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24 travel tips every first-time Chicago visitor needs to know

Chicago is a friendly city for tourists, but we’ve collected a few useful things to know before you arrive.

Welcome to Chicago! We’re glad you’re here (or considering a trip, at least). Whether you’re visiting on business or pleasure, we know it can be daunting to travel to a new city for the first time. There are logistical hurdles: figuring out the public transportation options , navigating the grid system, knowing the best neighborhoods to stay in. And then there are the cultural questions: What’s the best time to visit? What should you do with your time? Is deep dish truly all it's cracked up to be? We’ve drawn from our experience as Chicagoans, and polled our own visiting friends, to help prepare you for what you should know as a new arrival.

RECOMMENDED: Your essential Chicago travel guide

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Chicago travel tips for first-time visitors

1.  Take the "L" to and from the airports.

Beat the traffic and surcharges and skip the taxi or rideshare when you arrive. Our regular Chicago Transit Authority "L" (short for "elevated") trains offer direct service to both Chicago airports: the Blue Line serving O’Hare and Orange Line for Midway International Airport. A $2.50 fare from Midway or $5 from O’Hare for regular service downtown in under an hour feels like a steal to us when we travel to other cities without such easy airport access.

2.  Get a three-day (or seven-day) CTA pass.

No need to rent a car if you're sticking close to the city. In the smartphone age, the CTA is easy enough to navigate even for newbies. Fares, though, can be a little harder to keep track of: You could load a dollar amount onto a Ventra card and then try to do the math every time you spend $2.50 on a train ride and $2.25 on a bus—or maybe that counted as a $0.25 transfer if it was within two hours of your last ride? Much easier to buy a three-day pass, which is $15 for 72 hours of unlimited rides. If you’re staying longer, a seven-day pass on a new Ventra card will run you just $20—totally worth it if you’re spending that much time here. All can be purchased from the Ventra vending kiosks at either airport and any CTA station, as well as many supermarkets and pharmacies.

3.  If you do drive, download the ParkChicago app.

If you’re driving into the city and want to use your car while you’re here, download ParkChicago ( parkchicago.com ) to your phone for all your street parking needs. Create an account with your license plate number and link a credit card, and you’ll pay in the app using the zone number printed on signs like this one where paid street parking is available. Rates vary by neighborhood. (Many residential streets will be marked permit-only, while a blessed few unmarked streets are actually free to park on—check carefully for signage before you assume.)

4.  While you’re at it, download all of these apps to help you get around.

Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze will give you solid directions, and the Uber and Lyft apps can find you a ride at just about any address and any time of the day or night (most rideshare drivers work for both services, in our experience). Transit Stop  is our favorite for real-time arrival projections for L trains and bus routes, and if you’re a nervous navigator, you can tell the app exactly where you’re going and it will give you a heads up when your stop is approaching. Check out more transportation apps we love here .

5.  Get the gist of the grid system.

Unlike a lot of cities, Chicago’s streets are laid out on a generally reliable grid system. Here’s the quick-and-dirty version: The intersection of State and Madison Streets, smack in the middle of the Loop, is the zero point of the grid. Street numbers fan out from there on north-south and east-west axes, and every eight blocks (outside of the Loop, at least) equals a mile. There are angle streets and river branches and historical quirks here and there to create confusion and six-corner intersections, but the grid is a solid foundation for getting around. Also, if you remember nothing else, east is always towards the Lake. 

6.  Give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going.

In a city of almost 3 million people, delays are almost bound to happen whether you’re on the L or on the expressway (which, by the way, is what we call our controlled-access highways, a.k.a. freeways, interstates or motorways). If you’re trying to make an appointment with a rigid start time—whether it’s a meeting, a dinner reservation or a theater curtain—allow more time than you think you need, just to be safe.

7.  Tipping is standard for many services. Here's how to do it.

In the United States, tipping is customary for service in several situations, and the standard rates in Chicago may be higher than you’re used to elsewhere in the country. At sit-down restaurants, where you have a server taking your order at your table and seeing to your needs through your meal, you should tip at least 20 percent of your total bill for good service. If you’re out for drinks, a dollar per drink is usually fine if you’re ordering from the bar—more if they’re complicated cocktails.

If the establishment accepts credit cards, you can add the tip onto your total when you sign the bill. Many restaurants and coffee shops also now have a payment system that allows you to add a tip automatically to your bill via credit or debit card, and calculates the percentage for you.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some restaurants and bars will add a surcharge to your bill to compensate for lost revenue and increased costs as a result of the pandemic. This charge is not a replacement for a tip, and you should still prepare to add a tip on your bill. 

Other situations will call for cash tips: Give a valet parking attendant a couple of dollars when they retrieve your car, and tip a bellhop or skycap a buck or two for each of your bags they handle. Hotel housekeeping staff should be tipped about $5 per day of your stay, which you can leave out in the room when you check out.

