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Get your walking shoes and stroll through this forest preserve that runs along the Lake Michigan coastline. You'll walk through deep ravines and 80 foot bluffs looking over the lake.

Up in Rogers Park, it’s easy to find things to do. Perhaps not the first place many think to visit on a weekend day off work, Chicago’s northernmost neighborhood has a little bit of everything, from tapas restaurants and trendy coffee shops to lakeside relaxation and charming avenues. Today, we’re going to get a taste of Rogers Park by embarking on an excursion via the Red Line. We’ll stop to pursue antiques, pick out new books and be introduced to witchcraft — all right after fueling up at a cozy, plant-filled cafe.

Oktoberfest celebrations come and go, but this guide lets you enjoy German festive cheer all year round. This guide takes you through Chicago's North Side for a German food and beer crawl. You'll throw back beer steins and munch on liver pate, Bavarian steaks, sauerkraut, goulash, and schnitzel. Here are the details.

Stepping into Lincoln Square is like stepping into Chicago’s own fairytale small town. The main strip along Lincoln Avenue has the charm of a European village, with open plazas where locals gather, vintage lampposts casting a warm glow, and storefronts with colorful awnings inviting you in. This guide will lead you through some neighborhood gems, starting with a shop that embodies Chicago’s quirky, no-nonsense pride, stocked with cheeky souvenirs and local art. Next, step back in time at a 19th-century apothecary filled with rare European skincare treasures and a staff that makes every visit feel personal. Finally, end your day with a cone from a plant-based creamery that’s mastered oat-based decadence.

A lot of record shops in Chicago are worth visiting, but none are as memorable as the one you’ll be visiting in this guide. It doubles as a “Museum of Curiosities” complete with taxidermy creations, a room on cults and secret societies, and a John Wayne Gacey exhibit (featuring none other than a recreation of his death row prison cell). To continue the theme of lesser known, more eccentric Bucktown gems, you'll dine at a retro pizza joint with a 1980s theme and enjoy a beer at a wonderfully quirky bar and live music venue with a long history in the neighborhood.

Greektown is a unique gem of a neighborhood, rich with Greek food and community. Located just west of downtown, it’s a place where Old World traditions mix with modern-day culture. To get to know the area, you’ll fuel up with coffee, take a stroll in a park and end with a traditional Greek dinner.

For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can go see one of the best improv shows that Chicago has to offer. This evening, you’ll sandwich that show between some delicious craft cocktails at a neighborhood watering hole and dinner at a quaint bistro with a Michelin nod, all within a four-block stretch on West Diversey Avenue.

Amid the frenzy of the city, downtown Chicago offers prominent green spaces for visitors and locals alike to enjoy. It's like you're getting out of the city, while in reality, you're going deeper into it. With today's guide, you'll get an opportunity to see the city in a new way — quite literally. You’ll get out to one of the Loop's most unique parks to traverse a wall overlooking the concrete jungle that is Chicago, followed by a nearby picnic and a few touristy delights.

Andersonville is a literary hub, where bibliophiles and casual book browsers alike will delight in a variety of distinct bookstores. This exploration brings you to three unique shops, just half a mile away from each other. You’ll grab coffee at a theater-focused cafe, wander a few blocks to a feminist bookstore and end at an oasis for used and rare books.

To follow this guide, you’re heading south to the historic and beautiful Bronzeville neighborhood. Combining books, music and history, you’ll expand your mind and latch onto some shining nuggets of Chicago history. What could be better? Oh, and then you’ll follow it up with a glass (or bottle) of wine and a lovely meal at one of the neighborhood’s premiere eateries.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as watching an outdoor movie accompanied by a cool, summer breeze at the tail end of a scorching Chicago summer day. Pair that with an upscale diner meal and a round of drinks inside a lounge dedicated to movie lovers and you have a recipe for a perfect summer evening.

Chicago’s Riverwalk is a labyrinth of life in the heart of downtown. The 1.25-mile-long path, which was expanded in 2016, offers unique city views and plenty of activities for all ages. It’s perhaps best enjoyed on the river itself, which is where today’s guide sets off. You’ll start with a scenic and educational boat tour, then cool off with homemade gelato.

