Chicago is one of America’s most populated, storied, and beloved cities that offers so many unique activities and experiences to tourists.
You probably know a lot about “Chicago-style Pizza”, the city’s renowned skyline, architecture as well as its rich sports history and fan traditions.
Add in the arts, museums, and many other tourist attractions, and you’ll find your Chicago to-do relatively long.
If you plan a visit to “The Windy City”, you should keep these six travel tips in mind.
1. Online & Mobile Sports Betting
In 2020, the state of Illinois officially launched mobile and online sports betting. Needless to say, sports betting has been a massive success in the state.
There are many different online casino games and wagers you can place through the many Illinois sports sportsbooks.
On top of that, several of these sportsbooks are presenting generous offers to new customers. This includes a $1,500 risk-free bet from Caesars or a risk-free $1,000 wager from both FanDuel and BetMGM.
Casino lovers in Chicago may find themselves strapped for time during a stay here.
The good news is that you can play your favorite casino games such as slots, roulette, blackjack and poker through simple taps on your phone.
2. Get A CTA Unlimited Ride Pass
Like the city of New York, Chicago has an excellent public transit system that conveniently allows you to get all around the city at a relatively cheap price.
If you’re on a tight budget but have several days in Chicago, you should skip car services and rely on public transit to get you where you need to go.
A one-day CTA pass with unlimited rides on the buses and trains will only cost you $5, which is an absolute bargain if you’re traveling throughout the city.
A three-day CTA pass is only $15, and a seven-day pass will only cost you $20.
Even if you’re only spending two days in Chicago, you could save a lot of money by relying on the CTA Pass more than any other form of transit.
3. Visiting Multiple Sports Venues On The Same Day
Chicago is home to the Cubs and White Sox.
It’s only one of four cities/regions with two MLB franchises, along with New York (the Yankees and Mets), Los Angeles (the Angels and Dodgers) and the San Francisco Bay Area (the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants).
If you’re a big sports fan and hope to see both a White Sox or Cubs home game, you should know that Wrigley Field (Cubs) and Comiskey Park (White Sox) are only about a half-hour drive apart.
MLB will rarely schedule the Cubs and White Sox to play home games on the same day.
But if the occasion pops up during your visit here, and if the games start at different times, you may want to plan around visiting both ballparks.
Also, the United Center (where the Blackhawks and Bulls play) is a short 16-minute drive from Soldier Field (home of the Bears).
So if you wanted to see a Bulls or Blackhawks game on the same day as a Bears home tilt, the short distance between the two venues make it doable.
4. Traveling On The Chicago River
Ask just about any local what to do during your visit in Chicago, and chances are high that they’ll recommend a day (or night) out on the Chicago River.
You can book a Chicago River cruise, your own private tour, and either rent a boat or kayak to travel along the waters.
But if you want to save money, the Chicago Water Taxi system is the way to go.
Another important note: A Weekend All-Day Pass will only cost you $10.
5. Stay In a Hostel Or Airbnb
As is the case with many big cities, staying in a hotel around the downtown area of Chicago can be very expensive.
But there is no shortage of affordable downtown hostels or Airbnb locations around the downtown area that could save you a lot of money.
Plus, it makes sense to spend considerably less on a place to stay if you’re spending the majority of time traveling anyway.
6. Always Dress Warm
They don’t call Chicago “The Windy City” for nothing.
Chicago is renowned for its relatively cool weather.
You’ll be packing a lot of clothes to keep you warm during the freezing and snow-filled season if you’re visiting Chicago in the winter, but you should also cover all angles if you’re visiting in spring, summer or fall.
The Windy City weather is unpredictable, and you never know when a spring, summer or fall day will suddenly turn cold.
So make sure you pack just enough clothes (jackets, pants, sweaters, a beanie and/or hat) to stay warm should the weather turn cool.