Chicago on a Budget: Free (and Almost Free) Things to Do

Like any major city in the United States, Chicago can be challenging to find cheap entertainment. Just taking your family of four to the Shedd Aquarium will run a non-residential family around $140! But, there are are lot of free (and almost free) things to do in Chicago. And, with some travel hacking even those more costly experiences can become a lot less expensive. Here are eight free (and almost free) things to do in Chicago:

1. Visit Chicago’s Incredible Parks

The Bean might be the most iconic but Chicago’s public parks are full of incredible sculptures, water features and skyline and lakefront views making them well worth a visit. Take a cheap breakfast or lunch to Millennium Park, Grant, Maggie Daley or one of the other 19 parks around the city for a meal with a picturesque view. If you venture to Maggie Daley be sure to check out one of its many attractions, like the putt-putt golf course (running $11 per adult to play) or the outdoor ice skating rink open throughout the winter ($16 per person with skate rental).

2. Take a Free Walking Tour

Free Tours by Foot offers pay-what-you-like tours in major cities around the world. Chicago’s Free Tours by Foot includes walking tours on Chicago history, architecture and even a haunted evening tour. I’ve taken Free Tours by Foot tours in a couple cities and they all have been fantastic. The tour guides are incredibly knowledgable and have some great recommendations for things to do and places to eat, too. With a pay-what-you-like model, individuals can contribute what they think the tour is worth at the end of the program.

3. Visit the Chicago Cultural Center

The City of Chicago’s Cultural Center hosts free events, tours and exhibitions weekly. The building itself is worth a visit, with incredible architectural details within the building. And, it’s centrally located downtown to easily add to your itinerary. An updated list of public tours are available on their website.

4. Rent Divvy by Lyft Bikes

On what feels like almost every block, you can find Divvy bikes for rent. The bikes are convenient to rent with just a scan of a QR code from your Lyft app. Bike rentals start at just $3.30 per ride. The best way to use the bikes in Chicago is taking a ride on the Lakefront Trail. The trail runs along Lake Michigan and offers stellar views of both the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. You could also rent bikes for the Chicago Riverwalk (more on that later!).

(Use my referral link for $10 in Lyft ride credit. That’s enough for 3 bike rides!)

5. Create Your Own Food Tour

Food tours (especially in the US) can be quite costly. Consider building your own food tour at some of the must-eats of Chicago for a fraction of the price. Below is a map of a couple of my favorites (deep-dish pizza included)!

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6. Use a Reciprocal Membership

Reciprocal memberships are one of the little known secrets that can save you hundreds traveling. Basically, cultural institutions (museums, zoos, science centers, etc.) have partnerships that allow you to visit other institutions for discounted or free rates. Institutions are within different networks, and some are a part of multiple ones. Do the math and see if a membership at your local institution(s) might be worth it to receive admission to other cultural institutions.

EXAMPLE: The Field Museum and Chicago Museum of Science and Industry are both a part of the ASTC network. If you live in Denver, you could join the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and receive free admission to both the Field and Science and Industry museums. You just need to bring your membership ID to receive your free tickets.

(Fulltime Families has a great guide to reciprocal memberships here.)

7. Stroll Down the Riverwalk

The Chicago Riverwalk is an iconic walkway along the Chicago River. (You know, the one the dye green in March.) The Riverwalk hosts a variety of public arts, including for amazing murals. It’s a great place to watch boats cruise by while strolling along on a perfect Chicago evening. You can also ride bikes along the Riverwalk!

8. See the Animals at the Zoo

The Lincoln Park Zoo is located north of downtown Chicago and is free for all visitors. It’s pretty easy to take the train, with just a short walk from the station to the zoo’s entrance. The Lincoln Park Zoo has over 200 unique species on exhibit and takes about 2-3 hours to walk through. In addition to the exhibits, visitors can experience one of the many daily activities in the park including seal training and ape care.

Explore on. -K