Remaining frugal in a city like Chicago can be a tough task, but it’s not impossible. To prove it’s doable, we ventured to Lincoln Park, a notably expensive Chicago neighborhood, to craft a memorable outing on a $10 budget. You’ll start by grabbing a coffee drink in a small coffee shop, followed by a trip to a classic Chicago-style establishment for a bite to eat. You’ll then head to a French-inspired dessert shop before ending the day with a tour of a historic Chicago architectural monument. Plus, all are within walkable distances from one another. You won’t have to break the bank to enjoy a day in the city.

This lineup is for those in serious need of a dopamine hit. The night takes you along Division Street, where you’ll be surrounded by twinkly lights and al fresco dining. From glittery gemstones to a decadent handmade pasta dish and live music, this guide lays out an evening of mood-boosters. Pop into these three establishments for a night on the town that you probably need.

Day one of your Saugatuck trip focused on enjoying locally farmed cider and exploring the bustling town by water. On day two, you’ll explore by sand and indulge in some culinary delights by local chefs and distillers.

Drive south along Lake Michigan and you’re sure to pass through dozens of cute beach towns. But about 145 miles around the lake from Chicago, you’ll find one of the most charming and unique coastal towns in Michigan called Saugatuck. Known as a haven for artists and the LGBTQ+ community, you will spend two days exploring the impressive arts and culinary scenes as well as the natural treasures of Saugatuck, learning why thousands of vacationers flock to the area each year.

Few things symbolize summer like ice cream and boating, and Chicago offers myriad options to embrace them both. The Chicago River cuts through the city’s urban sprawl with 156 miles of water, and today you'll get busy exploring it. You’ll start the afternoon in nature at a North Center boathouse and end by treating yourself to sweets at one of Chicago’s oldest and most iconic ice cream parlors.

Some of the best meals in Chicago can be found in nondescript, no-frills establishments, it turns out. This itinerary will guide you through exploring one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods with deep cultural roots by starting with street tacos at a market and wrapping up the day enjoying one of the city’s newest breweries, all within Pilsen.

As one of Chicago’s most ethnically mixed neighborhoods, West Ridge is a melting pot of cultures and flavors. This diversity is perhaps most prevalent on Devon Avenue, where global cuisines blend seamlessly with a strong community feel. Tonight’s escapade gives you a sampling of the area’s eats and treats along a stretch known as Little India. You’ll feast on vegetarian food, indulge in dessert and take in some live music at a neighborhood bar.

Lake Michigan and the downtown parts of the Chicago River may get all the glory, but the northern branch of the river is a stone you shouldn’t leave unturned. From a boat ride to some whiskey tasting and a delicious Indian dinner, this guide will bring you through some of the river’s lesser-known, but just as noteworthy, spots.

Everyone knows humans don’t deserve dogs. But you can show some appreciation to your four-legged friend by bringing them with you on this dog-friendly bar crawl in Irving Park. You’ll hit a Chicago sports bar with an affinity for dogs, a cider house with a sprawling patio for some bites, and finally a quintessential dive bar with a cabin-like interior, all while tasting beers and collecting dog pets along the way.

Did you know that just half a mile away from the bustling Magnificent Mile you can step back in time to an age of double-decker, decadent diners? That's where you'll spend a pleasurable afternoon. But before you do, you'll begin your outing with top-notch coffee and walk through a serene European-feeling garden.

As the summer heat hits Chicago, you’ll naturally be jonesing for two things: a sweet treat and time in the hot, outdoor air. In this guide, you’ll get both. Start the day at one of the oldest (and cutest) bakeries in Chicago before making your way across the street to catch some rays and hop on a pedal boat at one of the city’s most iconic parks.

Remote work has its perks, and today, you're going to make the most of them. Pack your laptop, headphones and notebooks and head to the Near North Side, where you'll split your day between two cafes, one specializing in Croatian eats and the other a "sanctuary for the wandering soul." You'll take your last meeting at the final destination: a modern outpost serving cocktails overlooking the Chicago River.

