Free Chicago for Visitors

Chicago is a multi-hued city with parallel cultural and generational streams mixing in and out, creating a dizzying array of attractions and things to do in Chicago, a lot of which are, and will remain, free and open to the public.

But before we get to that, a few fast facts - 3 million people in the City, and 59 million more within a 1-day drive. And this river of humanity is spread out into 30 different ethic communities with populations of over 25,000 each, residing in 198 unique neighbourhoods - Each with its own sub-culture, festivals, cuisine, and lifestyle. 31 beaches, 570 parks and 18 miles of bike trails woven into the urban fabric make Chicago a very desirable place, for both residents and visitors. 70 Museums and a free Zoo with magnificent and fascinating exhibtions and wildlife enhance the Chicago experience with a depth of urban life very rarely seen outside New York City. And I won't even start with Chicago's Jazz Clubs and events and shows, because that's a whole new hub all by itself.

Speaking of magnificent and NYC, the so-called Magnificent Mile on Michigan Ave in Chicago is probably the only thing anywhere in the U.S. which comes remotely close to matching New York City's Fifth Avenue for the incredible range of shopping, boutiques, and urban watering holes.

A lot of the scenes in the movie Dark Knight were shot in at least 5 different Chicago Hotels, including the climax, which was filmed at the Trump Chicago. So that's one more area in which Chi-town one-upps the Big Apple.

But seriously, almost everything about Chicago is rising and improving, while most other mega-cties are slowly falling apart. Take for instance, the city's nomination as the official U.S. City bidding for the 2016 Olympics. ALready, the entire state and CIty machinery is gearing up to give Chicago a complete facelift. Secondly, there's Sen. Barack Obama's Presidential campaign, which is helping raise Chicago's profile on an international scale. Considering we're talking about free attractions, one of them might be a visit to Obama's 11th Floor campaign HQ, convienently located on Michigan Ave, is well worth a visit and a look-see. See the video below.

Ok. You're looking for useful info for your Chicago vacations, not a statistical snoozefest or political commentary, so let's get down to the free attractions and touristy stuff.

Lincoln Park Zoo - One of the nation's oldest zoos housing 1200 animals representing 230 species. And that includes Keo, a 50 year old chimp. What more need be said about a Zoo which has so much history and is so well maintained that their Chimpanzee is closing in on the federal retirement age? Best of all, its free. More info here. Oh, and don't forget to visit the Lincoln Park Conservatory at the north end of the Zoo, also free.

The Art Institute of Chicago - Its a school and a museum. The museum has over 300,000 works of art encompassing over 5000 years of human culture and civilization from every corner of the world. Located, again conviniently, on Michigan Avenue. Details here.

The Magnificent Mile - You may have to pay through the nose to buy something in the posh boutiques, but strolling the Magnificent Mile and taking in the sights and sounds of 'new' Chicago is free. More info here.

Millenium Park - Cool place to hang out, lots of fun attractions, and a nice place to relax and enjoy the essence of Chicago, with a mix of art, architecture, jazz and modern facilities and entertainment outlets. Check out the Pritzker Pavilion, Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden and other attractions. There's also festivals and events in progress at any given time of the year, so you might want to check the events calender to make a visit to the Millenium Park worth it. Details here.

Buckingham Fountain - A landmark Chicago Memorial on Columbus Drive in Grant Park, the Buckingham Fountain is one of the biggest fountains in the world, and offers a daily 8 am to 11 pm show of water and lights which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chicago. And yes, its free.

I could go on listing a lot more, but this is the gist of it. For the record, I prefer to actually see a City, than just click snaps of the famous touristy stuff. If you want to get to know the real Chicago, go down to the South Side and connect with the City's inner soul. Eat at unknown diners, ride the Metra, stop in at some Jazz clubs, talk to people. That's Chicago.