Best Chicago Souvenirs

By Ian Packham
Published: July 18, 2024
A Chicago store and window display

Taking a trip to Chicago soon? It’s likely you’ll want to take something back home with you that reminds you of your trip. It’s equally likely you’ll want to buy a small item for friends and family you left behind.

If you want to find souvenirs made in Chicago rather than tacky plastic items that have no real link with the city, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got some fantastic ideas for the best Chicago souvenirs below!

Edible Chicago souvenirs

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The main problem with edible gifts from the windy city is having the willpower to avoid consuming them all before you’ve even left downtown.

Don’t be put off by the long lines which often stretch down the street from the Garrett Popcorn shops on West Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue. Dishing up their ‘Chicago Mix’, half cheese and half caramel, to the people of the city since 1949, they’re clearly doing something right. Small bags cost as little as $3, though the souvenir skyline tins make a great keepsake long after the popcorn itself is all gone. They also have outlets at O’Hare Airport.

With a pedigree dating back even further is Fannie Mae chocolates, which have been Chicago based since first opening in 1920. Head to one of their city center stores and you’ve got the option of creating your own mix of pixies, mint meltaways and vanilla buttercreams.

At the upper end of the chocolate market is the Chicago-only Vosges Haut-Chocolat. With each chocolate hand-finished, the company is particularly well-known for their truffles, with flavors as diverse as hazelnut and balsamic vinegar and ginger with wasabi. As some indication of price, a box of 16 truffles will set you back around $50.

On the savory front, The Spice House on North Wells Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (close to Chicago History Museum) offers more than the usual cooking herbs and spices. Their team has created a range of Chicago-themed blends that will brighten up your home cooking for weeks to come.

Drinkable Chicago souvenirs

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The same can be said for another much-loved Wells Street store, Old Town Oil. Specializing in small-batch olive oils and vinegars from farms across the globe, they have some very tasty-looking gift boxes, and can even produce custom bottle labels.

Oils and vinegars won’t quench your thirst, but beers will, with Goose Island an award-winning craft brewery set up to bring good beers to the Chicago streets. Using 15 different yeasts to turn the sugars into alcohol before aging the beer in bourbon barrels for extra flavor, visitors are welcome to the brewery tap room on Fulton Street or its Clybourn brewhouse to sample their selection of seasonal and year-round beers.

With over 100 international prizes to its name, the Koval Distillery has come a hell of a long way since starting up in 2008 as the first new distillery in the city since the 1800s. Their copper vats produce whiskeys, gins and specialty spirits using organic grains. Everything from soaking of the grain to bottling takes place in house so the dedicated team are able to keep track of every step to produce their signature clean flavors.

Jewelry and curios

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The Field Museum is another great place to keep a lookout for souvenirs. Its store is awash with goodies, though we’ve chosen to focus our attention on their jewelry selection. Linking back to the museum’s incredible natural history collection, it ranges from T-Rex earrings to necklaces and pendants threaded with natural stones such as quartz and onyx.

Echoing the form of Chicago’s favorite piece of public art – Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate – Tiffany & Co’s Chicago store sells sterling silver bean pendants designed by Elsa Peretti. If the price tag stops you stepping beyond the window displays, various other outlets do similar pieces in base metals.

But if it’s a wall in your house you’re thinking of decorating, the store at the Museum of Contemporary Art has a variety of art-based items, from $10 fridge magnets to mobiles based on Bauhaus and surrealist principles which would provide a dash of color to any room.

Wearable Chicago souvenirs

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A sports mad city with professional basketball, ice hockey, baseball and American football teams, getting tickets to a game is an unmissable Chicago experience. And to remember it, what could be better than your very own jersey?

Each stadium and arena have their own store, but you can also find items linked to all Chicago’s teams at stores including Clark Street Sports. So whether it’s an oversized foam finger or an official wristband emblazoned with the Chicago Cubs logo, odds are you’ll find it here.

Thanks to an array of nationwide and boutique local stores, fashionistas can also take something home that will forever remind them of their time in the windy city. Independent Wolfbait & B-Girls is a marketplace offering the wares of 250 local artisans, including clothing you won’t find anywhere else and an almost endless pick of potential gifts. Other quirky establishments include Optimo Fine Hats, offering custom headgear for men whatever the occasion.