Tonight, you're going to head into Logan Square for dinner at one of the neighborhood's only rooftop patios and drinks at some "if you know, you know" bars. You'll start off the outing with Mexican food and a cocktail in a setting that’ll leave you booking a flight to Cabo. Not only that, but what looks like a normal restaurant from the outside is also home to a speakeasy open only on the weekends. The night will continue with another tucked-away bar where you'll enter a nondescript door lit by a sign with a small bird and question why you ever went to traditional, visible bars in the first place.

The weather warms up, so Chicagoans flock to the elevated 606 trail to get steps in and marvel at how lush the city has become. Today, you'll take in the nature by walking two-thirds of the beloved trail and fueling up on natural wine at two charming wine bars along the way. The bars are just two of numerous businesses that are dotted along The 606 trail, which serves four neighborhoods and thousands of locals and visitors each day.

Lakeview is an easy draw. Its proximity to the great Lake Michigan, seemingly endless options for food and drinks, and lively music scene make it an ideal place to spend a night out. Tonight’s classic Lakeview evening will bring you down the Southport Corridor where you’ll start with a drink at Corridor Brewery and Provisions before dinner and a show at Coda di Volpe and Schubas Tavern, respectively.

You daydream of a far-flung vacation — perhaps to France's lavender fields or a romp through Parisian alleys. But flights are steep, and work keeps you at home. No worries. Chicago offers a cultural escape. Today, you’ll take a trip downtown and to its surrounding neighborhoods to enjoy a bit of French culture through breakfast, a pastry run and a treasure hunt.

It’s springtime in Chicago, and that means the city is collectively regaining its will to live. To maximize your time in the sun and enjoy the city on a casual afternoon, start at a delicatessen for a gourmet sandwich, charcuterie, snacks, and a bottle of wine. Bring your picnic provisions a short walk away and lay out on a big lawn with the skyline as your backdrop.

There's nothing quite like the decorating high, as interior designers like to say, you get when hunting for and securing vintage homeware. The hunt is the main part of the thrill, so today you'll head to three female-owned stores across Humboldt Park, Bucktown and Logan Square to chase that feeling and acquire new treasures for the home.

After a long week, or to start off a new week on a relaxed note, whichever way you look at it, a peaceful Sunday morning is just what the doctor ordered. To achieve that, you’ll spend your morning in Lincoln Park where you’ll kick off the day with comfort food at Batter & Berries before recharging with some caffeine at Coffee Lab & Roasters. Finally, you’ll escape to another world at Three Avenues Bookshop.

Home to the University of Chicago, Hyde Park is undoubtedly the city’s ideal hub for intellectuals. To tap into your inner highbrow academic, take a trip through the neighborhood for a bookish day filled with daydreaming and fantasies about your other life as a poet or professor. Start at 57th Street Books, then take an obligatory walk around the gothic campus and finish the night with delicious Italian food at Ascione Bistro.

It’s not hard to love Andersonville. It’s a charming North Side pocket of eclecticness and eccentricity just waiting to be tapped. This neighborhood is worth a meandering walk down Clark Street punctuated with sweet treats, quirky thrift finds and a delicious cocktail. In this guide, find a serendipitous balance of all three at a gluten-free bakery, a locally beloved thrift store and an inviting cocktail bar.

Work sucks. Alright, maybe not always, but you know what we mean. So, after one of those weeks, it’s only fitting to indulge a bit. After you’ve put your time in for the day and successfully launched your laptop into Lake Michigan, it’s time to treat yourself to a few spots just a hop, skip, and jump from your office amid the bustling rush hours of the Loop. Once you’re clocked out of meetings that probably should’ve been emails, we’ll take a quick stroll out of the office for aptly priced drinks, greasy Chicago delicacies and historic storefronts all within a few blocks of each other.

