18 NON TOURISTY THINGS TO DO IN CHICAGO TO BEAT THE CROWDS

Sick of waiting in long queues at The Bean (cloudgate) to get that perfect people free image  or dodging crowds in Millennium Park or the Riverwalk? Trust us, we’ve been there too, which is why we’ve explored beyond the typical tourist attractions to find the real Chicago. We’ve explored the usual tourist spots and neighbourhoods, curate the best photo locations as part of a city tour and now, we bring you this guide of 16 non touristy things to do in Chicago, we’re sharing our favourite unique local spots and hidden gems so you can experience the Windy City like a true insider.

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What’s The Best Way to See Chicago and When ?

Undoubtedly, the best way to get around the city, we’d say is to use the CTA train network, referred to as the L. 

The main areas of Chicago are very walkable but to see many of the non-touristy things to do in Chicago, you do have to head out of the downtown (or Loop) area, 

A 24 hour ticket, which can be bought at the ticket machines at each station, is $5 and well worth it. It is possible to simply tap your credit card at the turnstiles but this can add up to more per day so the $5 option is the most cost effective. For “L” routes, fares and further information, head to Transit Chicago.

If travelling at night, the L is perfectly safe and accessible, and we used it until around 22:00 if we were coming back to our hotel, of which there are a great array of cool and unique options with great locations.  Travelling on the L is also a sustainable way to travel in Chicago and be a more mindful tourist.

Chicago weather is pretty unpredictable but to avoid major holiday seasons that also coincide with school holidays we’d say mid April, beginning of November is great if you intend on spending a lot of your time outside. Winter does see extremely cold temperatures and often lots of rainfall and pretty sever snow. But it’s definitely a much more cost effective time to visit if that’s your thing. Personally we tend to visit April – June. 

Map of Chicago

Click on the menu on the left hand side to reveal a legend of all our Chicago content articles, as well as the non-touristy things to do in Chicago features in this article.

#1. Discover Interesting Flora at The Garfield Park Conservatory

Often referred to as ‘Chicago’s landscape under glass’ Garfield Park Conservatory showcases thousands of species of plants from around the world. The conservatory makes up around two acres plus of indoor space. On our visit we only saw local Chicagoans here from school trips to young mums and solo nature lovers who were catching a moment in nature.

The conservatory has a number of events and activities which are eco-friendly, such as adult and child-friendly programs including mindfulness, yoga, bee keeping, learning how to grow and look after plants and botanicals as well as useful demos on composting at home. It was spring when we visited and the displays of tulips were stunning. There are eight spaces indoors to discover gardens from cacti to one that even looked like an English country garden. The ten acres outside is perfect to walk around and you can even refuel at the onsite cafe!

It’s really easy to get to, take the blue line on the L from the Loop and alight at Conservatory.

• Street Location: 300 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60624.
• Find it Here: Map Location.
• Reservations: Head to Garfield Park conservatory’s website to make reservations. Entry is free for Chicago residents but $10 for adults and $5 for children with other concessions. Visitors are requested to book a time slot.

#2. See The Light Court & Oriel Staircase at The Rookery Building

Situated in the heart of Chicago’s financial district, standing 12 stories high, it is hard not to be wowed by Daniel Burnham and John root’s creation dating back to 1888. In later years Frank Lloyd Wright was enlisted to help with restoration, with the addition of marble but note the original mosaic floor under the information boards remains intact.  

We’d highly recommend booking  a tour with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust to be able to view the stunning oriel staircase that winds down from floor 12 to 2 as well as getting an insight into the history of the light court and building. Other architectural tours do come into the building but can only enter the ground level, however booking a tour through the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, you are able to go up to the second floor of the staircase and snap some photos.

Made a Designated Chicago landmark in 1972, the building is considered an architectural masterpiece. It is now a working office building and is LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold certified (2014).

Be-lavie Tip: You can see the ground floor of The Rookery Building with other tours but they aren’t permitted to head to the first and second floors to see Oriel staircase, therefore it’s best to do this via the Frank Wright Trust booking office on the ground floor of the Rookery builiding or online at FLW.

