Things to do
The 50 best things to do in Chicago right now
No matter where your interests lie, you can always find something to get excited about in this no-nonsense Midwestern metropolis.
Things to Do
Discover the best things to do in Chicago, including popular events, festivals, attractions, tours and free activities
Museums
The best Chicago museums
Want to see premier pieces from famous artists? Some of the world's most famous collections and exhibits can be found in Chicago.
Attractions
The best Chicago attractions
Chicago might be known as the Second City, but our attractions are first-class.
Things to do
Cheap things to do in Chicago
Enjoy the city without spending a ton of cash by searching out cheap things to do in Chicago.
Things to do
The best things to do indoors
Don’t let the weather get in the way of having a great day and stay warm and dry by enjoying some of the best things to do indoors in Chicago.
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Things to do in Chicago every day
Things to do this fall in Chicago
Things to do
Fall activities in Chicago: The best things to do
It won't be long before we're huddled inside for winter, so get out and enjoy the city with the best things to do in the fall in Chicago.
Watch a spooky flick
From hardcore horrors to squeamish giggles, these movies will set the mood for the season.
Travel
Admire fall foliage
Hoping to go leaf peeping this year? Head to Chicago's finest parks, gardens and cemeteries for some seasonal sightseeing.
Turn up the volume
Treat your Halloween party guests with our playlist of the top spooky scary songs of all time.
Things to do
Celebrate spooky season
No matter your age, embrace the thrills and chills of spooky season with our guide to the best Halloween events in Chicago this year.
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Events at Time Out Market Chicago
Things to do
Industry Mondays
Enjoy delicious food while sipping specialty Cafeto cocktails; all hospitality workers will receive 20% off their bar tabs.
Things to do
Winesday
Join Time Out Market Chicago every Wednesday for a relaxing evening of wine specials. Unwind with a glass of vino, paired with food from some of the...
Things to do
Trivia with Whaddayaknow?
Come alone or bring a group for weekly trivia on Wednesdays at the Market! Hosted by Whaddayaknow?, the evening will test your knowledge on a variety of...
Bottomless Lunch at Time Out Market
Indulge in our Bottomless Lunch every weekend! For just $55, enjoy a $20 TOM Card to spend on your favorite meal from 15 of our delicious concessions, plus 3...
The latest things to do in Chicago
Things to do
EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel
With soundstage-sized pieces like horned sculptures emitting soap bubbles, inflated spheres bedecked in abstract squiggles and surreal faceless figures...
Things to do
Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind
“Music of the Mind” is a retrospective that celebrates key moments of Ono’s career, showcasing art driven by ideas and expressed in poetic,...
Things to do
David Byrne's Theater of the Mind
Talking Heads frontman, Broadway innovator and all-around creative polymath David Byrne is once again blurring the line between art and science, this time in...
Things to do
The best things to do in Chicago this weekend
Find the best things to do in Chicago this weekend with our guide to concerts, exhibitions, festivals and more.
Things to do
The best Halloween events and parties in Chicago
Break out your best costumes and get ready for a fright at the best Halloween events in Chicago.
The latest Chicago news
Restaurants
A Chicago cocktail veteran is opening her ethereal debut bar in West Town
Bar Bambi is award-winning mixologist Katie Renshaw’s debut solo concept.
Art
Inside EmotionAir: Is the Balloon Museum’s Chicago exhibition worth the hype?
The Balloon Museum’s EmotionAir proves that feeling something—anything—can be pure art in Chicago’s new dopamine factory.
Theater
David Byrne is bringing an immersive walk-through experience to a Chicago office next spring
Byrne’s 'Theater of the Mind' will turn a downtown office into a surreal, sensory playground for 16 guests at a time.
The latest Chicago events
Things to do
Chicago Architecture Biennial
Every two years, Chicago becomes a global hub of architecture and design during the Chicago Architecture Biennial. This edition’s theme is SHIFT:...
Art
ART on THE MART
Displaying a 25-story-tall video installation on the side of THE MART, ART on THE MART is the largest permanent digital art projection in...