Everyone knows Chicago is one of the best cities for food, comedy and drinks. Tonight, you’ll combine all three for a lively night in the West Town and Wicker Park neighborhoods. You'll start with dinner at a natural wine shop and restaurant for a meal that's described as a fancy picnic. You'll then take in a comedy show at a theater reminiscent of the 1920s Golden Age, featuring ornate Art Deco details, plush velvet seats, and gilded accents. Finish off the night with a drink and a game of pool down the street

It’s not uncommon to be overwhelmed by contemporary nightlife spots, so we're going to infuse the night with some rich, old-school history and rhythm right in the heart of Lincoln Park. It starts with dinner at an authentic Sichuan restaurant. After, you’ll find yourself at an iconic Chicago blues bar that’s been around since 1968. Finally, the night caps off with a drink and some dancing at a neighborhood watering hole.

Ravenswood, Wrigleyville’s cozy sibling to the north, is home to Chicago’s Malt Row. With Ravenswood Avenue hosting more than 10 craft breweries and distilleries, hitting them all in one go could be quite the doozy. Instead, this guide focuses on two spots for a chill evening of snacks, digestifs and, beer.

Life is a constant series of go-go-go, so tonight, you’re in for some lounging in Logan Square.  It starts with a combo vintage store and bar and then a late-night hot dog stand before ending the outing at a longtime community watering hole tended to by the bar's beloved matriarch.

After a week of being responsible and sticking to healthy eating, it's time to indulge a little. This guide kicks off at a fusion Chinese-Korean BBQ spot, followed by a visit to a craft brewery known for its unique selection of beers. The night continues until the early parts of the morning at a nightclub with a history of hosting renowned DJs over the past decade. Surprisingly, all these hot spots are just a brief, 10-minute walk from the Red Line and within a two-minute stroll of each other.

It’s time for a change of scenery, so for two days this weekend, we’re heading north to Milwaukee — a mini Chicago, as some refer to it. The vibrant Wisconsin city on the west coast of Lake Michigan is a quick 1.5-hour drive from Chicago. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you’re in view of dozens of steeples scattered about and expressway ramps crisscrossing everywhere you look. The backbone of this excursion is an art museum with otherworldly architecture, a garden conservatory in futuristic domes, a bar in the back of a TV repair shop, and even more good food and drink interspersed throughout.

We’re going on a night time adventure in Roscoe Village for burgers, cocktails, live jazz, and a comedy show in the back of a bar. This isn’t any comedy show. The performers here are the type where 1 or 2 years down the road you’ll be seeing them on a Netflix comedy special and you can brag to all your friends that you discovered them well before they got big. So kudos to your future self for being able to do that.

As winter firmly grips Chicago in its grasp, we've got a guide to fight back the only way we know how -- day drinking and binge eating. Our guide takes us to one of the city's designated industrial corridors in West Town. It covers over 1,000 acres, mainly filled with warehouses and light manufacturing facilities. But it's also home to a growing and packed beer scene with five breweries and a distillery, all clustered within a mile of each other. You'll visit two breweries, each with a different vibe. Between visits, you'll grab some artisan donuts from a pair of bakers who've set up a space in a coffee roasting facility nearby.

Pilsen is a mecca for vintage shoppers and the plan for this guide is to bounce around to four different shops, each with a different era of fashion and merchandise in mind. But before the shopping spree begins, you'll start the day with chilaquiles and coffee at small countertop diner that's been run by a mother and son team for over 30 years.

This guide takes us to Edgewater for a quick afternoon trip. It starts at a place that's one part pie shop, one part bar, and one part elevated tavern food. Afterward, head across the street to Chicago's oldest antique store. Here are the details.

For a lot of Chicagoans, it's not about getting used to the cold-weather season but finding ways to cope with it until summer rolls around. This guide is one of those coping mechanisms. You'll spend the day jumping between pools, saunas, and heated relaxation rooms. In between, you'll stay warm with a sizzling bowl of kimchi soup and other Korean eats. 

Chicago's improv and comedy scene is unrivaled. You can find a show nearly every night of the week, but more often than not, that means hanging out somewhere in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, or thereabouts. For this guide, you'll catch a show on the other side of the Kennedy Expressway. You'll start a small theater in Logan Square making its own name on the Chicago comedy circuit. Afterwards, head up the street for late night patio drinks.

