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If you moved to Chicago in the past nine months, maybe you\u2019ve heard about this thing called summer. Those of us who have been here a while promise it exists — and that it\u2019s worth waiting for.<\/p>\n

Now that daffodils are tentatively opening and restaurants are removing the wind covers from their doors, it\u2019s time to start scheduling your outdoor time. Pro tip: It\u2019s a bad idea to leave the city between June and September. Instead, lure your out-of-town friends with our ultimate Chicago summer bucket list. How many items can you cross off?<\/p>\n

\n\tChoose your own festival adventure\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

Chicago\u2019s cultural, musical, neighborhood, food, and beverage-focused street festivals are so numerous, we won\u2019t even attempt to list them all here. Every resident should experience at least one of the city\u2019s Big Three music festivals — Pitchfork, Lollapalooza, and Riot Fest — once in their lives. But for a truly Chicago festival experience, think smaller: Andersonville\u2019s community spirit shines through during Midsommarfest (June 8-10), a celebration of the neighborhood\u2019s Swedish roots, which features music, dancing, crafts, beer, craft beer, and everything else that makes a Chicago street festival great. Or drown out the swan song of the end of Summer Fridays with some sweet notes at the Chicago Jazz Festival (August 29 to September 2). The Millennium Park mainstay features legends and newcomers alike, as well as art, food, a New Orleans-style second-line procession, and tons of adorable dancing children.<\/p>\n

\n\tEnjoy the city’s architecture by water\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

If you think Chicago\u2019s architecture tours are just for visitors, you\u2019d be dead wrong. There\u2019s really no better way to see all of downtown in an afternoon than by water. We recommend Wendella\u2019s Signature Lake and River Tour ($39), which takes passengers on a 90-minute journey through the locks and into Lake Michigan for an unparallelled view. In true Chicago fashion, the tour boats have bars. If you\u2019re looking for a slightly more budget-friendly option, the Chicago Water Taxi connects commuters and tourists alike to locations from North Avenue and Sheffield Avenue in Lincoln Park to Chinatown. An all-day pass will run you just $9.<\/p>\n

\n\tFind your summer cocktail\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

Chicago is lauded as one of the top culinary cities in the world, which, duh. But the cocktail scene is world-class in its own right. Pick your signature cocktail of summer and taste-test it at bars throughout the city, or try different ones depending on your mood. At Estereo, try the Breezy — the permanent menu option features a base of yerba mate, house falernum, lime juice, and bubbles; customers then choose their add-in spirit. Devereaux, the newest project from former Billy Sunday beverage director Lee Zaremba, features a spread of creative signature cocktails and daytime sippers; we\u2019re itching to try the Pineapple Collins (tequila blanco, pineapple, lemon, mineral water). If you like your summer cocktails frozen, Parson\u2019s Chicken & Fish does a slushy version of a negroni, along with a rotating daily slushy special (like a margarita and Dark & Stormy). In search of a dive bar that\u2019s not really a dive? Maria\u2019s Packaged Goods & Community Bar is the answer to your quandary, where our go-to is the Hornswagglers High Tea, a blend of Earl Grey-infused vodka and cream soda. It\u2019s yours for the low, low price of $7.<\/p>\n

\n\tHit the patio circuit\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

We\u2019ve never seen a group of humans more excited about sitting outside than Chicagoans in summer. A great patio is the sprinkles on the soft-serve cone of the Windy City. A couple new options this summer: Nine-year-old taco haven Big Star, the gold standard of Chicago patios for years, recently gained a sibling; Big Star Wrigleyville opened in early April in a massive space at Hotel Zachary with some fresh menu items to go with the same old honky-tonk soundtrack. And Avondale\u2019s Ludlow Liquors, located in the former Orbit Room space, is bringing picnic tables, two-tier stadium seats, and lounges to its revamped outdoor area. (Has someone invented a word for a patio makeover yet? We\u2019ll call it a pati-over.) Create a drink sampler with cocktails served by the ounce.<\/p>\n