Art
DÃa de Muertos: A Celebration of Remembrance
For 39 years and counting, the National Museum of Mexican Art has celebrated one of Mexico’s most extraordinary traditions with a multimedia...
Things to do in Chicago neighborhoods
Things to do
Avondale
The traditionally Polish neighborhood is dotted with arts centers, small parks and interesting shops.
Shopping & Style
Shopping
The best boutiques and shopping in Logan Square, Chicago
Fill an afternoon browsing the neighborhood's shops.
Shopping
19 Chicago gift shops for unique presents
It’s been said that the best gifts in life are free, but no one’s really buying that, right?
Most popular things to do features
Things to do
The best things to do in Chicago today
Find the best things to do in Chicago today, including parties, concerts, screenings and other can't-miss events.
Things to do
This Chicago suburb was ranked one of the safest cities in the U.S.
While it didn’t crack the top 20, it’s the only city in Illinois to make the top 50.
Things to do
The best things to do in Chicago this weekend
Find the best things to do in Chicago this weekend with our guide to concerts, exhibitions, festivals and more.
Things to do
La Niña has officially arrived—here’s what that means for winter weather in Chicago
The weather phenomenon will likely impact snowfall and temperatures in the Midwest and beyond, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction...
Things to do
Take a look inside Chicago’s one and only puppet-powered haunted house
Every October, Rough House Puppet Arts celebrates Halloween with an immersive horror production. Experience House of the Exquisite Corpse V: Blood & Puppets at...
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Things to do
The best Halloween events, pop-up bars and parties in Chicago this weekend and next
Celebrate spooky season with our ultimate guide to the city’s top parades, pop-ups and happenings.
Things to do
The best November 2025 events in Chicago
Pack your month with the best activities, pop-ups, concerts and things to do.
Things to do
The 50 best things to do in Chicago right now
Discover the best things to do in Chicago, from iconic venues and views to cultural musts and late-night shenanigans.
Things to do
The best Halloween events and parties in Chicago
Break out your best costumes and get ready for a fright at the best Halloween events in Chicago.
Things to do
The best October 2025 events in Chicago
Plot out your October in Chicago with our calendar of things to do, including the best festivals and Halloween parties.
Time In - movies we love
Movies
The best Halloween movies of all time
Let’s address the obvious question right off the bat: what’s the difference between a horror movie and a Halloween movie? For us – and...
Movies
The Best Movies of 2025 (So Far) – Updated October 2025
Updated October 2025: From summer blockbusters to festival sleepers, these are the 25 movies our critics think define 2025 so far. Expect prestige...
Movies
The world's most exciting filmmakers share alternative Halloween movie picks
It’s one thing for a movie to scare a general audience. But a movie that can frighten, disturb and haunt a fellow moviemaker? Now that’s a real...
Movies
'A House of Dynamite' review: Kathryn Bigelow’s nuclear thriller will spike your stress levels
The 1960s had Dr Strangelove and Fail Safe, the ’70s had Twilight’s Last Gleaming, the ’80s had WarGames, and the ’90s had Crimson...
Movies
'Hamnet' review: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal extraordinary in Tudor tearjerker
The jury’s out on popcorn and the case has been made against phone use (time to criminalise?), but where do we stand on big, ugly,...
Time In - songs we love
Music
The 40 best Halloween songs of all time
As the nights turn darker and the air feels cooler, it can only mean one thing: spooky season is upon us. The pumpkins are carved, the costume is finalised,...
Music
The 50 best karaoke songs ever made
Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, karaoke unites us all.
Music
The 40 best party songs ever made
Party songs come in all shapes and sizes, but to be a party song, there are some rules.
Music
The best albums of 2025 so far
We’re only a few months through the year and our auditory canals have already been graced with some absolutely cracking new music.
Music
The best songs of 2025 so far
This year of music has started with a bang. We’ve seen Chappell Roan go country, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco smothering audiences with gushy love songs...