• Street Address: 209 S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60604,
• Find me Here: Map Location.
• Tour Information: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Office (ground floor of Rookery Building) or online at FLW.

#3. Take In The Picasso Sculpture in The Loop

Now if like us you can’t make your mind up of if The Bean (officially named, Cloud Gate) is a complete tourist magnet, look a little further into the Loop for The Picasso is an untitled sculpture by Pablo Picasso in the Daley Plaza.  It stands 50 feet tall and weighs in at an impressive, over 160 tons. You’ll see hardly any people around it and you can snap away at your hearts content and have the time to take in the structure from different angles on the Plaza.

It was installed in 1967 and is said to have “precipitated an aesthetic shift in civic and urban planning, broadening the idea of public art beyond the commemorative. Its definitely worth a look for its lines and modernity even today.

• Street Address: 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602. 
• Find it Here: Map Location:

#4. Have a Coffee at The 3 Arts Club Cafe, RH Chicago

This beautiful 3 Arts cafe at RH House is based in the grand central garden courtyard of RH Chicago, The Gallery at the Historic Three Arts Club, a 70,000 square foot design gallery is located in Chicago’s rather upmarket Gold Coast neighbourhood. The space was home to the Three Arts Club and was built in 1914 to be used as a house for women studying music, drama and the visual arts. The space has now been rehashed and is now a great place to head for brunch, dinner or a drink of wine at the wine vault.

The four floors above, are high end furniture stores and there is also a rooftop which sells beautiful garden furniture. For most of us, this place is what furniture DREAMS are made of but the cafe downstairs is a little more affordable however with it’s Gold Coast location, it does come with a Gold Coast price tag.

• Location: 1300 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610,
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#5. Be Wowed By The World’s Largest Tiffany Dome

This absolute stunning dome was completed in 1897 and is located in the Preston Bradley Hall in the Cultural Centre. It is said to be the largest undertaking in the history of the Tiffany Glass & decorating Company with  2,848 faceted glass jewels of rippled and streaky opalescent glass that have been cut in a fish scale pattern and assembled to give off maximum light. Lighter shades of yellowish green glass were used at the bottom of the dome and the colour becomes gradually richer and darker toward the top. At the centre of the dome is a great glass rosette encircled by the signs of the zodiac. 

The reason we’ve included the Cultural centre and Tiffany Dome in this unique things to do in Chicago guide is, although located right in the centre of the Downtown district, many people have often overlooked it, unless they’ve opted for a secret interiors or architectural walking tour. You can actually visit the Cultural Centre within it’s opening hours independently. Photographers will be in awe of the light shining and reflecting off the globe and to learn more about the history of the dome and a lot of Chicago’s unique spots, we’d recommend a guided tour by a local.

Be-lavie Fact: The Tiffany Dome is valued at being worth around $35,000,000, more than the building that it is located, the whole Cultural Centre real estate which spans a block!

• Street Address: The Cultural Centre. 78 East Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 I Website:
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#6. See The Gast at The Grand Army of The Republic Rotunda (G.A.R)

Another much smaller Tiffany like dome at the Cultural Centre is located in the Grand Army of the Republic room. It may be smaller but some say it looks even more beautiful than it’s larger counterpart. 

The G.A.R opened in 1897 to represent union soldiers in the US Civil War who fought to preserve union and abolish slavery. Between 2021-2022 the hall was restored by preservation experts after a generous donation. It is made up of 62,000 pieces of art glass. 

• Street Address: The Cultural Centre. 78 East Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 I Website:
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#7. Take The Elevator to Macy’s Stained Glass Ceiling 

Macy’s departmnjet store on State Street, previously known as the Marshal Field’s store, walk in on the ground floor and simply look up! 

You will be blown away by the 6,000 square foot mosaic made of favrile glass, containing over 1.6 million pieces.. The vaulted ceiling’s glass work was completed in 1907 and designed by Louis C. Tiffany, art director of famed Tiffany & Co. We’d recommend going to see this independently, especially if you’re planning on doing some shopping, however, it is part of the secret interiors or architectural walking tour.

