There isn’t a season in Chicago that is more fleeting than fall. While summer in Chicago gets all the flashy glory, autumn is its understated, classic counterpart. Take advantage of all a Chicago fall has to offer, by adding these activities to your must-do list.
Start off the weekend
Green City Market (through the end of October). Spend a picture perfect fall Saturday taking a walk through Lincoln Park to see the turning leaves and to visit Green City Market. Grab a freshly baked doughnut, enjoy live music, and stock up on seasonal vegetables and fall blooms.
Go on a date
RPM Steak. This Chicago dining destination unveiled a new, savory pumpkin dish in time for fall. The roasted pumpkin with Sichuan peppercorns, pomegranate seeds, and fennel fronds is a Chinese-inspired twist on a traditional pumpkin dish.
Far & Away (October 13). If you’re looking for something a little more casual, check out the Far & Away beer fest in Millennium Park, held by Half Acre. Tastings include beers that are rarely on tap in Chicago.
Gratify your sweet tooth.
Summer House Santa Monica. A Lincoln Park favorite, Summer House, will be baking pumpkin-cheesecake cookies during the fall months. Don’t miss out on this limited time, seasonal treat!
Up your fitness game.
Fall Races. Without the heat, humidity, or lakefront crowds, fall is very best running weather. Sign up for Pumpkins in the Park 5K (October 20) or if you’re feeling a little more ambitions, the Hot Chocolate 15K (November 4).
Give a nod to Oktoberfest
Funkenhausen. Leave your lederhosen at home, but prost with a stein of pilsner at one of West Town’s newest spots. The menu is a fusion of Bavarian cuisine with Southern hospitality, so do as their motto says, and wine, stein and dine, to celebrate your own version of Oktoberfest.
Take the kids
Lincoln Park Zoo’s Fall Fest (Weekends through October 28). The Fall Fest is a family-friendly celebration that lets guests pick pumpkins, climb a hay mountain, explore a corn maze and more fun, fall family activities. Avoid weekend traffic and a trip to a suburban pumpkin farm, by taking advantage of the harvest in Lincoln Park.
Go grown-up trick-or-treating
Open House Chicago (October 13 and 14). Get a glimpse behind the closed doors of the city’s architectural gems you’ve always wanted to see. Open House Chicago is a free event that provides behind-the-scenes access to more than 250 buildings across Chicago.
Prepare for the holidays
Tree Lighting Parade (November 17). The inevitable has come — the holidays are around the corner. Get into the festive spirit at the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival by taking in the iconic tree-lighting parade on North Michigan Avenue.
Leave a Comment