Your insider's guide to the best things to do, see, and experience in Chicago.
2 MIN READ—Today, Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) announced the implementation of a residential study, analyzing the current landscape of Loop residents and beginning to make predictions about the future of residential life in downtown Chicago.
3 MIN READ – Lollapalooza crowds once again created a bump in pedestrian activity on State Street, according to data from Chicago Loop Alliance’s pedestrian counters that were installed on the street in 2016. For the week of the Lollapalooza, July 25 – 31, the counters estimated 1,641,971 visitors on State Street between Ida B. Wells Drive and Wacker Drive – a 22 percent increase from the same week in 2021; 25 percent increase from the previous week; and the highest week of 2022. For the week of the first Sundays on State event, July 18 – 24, the counters estimated 1,315,584 visitors in that same footprint—a 34 percent increase from the same week in 2021.
1 MIN READ — Google bets big on the Chicago Loop with purchase of iconic Loop building — James R. Thompson Center.
2 MIN READ — Chicago Loop Alliance’s first Sundays on State event of the year attracted visitors and Chicagoans of all ages from all over the city and beyond to the heart of the Loop when 113,362 people entered the event footprint.
5 MIN READ – The Chicago Loop is a freaking goldmine of beautiful places to take headshots and group photos downtown. But WHERE? Let me rephrase that: WHERE IS IT LEGAL?
4 MIN READ – Vroom, vroom! The Chicago Loop will now be home to the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series, where plans for a street-circuit race on the streets of downtown Chicago.
2 MIN READ — Chicagoans everywhere know this city is the best in the world, but now it’s official. According to the latest Time Out Index survey results, Chicago grabbed No. 2 spot for their 2022 roundup of the world’s (you read that right — world’s) very best cities.
5 MIN READ – Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) released its June report on downtown activity, using a variety of data sources to track operations during COVID-19, as it has done monthly since July 2020. The report tracks COVID-19 positivity rates, pedestrian activity, parking volumes, hotel occupancy, number of office workers on-site and more. The data this month indicates that hotel occupancy reached another record high, along with an increase in office occupancy, and continual progress in pedestrian and public transportation.
March 15, 2026
Chicago’s top-rated architecture boat tour, 90 minutes with expert CAC guides, stunning skyline views, open-air seating, and onboard amenities.
March 21, 2026
Explore Chicago’s haunted past on a nighttime river cruise featuring ghost stories, mob history, and eerie secrets of the Windy City.
April 17, 2026
Experience Chicago at night on a 90-minute river and lake cruise, featuring a glittering skyline, cool breezes, and lively, family-friendly commentary.
April 17, 2026
Chicago River & Lake Michigan cruise with skyline views, iconic landmarks, and engaging guides sharing the city’s history and stories.
May 23, 2026 | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Cruise from the Chicago Riverwalk to Lake Michigan for skyline views and a 3D-enhanced fireworks show with music and narration.
June 1, 2026
Let your creative potential shine this summer with a class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with options available for kids, teens and…
June 20, 2026
MUSIC BY MARK HOLLMANN LYRICS BY MARK HOLLMANN AND JAY REISS BOOK BY ERIN QUINN PURCELL AND JAY REISS DIRECTED…
June 30, 2026
An exciting lineup of outdoor films on Tuesdays this summer.
July 11, 2026
Cruise Chicago’s waterways with your dog. Pet friendly, scenic, and fun. Available July to October every Saturday and Sunday for pups of all sizes.
