a malaysian abroad

The Chicago Traveler has a list of 10 things to do in Chicago this summer.  a malaysian abroad would like to take this list two steps further by highlighting the FREE things one can do within the suggested activites, and tell you why I have or have not done these things myself.  Here goes…

1.  Explore Navy Pier  (done, kinda!)
Drawing 8 million visitors annually, Navy Pier is one of the tourist attractions of Chicago.  Having been there twice, I can say that I don’t quite get why that’s the case.  Call me a cynic, but while admission to the Pier itself is free, you’ll be spending money left right and center on parking, overpriced funnel cakes, Ferris Wheel rides, etc.  If you want to go to the IMAX Theatre and the Children’s Museum, then you will have to pay a separate charge.  Admittedly, I did not check out the free Smith Museum of Stained Glass.  You can save $$ by taking the Free Trolley service too!

Three Chinese sculptures in Millennium Park

2.  Discover a Park (done, kinda!)
First, choose a “park”: the Chicago Park District manages over 7600 acres of parkland!  Some are tiny neighborhood community gardens, others huge parks like Grant Park.  I’ve been a few times to Millennium Park, where we have watched a practice session of some ballet show, where we played around with The Bean, and more recently, where we went specifically to take a look at a set of Chinese sculptures recently on display: a big red T-Rex boasting “Made in China” down its belly; a metallic sacred rock; and “Ying Yong Feng Dou”, a woman holding on to a man holding on to a well-endowed sow hanging from the tongue of a freaky red head.  (More photos here)

Why do  I say “done, kinda”?  Well, the Chicago Park District organises a whole bunch of free activities, usually over the summer, that I have not explored: Movies in the Park (over 150 current and classic movies shown after sundown at various neighbourhood parks); Concerts in the Park (orchestras, choirs, bands of all music styles); even free Yoga, Pilates, Dance fitness and Tai Chi workout classes on Saturday mornings in Millennium Park.

3.  Enjoy a Festival (done one!)
I am NOT a fan of crowds.  So despite a whole bunch of festivals - free and otherwise - I have not gone out of my way to attend any of them except the Printers Row Book Fair.  If you’re a fan of blues, the free Chicago Blues Festival in mid-June is for you. Other free festivals include the Chicago Air and Water Show, Taste of Greece, Taste of Chicago, Celtic Fest Chicago, Chicago Jazz Festival, and so so so many more!  Note that many of these are “free” in terms of no admission, but you’ll be shelling out quite a bit of dough for food, drink and entry into certain sections of the festivals.

4.  Take a Tour (done!)
If you want FREE tours, check out Chicago Greeter, a program that links visitors with local residents who will spend two to four hours guiding a free walkabout based on your interests - I have not tried them out though, so can’t vouch for quality one way or another.  The two tours I have done were paid ones.  For the first, unfortunately, it was a gloomy rainy dreary day, but we took my family on a 30min boat tour of Chicago, where we essentially boarded at Navy Pier, and they took us out into the lake and talked about some of the buildings we could see.  I would like to do the architecture tour, where the boat takes you along the Chicago river, for a closer look at the buildings.  The second I’ve done is the hop on and off one - which is good for you to do on Day One of a multi-day visit to Chicago: it’ll help you figure out which locations you would want to return to for a more thorough visit.  There are other tours too: those that take you to haunted locations, others that explore the gangster past, and many more.

“checking” the lion guarding the Art Institute

5.  Visit a Museum (nope!)
Chicago has a gazillion museums and other cultural institutions, many of them world-class, world-renowned, and FREE on certain days of the week/year.   I have this aversion to all things touted as cultural, an unfortunate childhood response, and as such have yet to set foot in any museums and such.  I did do the Shedd Aquarium back in my college days, though.  I have walked past the Art Institute and checked the gender of the lions standing guard (male!), and I totally intend to visit the Field Museum once I reach Dead Beat in my effort to reread my Harry Dresden series. 

6.  Experience the Arts (nope!)
This is the same as #5 in my book!  :p   As a result, I’ll add in a bonus #11.  Read on!

7.  Go Shopping (nope!)
Shopping is not free, but you can certainly make your way to the Magnificent Mile and just window shop or browse inside the over 400 shops along that one mile of Michigan Avenue.  There are plenty of shops along State Street in the Loop downtown.

8.  See Chicago from Above (nope!)
I’ve been up the Empire State Building.  I’ve been up to the 86th floor of the PETRONAS Twin Towers, and to the revolving restaurant at Menara KL.  So call me a wet blanket, but I really don’t feel the need to shell out some dough to take an elevator all the way up yet another tall building just to get a bird’s eye view of yet another city.  If you are interested, a free way to get part of the skyview is to make your way to the restaurant or bar floors (95th or 96th floors) of the John Hancock Building and take a quick look around.  Otherwise, pay to go to the observatory on the 95th floor, or make your way to the Sears-soon-to-be-Willis Tower.

9.  Take in a Game (nope!)
Home to the Bears (American “football”), White Sox and Cubs (baseball), Blackhawks, (ice hockey), and Bulls (Basketball), Chicago certainly has a lot to offer sports fans.  Me, I’m a tennis person - move the US Open from Flushing Meadows to Chicago and then I’ll consider thinning my wallet for a day or all-event ticket :D  I don’t know of any free games any of these teams may play.

10.  Go to the Zoo (nope!)
Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the few remaining free public zoos in the country, and also one of the oldest.  It’s also not that convenient to get to via public transport (only serviced by bus), and if you drive, well, parking fees is how they get some of their funds, I guess.  There’s also the Brookfield Zoo a little away from Chicago itself - it has a few free days during the winter/off-season.  The last time I visited a zoo was probably in 1990 in Malaysia. I don’t feel the call of the captive wild, though.  I’ll pass on this for the moment.

11.  Oprah Winfrey (nope!)
Your bonus item.  To the envy of many friends, I am living in the city where Oprah tapes her show.  I hear that tickets to these tapings are free; you just need to get lucky when calling in.  In case you’re interested, the number to call is (312) 591-9222, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., CST.  Tapings occur at 9 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. Tell you what, you score some tickets, maybe I’ll go with you, LoL!  Then afterwards we’ll go have brunch at one of my favourite brunch places, just a minute away from Harpo Studios 

Some honorable mentions: walking along the miles-long waterfront, and spotting the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the Oak Park neighbourhood.  Care to add more that I missed?  Comments are open!

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