Be-lavie Tip: Take the lift to the fifth floor for a much closer look at the open mosaic work.

• Street Address: 111 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60602.
• Find it Here: Map Location:

#8. Do Not Miss The Pedway Tour

If you fancy learning about Chicago’s Pedway, underground passageways, the Secrets of the Underground Pedway is a must do and one we did on our very first visit to Chicago. The mysterious underground tunnels downtown that keep locals warm & dry in bad weather during the winter months. Wandering the Pedway, through hidden corridors of stained glass and even underground swimming pools, you’ll access interiors that seem to come up out of nowhere!

The tour lasts two hours and is one that will enable you to discover some of Chicago’s gems that you wouldn’t usually know that existed!

The cultural Centre is one one of the city’s main and most popular cultural attractions. Spanning the length of an entire block opposite Millennium Park, in the Loop area of downtown, the centre is home to many incredible gems. It’s completely free to visit and they also hold free music and art events. The centre is home to the world’s largest Tiffany stained glass dome as well as a smaller version, which isn’t as well known, but it should be. 

• More Information: The tour will stipulate a meeting time and location.

#9. Experience The Green Space at Lincoln Park

An affluent leafy green neighbourhood located in the North of Chicago, Abraham Lincoln Park is a lovely green space not far from the Gold Coast neighbourhood. The area itself has the park as well as a number of great restaurants  and street locations for photography. 

The park has some wonderful photography spots such as the nature boardwalk and the honeycomb as well as other notable statues.

The Boardwalk area is a beautiful serene spot right in front of the skyscraper skyline which blends nature with urban vibes. Walk around the Lilly pond and take in the beautiful flowers and sounds of the wildlife such as pretty birds and bees and dragonflies, especially in the spring and summer.

• Street Address: ​​2121 North Stockton Dr, Chicago, IL 60614.
• Find it Here: Map Location:

#10. Walk Through The People’s Park Pavilion (The Honeycomb)

Located in the South end of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Nature Boardwalk, you don’t need to go to the zoo to see it, we are quite conscious about this as we don’t advocate visiting zoos. You’ll see a honeycomb shaped dome. Built in 2012 it’s inspiration comes from the natural shape of a tortoise shell. You literally can’t miss it.

Be-lavie Tip:  We were given some local insider knowledge that this spot can become very busy with photographers and those having carefully curated photo shoots. We visited at around 10 am on a cloudy slightly drizzly day in early June, to find we had the whole place to ourselves.

• Find it Here: Honeycomb Map Location.

#11. Join a Kayaking Tour down the Chicago River

Instead of taking the regular Chicago architectural River Cruise, which actually is fantastic but a pretty touristy activity to do in the city), why not take a Sunset Kayak Tour on the Chicago River allowing you to discover the Riverwalk from a different perspective.

You’ll be up close and personal with the Chicago River and receive a safety and training session before kayaking. Life jackets are provided as well as solo and double canoe’s being available to choose from. For those conscious of the environment, this is one of the most sustainable and unique things to do in Chicago.

More Information: The tour will stipulate a meeting time and location.

#12. Explore Mexican American Culture in Pilsen 

Take the pink line from the Loop and alight at 18th Street Station to access the fun, cool vibes of Pilsen. This is the hub of Chicago’s Mexican American community. In 2024, Time Out magazine named Pilsen, in it’s Top 30 Coolest Streets in the World. It came it at no. 21 out of 30 and is well known for it’s restaurants, bars, breweries, galleries and particularly street art, which stretches over a two mile embankment.

Wander the myriad of streets, check out the interesting street art which tells the stories of migration and survival, head to the National Museum of Mexican Art, grab brunch at Frida Room, sip on cocktails at the well known La Vaca Margarita Bar, or get a sugar rush at Panaderia Nuevo Leon, We’d also suggest dropping by the Pilsen Arts and Culture centre to see what activities they have on too.

We would recommend at least half a day in Pilsen to get a real feel for the area and the community but you really need a day if you can squeeze it into your itinerary.

