CAC Open House

In 1870, when businessmen brothers Joel and Charles Wicker subdivided 80 acres that would become the heart of Wicker Park, they couldn’t have anticipated the development boom to follow just a year later, when the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 leveled much of downtown and sent residents fleeing to rebuild elsewhere. By 1900, Wicker Park was a fully formed neighborhood with large German, Scandinavian, and Polish immigrant communities and a unique mix of mansions and humble worker's cottages. This walk zeros in on two landmarked streets dubbed “Beer Baron Row”—Hoyne and Pierce Avenues—featuring several of Wicker Park’s oldest surviving mansions. The trail is compact, but don’t limit your gaze; these blocks are bursting with architectural exuberance.

Neighborhood Trail: Wicker Park's Beer Baron Row

This Queen Anne with Victorian landscaping is one of the oldest homes in Wicker Park. ...

NOTE: This is a private residence. Please do not disturb.

This Queen Anne is one of the oldest homes in Wicker Park. The varied ornament includes pressed metal decoration (newly popular in Post-Fire Chicago), cornices, and a conservatory that was originally a pair of heavily stylized gingerbread porches. The house was built for C. Herman Plautz, founder of the Chicago Drug & Chemical Company and formerly president of Northwest Brewing Company. Plautz later became City Clerk, City Treasurer, and Ambassador to Russia in the 1890s. During prohibition, a speakeasy ran out of the basement and the 1912 Navy cannon is a vestige of the house’s use as an American Legion Hall from 1927-1972.

As you explore Chicago during OHC, please wear a face covering, maintain at least six feet of distance from others and do not attempt to enter any buildings.

1558 N. Hoyne Ave.

This Second Empire Style mansion is the grand dame of Beer Baron Row ...

NOTE: This is a private residence. Please do not disturb.

This Second Empire Style mansion is the grand dame of Beer Baron Row, at least since the Joseph Schlitz Mansion at Hoyne and Pierce was demolished in the 1920s. Beer Baron Row is the nickname for this two-block stretch of Hoyne favored by Chicago’s newly wealthy beer magnates. Built by German wine and beer merchant John Raap, who owned a store on Milwaukee Avenue, this was not a happy home: Raap was murdered by his bookkeeper, his wife went insane, and Raap’s son was convicted of embezzlement. Things have changed since, for the better. After a prolonged period that saw the house divided into apartments, Rugo Raff Architects renovated the dilapidated property and de-converted it back to a single-family home in 2010. 

Notice the gorgeous turret, pilasters and decorative wood, brick and iron work. Formal gardens, mulberry trees, a large lawn and wrought iron fencing complete the composition. One of the largest homes in Wicker Park, it was listed for sale (but did not sell) in 2018 for the neighborhood record-setting price of $6.5 million. Fun fact: Hoyne was the first paved street in Chicago, and people came from all over the city to roller skate the streets and admire the homes.

1407 N. Hoyne Ave.

This sturdy sandstone home commands attention as a fine example of Richardsonian Romanesque style ...

NOTE: This is a private residence. Please do not disturb.

This sturdy sandstone home commands attention as a fine example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The home’s first owner was clothing merchant Paul J. Benson and his family, whose Benson & Rixon men’s clothing store grew into a successful local chain. In the 1920s, new owner Agnes Nering briefly set up a “School of Singing and Dancing,” utilizing the home’s ballroom-like third floor. Like many fashionable homes in Wicker Park, it became a boarding house during the Great Depression and remained so intermittently through the early 1970s.

Though the original architect is unknown, West Loop-based Mike Shively Architecture has been overseeing a $2 million gut renovation, de-converting four apartments back to one 7,500 square-foot residence and lending the interior a modernized open plan.

2024 W. Pierce Ave.

This Queen Anne Victorian has a distinctive multicolored gingerbread trim ...

Address: 2135 W. Pierce Ave. // Architect unknown, 1888

NOTE: This is a private residence. Please do not disturb.