About 18,000 years ago, Illinois and Wisconsin were covered under a big sheet of glacial ice.  Eventually, these massive glaciers began to retreat, but not before leaving behind fields of rock and debris, otherwise known as moraines.  For this guide, you'll take a road trip to see this geological formation, which extends over 120 miles across Wisconsin. You'll make a 2.5-hour drive into Kettle Moraine State Forest, where you'll camp, hike tall ridges, and fish out on the water.

Sometimes, planning date night is as easy as dinner and a show. The city is chock-full of establishments that would pair perfectly in this category, but tonight, we’re headed to the West Loop for a fancy dinner in a 70s-inspired French eatery followed by a show in a former church brimming with history with a bar in their "catacombs."

Imagine Chicago with mountains in the distance. Nobody would ever leave. While we don't have mountains, there are still places to hike to get some elevation. For this guide, you'll head about 1.5 hours outside the city where you'll hike through 3,400 acres of bogs, wetlands, and up large, ancient land formations called kames.

Centered around one corner in Avondale, this guide takes your traditional coffee date and mixes it up with an after-hours comedy show followed by beer, board games and a variant of the Italian beef next door.

This guide has you hitting the road for a weekend trip out of the city. You'll visit Galena, IL, about a three-hour drive from Chicago and on the border between Illinois and Iowa. This is the opposite of the hustle and bustle of Chicago — it’s a small town situated amongst rolling hills, and its big draw is a picturesque main street full of small boutiques and restaurants.

We're taking a short trip outside the city to hike through a 2,500 acre forest preserve. We start by grabbing coffee at a quirky and retro coffee house, then we head to the trail head where we'll hike through rolling hills, waterfalls, and overlooks. We'll then take a detour off the trail to have lunch beneath a Hindu temple. Here are the details.

Access to nature can sometimes feel inaccessible if you don't have a car. But for this guide, the Metra is all you need. You'll take the UP-N line to the North Shore where you'll walk through a field of wild flowers on a former military base turned nature preserve. The hike ends on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. After, you'll hop back on the Metra and take it one stop where you'll explore a charming downtown and grab a quick bite at a hot dog and sandwich shop. It ends at an old-school ice cream and candy shop for desert.

If you haven't guessed by the title, this guide is all about plants. It starts at a plant shop in Wicker Park, where you'll not just buy a plant but learn how to keep it alive. You'll then stop for made-from-scratch vegan and vegetarian comfort food next door. Finally, it ends at a moody floral and gift shop where you'll find things you didn't know you needed.

There's a misconception out there that you're either a dog person or a cat person, and you've got to date someone with a matching preference. For this date idea, however, we'll prove that everyone can be a cat person. We start things off with coffee at a place that looks more like a dive bar than a coffee shop. Afterwards, we head down the street to play video games in a room full of cats. Here are the details.

This is a classic neighborhood walkabout in West Town. It starts with coffee and shopping at a pandemic-inspired retail/coffee shop. You'll then grab a Filipino breakfast at at a place that's going on 30 years in the neighborhood. After, you'll visit a small art gallery focused on contemporary African and African diaspora art. Finally, it all ends with a few beers at a massive brewery nearby.

In a new addition to our “Known/Unknown” series, we’re heading to Michigan Avenue to pair a Chicago landmark with an overlooked place nearby. The first stop is to a grand art institution flanked by iconic bronze lions. Here, masterpieces await. But the exploration doesn't end there. After, you'll walk down the street and visit another 3-story museum delving into the world of contemporary photography and examine a diverse collection of thousands of works from artists around the globe.

Wine and book lovers, especially fans of the two combined, this one's for you. You'll venture to Printer’s Row, a neighborhood near the South Loop that makes walking through its charming tree-lined streets akin to a voyage back in time. As its name indicates, Printer’s Row boasts a history intertwined with literature. With old-world energy and activities to match, this guide includes quintessential stops at a pharmacy-turned-wine-bar, a mom-and-pop-owned bookstore and a jazz club that describes itself as being the place “where jazz lives in Chicago.”

