Chicago: Summer in the Windy City

Five Exciting Summertime Things to do in Chicago

On my way home from Little Rock, Arkansas last week, where I'd gone for the annual NATJA conference (North American Travel Journalists Association), I spent some time sitting in Chicago's Midway Airport.  I'd recently written a piece called Chicago:  Celebrating Summer in the Windy City for the May issue of Explore, TACA airline's in-flight magazine.  While sitting in the airport I thought again of all the exciting summertime things there were to do in that city and had to fight the urge to forget about going home and spend more time in Chicago! 

For those of you who are lucky enough to have some time this summer to spend in the Windy City, here are a few suggestions on what to do:

Attend an outdoor festival
Chicago offers a multitude of festivals throughout the summer. Visit 877chicago.com for a calendar of events.

Browse or buy your way along the Magnificent Mile
Shop and admire the architecture along this famous stretch of Michigan Avenue.

Explore Chicago's parks
Rollerblade, bike, jog or walk through Chicago's lakefront parks, or sit on a bench and enjoy the view. Visit chicagoparkdistrict.com or call 312/742-PLAY; to rent bikes visit bikechicago.com or call 312/595-9600.

See the city from the water
Sail on a schooner (tallshipwindy.com; 312/595-5555), take a sightseeing boat (shorelinesightseeing.com; 312/222-9328), paddle a canoe (chicagoriver.org; 312/939-0490) or take an Architecture River Cruise (architecture.org; 312/922-3432).

Get the blues
Visit Chicago's blues clubs or share a laugh at The Second City, the theater that launched the careers of numerous comic greats. (secondcity.com; 312/337-3992).

If you'd like help planning your trip to Chicago, check out these sample itineraries on the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau's website.

Photo courtesy of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.