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City Guide · Chicago, IL

The Best Places in Chicago

25 must-do spots across the city. This free City Pack from Who's In? collects 25 hand-picked Chicago favorites — restaurants, bars, cafés, museums, parks, and things to do — each one mapped and ready to turn into a plan. Save the ones you love, then text a link and see who's in.

Coming soonFree · 25 spots
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Restaurants

7

Pequod's Pizza

🍽️ Restaurants·Lincoln Park

The caramelized-crust deep dish locals argue is the city's best — get the pan pizza.

Al's #1 Italian Beef

🍽️ Restaurants·Little Italy

The original Italian beef — order it 'dipped, hot' and eat it standing up.

Girl & the Goat

🍽️ Restaurants·West Loop

Stephanie Izard's hard-to-book West Loop hit — wood-fired small plates made for sharing.

The Purple Pig

🍽️ Restaurants·Magnificent Mile

Mediterranean small plates on the Mag Mile — their whole motto is 'cheese, swine & wine.'

Lou Mitchell's

🍽️ Restaurants·West Loop

A Loop breakfast institution since 1923, with free doughnut holes while you wait.

The Wieners Circle

🍽️ Restaurants·Lincoln Park

Char-dogs, cheese fries, and famously rowdy late-night banter in Lincoln Park.

Xoco

🍽️ Restaurants·River North

Rick Bayless's casual spot for Mexican tortas, caldos, and fresh churros in River North.

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Bars & nightlife

1

The Green Mill

🍸 Bars·Uptown

Capone's old haunt — a gorgeous 1907 jazz club still hosting nightly sets in Uptown.

Cafés & coffee

1

Margie's Candies

☕ Cafés·Bucktown

A century-old ice-cream parlor known for giant sundaes — the Beatles stopped in back in '65.

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Museums & culture

5

The Art Institute of Chicago

🏛️ Museums·Loop

World-class collection — the Impressionists and 'American Gothic' — and an easy half-day right downtown.

Museum of Science and Industry

🏛️ Museums·Hyde Park

Huge and hands-on — the U-505 submarine and the walk-through coal mine are the classics.

Field Museum

🏛️ Museums·Museum Campus

Meet Sue the T. rex and a sprawling natural-history collection on the lakefront Museum Campus.

Adler Planetarium

🏛️ Museums·Museum Campus

America's first planetarium — and arguably the best postcard skyline view in the city, right out front.

WNDR Museum

🏛️ Museums·West Loop

Instagram-ready immersive art, including a Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirror Room, in the West Loop.

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Parks & outdoors

4

Millennium Park

🌳 Parks·Loop

Home of 'The Bean' (Cloud Gate), the can't-miss downtown photo and warm-weather people-watching.

Chicago Riverwalk

🌳 Parks·Loop

Walk the river downtown — patios, drinks, and architecture at water level.

Garfield Park Conservatory

🌳 Parks·East Garfield Park

A free, jungle-like glasshouse — one of the largest conservatories in the country.

The 606 (Bloomingdale Trail)

🌳 Parks·Wicker Park

An old elevated rail line turned a 2.7-mile walking-and-biking trail across the Northwest Side.

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Things to do

7

Shedd Aquarium

🎟️ Things to do·Museum Campus

Lakefront aquarium with beluga whales and a stunning skyline view from the Oceanarium windows.

Willis Tower Skydeck

🎟️ Things to do·Loop

Step onto The Ledge, glass boxes 1,353 feet up, for the biggest view of the city.

Navy Pier

🎟️ Things to do·Streeterville

Lakefront pier with the Centennial Wheel, boat rides, and summer fireworks.

Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise

🎟️ Things to do·Loop

The single best intro to Chicago: see the skyline's greatest buildings from the river.

Lincoln Park Zoo

🎟️ Things to do·Lincoln Park

One of the last free zoos in the country, right in Lincoln Park — easy for any group.

The Second City

🎟️ Things to do·Old Town

The legendary improv stage that launched Belushi, Murray, Fey, and Colbert.

Wrigley Field

🎟️ Things to do·Wrigleyville

Catch a Cubs game (or a tour) at the ivy-walled 1914 ballpark in Wrigleyville.

Go deeper with Pro

Beyond the essentials

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Chicago Deep CutsPRO

75 local favorites for real exploring — 75 deeper local favorites. Unlock the full list with Who's In? Pro in the app.

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Chicago Summer 2026 PackPRO

25 of the newest spots to try this summer — 25 new spots, refreshed for Summer 2026. Unlock the full list with Who's In? Pro in the app.

Plan it with friends

Found your spot? In Who's In? you can turn any place into a plan, text the link, and see who's in — no app required to RSVP.

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