Grabbing a T-shirt with the Chicago skyline will help your little ones remember their trip to Chicago, or make them want to visit themselves one day if they weren’t with you. Other items linked to the city’s architecture include ever-popular snow globes containing representations of the Willis Tower and Skydeck amongst other landmark buildings.

Spend on the things that count with the best Chicago souvenirs

The best Chicago souvenirs are those which continuously remind you of all the good times you had at the city’s attractions. That good time will be made all the better if you’ve visited them with Go City. Explore the city in this way and you’ll be able to take advantage of substantial savings on entrance admission to many of the top attractions and things to do. So why not check out our pass options and join the thousands of visitors who have already done just this?

Ian Packham
Go City Travel Expert

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How to spend 5 days in Chicago

You’ve done the sensible thing and decided to spend 5 days in Chicago. Fantastic! The US ‘second city’ has a range of attractions that many other destinations simply can’t compete against – from magnificent art galleries to lake shore beaches. With a 5 day Chicago itinerary you’ll have the time you need to take in the city’s atmosphere alongside its landmark buildings. You’ll also be able to enjoy some of the city’s more off-beat things to see and do. For a round up of all that’s going on in Chicago, check out our favorite way of spending 5 days in the city. Day 1 – Downtown Chicago With your first hours in Chicago, it’s a good idea to get to grips with the downtown area – otherwise known as the Loop. The location of many of the city’s major landmarks, you’ll be spending much of your time here so it makes sense to get a feel of what’s located where. Whilst one of the most walkable cities in North America, you’re not going to want to wear out your shoe leather on day 1. Nor are you going to want to tackle Chicago’s public transportation, so instead head to one of the dozen stops included on the city’s Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus. The whole circular tour lasts for two hours and is accompanied by an audio narration providing a perfect introduction to the city. However, it’s unlikely you’re going to be able to avoid jumping off at a couple of points of interest. North Michigan Avenue – better known as the Magnificent Mile – is one of the city’s top places to be, blending suited office workers with luxury brands, much-loved restaurants, historic landmarks such as the Old Water Tower and views from 1000 feet up from the floor-to-ceiling windows of 360 CHICAGO in the John Hancock Center. Showing all that Chicago has to offer, it’s just a short stroll to the Museum of Contemporary Art – turn off on either East Pearson Street or East Chicago Avenue to get there for an afternoon amongst the greats of twentieth century art. Day 2 – Lake Michigan You will have already seen its vast expanse from 360 CHICAGO, but day 2 gives you the chance to explore the Lake Michigan shoreline. Start to the north of the Loop in Lincoln Park for views of western lowland gorillas and kangaroos at Lincoln Park Zoo. Then soak up the sun on North Avenue Beach (weather permitting). If you can tear yourself away from the beautiful setting, keep the shoreline to your left as you wander south back into the Loop by way of the upmarket Gold Coast neighborhood. On reaching Navy Pier, there are further options for taking in the Chicago skyline, by slipping into one of the gondolas of Centennial Wheel, which rise to a height of almost 200 feet. Swap gondolas and sidewalks for the lakeshore cycle track by picking up a bike at the pier’s Bike and Roll rentals. Ease yourself into the saddle by making the short journey to Chicago’s Museum Campus, incorporating