Free Things to Do in Chicago for Tourists and Locals

Chicago is one of the best cities in the world to vacation and to live. Filled with world class museums, amazing architecture and fine dining, it is easy to spend a lot of money seeing the sites. But that does not have to be the case. There are a lot of great things to do in Chicago that are absolutely free. From enjoying Lake Michigan, to seeing a movie, to going to a street festival or Navy Pier, spending time in Chicago does not have to bust your budget.

Spend the day at a Lake Michigan beach. Chicago is one of the few major cities in the United States that has a beach that you can walk to from downtown. Take advantage of it! Lake Michigan is easily walkable from the Loop business district, most major hotels and a good portion of the neighborhoods of Chicago. There is never an admission charge to access the lake. To make your day even cheaper, pack a picnic lunch and some snacks. Be sure to only bring non-alcoholic beverages since drinking is not allowed on Chicago beaches.

Movies In The Park. The Chicago Park district hosts their Movies In The Park Series throughout the summer. Big budget movies, as well as classics and independent films, are shown in parks throughout the city. From Grant Park to Millennium Park to the smaller neighborhood parks, the Movies In The Park Series is a great (and free!) way to spend an evening. Be sure to bring a blanket, snacks and bug spray with you. The movies start promptly at 8:30pm. For more information about Chicago's Movies In The Park series, click here.

Chicago Neighborhood Street Festivals and Fairs. It seems that every weekend from early spring to late fall there are street festivals going on around the city. Whether it's the hugely popular Taste of Chicago or the small neighborhood art fair, there is sure to be an event that will interest you. All but a handful of the Chicago festivals and fairs are free to enter and they will provide countless hours of fun for the entire family. A few of the festivals do ask for a donation to enter, but the requested donation is usually just a dollar or two. For more information about the festivals around Chicago, click here.

Hang out at Navy Pier. Navy Pier is THE biggest tourist attraction in the Midwest, and best of all there is no admission to get onto the pier. It is lined with shops and restaurants and houses the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Although it is easy to spend a lot of money at Navy Pier, you do not have to. Jutting out into Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is a terrific place to spend an evening strolling and people watching. Best of all, every Wednesday at 9:30pm and Saturday at 10:15pm during the spring and summer there are free fireworks shows, weather permitting. Chicago is a world class city and it can be extremely expensive. Take advantage of the free attractions and events to make your trip more affordable. And most of all, enjoy your time in the Windy City!