• Street Address: West 18th Street. Chicago, IL, USA.
• Find it Here: Map Location:

#13. Mooch Around The Saturday Farmer’s Market in Gold Coast (Division Street)

Open seasonally, Division Street Market is perfect to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables as well as plants. They also do a range of spices! Head down if you’re curious to find out more! Also, the market is based in the Gold Coast neighbourhood which is known for the most expensive real estate in the whole of Chicago. It’s worth having a little wander around the area when you’re there to get a taste for how the other half live and also see some of the boutique designer stores as well as celebrity hangouts!

• Find it Here: Map Location.
• When to Visit: May-October, Only on Saturday  07:00-12:00. 

#14. Spend a Day in Chicago’s Chinatown Neighbourhood

If you can spare the time, we’d thoroughly suggest taking the red line down to Cermak/McCormick and making the short walk down to Chicago’s Chinatown neighbourhood.

Walk down the main streets of Cermark and Wentworth Avenue whilst taking in the sights and sounds of thise lively, bustling and culture filled district. Do not miss popping into a few of the supermarkets or treating yourself to some of the delicious food. We’d recommend Veggie House, that we featured in our Vegetarian friendly food in Chicago guide. If you’re a foodie you’ll love the Taste of Chinatown Walking Tour that we actually ran out of time to do but it comes highly recommended by locals and friends. It’s 2.5 hours and following the foodie portion you’ll be all fuelled up to go and explore on your own!

To discover a vast array of restaurants, head down to Chinatown Square, a little north of the area where you can find more restaurants, gift shops and dessert parlours. Behind this area, walk along the road of houses and over the railway tracks to take a walk around the Ping Tom Memorial Park, which is a great place to take photos and relax, described below.

To learn further about some local history, the Chinese American Museum of Chicago has some really informative exhibitions.

• Street Location: Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue, Chicago, get off on Cermak/McCormick L stop, red line.
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#15. Note The City Scape From The Ping Tom Memorial Park 

Located just behind the main Chinatown shops and precinct in South Side, Ping Tom Memorial Park has beautiful River views as well as a Chinese design inspired pavilion right next to the statue of its namesake Ping Tom. It is a 17 acre park in chinatown dedicated to Ping Tom, a leading construction entrepreneur who fought for a park in China town as well as creating lots of homes in the area giving it a real community vibe.

Head to the park if you’re visiting China town, you can get the Red Line L to Cemak/McCormick and walk through Chinatown to access it. Alternatively you can walk along the river all the way to downtown. It does take well over an hour though!

The park is filled with sculptures and beautiful art work displayed in the sheltered areas. The gardens spread around the park and have been landscaped, and is a great spot to head towards with a long red bridge that has the best city views of skyscrapers in the background. The Chicago Architecture Tours go past the park on the river and many people get a water taxi to the park also as you can see them alighting near the pavilion. We visited during spring and the park was filled with cherry blossom, tulips and cow parsley.

Find it here: Map Location.

#16. Have Breakfast at Doma Cafe

Located on the edge of Old Town and River North,  Doma means Home in Croatian and is named after the owner’s  two sons Dominic and Marco. 

Doma Cafe has been practicing sustainable methods since 2000 and places great emphasis on culture, coffee and meaning. Coffee is sourced from Green growers as well as a brand they are making steps against the climate crisis. You can also buy Merchandise from the store.

The decor is reminiscent of pretty scandinavian style that is basic and comfortable. The chairs are mismatched and reminded us of a spot of shabby chic. The cafe itself does take out service on one side and has the cafe on the other side. 

The cafe is one of the quietest ones we’ve visited and therefore perfect if you need to get on with some work they do offer free WIFI. It’s also one of our list of coffee shops in Chicago for vegetarians, where there is a great variety of food to choose from.

Staff are very friendly and great at helping with menu choices. Doma is open for breakfast and lunch, and if the weather is good, opt to sit in the small side terrace. We love that Doma is a little more unique from other coffee spots and allows guests to try out Croatian cafe favourites.

