Solo Travel in Chicago
· Updated · BootsnAll
Chicago is an ideal city for solo travelers. There is so much to see and do here, and most of it can be enjoyed just as easily on your own as with friends or family. It helps that the city is easy to get around without a car. The Blue Line runs from O'Hare to the Loop, the Orange Line from Midway, and the Red and Blue lines run 24 hours a day, so you're never stuck paying for a cab because the trains stopped. Our airports and transportation pages have the fares. If you're visiting Chicago on your own, here are some tips.
Museums
For many people, a visit to Chicago isn't complete without a visit to one of the city's many excellent museums. Pick your fancy - art, astronomy, science and industry, aquariums or natural history. Museums are one of the best things to do alone, since nobody's rushing you past the room you wanted to sit in. The Art Institute is open until 8pm on Thursdays, and a weeknight visit on your own is about as calm as the place gets. If you're on a budget, check our list of free museum days, most of which are for Illinois residents, and compare the discount passes if you plan to see several.
Beaches and parks
During the summer months, the beaches and parks are the places to be in Chicago, and they're free. The Park District has lifeguards on duty from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day. For a more low-key experience, check out Oak Street Beach or Montrose Beach. If you'd rather have a livelier scene, join the crowd at North Avenue Beach. Take a stroll through Lincoln Park and the free Lincoln Park Zoo, or visit the Green City Market at 1817 N. Clark St. on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Catch a free evening concert in Millennium Park, where nobody minds a single person on a blanket. You can even learn some new moves at Chicago SummerDance, the city's free outdoor dance series in July and August, which starts each night with a lesson. Showing up alone is normal there.
>> beaches in Chicago
>> Grant Park
>> free summer events in Millennium Park and Grant Park
Sightseeing tours
Sightseeing tours are a great option for solo travelers, and there's a tour for nearly every interest, from art and architecture to food and movies. By bike, boat, bus or on foot, a tour helps you learn a lot about the city and see a lot of it in a short time. And you'll have some built-in companions to explore with.
Start with the Chicago Architecture Center river cruise, 90 minutes with a volunteer docent, from $57, running mid-March to late November. For something free, the Chicago Greeter program, run by Choose Chicago, matches visitors with a volunteer local for a free visit to a neighborhood or downtown. It's the closest thing to having a friend in town. Sign up ahead of time.
>> sightseeing tours in Chicago
>> unusual tours in Chicago
Activities
Getting active is a great way to spend your solo time in a city. Run or ride the Lakefront Trail, which runs along the shore past most of the beaches. A Divvy day pass is the cheapest way to cover a long stretch of it. Kayak Chicago rents kayaks and runs tours from the Chicago River, Montrose Beach and North Avenue Beach, and a group tour is another way to meet people.
>> ways to work out in Chicago
>> ways to get out on the water
Dining
Dining alone in Chicago doesn't have to mean being lonely. If you're looking for a quick casual meal, look for pubs and restaurants that are a bit more low-key, and sit at the bar. Chat with the bartender or the people next to you. We're friendly in the Midwest and always eager to offer up suggestions for things to do in our city. Chicago's cheap classics are made for eating alone anyway. Nobody needs company for a Chicago-style hot dog, and our cheap eats list has plenty more.
If food is a priority and you want one of Chicago's fine dining rooms, there's no shame in reserving a table for one. The food is an art unto itself, and the service at a place like Alinea is enough to keep you entertained for the whole meal. The original version of this page also named Tru, which closed in 2017. Most starred restaurants now sell prepaid tickets, so a party of one is a smaller booking, not an awkward one. If you'd rather not commit to a three-hour meal, Kasama in East Ukrainian Village, a two-star Filipino tasting room at night, runs a daytime bakery with counter service and no reservation needed.
>> Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago
>> food and drink in Chicago
Nightlife
Live music is the easiest night out alone, because you're there to listen. The Green Mill at 4802 N. Broadway in Uptown is a block from the Lawrence Red Line stop, takes no reservations and expects silence during sets, so nobody will notice you came by yourself. Bring cash. Our nightlife and blues and jazz clubs pages have more.
Lodging
Lodging for a solo traveler can be on the expensive side. Most hotels charge the same for one person as for two, and Chicago's hotel taxes add a lot on top. If you stay at a hostel, you can take a dorm bed and save some cash, and you'll meet other travelers in the common room. HI Chicago, at 24 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. in the Loop, is the one most solo travelers should book. It has dorms of four to 10 beds and private rooms, a guest kitchen, and free tours and events through the week. You don't need a membership to stay.
>> hotels in Chicago
>> hostels in Chicago
>> where to stay in Chicago
Safety
Chicago is about as safe as any major city, as long as you use the usual big-city sense. The downtown areas where visitors spend their time are busy during the day, but petty crime like phone snatching and pickpocketing does happen. Keep your wits about you in crowds and on the L, and keep your phone in your hand or your pocket, not on the seat next to you. At night, don't wander alone in areas you don't know, and if you go out drinking, stay sober enough to get yourself home. Women traveling alone should use the same common sense as anywhere. Don't accept a drink you didn't see the bartender make, and when in doubt, get a ride.
Photo by vickiwolkins