Mentioned by Condé Nast Traveler
14 Best Museums in Chicago
"Celebrate the maritime pride of Chicago at this landmark pier on Lake Michigan. Featuring fun things to do all year long, enjoy waterfront attractions, sightseeing cruises, art, theater, and the Centennial Wheel. Category: Activities, Attractions, Family / Kids"
"Take pleasure in the Navy Pier atmosphere without spending money. Pack a lunch for the family to eat on the dock. As you stroll along the pier, people-watch and take pictures of your family in front of a beautiful Lake Michigan landscape."
"The Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most visited tourist attractions. Restaurants, beer gardens and attractions fill the 3,300-foot-long pier. Great views of the Chicago skyline are visible from the end of Navy Pier."
"Dedicated to art from 1945 to the present, the Museum of Contemporary art is endowed with a serious collection, spanning surrealism, conceptual art, pop art and minimalism. You’ll get to see works by Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Francis Bacon, René Magritte, Alexander Calder, Ann Hamilton and Richard Serra. When we wrote this article in 2018 there was a haunting exhibition by the Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Otobong Nkanga, combining installations, photography and textiles."
"Then, head over to the Mexican Art Museum. This is the largest collection of Latino artwork in the United States. If you’re at all interested in the fascinating, diverse world of Mexican art, it’s worth spending at least two hours here. It even has free admission."
"Head to the National Museum of Mexican Art for one of the best collections of Latin works in the country. Mexican culture is celebrated with art spanning over 3,000 years and a whopping 10,000 piece permanent collection."
"Established in 2002 in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Kavi Gupta Gallery focuses on presenting exhibitions of international emerging and mid-career artists in all media. The space has received enormous popular and critical responses for its curatorially-focused, project-based and ambitious and innovative programming. Within its two permanent gallery locations, the gallery hosts more than a dozen museum-quality exhibitions each year, while its publishing imprint, Kavi Gupta Editions, produces quality artist books and catalogs."
"Established in 2002, Kavi Gupta Art Gallery focusses on presenting works of international mid-career and emerging artists who have a record with museums in solo shows and biennales, and whose works have been published in important institutional and public collections. Kavi Gupta Art Gallery is divided into two main spaces; including the original gallery and a newly built 8,000 sq. ft exhibition space."
"Kavi Gupta Gallery features the artworks of a long list of artists from different parts of the world. It is owned by gallerist Kavi Gupta. The gallery has multiple exhibition spaces."
"In addition to their mouthwatering artisanal Hall of Fame donuts which includes but is not limited to the following flavors: Butterscotch Praline, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Maple Glazed Pineapple & Bacon, Caramel Apple Cider, Rum Cake, and Peanut Butter and Jelly — honestly just check out their website because all of them are simply divine — Firecakes whip up ice cream donut concoctions that your sweet tooth could never even dream of. Just go there, you won’t be disappointed."
"There are plenty of donut shops in Chicagoland, but have you ever had a donut ice cream sandwich?. Luckily, Firecakes offers build-your-own donut ice cream sandwiches. You select the donut, ice cream and sauce (and toppings too, of course!)."
"Chicagoans really can’t be kept apart from their sandwiches. Trust us, ice cream was meant to be served in the middle of a doughnut. #SpoonTip: Firecakes will close if they run out of doughnuts, so make sure you don’t try to go too late."
"Another cooling dessert worth highlighting is the gelato at Black Dog Gelato, which the brainchild of crafty pastry chef Jessie Oloroso. Her offbeat gelato flavors are fascinating, not only in surprising ingredient combinations, but in silken texture and illustrious hue. You really can't go wrong with any of the them, from the rich malted vanilla to the goat cheese-cashew-caramel."
"It’s incredibly smooth, and there are a variety of interesting flavors, like pretzel Nutella and olive-oil almond (our absolute favorite is the goat cheese cashew caramel). Just keep in mind that since everything is made fresh daily, they might run out of what you’re looking for."
"A former pastry chef, Black Dog Gelato founder Jessica Oloroso now uses her knack for flavors to make artisanal gelato. Choose from favorites like goat cheese cashew caramel, strawberry balsamic, and chocolate coffee toffee, all handmade in small batches each day."
"Sweet Shot Cookies specializes in infused cookies and cookie cakes. Their homemade gooey infused cookies can be filled with anything from marshmallow fluff to dark chocolate ganache—you name it, they infuse it. They can be ordered pre-filled or if you're a DIY'er, they can be delivered with a syringe of flavor so you can inject it yourself with as much filling as you'd like."
"You can probably already tell that we love our cupcakes here in Chicago. More Cupcakes is known for their upscale environment and minimalist display. Stop by for delicious cupcakes with unique toppings."
"Restaurants American Lincoln Park. No matter what the forecast looks like outside, this Lincoln Park restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You transports diners to sunny California through a bright and spacious dining room that's dotted with greenery. Choose from avocado toast loaded with tomatoes and scallion mascarpone, chicken tinga tacos with guac, or the charred summer corn elotes that's imbued with jalapeños and queso fresco."
"Sticking with the theme of escaping the cold, another option if you’ve landed in Chicago at the wrong time is to go to Summer House Santa Monica, where the plants and California vibes will make you forget (albeit temporarily) where you are. The glass ceilings provide the perfect amount of lighting for the perfect #nofilter photos."
"With all the fantastic Chicago diners available in the Windy City sometimes it’s nice to change it up a bit. Lincoln Park’s Summer House Santa Monica will transport you to sunny California with its bright and breezy dining room. If you’re looking for an instant mood boost, this is it."
"If you’re still trying to diet in this pandemic, well you should definitely avoid following Stan’s Donuts & Coffee’s Instagram, because one look at their photos will completely override any self discipline you thought you had. More importantly, Stan’s has the flavor to back it up. Featured flavors include: Biscoff Banana Pockets, Glazed Pretzels, Lemon-Pistachio Old Fashioneds, and their new Caramel Marshmallow Pockets."
"Stan’s Donuts are next on our list of the best desserts in Chicago. Stan’s Donuts is a classic choice for desserts in Chicago, and they’re seriously delicious too!. In fact, if you ask any local Chicagoans they’ll probably have heard of Stan’s Donuts!"
"Stan's Donuts has quickly become a Chicago icon with decadent flavored donuts, cookies and delicious beverages. They are currently open every day for takeout and delivery."