The best things to do in Chicago today

Need a break from the monotonous sights of winter in Chicago? Head to the North Shore for the Chicago Botanic Garden's annual orchid show, where there are more than 10,000 vibrant blooms on display to brighten your day. This year's show is inspired by the beauty of India—you'll marvel at a floor-to-ceiling peacock and a towering banyan tree with cascading roots. Swing by on Saturdays and Sundays to shop for orchids of your own in a pop-up marketplace, or stay late on select Thursday and Friday nights to have a cocktail and fried goat cheese during Orchids After Hours.

The North Side is bringing back its own Restaurant Week, offering exclusive deals during lunch and dinner. Enjoy three-course menus at places throughout Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Albany Park, Edgewater, Irving Park, Northcenter, North Park, Rogers Park and Uptown. Participating spots include Maman Zari, Bistro Campagne, Khmai, Boonie's, Luella's, the Warbler and more. Find the full list of restaurants and menus here.

Winter is almost over and the Garfield Park Conservatory is here to usher in warmer days with its annnual Spring Flower Show. Make a reservation to explore this year's theme, "Rooted in Mystery," which explores the critical part of plants we don't see hidden underground. You'll find spring bulbs like azaleas, pansies, snapdragons, astilbe, baptisia, hydrangeas and more. The show only sticks around through Mother's Day weekend, so book your visit soon!

The northwestern suburbs of Roselle, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Itasca, Rolling Meadows, Streamwood and Wood Dale will showcase their culinary scenes with 10 days of dining specials. Dozens of restaurants—from steakhouses to quick-service spots—will offer set menus or deals during lunch and dinner. Participants include Chicago Prime Italian, Tokio Pub, Shaw's Crab House, Capital Grille and more. Check out the full list here.

Feast on specials from restaurants like Athena Restaurant (free saganaki with any entree order), 9 Muses Bar & Grill (50% off Greek wine and complimentary trio of spreads) and more during Greektown Restaurant Week, when diners can take advantage of discounts from some of the neighborhood's most beloved eateries. Visit Greektown's website to see a full list of participating restaurants and remember to mention Greektown Restaurant Week when ordering!

There’s plenty of cold weather fun to be had on the Art Deco-inspired terrace at the Gwen Hotel, which offers curling lanes plus fire pits and hot cocktails so you can warm up between rounds. Heat lamps are set up around the perimeter to keep things toasty and you can also hang out with a group around one of the fire tables.

At a motel in the Mojave Desert, two lovers, or fools as the play would suggest, meet up and clash. With just three main cast members, Fool for Love is a haunting drama that explores the deeply complex relationship between the trio. The play was written in 1983 by noted playwright Sam Shepard, whose works also include A Lie of the Mind and Buried Child, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979.

In its 23rd year, Chicago's annual Flamenco Festival brings a four-week-long lineup of flamenco's brightest young stars and critically acclaimed artists to the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. Throughout the festival, flamenco performances, workshops, lectures, films and other events will be offered. Whether you're a novice or expert on flamenco, come celebrate some of the finest Spanish and Hispanic heritage in the city. 

A musical based on the 2007 film of the same name, Waitress follows Jenna, a waitress at a cafe who’s in an abusive relationship with her husband, Earl. After becoming pregnant, Jenna starts an affair with her doctor and enters a pie-baking contest, hoping to win the grand prize in order to fund her escape.

You’ve probably seen a Shakespeare play before, but never like this. Five professional actors come together for each performance of Drunk Shakespeare. The twist? One of them has had five shots before the show and is trying to stay on track while the other four actors do their best to hold the performance together.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry has dedicated an exhibit to the science and technology behind the world’s longest-running film franchise, James Bond. Fans of the renowned secret agent can check out 13 vehicles and over 90 additional artifacts, including the prototype jetpack used in Thunderball, an MI6 Retina Scanner from GoldenEye and the Parahawk snowmobile hybrid from The World Is Not Enough. You’ll also be able to step into a lab space inspired by “Q” and test your skills developing the perfect vehicle for spy activities, designing stunts and more.

Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago with the city's sweeping skyline as a backdrop, the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park is a winter attraction unlike any other. Skaters can lace up and wind around a winding ice-covered path that's twice the length of a lap around a traditional rink. Reservations for the popular ice rink should be made in advance, as they tend to fill up quickly. Admission to the Skating Ribbon is free Monday through Thursday and for 11am sessions Friday through Sunday (and $5 for other time slots Friday through Sunday, as well as holidays) if you bring your own skates. No skates? Entry is $17–$23 if you need to rent a pair. The Ribbon stays open through March (weather permitting) and even offers hours on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Betrayal isn’t structured like a traditional play. The events move in reverse chronological order, showcasing the demise of an affair and going back in time as it occurred and ultimately to the beginning. The play stars Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winner Helen Hunt as Emma, who is having an affair with Jerry, her husband’s friend and coworker. Betrayal, which is playing at the Goodman Theatre, was first written by British playwright Harold Pinter in 1978.

It’s Rosemont’s turn to get in on the Restaurant Week action. The suburban village kicks off its week of deals on March 2 and diners will be able to enjoy three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner menus at a variety of participating spots. Participating restaurants include Bub City, Carmine’s, Truluck’s, Morton's and more. You can check out the full list and menus here.

Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak explores the deep and ongoing connections between Indigenous art and the region now known as Chicagoland. This groundbreaking exhibition, shaped by four artists with ties to Zhegagoynak, showcases more than 80 works by 33 artists. Each piece celebrates the diversity of Indigenous materials, practices and perspectives, creating a tapestry of shared aesthetics, values and histories. Indigenous contributions to the city’s artistic narrative are often overlooked, but Woven Being challenges this omission, centering on Indigenous voices and stories. Themes of land, water, kinship with nature and Indigenous concepts of time weave through the exhibition, reflecting a rich heritage that endures.