As many Chicagoans look to postpone a vacation this year to save money, there are still plenty of free events and low-cost ways to have fun in Chicago while staying at home. Travelgirl magazine editor-in-chief Stephanie Os wald says “As a mother, taking a summer staycation can be the best of both worlds,” said Os wald. “You get to have fun spending time with family away from work and don’t have to break the bank to do it.”
Here are some free ideas for making the most of a summer staycation, regardless of your location, interest or budget:
- Feed your (local) appetite Investigate local farmers markets, pick fruit at local orchards and visit local farms.
- Stock up on books Block off an entire morning at the library or bookstore.
- Take a trip to the museum on a free day — We bet you haven’t been in a while.
- Become a Tourist – Check-out those local Chicago sites and Chicago landmarks that you’ve often thought about but never explored – many have free days and free events. Whether it’s a historic museum, city tour or an amusement park, have a family meeting and allow each member to pick at least one special event. If you’re on your own, the sky is the limit but remember to bring a camera to capture those memories.
- Take a hike Google around for local hiking groups and trails.
- Take a dip Your swimming pool, a friend’s or the city pool—it’s a cool deal, any way you dive in.
- Garden Plant wildflowers, a vegetable garden, a kitchen herb garden … whatever fits your style.
- Host a Home Film Festival – Escape to the movies by watching back-to-back films throughout the day. Visit your local grocery store to pick-up the family’s favorite snacks and movies from redbox or get the “all you can watch for a week for $10” from Blockbuster. For added fun, play a movie trivia game to determine who gets to choose the next movie and make the popcorn.
- Check out a Free Movie in the Park - See a movie in the park now until the end of the August. All movies begin at dusk at various parks around the city.
- Invite the Neighbors – Now is a good time to get to know your neighbors. Organize a neighborhood cook-out and invite each family to bring a dish. Set up games to make it fun for the kids and try to meet as many new people as possible. It might be fun to accept nominations for hosting the next neighborhood party.
- Stage a Backyard Campout – Enjoy the great outdoors just steps away from home. The key to any backyard campout is to make it as realistic as possible. Gather your gear and pack everything you need beforehand. Work together to pitch a tent, and build a campfire for cooking. Finish off the night with a few stories by the fire and a game of flashlight tag for a fun night under the stars.
- Make some home improvements Paint a room, install ceiling fans, refinish furniture—and be home to enjoy it when you’re done.
- Visit the zoo Make a day of it!
- Hit the matinee – what a great way to see first run movies at a huge discount
- Paint a room Even if you’re not crazy about home projects, painting one room is easy and gives your home a real lift.
- have a Family Game Night Schedule a video game or board game night.
- Tour historic sites Find a guidebook or listing of nearby historical places and chart your own tour.
- Cheer the home team Attend local sports events.
- Take in an outdoor performance Get tickets to outdoor concerts, Shakespeare in the Park and other summer culture.
- Try mini golf or bowling You really can’t beat these for cheap fun.
- Go stargazing Always free, always amazing.
- Take a class A savvy choice for grownups and kids alike.
- Plan a romantic getaway Recruit a friend or relative to babysit and break free from the kids for a night or two.
In the nightlife business, ego tends to drive people more than worrying about the details, the party and the product, so we really strive to keep our ego under wraps and work together with all of our business partners to create a collective vision, which is sometimes direct and sometimes a compromise.