Being broke in the summer doesn’t necessarily have to be boring, and luckily, Chicago offers a handful of super fun things for those who aren’t looking to spend too much (or any) money! Here are five must-do’s for those who are broke but wanting to have fun to help eliminate the FOMO of having a good time. Five fun things to do in Chicago when you’re broke AF:
Located in the beautiful Lincoln Park, the Lincoln Park Conservatory is not only free to get into but offers a great place to take some Instagram pictures! The historic conservatory includes four display houses: The Palm House, the Show House, Orchid House and Fern Room. Whether or not you’re into plants, trees, or nature in general, this is actually a gorgeous and fun place to check out! And, just a reminder: it’s free.
With food, drinks, attractions and other kinds of entertainment, Navy Pier is a must-do. And luckily, the tourism part is free! While some of the restaurants can get a little pricy, there are fast food vendors like McDonald’s and Starbucks to prevent you from putting a dent in your wallet!
Looking to go to a museum? The Historic Water Tower arts space in downtown is home to a free, Chicago-centric gallery that is composed of local artists and photographers. It’s also right in the middle of the Magnificent Mile and across the street from Water Tower Place. So you can spend some time there before you go walking around!
While there technically isn’t anything free here (besides some free wine samples for those legal!), it’s incredibly fun to walk around the multi-floored, vibrant Italian marketplace. They also have occasional behind-the-scenes cooking events and a bakery that is home to relatively cheap freshly-baked bread, cookies, focaccia and much more.
You can never go wrong with being able to see hundreds of different animals for free. Paid for by the city of Chicago, Lincoln Park Zoo is free for the public! It’s one of the country’s oldest free zoos and offers an amazing view of the city skyline as well. You can’t miss it!
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