This Queen Anne Victorian has a distinctive multicolored gingerbread trim. It was built for Hermann Weinhardt, president of a table manufacturer and an early commissioner with the West Park System (a precursor to the Chicago Park District that administered park services throughout the city’s West Side). Notice the green limestone extracted from a local quarry. One family owned the property from the 1890s up until 1979, and it has never been subdivided. The current owners often make an ice rink of the lush side garden in winter.

The Weinhardt Mansion

This unusual house on three city lots was designed by the architects of the Humboldt Park Stables ...

NOTE: This is a private residence. Please do not disturb.

This unusual house on three city lots was designed by the architects of the Humboldt Park Stables and Refectory, whose credits also include 27 Schlitz “tied houses,” or brewery-owned saloons, spread across the city (see the Tied House Trail for several highlights). Built for Hans Runge, treasurer of a wood milling company, there is an appropriately large amount of exterior woodwork. The house is a classic example of the Victorian-era Eastlake style of design. Eastlake homes feature porch posts, railings, and balustrades turned on a lathe and made to appear like the heavy legged furniture of the day. The delicate spindle columns supporting the upper veranda are a standout and another characteristic feature of the late Eastlake style. 

In 1902, State Treasurer, Chicago Alderman, and banker-businessman Samuel Smulski bought the home. The house became a Polish Consulate in the 1930s, during which time former Polish Prime Minister and world-renowned pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski is rumored to have given a concert on the front porch.

2138 W. Pierce Ave.

Continue pushing north along Leavitt Avenue ...

Continue pushing north along Leavitt Avenue to the blink-and-you’ll-miss it landmarked block of Caton Street where several more mansions await. There are also a few impressive large homes on this stretch of Leavitt, north of North Avenue. When Caton filled in with sturdy, turreted Victorian homes featuring incredible brickwork and rusticated stone in the early 1890s, the roar of the L was not omnipresent. It’s an odd juxtaposition that drives home the reality of rapid speculative development and technological progress converging in Wicker Park in the late 19th Century.

Thank you for participating in the Chicago Architecture Center’s OHC 2020 festival. Please lend us your support. 

Suggested Detour

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Welcome to the OHC 2020 mobile app—your handheld guide for exploring 20+ Chicago neighborhoods during the 10th annual Open House Chicago festival, happening Oct. 16−25! All OHC 2020 experiences and programs are outdoors or online. To learn more about how you can use the OHC 2020 app to enhance your experience, visit openhousechicago.org/app. And if something catches your eye, let us know by posting a photo on social media using the hashtag #OHC2020. Many thanks to OHC 2020 Presenting Sponsor Wintrust. 

OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO 2020

Neighborhoods

Choose a neighborhood and start exploring! Neighborhood pages include architecturally significant sites, trails for self-guided exploration, app-exclusive experiences and ways to explore like a local.

Explore OHC Neighborhoods

Trails and Experiences

Get the most out of Open House Chicago by following one of our 20+ self-guided trails on foot, by bicycle or by car.

Follow OHC Trails

Online Programs

Register to view nearly two dozen panel discussions, presentations and virtual tours via Zoom, many of which are free or exclusive to current CAC members.

Discover OHC Online Programs

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Join to get special benefits during Open House Chicago, including FREE admission to most OHC programs and exclusive access to “My Neighborhood, My Story” celebrity tours.

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Sponsors and Partners

Community Partners

OHC 2020 would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors and community partners.

OHC Sponsors and Community Partners

Hyde Park / Kenwood

Chinatown

South Shore

Auburn Gresham

Austin

Back of the Yards / New City

Beverly

Bronzeville

Englewood

North Shore / Evanston / Rogers Park

Humboldt Park

Lincoln Park

Logan Square

Near North Side

Near West Side

North Lawndale

Oak Park

Pilsen

Pullman / Roseland

Wicker Park

Woodlawn

Downtown

Plan your spring break family fun in Chicago! Check it out on the Choose Chicago channel on Vamonde.

Choose Chicago

Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

Spring Break Family Fun

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues

From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

Bronzeville and Beyond

"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Discover why this neighborhood has been home to immigrant families, gays, hippies and young professionals alike over the years.

Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Join us as we show you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Hyde Park: Obama's Neighborhood

The Budget Savvy Travelers

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. This is a sure sign that schools will soon be out for summer vacation. Families looking for fun, affordable ways to keep kids busy during hot days will appreciate this guide that shares some great ways to cool off around Chicago—most are even free.

Best Places to Cool Off in Chicago

Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

Traveling the World Through Food | Chicago

Haley Guidry

Only have a short time to visit Chicago? No problem! With this guide, you can fit it all in - in just a weekend!

Spending a Weekend in Chicago

Looking for some free activities to explore in Chicago? You'll be surprised to learn that there are many things to do around the city that are absolutely free of charge!

6 Chicago Hidden Gems to Explore For Free

Wrigley Field holds the very identity of the Chicago Cubs. But Wrigley isn’t the only spot that embodies the spirit of the Cubbies. Lakeview is home to so many rich businesses that are full of North side pride!

Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce

Wrigleyville isn’t the only haven for fans of the Chicago Cubs. Take an adventure “Beyond Wrigley” into West Lakeview to explore some of the neighborhood icons and local businesses that are full of Cubbies pride!

Beyond Wrigley

Glessner House

Glessner House -

An architectural treasure in Chicago

Glessner House - An architectural treasure in Chicago

Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Center, a landmark home of the arts.

The People's Palace

Chicago has long been a laboratory for architectural innovation and experimentation. Let the Chicago Architecture Center lead you through the stories behind some of the city’s most significant skyscrapers. Come on an adventure to unlock the secrets of 10 iconic Chicago Buildings.

Cover photo courtesy of Jessica Cabe

10 Iconic Chicago Buildings

Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

An Adventure through all the Best Spots in the City

Must Visit Attractions in Chicago

Chicago has one of the most iconic skylines in the world. This insider guide shows you the best vantage points to capture a memorable photo of the skyline of Chicago. Best of all? These are all places that you can visit that are all free of charge.

Where to Find Chicago's Best Skyline Views for Free

Start on Chicago's South Side and travel back in time as you explore visit the homes of some of the most influential LGBTQ+ people in the city's vibrant history. Make your way through Washington Park and Woodlawn moving north towards Rogers Park.

Learn about Chicago's vibrant LGBTQ+ history on this cultural excursion through various parts of the City. This tour covers the historic markers and residences of some of Chicago's top LGBTQ+ luminaries. Find out how they left their marks from Washington Park and Woodlawn all the way up north to Rogers Park.

Explore Gay Chicago History: LGBTQ+ Landmarks Tour

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago.

The Magnificent Mile

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago. Unexpected turn-of-the-century ballrooms, lavish chandeliers, stained glass fit for royalty, atlases of the Renaissance, former mansions of America's elite, eclectic bars, iconic burger joints, classic cocktails, and unbeatable views make up our guide to the top hidden gems around the district.

The Magnificent Mile's Hidden Gems

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture.

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture. Hop on the Red Line, a bus, or even a water taxi and discover one of Chicago's most unique neighborhoods.

Chicago's Chinatown

This adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968," invites you to explore some of the locations Dr. King frequented in Chicago.

A Baptist minister and champion of nonviolent activism, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the civil rights movement. He spent considerable time in Chicago protesting racial discrimination, particularly in housing and education.
This VAMONDE adventure is based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968," and invites you to explore in person some of the locations King frequented in the city and to consider how Dr. King’s work remains relevant today, 50 years after his assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago

Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian, on a journey through Humboldt Park to learn more about the role the 150-year-old park served as key experimental grounds for Jens Jensen's Prairie style of landscape architecture.

Julia Bachrach

Established 150 years ago, Humboldt Park can be thought of as a living landmark with layers of history that reflect contributions by important landscape designers, architects, and artists. The most noteworthy, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951), revered the indigenous scenery of the Midwest and created the Prairie style of landscape architecture. Humboldt Park provided important grounds for his process of experimentation. Jensen went on to design estates for prominent businessmen such as Julius Rosenwald, Harold Florsheim, and Henry Ford. Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian and author of "The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks," on a journey to learn more about how Humboldt Park served as Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds.

