Top 9 Things for RVers to do in Chicago
Even though we spend a ton of time in nature, often in remote places, we still love visiting big cities.
One of our favorite big cities is Chicago, Illinois.
We have visited Chicago several times since we started traveling full time in our RV in 2018, and wanted to share some of our favorite things to do in the area!
Where we stay
You may be surprised to find out there’s RV parking right in the city! It’s not fancy by any means, and doesn’t even have hookups, but you can park your RV in a secure, gated parking lot called McCormick Place Lot B, which we found on the Campendium app. For $38/night, it’s a really convenient place to park when visiting the city, and the metro is a short walk away if you want to get around without driving.
We have also stayed at O'Connell's Yogi Bear RV Resort in Amboy, which is a pretty good drive from Chicago, but close enough to make day trips into town.
Best Time to Visit
We aren’t fans of extreme heat or cold, and Chicago can go extreme both ways, so we love visiting during the late spring or the fall. We have visited Chicago during the summer and have experienced some good summer weather…but have also experienced all of the extreme heat and humidity that Chicago has to offer. No thanks! If your schedule is flexible and you can wait for some pleasant summer weather, it will be heaven.
Chicago winters are brutal, and according to friends and family who live there, most people feel stuck inside fighting seasonal depression during the winter, so I’d stay away during the cold season! If cold weather doesn’t scare you off, be prepared with warm layers.
Our 9 Favorite Things to do in Chicago
This 90 minute boat tour highlights Chicago’s legendary architecture and is narrated by an architectural guide.
We learned so much on this tour and loved seeing the heart of the city from the 3 branches of the river that run through it.
Walking around this park is a real treat. You’ll get to see the famous “Bean” which is actually called Cloudgate, as well as a ferris wheel, outdoor music pavilion and ice skating rink.
This 1.25 mile path includes four districts;
The Confluence, The Arcade, The Civic, and the Esplanade.
You will see boats and kayakers on the water and pass by restaurants and shops. Gazing up you see the gigantic buildings of Chicago all around and it’s hard not to feel the magic of the city in this area.
4. Catch a baseball game
With two major league baseball teams, you can choose between catching a Cubs game at historic Wrigley Field or seeing the White Sox play at Guaranteed Rate Field.
It’s hard to beat the history and uniqueness of Wrigleyville, but we were pleasantly surprised at the game-time atmosphere surrounding the White Sox Stadium.
Turtle’s Bar & Grill was a perfect place to grab food and drinks before the game, and it was easy walking to the stadium.
5. Visit a museum
Chicago is home to 67 museums! We really enjoyed our time at the Museum of Science and Industry.
It’s more for older kids and adults, but there is definitely enough visual stimuli to keep younger kids happy. We got in free with our ASTC travel membership!
This 18 mile paved pedestrian and bike trail follows the Lake Michigan shoreline on the city’s eastern edge.
You’ll have Lake Michigan’s blue waters on one side and beautiful parks with dramatic skyline views on the other.
Navy Pier has tons of activities and events going on in 3 out of 4 seasons a year! Pier Park is a carnival right on the pier, along with Chicago Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
The pier is the launching point for the boat cruises and many tours and you can find lots of good eats in this area!
If you are a USC Trojan fan like Aaron, this is where USC has their pre-game pep rally for their game against Notre Dame every other year.
We were blown away by how delicious the deep dish pizza we had at Giordono’s was.
It was our first time having authentic Chicago pizza, so if you have another favorite place to get it, let us know in the comments!
We went to the Navy Pier location.
Chicago has miles of sandy shoreline, where you can swim, bike, kayak, boat, jet ski, paddle board and more.
Relaxing in the sun with Lake Michigan in front of you and towering skyscrapers behind you is a unique setting that we loved experiencing.
Indiana Dunes National Park is about 45 minutes from Chicago and has beautiful sand dunes and views of the Chicago skyline from it’s shores, but you can enjoy beaches in town like Oak Street Beach.
Chicago is an incredible city, and one of our favorite places to visit. Let us know in the comments some of your favorite Chicago stops so we can be sure and visit next time we’re there!
*Some products discussed in this blog were gifted to me by adidas however, all opinions are entirely my own.