the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, either one of which will round off the afternoon hours with aplomb. Day 3 – Chicago from the water You’ve taken it in from high up and cycled along it, so there’s nothing more to do than get onto the water and explore Chicago from another angle, especially if your visit to the Shedd Aquarium gave you a feel for life in and on the waves yesterday. Unveiling hidden gems amongst the world-famous landmarks, taking a cruise along the three branches of the Chicago River is like slipping through the city’s two centuries of history. Its shift in architectural styles reveals itself as you cruise the calm blue waters beneath bridges and past structures including the giant art deco Merchandise Mart building and Willis Tower – for many years the tallest building in the world. Follow the river to its natural conclusion and you’ll find yourself floating on Lake Michigan. A Skyline Lake Tour does a similar job to river cruises, but arguably on an even greater scale. Departing from Navy Pier, tours take in the lakeshore forming the natural eastern boundary of the Loop, with commentary providing interesting tidbits of information, such as the fact Batman’s Gotham City is based on the skyscrapers of Chicago. But for an extra-special tour on the water don’t miss your chance to board Windy, Chicago’s official tall ship. With its sails filled with the wind the city is famous for, you’ll tack across Lake Michigan in a fashion almost entirely unchanged since the birth of steam. Day 4 – Chicago culture and more Keep up the pace of your Chicago in 5 days trip by starting day 4 with a few hours in another of the city’s top museums – the Museum of Science and Industry. A great choice for all the family, there are plenty of interactive exhibits, alongside flight simulators, important landmarks in transport and a gallery of exquisite model ships – should your trip aboard the Windy have gotten you hooked on all things nautical. Continue your exploration of Chicago’s culture by seeing a show. The Second City theater is well-known in comedy circles as the place to head for improv and the chance to catch the next big thing before the rest of the world. The Chicago Theater has a busy schedule of plays and pop concerts. Failing that, it’s also possible to head behind the scenes with a Chicago Theater Marquee Tour. Then enjoy a bite to eat. AT&T Plaza beneath the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park is home to an open-air restaurant during the warmer months of the year – replaced by one of the city’s top skating destinations during the winter. Day 5 – Get active End your 5 days in Chicago by mixing up the museum visits and river tours with some physical activity. Maggie Daley Park – immediately east of Millennium Park – has plenty of ways to do this, from free climbing walls and tennis courts to a skating ribbon from November to March. If you need a breather, there are shady groves for picnics in the sun, alongside one of the finest children’s playgrounds we’ve seen rising high above it all. One of Major League Baseball’s oldest arenas, Wrigley Field is a must-see for sports fans. Home of the Chicago Cubs, there’s no better way to understand the city psyche than attending a game. Alternatives include basketball from the Chicago Bulls and ice hockey from the Blackhawks both at the United Center. Save on admission in Chicago Sounds expensive? 5 days in Chicago doesn’t have to be! Go City lets you enter many of Chicago’s top attractions and landmarks with incredible savings versus advertised prices. It means you can do much more on your trip to Chicago than you thought you could without having to worry about your bank balance once!
Ian Packham
Santa Claus waving at the Chicago Christmas light switch on
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Things to do in Chicago for Christmas