Start your day at a sustainable farm, picking up fresh produce and sipping local coffee. Then, step into a neighboring nature preserve for an easy stroll or a longer hike through a tall grass savanna. End the day at a family-owned brewery, with craft beer paired with a delicious brisket sandwich.

This guide has you visiting West Ridge, a quiet residential North Side neighborhood that's home to a vibrant South Asian, Jewish, and Eastern European community. You'll start with a hike on a 20-acre nature preserve, build a wooden fort, and end with Balkan street food.

In this guide, you’ll be taking in the history of Edgewater which encompasses several smaller neighborhoods like Edgewater Beach, Edgewater Glen, Magnolia Glen, and Andersonville. You'll take this in both through a museum visit and boots-on-the-ground fieldwork. All good walks should come with rewards, though, and don’t worry: high-quality coffee awaits at the end of this excursion.

We've got a short trip planned to Southwest Michigan for a quick weekend getaway. You'll layout on dunes along Lake Michigan's coast, drink whiskey while putting on a 30,000-square-foot putting green, get some hiking in, and explore shops along a country highway.

This guide is part of our Good Bites series, and we're venturing out to pick up fresh ingredients to make a classic BLT -- our summer sandwich of choice. While you can head to Mariano's to get ingredients for a decent BLT, we're looking for greatness, and greatness starts with a quality tomato and fresh bread. We're headed to Logan Square on our quest for these items. We begin with a trip to a French cafe to grab bread and to have a morning coffee on the cafe's tree-shaded, side yard patio. Afterwards, we make our way down the block to a Sunday farmers market to get the rest of our BLT provisions.  Here are the details.

We've got a house party teed up in Humboldt Park. You're going to catch live music and comedy acts in the basement of a Humboldt Park home. Afterward, you're capping off the night at a local dive bar for a taste of the city's best sandwiches and experience that will leave you wanting more.

For this guide you'll be grubbing at the back of a Korean grocery store, and afterwards, you'll take some to-go dumplings and head down the street to one of the largest breweries in Illinois

Get your walking shoes ready, because we're going on an old fashioned neighborhood walkabout. The plan for the day is a one mile jaunt through Lincoln Park that's got a bit of an international flare. It starts with Taiwanese bubble tea, then olive oil and lemon drenched Greek chicken and fries, and we end the day at a Chicago apartment building from 1920's that's been converted into an art gallery and cultural center. 

The night starts on an empty street surrounded by warehouses where you'll have cocktails inside a bustling taproom while a forklift might be operating in the background. Later into the night, venture to a basement wine bar and restaurant, where the mood is contemporary gothic and the chefs in the small kitchen whip up modern American cuisine, blending an eclectic mix of Caribbean, Asian, and European plates.

We’re traveling to Fullerton Avenue in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood to visit a bowling alley with a rich history as the center of Chicago's punk rock scene in the 90s. Afterward, you'll head to a cheekily named 1920s-style tavern to end the night with well-made cocktails paired with tamales and pizza on the side.

We’re going music and book shopping in Andersonville today. The great thing about record stores and bookstores is that you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy yourself—browsing covers and reading back summaries, mind racing with anticipation of what’s contained—that’s its own fun. The difficult thing about records and books is you usually want to buy more than your wallet allows. Today, we’re looking at three different shops in Andersonville’s famed commercial district on Clark Street.

We've planned a whole night, all within a one-block radius right off the Damen Blue Line Station. It starts with New Haven-style pizza at a brewery with a 20-year history in Wicker Park. You'll then head around the corner, where if you can time it right, you'll have drinks and maybe a bit of karaoke at this bar with an early 20th-century vintage style. The last stop is a speakeasy behind a record store where you'll end the night with a giant cocktail served in a gauntlet.

Ask any group of Chicagoans about their favorite taqueria and you'll get different answer from each. For this guide, you're going to eat at a place that just might make the cut on your list of favorites. You'll then walk a few blocks to a laid-back brewery along the Chicago river with a history of experimental beers. The night ends across the street where the next generation of funny people are hanging out and performing improv.

