Tucked beneath a soaring skyline, beside the sand-swept shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago draws travelers with its innovative architecture, culinary prowess and diverse cultural experiences. But a visit to the Windy City doesn’t have to bust your vacation budget.

Get Immersed in Culture

Built in 1897 as the city’s first library, the Chicago Cultural Center is now known as the "People's Palace." It drips with lavish appointments like imported marble, hardwood and mother-of-pearl. Attend one of the many free concerts and performances, take a free tour or just ogle the world’s largest stained glass Tiffany dome.

Be in the Know

Familiarize yourself with the city from the perspective of a local. Meet a Chicago Greeter volunteer that lives and works in the neighborhood. The two to four-hour tour will help you discover the city's latest works of art or that little local bakery where you’ll love sipping coffee in the morning. For a more spontaneous tour, head to the Chicago Cultural Center’s Randolf Street lobby—tours leave on the half-hour during the midday, Fridays through Sundays.

Walk the Walk

Stroll along the Chicago Riverwalk for dramatic vistas of the city’s famed architecture against the backdrop of the Chicago River. Stop by the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum to watch gigantic gears raise and lower the movable bridge. Wind your way to the top of the five-story museum and experience Chicago’s rich history with every step. Once you get there, enjoy the panoramic view over the river and city.

Talk to the Animals

The Lincoln Park Zoo in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago's North Side is one of a few free zoos in the U.S. Get face to snout with a polar bear as he dips and dives in his pool and basks in the sun just on the other side of soaring glass windows. Watch the antics of Japanese snow monkeys at play in the hot spring. The sights and sounds of the city will melt away as you stroll along the zoo's nature boardwalk.

Take a Journey to Oz

You can’t get there on a yellow brick road, but you can grab your picnic basket and have lunch in the company of Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow. Oz Park commemorates L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wizard of Oz," who lived in the area in the 1890s. The larger-than-life statues tuck around the outside boundaries of the park, making for a fun scavenger hunt with the kids.

Hotels near Chicago, IL: 25+