observatory. 

THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY (60 W. WALTON STREET) 

This stunning library contains more than 1.5 million published works and often features special exhibitions. 

THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE MUSEUM (1155 E. 59TH STREET) 

Focusing on the rich history of the ancient Near East, this museum displays artifacts recovered during Oriental Institute excavations. 

CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER (77 E. RANDOLPH STREET)

This historical landmark hosts hundreds of free programs year-round. The building has two unbelievable stained-glass domes, which you can see on your own or on a free building tour. The many halls regularly hosts free events, from weekly classical music concerts to blues, jazz and more. Also look on the daily Chicago Cultural Center schedule for free dance performances, film screenings, seminars and theater events.

CHICAGO PARKS & BEACHES (VARIOUS LOCATIONS)

Chicago has hundreds of free public parks that cover over 8,000 acres of Chicago. Many feature wildlife havens like Northerly Island and North Pond Nature Sanctuary; incredible landscape designs such as Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool and Jackson Park's Osaka Garden; and athletic facilities such as the kayak boat house in Ping Tom Memorial Park. Hit the Lakefront Trail for some free outdoor recreation with a view or spend the day at one of the free public beaches, open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

CITY GALLERY AT THE HISTORIC WATER TOWER (806 N. MICHIGAN AVENUE)

The treasured landmark on The Magnificent Mile has been turned into a beautiful showcase for rotating art exhibits from local photographers and artists.

Salvage Shops - Looking for Reclaimed Items from Chicago?

An alterative to museums is shopping in antique stores especially building recycling places.  Imagine walking through a warehouse full of old architectural items pulled from Chicago's long gone oldest buildings.  There you will find old furniture, large mirrors, statues, chandeliers, window, columns and more.  Its an opportunity to be creative wit old items and give them new life in your home or garden.

Here are a couple of popular places:

Salvage One - http://www.salvageone.com/home.php

• A good choice for a wedding

Architectural Artifacts - http://architecturalartifacts.com/

• A good choice for a wedding

Brewery Owned Saloons - Some Chicago Retail History

(An article written by Forgotten Chicago)

A “tied house” was a type of saloon that originated in England, but gained infamy in pre-prohibition America. An institution that was believed to promote intemperance, tied houses were one of many factors leading to national prohibition in 1919. A number of former tied houses remain in Chicago, long after the practice has been made illegal. Most of the remaining buildings were tied to the Milwaukee-based Schlitz brewery.

Ironically, the event which led to tied houses arising in Chicago came from an attempt at reforming liquor sales. In 1884, license fees to operate a saloon in the city were steeply raised in order to squeeze out lower class dives. Instead of going out of business, many saloon owners who could not afford the fee turned to breweries for financial assistance. The brewery would supply all the necessary accouterments to run a saloon. In exchange, the saloon keeper would be compelled to sell only that supporting brewery’s beer.

Brewing companies soon realized that tied houses were a very profitable way to dump their product on the population. During the 1890’s, the number of saloons in Chicago increased dramatically. This led to increased competition and price wars among breweries. However, the cutthroat competition among the breweries had an averse affect on its customers, and served to tarnish the respectability the industry had achieved during the 1870’s. To quote the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois; “pressure was exerted on retailers to maximize sales without regard to the well being of customers or the general public.”

The negative effects of alcohol over consumption created a backlash. The tied house concept was not entirely to blame, but it was a definite factor contributing to national prohibition. After prohibition ended, the federal government gave states the authority to control beer and liquor sales. Most states instituted a “three-tier system.” Alcohol could only be sold from manufacturers to distributors, distributors to retailers. Each tier is not allowed to have an interest in the other two tiers. Thus, fair competition and moderate marketing practices were encouraged. There are some exceptions and variances to these laws, but the addition of a middleman and separation of interests in general has worked very well for the brewing and liquor industries.