No matter the weather, it's worth venturing Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood and making several stops on Southport Avenue, a thoroughfare bustling with hip restaurants, popular stores, and theaters. This guide starts with an Argentinean tapas restaurant featuring a wall of wine. You'll then make your way to a theater made for cinephiles looking to partake in the latest film festival, or a century-old live performance venue just a few doors down.

No matter how long you've lived in Chicago, there will always be those frigid winter days where you just can't shake the cold. I'm talking about the type of cold that not only has you numb all over but mentally drained too. This guide is going to help you recharge. You'll hang out at a traditional bathhouse to soak in super-heated pools, lounge in oven-scorching banyas, and warm up with a bowl of borscht. Here are the details.

If you're part of the work-from-home crowd, I'm guessing that at some point, you may have gone days without stepping foot outside. It's a disconcerting feeling when you realize three days have passed, and you just went through a self-imposed quarantine. To help break up the week and get you out of your work-from-home pajamas, this guide has you spending a work day at a long-time neighborhood bar and coffee shop. You'll then grab lunch at a pizza shop with a history dating back a half-century.

10 pieces of Korean chicken, 30 plays, and 68 draft lines. That's the setup for this evening excursion in Andersonville. It starts with a late dinner featuring bubble tea and double-fried Korean chicken. You'll then go around the corner to watch not one, not two, but 30 different shorts plays crammed into one hour. Finally, you'll catch a night cap at a Belgian-inspired pub known for its 68 draft lines.

When the cold weather strikes, this guide has you cooking up some eats to keep warm -- or should I say hot -- hot pot that is. To get started, you'll head to a mega-sized Chinese grocer in Pilsen to pick up essential hot pot ingredients like fish tofu, lobster balls, udon noodles, sesame paste, and fried chili oil. We've included step-by-step instructions for a successful hot pot party. While there, you'll check out some of the other developments going on inside.

This itinerary is part of our "Known/Unknown" series, where we pair a Chicago landmark with overlooked places nearby. For fans of literature and architecture, you'll visit two smaller museums near the loop that operate in the shadow of the mega-institutions nearby. Between those stops, you'll spend time underneath Michigan Avenue for "cheeps" and "cheezborgers" at a longstanding tavern wrapped in Chicago nostalgia. This is especially great when you have a random free day to explore spots you've always meant to visit, or if you have family or friends who've done all the main touristy stuff and are coming back on a second or third visit.

This guide has all the necessary ingredients for a terrific Sunday Funday outing. It starts in Wicker Park at a comic-book themed burger joint that pays homage to the "In-N-Out" burger. We then walk down the street to a massive warehouse of over-sized games, shuffleboard courts, and cocktails. The last stop takes you up 13 floors to give you absolutely stunning views of Chicago. Here are the details.

While the rest of the city sleeps, this guide has you going on a midnight escapade through Logan Square and Bucktown. You'll start at a late-night comedy club and then head down the street for post-show drinks at a chill neighborhood craft cocktail bar. After a long night of laughs and booze, you'll end with deliciously greasy burgers and hot dogs at a corner grill shack open until 3 am on the weekends. Here are the details.

We're taking advantage of living next to a giant freshwater lake and have you going on a fishing 101 expedition. You'll get outfitted with fishing gear from pros who've been helping anglers for over 50 years. Afterward, you'll make your way through a maze of trails that take you to the lake, where you'll fish for salmon, perch, and trout.

We're hopping on the Brown line for this guide to see what we'll find if we take it all the way to the last stop (Kimball).  Once you get off the train, you'll find yourselves in Albany Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest side that's a huge melting pot of various communities. Walk the neighborhood and you'll hear conversations in Tagalog, Spanish, Hindi, English, Urdu, Korean, Spanish, Bosnian, and tons of others being spoken. This guide gives us a small sample of this wonderful melting pot of a community where we can find classic Chicago hot dogs, a late night Mexican pastry shop, and coffee and cocktails all within a few blocks of each other. Here are the highlights.

We've got a relaxing picnic planned inside a garden, that in the words of Alfred Caldwell, was "planned as a sanctuary of the native landscape, a place sequestered from Megalopolis, the jungle of profound ugliness; a cool, refreshing, clear place of trees and stones and running water . . . a hidden garden of the people of Megalopolis." We scoped out a hidden spot inside this hidden garden and have you bringing Cuban sandwiches to complete our picnic setup.