Humboldt Park: Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds

The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. Get inspired by these galleries and their collections

Chicago Scene

Chicago is home to countless world renowned cultural institutions. The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. There’s something for everyone at these galleries, whether you’re simply an appreciator of art or a seasoned collector.

Art Galleries: Beyond The Museum Campus

Not your everyday Chicago adventure, these unique outings go inside, behind-the-scenes, and even underground to show off a different side of the city.

VAMONDE

From the lair of a notorious Chicago gangster to the infectious groove of a legendary blues club, this adventure will have you socializing, singing, and exploring the city all day (and night!) long. Personally curated by the Vamonde team (a group of foodies, architecture buffs, music fanatics and bar-hopping explorers) this adventure will provide you with the incredible stories and secrets behind some of Chicago’s notorious and renowned spots. Did we mention gingerbread cookies at the Waldorf Astoria?

A Chicago Insider’s Adventure

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks.

American Writers Museum

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks. A special adventure created in honor of the 2017 American Library Association Annual Exhibition and Conference.

Chicago Literary Landmarks Hunt

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. Paul speaks with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Paul Natkin

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. In this adventure,  Paul goes beyond the Chicago Blues Festival to speak with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Beyond the Blues

The Gathering Spaces are a series of artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning Lake Shore Drive. Travel along the corridor to discover how the artists linked nature and culture.

Chicago Park District

The Gathering Spaces are a series of five artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor (BWC), a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning both sides of Lake Shore Drive. The five Gathering Spaces reflect the nature and culture of the area and serve as assembly grounds and rest areas for people exploring the Corridor. The spaces were designed and created by teams of local artists in partnership with community-based organizations in the Chinatown, Bronzeville, and Pilsen neighborhoods. On this adventure, we'll travel along the BWC to get the inside scoop on the creative process, community goals, and environmental context of each Gathering Space.

Lakefront Gathering Spaces

Broadway in Chicago

With more than 200 theaters, Chicago is home to a rich and varied theater community, well known for a diverse mix of original productions that began here and then went on to Broadway and the world. Broadway In Chicago currently own many of the anchor theatres in Theatre District, including the CIBC Theatre (home of Hamilton), the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and the James M. Nederlander Theatre which broke records when it housed Wicked from 2005-2009. Let Broadway In Chicago take you through a tour of the theatres that make up the Chicago Theatre District.

Chicago Historic Theatre District

Jason Brammer is known for his distinctive mixed media assemblage based works, surreal paintings and drawings, murals and site-specific installations. Join us as we take you across the city and unearth how some of your favorite works came to be.

Jason Brammer

Portals, Pyramids, & Octopods: The Art of Jason Brammer

You might have already heard about a few of these destinations, consider this your local guide to the Wicker Park bars that are in some way (think hidden entrance) or another (think no address) -- secret.

Holiday Jones Hostel

Because we’re terrible at keeping secrets and because Wicker Park has too many cool off-the-beaten-track places to explore, Holiday Jones Hostel has created this adventure to give you the inside scoop on the best lounges, dive bars, and speakeasies to visit and pretend like you’re a regular.

Wicker Park's Best Kept Secrets

The story of public housing is the story of America. Explore the untold stories of people who created community across racial and economic divides and confronted social injustice.

National Public Housing Museum

​The story of public housing is the story of America. This tour, curated by the National Public Housing Museum, introduces you to the heart of Chicago’s Near West Side with its vibrant communities, diverse cultures, and history of activism and resistance. Explore fascinating sites where public housing residents built community across racial and economic divides, restaurants and bakeries that continue to create delectable food from various cultures and learn about overlooked and invisible stories about where people studied, organized, and confronted social injustice. We recognize this land as being indigenous, and we follow the lead of the first peoples who, despite massive genocidal violence, have never relinquished the struggle for land, water, culture, their people.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The Near West Side and The Jane Addams Homes: Chicago's Ellis Island

The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities; avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far.

​The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities: ​avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far. The city's many newspapers, magazines, and literary journals have offered experience and exposure for aspiring writers. Programs at local libraries, bookstores, and cafes have connected writers with the reading public.

