Chicago Summer Bucket List

Summers are the best in Chicago. There’s so much to do, see, and take in all over the city.

 

1. Explore different restaurants and cafés. A hidden gem is the HERO Coffee Bar in the middle of the Loop campus. You can grab a drink and a quick bite then make your plans for exploring downtown, Grant Park, Millennium Park, and so many museums.

 

2. Being in the city means lots of high rises with rooftops. The rooftops usually has a   pool, greenery, bar/restaurant, plus beautiful views of the city. Cindy’s Rooftop and   London House are my favorites.

 

 

3. Chill out on the beaches of Lake Michigan. Fullerton beach, North Ave. beach, and Oak St. beach are all close to campus and easy to get to. And they’re all free! When you’re on the beach it seems like the city is so far away but it’s right behind you.

4. We’re surrounded by a couple of well-known museums. Most of them usually give discounted or free tickets for DePaul students so remember to ask! The Chicago History Museum is in Lincoln Park, the Art Institute of Chicago is right by the Loop campus, and then there’s all the museums on Museum Campus. My recent favorite is the Museum of Illusions which has optical illusions designed to deceive the eye.

5. A great way to see the lakefront is to bike. There are bike lanes all along Lake Michigan so you don’t have to worry about cars. It’s a great way to explore the city and get some exercise. If you don’t have your own bike there’s rental bikes all around the city.

6. Kayaking on the Chicago River downtown is quite an experience.  You need to be on the lookout for boats, tourist cruises, boat taxies, and birds. But you get a completely different view of the skyline and city. If you’re nervous about doing this, don’t be. Before you go out, they give you some lessons.

 

7. Browse the street art and graffiti scene in Chicago. Some of the art has become so popular that they’re now view as landmarks. The famous Greetings From Chicago mural can be found in LoganSquare.

 

8. During the summer different neighborhoods host street festivals. There’s always more than 1 going on any given weekend so you can always find one you’re interested in. They’re themed with live bands, food, vendors selling items, and activities. I love the Lincoln Park Greek Fest, Old Town Art Fair, and Andersonville Midsommarfest. There’s a few big ones in Grant Park that include the Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza.

9. If you’re in the city during the summer you’ll hear a lot about baseball. I’m not a huge baseball fan but being surrounded by the Cubs and White Sox made me want to go to a game. Luckily both are pretty affordable and easily accessible via the Red Line, which is right on campus. The Cubs play at Wrigley Field so it makes it very close to campus. Even though technically the White Sox is on the southside, their stadium is pretty close to the Loop.

10. My last item is a dream for Starbucks and coffee lovers. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened a few years ago on the the Magnificent Mile. It is huge and has 5 different stories. It is the largest Starbucks in the world and we get to have it in our backyard.  

~ Amy

Find a list of DePaul events and activities!