We're taking you on nighttime adventure in Chinatown where you'll grab drinks in a backroom cocktail bar and then you'll have a family style Cantonese feast. Here are the details.

How far are you willing to travel for a hot dog? We’re here to figure that out. You’ll grab your bike and take it on the Metra all the way to Libertyville, IL. At that point, you’ll be closer to Wisconsin than Chicago. From there, you’ll go on an epic bike ride on a trail that takes you back towards the city and to one of the most iconic hot dog places in the Chicago area.

We've got a wholesome Sunday morning planned in Rogers Park. It starts at a small Korean-American breakfast diner run by Susie, the Korean grandma you've always wanted in your life. Afterwards, on the same block, you'll visit a Sunday farmers market that takes over a narrow cobblestone side street, and underneath a canopy of trees, you'll shop for fresh fruits, veggies, pies and cheese.

For this guide, we're combing good food, music, and board games all into one wonderful evening. You start at a 40+ year old French bistro for crepes, pate and frites, then head next door to an even older record store where you'll browse vinyl records, and finally, you'll spend the rest of the night with one of the largest collection of board games at your disposal. Here are the details.

This guide has you going deep inside a forest preserve where you'll camp along the shores of a small lake, do a bit of hiking, and hang by a campfire. With it being about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, it's just about everything you need for a an easy weekend nature getaway.  

We've got a lazy Sunday in West Loop on the books. The day starts a local non-profit bookstore to dig through their collection of new and used books.  You'll then take that new novel you picked up and head a few blocks to a coffee house run in partnership with a world-renowned Japanese latte-artist. The day ends in the same place, because in addition to being a coffees house, it's also a bbq restaurant and ramen shop. Here are the highlights.

There's a large residential section of Bucktown with an eclectic mix of historic greystones, two-flats, and multi-million dollar modern homes. It's the type of neighborhood you can have fun aimlessly wandering around daydreaming about which home is perfect for you. What makes this neighbor even better are the randomly scattered corner bars. For this guide, you'll visit three of these corner bars with three different vibes.

We're taking the Red Line to go on a food expedition that starts in Chinatown and ends on the far North side in Little Saigon. We'll make a few stops along the way for some small and not-so-small eats. This is an especially good guide to follow with out-of-town friends/family to see and get a taste of Chicago's different neighborhoods in one go. We'll be munching on soup dumplings, donuts, chicken wings, and Vietnamese crepes on this culinary tour along the Red Line. Here are the details.

This guide has you exploring Chicago by train. You'll be visiting five different places off five different Brown Line stations. You'll start with pie, then hang out at a neighborhood bottle shop, and then make your way through a maze of floor-to-ceiling books. Afterwards, you'll end things with a choose-your-own-adventure option: either a combination dive bar/bowling alley or a 100+ year old movie theater.

About an hour outside of Chicago, there are thousands of scientists from all over the world working to answer fundamental questions about space, life, and our very own existence. Is time travel possible? Are we living in a multiverse? You know, all the things we think about right before bed. This guide has you driving out to Batavia, IL where you'll be visiting a particle accelerator and physics laboratory that's housed on on a 6,800 acre site. You'll be touring exhibits, learning about neutrinos, and biking all across the site. Here are the details.

This is part of our “Known / Unknown” series. For each guide in this series, we pair a classic, essential landmark with an overlooked place nearby. Today we’re going to take the Metra train to the North Shore where you'll a relaxing morning having a picnic and stroll through a 385 acre garden. That's followed by a live theatre performance in a nationally recognized venue nearby. Here are the highlights.

This week's guide takes you to Garfield Park in search of a bit of inspiration. The first stop is to one of the oldest and largest conservatories in the country, where you'll wander through 4.5 acres of indoor gardens and let the vast rooms of tropical plants and small ponds help you de-stress. Afterward, you'll visit a restaurant with a socially conscious mission of supporting men and women to overcome poverty and homelessness. Here are the highlights.