Christkindlmarkets, snow-covered streets and stunning seasonal light displays means we’ve probably already successfully answered the question ‘should I visit Chicago in December?’. Filled to brimming with festive fun and events unique to the most wonderful time of year, Christmas in Chicago is a period that will bring a smile to the faces of all but the grinchiest of grinches. Looking for things to do in Chicago at Christmas? Look no further than this round up of the very best! What to expect from Christmas in Chicago Part of what makes the city such a fantastic December destination is Chicago’s Christmas weather. Snowy and cold, it’s exactly what many of us want – and expect – from the festive season. Daytime temperatures aren’t all that different to what Santa’s elves will be used to at his North Pole workshop, with highs of 35°F. They regularly drop below freezing by night to averages of 23°F. Clearly, you’re going to want to ensure you’ve packed your woolens. On the plus side, December is the second-driest month of the Chicago year, with just a couple of inches of rain – and up to eight inches of snow. Skies are largely clear, making days sunny and crisp. Another part of what makes Christmas in Chicago so special is the city’s collection of long-held seasonal traditions, discussed in more detail below. Brighten the winter nights with Chicago’s seasonal lights You don’t have to look far in central Chicago to get your fill of Christmas lights once the sun has set over the shores of Lake Michigan. In addition to its Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure rides, Lincoln Park Zoo sparkles with over 2.5 million bulbs, incorporating several scenes that move to music. Head south from the zoo and you’ll soon end up on the Magnificent (or Mag) Mile, which is a blaze of lights adorned to its trees from an impressive switch on festival in the last week of November right through until New Year. Millennium Park in the Loop – part of Downtown Chicago – has been the location of the city’s official Christmas tree since 2015, although the tradition goes back more than 100 years. However, it has to compete for attention with the avant-garde lighting installations that appear at Chicago Botanic Garden at about the same time. The nearby Daley Plaza hosts a Menorah lighting at the start of December – complete with donuts – for anyone celebrating Hanukkah. Grab your chance to do some last minute shopping Daley Plaza is also one of Chicago’s top seasonal shopping locations since it’s home to the city’s German-style Christkindlmarket. Visitors are free to peruse the selection of local sellers, whose stalls are packed with decorations, clothing accessories and their fair share of sweet treats and mulled wine – rather than the Chicago-style pizza you might plumb for at other times of year. The Bridgeport Art Center’s Renegade Craft Fair is another bastion of independent sellers, with around 250 displaying their wares, which range from bespoke pieces of jewelry to stylish household items sure to add a little je ne sais quoi to your abode. Keep your ear to the ground from the end of November, and it’s more than likely you’ll also hear word of the large number of pop-up one day or weekend markets taking place in and around attractions right across the city. Don’t forget about the city’s all-year shopping options in all the excitement of the season. If just one destination is worth mentioning it’s the Magnificent Mile, defined as Michigan Avenue between Oak Street and Michigan Avenue Bridge. Whatever your budget, you’ll find something to suit here, from well-known department stores to luxury brands Burberry and Tiffany & Co. There’s also a branch of Macy’s at Water Tower Place, although many prefer the holiday windows of the historic Macy’s store on State Street. Show off your skills on the ice The start of winter sees a number of free ice rinks appear in the city, including not one but two within proximity to Millennium Park. The first is the McCormick Tribune ice rink nestled beside the steamy windows of the Park Grill restaurant and the stainless-steel Anish Kapoor sculpture known as ‘the bean’ but officially called Cloud Gate at the heart of AT&T Plaza. The second is Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon next door. A sort of wide skating track, it winds its way through the park with its backdrop of downtown skyscrapers, past snowy pine trees and outdoor climbing walls awaiting the warmer weather. But if ‘the bean’ has you yearning to discover more of the city’s art, look no further than the Museum of Contemporary Art, whose permanent collection includes around 2,500 individual works by twentieth century greats including Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. Take in the exhibitions and shows Many of the city’s other museums also get into the holiday spirit. The Museum of Science and Industry – whose rather staid name is contrasted by the hands-on modern attractions within – hosts their annual Christmas Around the World exhibition, which now also includes the winter celebrations of non-Christian cultures from Diwali’s birthplace of India to China’s Spring Festival commemorations. Christmas shows in Chicago are also a big part of the scene in December in the city. One of the biggest hubs for theater in the US outside of New York’s Broadway, companies big and small go all out to wow their audiences, whether that’s through Christmas classics such as performances of A Christmas Carol or the Nutcracker, or newly written plays that will tug at the heartstrings. If people watching is more your thing, and the wintry streets don’t provide the opportunity, you could do far worse than head to nightspots of North Clark Street such as Simon’s Tavern. Often voted as the city’s best bar, it has been serving up tots of its signature glogg (mulled wine) for nine decades. Save on Christmas in Chicago When it comes to winter wonderlands, the US doesn’t get much better than Christmas in Chicago. And when it comes to making the most of your time – and budget – in the city, things don’t get better than Go City. Offering up great discounts on many of the city’s top attractions even over the festive season, travel with Go City and you can save big on entry to attractions you were planning to visit anyway. Now that’s a Christmas gift everyone would surely love to receive!
Ian Packham
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Things to do in West Loop, Chicago

