Things to do in Chicago in the Morning

Here’s a Chicago bucket-lister that you can *only* do in the morning, for reasons we hope are self-explanatory. Pack a flask of morning joe, don a light jacket (or snowsuit, depending on the time of year) and plan to arrive on the Chicago Lakefront Trail just before sun-up – as a rough guide, you’ll want to get there around 5AM in peak summer, but can aim for a more leisurely 7AM in deepest darkest winter. Make for popular sunrise viewing spots by the Adler Planetarium or North Avenue Beach, from where you can watch the famous Boston skyline materialize mirage-like over the water in the soft morning light. 

Feeling sprightly? The Chicago Lakefront Trail is a whopping 18.5 miles of scenic waterside recreation space, ideal for a dawn jog or bike ride that takes in several of the city’s best parks and beaches, plus major Chicago landmarks including the Navy Pier and Soldier Field stadium, home of the Chicago Bears.

Get tooled up with a Chicago pass from Go City, which can save you up to 50% on entry to some of the Windy City’s biggest bucket-listers, and spend mornings – when Chicago attractions are typically at their least busy – sightseeing to your heart’s content. We’re talking the dizzy heights of 360 Chicago on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building, and the Skydeck at Willis Tower, only the highest observation deck in the country, with views (on a clear day) of four different states!

Then there are the city’s two zoos – Lincoln Park and Brookfield – where residents are often more perky in the morning, especially around breakfast time. And the mighty Shedd Aquarium, which boasts some 32,000 aquatic and amphibious critters as well as being proud owner of the world’s largest oceanarium, containing three million gallons of water and an all-star cast that includes beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea lions and sea otters. 

You can access several of the above Chicago attractions, plus many more, with a Chicago pass. Hit the buttons below to find out more and choose your pass!

Chicago’s collection of museums and galleries is world-class and no mistake. Here’s where culture vultures can ogle modern masterpieces by the likes of Warhol, Picasso, Hopper and O’Keeffe originals at the Art Institute in Millennium Park, and bring themselves right up to date over at the bleeding-edge Museum of Contemporary Art on the Near North Side. The Field Museum is another doozy, with an epic collection of natural history specimens and artifacts that runs the gamut from pre-historic meteorite fragments and dinosaur skeletons (including Sue the T-Rex, pictured above) to some of the most celebrated animal dioramas anywhere in the world. Nor is the Museum of Science and Industry to be sniffed at, celebrating the best of human endeavor and ingenuity via exhibits including the world’s first stainless steel diesel-powered train, a captured WWII German U-boat and lunar capsules. Last but very definitely not least, the Adler Planetarium promises eye-popping space simulations and dozens of interactive exhibits including the search for a ninth planet and the chance to touch a piece of Martian rock.

An architectural tour is one of the best things to do in Chicago in the morning, when the light is soft and streets are not yet awash with hordes of selfie-stick-toting tourists. Get a broad overview of the city’s hotch-potch of styles – from Spanish Colonial Revival to mid-century Modernism and early Art Deco skyscrapers to today’s space-age superstructures – on a sightseeing shoreline cruise. Or join a walking tour of the Loop to get up close and personal with Chicago icons like the soaring Willis Tower and monolithic 19th-century Monadnock skyscraper. And of course, no appreciation of the Windy City’s eclectic architectural styles would be complete without a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s former home and studio, and the Robie House, one of his most celebrated and beloved buildings. Entry to both is included with the Chicago pass.

Check out our guide to the best architecture tours in Chicago here.

Michigan Avenue’s epic shrine to capitalism is a shopaholic’s dream-come-true and as such – no surprises here – is Chicago’s busiest shopping drag. Get to the Magnificent Mile early to beat the window-shoppers and bargain-hunters to the best gear and shortest lines. Then brace yourself for a credit-card workout that’s guaranteed to bring your bank manager out in hives, as you swoop from Bloomingdales to Bulgari, Cartier to Canada Goose, Apple to Banana Republic, Omega to oh-my-god-I’ve-maxed-out-my-credit.

Kids young and old are in clover at Navy Pier, Chicago’s old-school seaside-style fairground, complete with charming carousel, teacups, and a 196-foot-tall Ferris wheel. Get there for opening time (usually 11AM) to avoid the long lines that tend to form – particularly at the Centennial Wheel – as the day progresses. The pier is also home to traditional fairground games, delectable dessert stores and fast food outlets galore. And no, 11AM is not too early for a toffee apple, cupcake or a taste of Chicago’s iconic Original Rainbow Cone, a gut-busting tower of chocolate, strawberry, orange sherbet, pistachio and Palmer House ice creams. Yum.

Only the most popular piece of public art in Chicago, Cloud Gate (aka The Bean) is a gleaming stainless steel sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor that forms the proud centerpiece of Millennium Park. You’ll want to get there early – pre-rush hour early – if you hope to have any chance of bagging that rare ‘alone at The Bean’ selfie. Pitch up at this mirrored marvel around 7AM and you just might get lucky. Afterwards, grab a coffee and a pastry and take a morning meander around Millennium Park’s other excellent attractions, including Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s interactive Crown Fountain and the vibrant Lurie Garden.

Discover more cool things to do in Chicago in the morning and save up to 50% with a Chicago pass from Go City. Click here to find out more about the different pass options and to get yours!