06/03/2022

Summer Activities in Downtown Chicago

When it comes to summer destinations, it’s hard to top the Windy City. Chicago comes chockablock with festivals and events, for one thing, and meanwhile the long, warm, sunshiny days encourage getting out and about in the city’s many parks, beachfronts, and shopping and dining districts.

When it comes to luxury accommodations for summertime Chicago bliss, look no further than Hotel Chicago! Our Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection hotel in River North offers 354 rooms and suites serving up exquisite comfort and elegance, plus a central location that simply can’t be beat.

It’s impossible to sum up to any satisfactory degree all that entices during the summer in the Midwest’s biggest city, but why don’t we take a whirlwind survey of some of the possibilities?

Summer Activities in Chicago

It’s not exactly insider knowledge that summer marks prime time for hitting up Chicago’s extensive Great Lakes beachfront. Pay your respects to mighty Lake Michigan while soaking up sand-between-your-toes R&R at such nearby lakeshore hangouts as North Avenue Beach, Oak Street Beach, and Ohio Street Beach. You might even consider renting a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard—heck, maybe a jet ski!—for some out-on-the-water adventure.

Speaking of out-on-the-water, this is the perfect season to take a sightseeing cruise: not only on the vast freshwater sea of Lake Michigan, but also on the Chicago River flowing so close to our Autograph Collection hotel. Among numerous options for river trips, consider the popular Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise, full of fascinating insights into the city’s architectural heritage.

Then there’s all the al fresco dining to be enjoyed amid the outstanding concentration of restaurants and cafes near at hand to Hotel Chicago, not to mention bar-hopping your way through the summer evening. Hit up iconic Navy Pier for live entertainment, amusement rides, beer-garden good times, and fireworks displays, cool off with finned, flippered, and tentacled critters at the world-famous Shedd Aquarium, or tour the globe-spanning menagerie of the equally renowned Lincoln Park Zoo, among the country’s most venerable zoos—and among only a handful that doesn’t charge admission.

Chicago’s Summertime Festivals

The festival calendar in Chicago reaches a magnificent zenith in the summertime stretch, no surprise. Head over to Millennium Park—plus a whole slew of subsidiary venues throughout the city—for the fabulous Chicago Blues Festival (June 9th through June 12th), or take in the sumptuous classical fare on offer from June 15th all the way to August 20th courtesy of the Grant Park Music Festival, peerlessly presided over by Grant Park Orchestra Director Carlos Kalmar and Grant Park Chorus Director Christopher Bell.

In late July, of course, Grant Park also hosts Lollapalooza (July 28th through July 31st), the headliners of which this year include Metallica, Machine Gun Kelly, and Green Day.

In June and July, Taste of Chicago offers patrons from all over a chance to sample some of the local delicacies and experience the rich tapestry of Windy City cuisine.

Country music fans can enjoy one of the best festivals Chicago has to offer at the famed Windy City Smokeout. This year’s lineup includes Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, Sam Hunt and so much more!

You can’t go wrong sticking to the classics, and catching a White Sox or Cubs game is a time-honored Chicago tradition that never gets old!

Book a Summer Escape at Hotel Chicago

Call vibrant Marina City in Chicago’s River North neighborhood your home-away-from-home with a summertime stay at Hotel Chicago! Along with your stylish room or suite, you’ll have access to a bevy of on-site amenities, multiple dining options, and the full effect of our Autograph Collection-brand hospitality to enjoy. You’ll also find yourself a stone’s throw from top Chicago attractions, including Millennium and Grant parks, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, the West Loop, and the Theater District.

Book your Hotel Chicago room or suite today for a summer visit!