If you want to try Chicago pizza, but don't want a lump of cheese that's going to sit in your stomach for a week, try thin crust. It's what Chicagoans eat when we're not hosting out-of-towners, and what most of us prefer to eat.
Enjoy the vibrant blues scene the city has to offer. Kingston Mines and B.L.U.E.S. in Lincoln Park have live music every night and a laid back atmosphere, or sit in strictly-enforced silence at the legendary Green Mill in Uptown. If you're lucky, you'll run into the man himself at Buddy Guy's Legends in the South Loop during one of his frequent appearances.
Originally Posted by
chgoeditor
* Going to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo? Don't skip the
Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. It's a hidden oasis of tranquility among the hustle and bustle of the city.
Just make sure not to stay past close. As I was running by last summer, I saw a woman who had been locked in pleading with passers by to call the cops to get her out.
Be sure to check out the calendar of Millennium Park's concerts (free, pack a picnic), Ravinia ($$, pack a picnic) and Lincoln Park Zoo's Jamming at the Zoo ($$).
I'll second this recommendation. Keep in mind that concerts are not just on weekends -- Millennium Park has their free concerts on Mondays and Thursdays, and Ravinia has a show nearly every night during the peak of summer.