Head to Chicago for your vacation and want to know what's good? Give West Loop a try. There's so much to do and see, you might never leave. Here's our list of the best things to do in West Loop, Chicago. Including: Street Markets Park walks Go bowling Get cultural Try climbing and more! Get Marketeering Let's start this shindig with a smattering of shopping. West Loop has an abundance of markets where you can pick up anything from fresh groceries to hand-crafted jewelry. If you're looking to wheel, deal, and shave a few bucks off your purchases, head over to Randolph Street Market. In the summer months, you'll find over one hundred vendors taking over the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Union Hall parking lot. Within this bizarre bazaar, you'll discover stalls filled with antiques, old records, hand-crafted wonders, and other assorted knickknacks. Or, if food is your purchase of choice, give Chicago's French Market a go. You'll find myriad stalls with fresh produce from all corners of the world, and a host of pop-up restaurants and bakeries selling delicious bites. Rolling down the lanes Do you like balls? Do you hate pins? If you answered yes to both of these questions, this next entry will be for you. Punch Bowl Social has taken over West Loop. Their demands? Maximum fun. Their plan? 30,000ft of retro arcade, karaoke, fine dining, and more bowling lanes than you could shake a used pair of shoes at. Grab a drink, collect some fellows, and go throw some bowling balls down some bowling lanes to drop some bowling pins. It doesn't get much simpler than that. Then, when you're all bowled out, check all the other entertainment on offer, or grab some classic diner food from the on-site restaurant. Yee-haw. It's bowling time, or something. Park Life If the weather is good and you're so inclined, head to a park for a jolly good time! Thankfully, West Loop has some great green spaces, so if you're visiting Chicago, get that green in you. Perhaps its better-known park is Union Park, where the annual Pitchfork Music Festival brings farmers from all across America to get angry at things. Not really, it's a music festival, and a good one at that. However, if you don't make it in July, there's still loads to do. Pools to jump in, courts to play in, and that sweet grass to relax on. Or, if you want to entertain the little ones, stop by Mary Bartelme Park. It has an amazing children's playground with unique and exciting play equipment you won't find anywhere else. It's also good for dogs, if your little one walks on four legs. The Climb Picture the scene. You're a secret agent, climbing up a rocky cliff face. You receive a call on your sweet futuristic sunglasses. It's your secret spy agency, and they have a job for you. You choose to accept it, and throw the glasses off towards the camera as they self-destruct. Yeah! So if the climbing part of that interests you - and nothing else - head on over to Brooklyn Boulders. There, you'll find lots of surfaces to climb, which is what you want. If you're a seasoned pro, feel free to hit the walls and do some sweet flips, or whatever climbers do. If you're new to the climbing game, never fear. They have expert trainers on hand to teach you the tricks of the trade. And who knows, maybe they're secret agents too. Hiding in plain sight, at Brooklyn Boulders. Would you like to play a game? If you go to sleep listening to the distinctive cling of pinball tables and assorted beeps and boops of old arcade machines, you might like this next place. Take a running jump into Emporium Arcade Bar and fall into a world of old-school arcade action. With a slew of pinball-flicking, foosball-spinning, puck-slapping, and pool-shooting fun, it's a lovely place full of joy and smiles. If you have friends, bring them with you, and pump the fun up to stratospheric levels. After you've spent all your money on machines, take out a loan and go enjoy a refreshing cocktail or IPA at the bar. You will love it. Won't you? Yes. Culture! If all of that wasn't fun enough for you, how about a little learning and culture to take that fun factor to the next level? At the National Hellenic Museum in West Loop, you'll learn about Greek-American culture, and how Greek immigrants helped make Chicago the city it is today! Or, if you want to see some awe-inspiring art, check out the Kavi Gupta Gallery. Inside, you'll find artworks of all shapes and sizes to ponder over. Does it get any more cultural than that? No, it does not. State of the Union Station Want to see one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks up close? West Loop has you covered with Union Station. Built back in the 1920s, it's the transport hub that brings many out-of-towers into the city. Its Art Deco stylings are so iconic that it's featured in heaps of Hollywood productions. The Untouchables, Catch Me If You Can, Blade Runner, and many, many more have shot iconic scenes in this very building. So go see it for yourself, and snap some sweet pics for your socials because you know you will. Grab a bite Phew, all the doing things and seeing stuff is bound to make you hungry. Thankfully, West Loop has plenty of places to refuel. In the mood for something meaty? Check out El Che Steakhouse for some prime cuts, refreshing drinks, and good times. Prefer your meat between two buns? Give Smyth and The Loyalist a go. Looking for something continental? Hit up avec for some Mediterranean delights. Grab a drink And finally, let's end our list on the drinks menu. West Loop has lots of bars and pubs to drown some suds. Head to Lone Wolf or Haymarket Pub for your craft beer needs, with plenty of local Chicago brews on tap. For some exotic cocktails, give Kumiko a try, which provides a Japanese twist on the usual mixer affair. If you want a variety of spirits, stumble to CH Distillery. And that's our list of things to do in West Loop, Chicago! Enjoy!
Dom Bewley

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