\n\tGo Bar-Hopping in Boystown\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

If you like pitchers of vodka-lemonade and dancing, there\u2019s Roscoe\u2019s. If you\u2019re looking for some less innocent dancing, there\u2019s Berlin Nightclub. There\u2019s truly a bar to fit every mood in Boystown, and on a hot summer night, the hours fly by so fast, you won\u2019t believe it\u2019s 3am. The neighborhood is especially lively during the annual Pride festival and parade (June 16-17 & 24), and Northalstead Market Days (August 11-12).<\/p>\n

\n\tMake a friend with a boat\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

One of the surest signs summer is on its way: The return of private boats to Chicago\u2019s harbors. Whether you\u2019re part of the party-hard \u201cplaypen\u201d scene at Ohio Street Beach or looking for a calmer afternoon of sailing, there\u2019s a ship life for every Chicagoan. But before you can live out your aquatic fantasies, better make sure you\u2019ve got a boat friend lined up to help make them come true. (Even better if it\u2019s a friend-of-a-friend, so you\u2019ve got an easy out in case of a summer romance gone sour.)<\/p>\n

\n\tNavigate the air & water show — Or Don’t\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

There are two groups of Chicagoans: Those who hate the annual Air & Water Show, and those who are either from the suburbs or have a friend who lives in a lakeside high-rise. If you\u2019re in the latter group, you know how to play this one. (Step 1: Ply your high-rise friend with lots of bubbly.) But for those who have HAD IT with the noisy fighter jets and lakefront crowds, Air & Water Show weekend (August 18-19) is a great time to check out all those places on the West and South Sides that you keep missing. Head down to Calumet Fisheries for legendary smoked seafood, or, if ribs are more your style, check out the barbecue at Smoque.<\/p>\n

\n\tPlay Hooky in Millennium Park\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

Across the street from the Loop business district, it\u2019s almost as if Millennium Park was planned to taunt office workers during the summer. Take a break for an afternoon (or just for your lunch hour, if you can\u2019t get away), and spread out on the lawn next to Pritzker Pavilion. Read a book, listen to a podcast, or just people-watch as friends chat and kids chase each other across the grass. We\u2019ll also let you in on a little secret: At the southeast corner of the Pavilion is the entrance to Lurie Gardens, where visitors can take off their shoes and dip their feet in a man-made stream.<\/p>\n

\n\tTake an extra-long bike ride\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

With miles and miles of lakefront, and even more parks and trails outside the city to explore, Chicago is best seen on two wheels, and summer is the perfect time to do so. Rent a Divvy bike if you don\u2019t own one (but don\u2019t forget a helmet) and hit the pavement. Biking can also be a great way to make new friends. Join Critical Mass as riders take over the streets for a massive group ride the last Friday of every month, or strip down for the World Naked Bike Ride on June 9.<\/p>\n

\n\tShop your local farmers market\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

While you\u2019ve certainly enjoyed more than your fair share of local produce in Chicago\u2019s restaurant scene, the city\u2019s plethora of farmers markets mean it\u2019s time for you to become the chef. Check out this schedule to find your neighborhood market. We\u2019re particularly fond of Lincoln Park\u2019s Green City Market, which features chef demonstrations, live music, and more dogs per square foot than a humane society.<\/p>\n

\n\tVisit the original rainbow cone\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

This Chicago classic\u2019s sole location is so far south, you\u2019d swear you\u2019re in the suburbs. (They actually start across the street.) But the cone\u2019s layers of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House, pistachio, and orange sherbet have kept Chicagoans young and old making the journey for decades. You can get the cone at select festivals like Lollapalooza, but nothing compares to the 92-year-old storefront.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adams also came to understand how important it was that his carefully crafted photos were reproduced to best effect. At Bender\u2019s invitation, he joined the prestigious Roxburghe Club, an association devoted to fine printing and high standards in book arts.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[27],"class_list":["post-1499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bucket-list-ideas","tag-challenges"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Pic-37.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theoasisproperty.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}