For frequent readers of Wanderlust Women you know that Chicago is my kind of town. I LOVE IT. Have I said that enough? Well, spring is here and that’s the perfect time to visit the Windy City for solo travel.
Here’s a list of the Top 5 Things to See and Do when you’re flying solo in Chicago:
1. Adler Planetarium – This is a wonderful place to gaze at the stars, either by day or night. it’s right on the water in a lovely park setting and solo travelers will feel comfortable enough to spend half a day in and around the Planetarium. There is a great cafeteria on site and they also offer evening events.
2. Field Museum – This is the city’s museum of natural history where you can find everything from dinosaur fossils to brilliant gemstones. You can easily get lost inside for several hours.
3. Shedd Aquarium – The Shedd Aquarium makes up the triumvirate of tourist attractions at this lakefront area of Chicago. The Field Museum and Adler Planetarium are all within easy walking distance of each other. The aquarium is very hands-on, as are the planetarium and museum……and where else can you be in a major city, close to downtown, yet be on the beach and visit with a Baby Beluga whale? See why I LOVE CHICAGO!
4. Navy Pier – is like the central hub of all entertainment activity on the lakefront. Here you can find plenty of restaurants and fast-food stands to pick from; amusement park rides and more boat rides to choose from than floats at a Macy’s Parade.
- Flying solo at Chicago’s Navy Pier
The Pier offers up a lot of stalls, where vendors sell cheap items to tourists. I would rather spend my money on Michigan Avenue but to each his own. There’s an Imax theater and pedicabs to squire you around town in a fun way. Navy Pier also offers solo travelers a chance to view fireworks for almost any reason you can think of, along with seasonal entertainment exhibits.
5. Gangster Tour – Chicago is the home of Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, so what better way to spend an evening than camping it up on a real gangster tour. There are many to pick from but one of the best is Tommy Gun’s Garage. The evening starts with a tour of all the infamous gangster hotspots and ends with a vaudeville style show back at Tommy’s Garage. It’s very audience -friendly and it’s an easy evening for a solo traveler to spend without feeling uncomfortable for a night on the town.
6. Chicago Architecture River Tour – Anyone who’s ever been to Chicago will tell you that its architecture is magnificent. Its varied styles are elegantly and tastefully sprinkled throughout the city like cheese on one of the city’s famous pizzas. Now the best way to see Chicago architecture is by boat……yes, that’s right! Don’t forget, Chicago has a lakefront and a riverfront and you can find plenty of tour operators to satisfy your interests.
- Chicago architecture to be admired from the water
Now, I know I said Top Five things to do in Chicago but I added in a bonus and there’s still more to come! For more on where to stay, shop and dine……don’t forget to check my other article on Chicago.
Make great dining reservations in Chicago here!
Save time and book a great Chicago hotel deal as well!
I have only been once to Chicago and that was a sponsored trip organized by my company. Having flew all the way from Asia, I instantly fell in love with the place. There’s so many thing to do over there, the people were great, fun and cheerful and one week is obviously not enough. The planetarium is indeed wonderful.