City of Writers

The American Writers Museum is the first national museum in the United States dedicated to engaging the public in celebrating American writers. Tap GO and check out 'Writers Hall' for a preview of the museum, but like any good page-turner, it‘ll only leave you wanting more. Plan a visit to unlock the exclusive, behind-the-scenes content for each exhibit.

Tucked away in the West Ridge community is a treasured place— Indian Boundary Park.  The 13-acre park was developed in two major phases—the first in 1916 and the second in the early 1920s. Plans for both phases were created by Richard Gloede, a landscape gardener and horticulturalist from Evanston.  Unlike other parks of the era that accommodated numerous athletic activities, Gloede and the Park Board sought to create a beautiful landscape for rest and relaxation.  The park has always had a seamless relationship with the adjacent neighborhood, and despite various changes over the years, Indian Boundary Park has always retained its special character.

Indian Boundary Park

Liz Garibay uses taverns, beer history, and drinking culture as familiar tools to teach about the city’s past to a diverse audience. Researching records, collecting oral histories and collaborating with experts she’s been able to provide factual historic information to anyone wanting to learn about history in a fun and social way.

Liz Garibay

Chicago Beer History takes you to pivotal  points in time in Chicago’s history where beer is often the common denominator. This adventure takes you through time and places in the city with touching on topics that range from infrastructure to politics. Curated by Liz Garibay, a self-proclaimed beer and tavern history; join as she takes you on a trip through time. Pull up a stool, grab a beer, and let’s talk history.

Chicago's Beer History

In Millennium Park, you’ll find a new kind of town square – a lively, spectacular gathering spot located in the heart of the city and a destination for Chicagoans and visitors alike.

Millennium Park

Botanical brews, pizza pairings and revolution in beer. Discover the craft brews of Milwaukee Avenue.

Clustered around Milwaukee Ave are a collection of Chicago craft breweries that are taking the world of Chicago brewing by storm. Take a wild journey through the unique and wondrous world of Chicago brewing.

Milwaukee Avenue Craft Brews

A National Historic Landmark, the Auditorium Theatre is known internationally for its perfect acoustics, innovative architecture, and stunning design.

Auditorium Theatre

Dive into the rich history of the 128 year-old National Historic Landmark that is the Auditorium Theatre! In this adventure, you'll learn a little about how we came about, what we've done over the years, and how you can get involved.

Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

Hotel Versey

Hotel Versey, a local hotel in your favorite neighborhood. Experience a local feel with locally-designed art through the hotel.

Hotel Versey Art Walk

Hotel Versey is located in the center of the Belmont Theater District, you can catch a show by local upcoming artists while in Chicago.

Belmont Theater District

Chicago is a city beaming with theatrical art. Beyond the professional
theaters of the city lie dozens of storefront theaters that offer a more close-up experience
for audience members.

Black Box Theaters

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Situated on the Chicago River, the historic Lyric Opera House is just as beautiful as the performances that take place on its stage.

Travel down memory lane with a visit to the South Side spots most frequented by former US president, Barack Obama.

Footsteps of Obama

Design Museum of Chicago

Chicago has a long, complicated relationship with the bicycle. In the first Bicycle Boom in the 1890s, more than 2/3rds of American-made bicycles were manufactured here in Chicago. Today, we are seeing more examples of how the bicycle highlights inequity in the city, and discussing broader social issues, like gentrification and policing, through the lens of the bicycle. This adventure focuses on the early years of the bicycle and the innovations and innovators that came from Chicago.

Keep Moving: Designing Chicago's Cycling History

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

Neighborhood Trail: Wicker Park's Beer Baron Row

1558 N. Hoyne Ave.

1558 N. Hoyne Ave.

1407 N. Hoyne Ave.

1407 N. Hoyne Ave.

2024 W. Pierce Ave.

2024 W. Pierce Ave.

The Weinhardt Mansion

The Weinhardt Mansion

2138 W. Pierce Ave.

2138 W. Pierce Ave.

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Suggested Detour

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