• Location: 946 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60610 I Tel. +1 312 643 0527 I Menu.
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#17. Dine at Local’s Favourite, Gene & Georgetti

Founded in 1941 by Gene Michelotti, originally from Lucca in Tuscany, Italy and his partner Alfredo Federighi, nicknamed Georgetti, Gene & Georgetti is located in River North,  serves traditional Tuscan food. It’s famed for being Chicago’s oldest steakhouse but worry not they have plenty of other dishes on their menu, including vegan and vegetarian options. You’ll also find some great vegetarian-friendly cafes, restaurants and rooftops in our foodie guide.

The restaurant was then owned by Gene’s daughter, Marion and her husband Tony Durpetti, and you’ll notice there’s an honorary name label outside the restaurant to Anthony Durpetti. Tony died in 2014, at the age of 80, Gene & Georgetti is still in the family and is now owned by Marion and Tony’s daughter and son in law Michelle and Collin,

Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to dine at Gene & Georgetti despite numerous visits to the city, but it comes highly recommended by our friends who live in Chicago. We’d recommend making a reservation as it can get very busy.

Legends like Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Russell Crowe and Keanu Reeves to mention a few have dined at Gene & Georgetti’s, that’s now in its 80th year. 

The family have roots in North River and you can see a mural of the restaurant back in 1941, that Tony Durpetti had done to play tribute to his father in law and the countless people who played a part in contributing to the neighbourhood. 

If you are staying in River North, then we’d highly recommend you check out the very fun Moxy Hotel, which is only a six minute walk from Gene & Georgetti Restaurant. It’s definitely one of the more cool and quirky places to stay in Chicago. Alternative search for your ideal hotel to suit your taste and budget.

• Street Address: 500 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654.
• Find it Here: Map Location.

#18. Discover Free Skyline Views

There’s no denying that Chicago has a great skyline, and you do not need to pay to get a great table at one of the fancy rooftop bars although if that’s what you’d like we recommend, London House Rooftop for Great River views as well as Chateau Carbide rooftop at the Pendry. To be honest there are plenty of these dotted around the city. 

Another quite popular touristy activity to see the shoreline of Chicago and beyond is to head to the 360 Observation Deck in Willis Tower, with an aerial view of the heart of Chicago and the Magnificent Mile, it’s located 1000 feet above street level and can be quite crowded at peak times and especially if it’s a good clear day. They also have the option to buy a ticket which allows visitors to have a drink in the bar, which also has aerial views. Personally, we prefer the views that are available all throughout the city and quite a surprise to stumble upon.

For a great skyline view at anytime of the day, but particularly in the evening when the lights are twinkling, head to Wells street Bridge or even the Navy Pier, which is full of great restaurants and entertainment venue. 

If you’re looking for free things to do in Chicago, then catching those skyscraper vistas is a great option!

Another favourite of ours is, on the way back to Lincoln Park, walk along the lake Shore and you’ll arrive at North Avenue Beach. You’ll be able to take in Lake Michigan with the skyscraper filled skyline framing the back. Oh and a recent discovery of ours is the Milton Lee Olive Park which is on the other side of Navy Pier and is most definitely tourist free, it has been on all our jaunts in Chicago anyway. 

• Navy Pier I Street Address 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 I Map Location.

• North Avenue Beach: North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60614 I Map Location.

• Milton Lee Park: Street Address: E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States I Map Location.

Non Touristy Things to Do in Chicago FAQs

Unique Things to Do in Chicago to Beat the Crowds Roundup

If you’re only in Chicago for a few days or have pretty much done a lot of the touristy things then we think this guide is perfect for you. It shows a wonderful side to the city’s history, culture, food scene as well as green spaces. It allows connection with the local community, to hang out where Chicagoans consider to the most cool spots and simply see the Windy City from a different viewpoint, rather than a typical touristy one!

We’d suggest planning a loose itinerary to enjoy this unscripted, crowd beating, authentic and hidden gem filled line-up of non touristy things to do in Chicago.

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• 5 of the most unique tours in Chicago for first-time visitors
• A Sustainable Guide to Chicago: How To Be More Mindful

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