Your Chicago CME conference.

Chicago after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Chicago time. For an easy afternoon, choose one outing near your study setting: a walk on Navy Pier, an hour in Millennium Park, or a loop around Lincoln Park Zoo. Leave time for getting there and for lakefront weather, which can feel cooler than the rest of the city in summer.

Travel, accommodation and attraction admission are arranged separately. Your conference follows your specialty and interests; the city is simply the setting you choose for it.

Museums or the lakefront?

Chicago’s Museum Campus gathers the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium on the lakefront. The Field Museum is at 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive and covers natural history and world cultures. Compare each museum’s opening hours with your 2:00 PM finish, and check ticket availability first for any special exhibition you want to see, since the Field Museum marks sold-out exhibitions for the day. The Shedd Aquarium has more than 32,000 aquatic animals, and the Adler Planetarium has a planetarium theater and skyline and lake views. A water taxi runs from Navy Pier to the Shedd, and Red Line trains and several bus routes also serve the campus.

For a slower afternoon outdoors, Navy Pier sits on the shore of Lake Michigan with more than 50 acres of parks, plus restaurants, shops and sightseeing cruise boats. It is also home to the Centennial Wheel, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Children’s Museum. Millennium Park is open every day of the year. Its main sights are Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, the Lurie Garden and the Pritzker Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater designed by Frank Gehry.

Neighborhoods for an evening

Choose Chicago describes River North as a dining and nightlife neighborhood with notable architecture, and the West Loop as a dining neighborhood. Lincoln Park has boutiques, museums, a zoo and waterfront. If you prefer a baseball neighborhood, Wrigleyville is home to historic Wrigley Field.

For street art and Mexican culture, Pilsen is described as having vibrant street art and a diverse food scene. Choose one neighborhood for the evening rather than several, and book dinner ahead if your plans are fixed.

River North, galleries and the Magnificent Mile

Choose Chicago describes River North as a district of art galleries and studios, many in former warehouse buildings. Inside theMART you can browse interior design studios, and Art on theMART is a video projection shown on the building’s facade in the evenings. The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, known as the Marble Palace, is a Gilded Age landmark in the same district.

The Magnificent Mile is described as a shopping district, and the Gold Coast is known for designer showrooms and stylish restaurants. For the architecture itself, the Chicago Architecture Center runs a river cruise aboard the First Lady, with docents on board. Its page does not state a departure point, so confirm that before you plan the afternoon.

Beyond downtown

Several neighborhoods reward a longer trip out from the center. Hyde Park on the South Side is described as home to museums, parks and beaches, and Pullman is the city’s first National Monument. On the West Side, Garfield Park has a botanical conservatory, and Humboldt Park is known for natural beauty, colorful murals and Puerto Rican culture.

Wicker Park and Bucktown are noted for street art and a lively bar scene, and Andersonville is one of the city’s largest LGBTQ+ communities. These areas sit farther from the lakefront, so check the map and your own address before you decide how far to roam.

When to visit Chicago

In spring, April temperatures are typically in the 50s Fahrenheit and May can reach about 70. Summer highs usually run from 78 to 92 degrees, cooler near the lake, and June is typically the wettest month. Fall starts around 70 and drops toward the mid-40s by winter, and October is usually the driest month. Winter highs are typically 30 to 38 degrees, with average annual snowfall of about 37 inches. Use the local forecast when you plan outdoor time.

Getting to Chicago and your study setting

O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is the arrival point shown in this guide. Midway International Airport also serves Chicago. Choose your accommodation and ground transport with both your study setting and your plans outside study hours in mind.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.