8.  You might need cash in other situations, too.

While it’s increasingly uncommon, there are a remaining few cash-only venues around the city that don’t accept credit cards—among them, some of our favorite dive bars and cheap eats establishments. It’s also good to have cash on hand if you’re planning on visiting any summer street festivals or looking to make a purchase at art or craft fairs; many small vendors can now accept credit cards via services like Square, but it's a good idea to bring cash just in case (and to avoid the high fees that are often found at on-site event ATMs). 

9.  Be prepared to have your purse or bag searched at large venues.

Whether you’re a business commuter or a tourist, unless you’re driving your own car everywhere you go you’ll probably be carrying a purse, tote, briefcase or bag of some kind to lug your stuff around. Security precautions at certain large venues—stadiums and ballparks, theaters, concert venues and music festivals—will mean an agent asking to take a cursory peek inside your bag before you go in; it’s standard practice. Certain venues, though, won’t allow very large bags or specific items inside at all, and they won’t be able to hold anything for you at the gate or the cloakroom. If you don’t want to find yourself making a trip back to your car or hotel and missing part of your event, it’s best to check the rules ahead of time.

10.  Skip the chains and stay in one of these local hotels…

You can stay in a Hyatt or a Hilton anywhere you go. When you’re here, splurge instead on one of the best hotels in Chicago —unique digs like the Chicago Athletic Association or the Ace Hotel. Or look at the city’s best boutique hotels , gems like the Freehand, Hotel Lincoln or the Robey.

11.  …or try an Airbnb, like one of these intriguing options.

Rent out an extravagant apartment or a homey condo for the duration of your stay—we’ve chosen some of the city’s most attractive options  here .

12.  There’s nothing “too touristy” about taking a tour.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s boat tours along the Chicago River are, frankly, one of our favorite reasons to have out-of-town guests (and they're fun to check out even when we don't have out-of-town guests). It’s just one of dozens of the best tours of Chicago , including walking tours and bike tours. You can also find food tours or brewery tours to maximize your use of time.

13.  Or take a self-guided tour of our best public art.

The unnamed Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza and, more recently, Millennium Park’s Cloud Gate (a.k.a. “The Bean”) have become symbols of the city. But there’s great public art to be found all over the place in Chicago, from murals by Hebru Brantley to mosaics by Marc Chagall to sculptures like Lorado Taft’s Fountain of Time . Even the enormous facade of the Merchandise Mart  has become a canvas for video art with the Art on theMART program.

14.  Bring comfortable walking shoes.

Chicago’s terrain is relatively flat and you won't find many hills to climb, unless you’ve built a side trip to one of our nearby hiking trails into your visit. But you’ll probably wind up doing more walking than you might think. Our city blocks are long, and both CTA stations and parking spots can be a good distance from your destinations.

15.  Wear layers. Year-round.

The weather in Chicago can fluctuate wildly in a matter of hours: Summer storms roll in out of nowhere, or the temperature rises 30 degrees Fahrenheit from morning to midday. If you’re going to be out on the town all day, it’s best to dress with options to shed or layer on as the day progresses. Even at the height of summer or winter this is true: Pitchfork  or Lollapalooza summer festival attendees in tank tops and short-shorts often find themselves wishing for a hoodie when the evening chill sets in, and there’s nothing worse than the overheated feel of being too bundled up on a packed CTA car in January.

16.  But summer is what we do best.

We can make a great case for every season in Chicago, but it’s hard to deny that summer is when visitors and residents alike can take the best advantage of what the city has to offer. After a long winter, Chicagoans scramble outside to outdoor dining and rooftop bars , our great public parks , Cubs and White Sox games, and of course to one of Chicago’s finest features—the 26 miles of beaches and open lakefront that make up the city’s eastern edge. We take our summers seriously.

17.  Speaking of summer, street festivals are a must.

We’ve already breathlessly sung the praises of summer in Chicago, but summer festival season deserves a shoutout all its own. Every weekend from spring well into autumn, there are multiple lively festivals to choose from, each with delicious food, live music and other fun activities to explore. From art fairs and cultural and LGBTQ+ festivals to exuberant, jam-packed concerts and celebrations of a specific food or drink item (e.g. Ribfest, Apple Fest and something called Seltzerland), there’s truly something for every taste. 

18.  Get out of downtown.

A lot of the city’s hotels are clustered in River North, on the Mag Mile and in the Loop. Not coincidentally, so are a lot of chain restaurants and tourist traps. (It’s no surprise the only TGI Friday’s in the city is just off Michigan Avenue). Just like visiting Times Square doesn’t mean you’ve seen New York City, if you want to see how Chicago really lives, you’ll need to venture out into the neighborhoods. We like to call this a city of neighborhoods, and each area of the city has its own identity and attractions. Start here with our neighborhood guides .

19.  You could spend a week on museums alone.

Remember we said you’d be doing a lot of walking? A good chunk of that could take place inside Chicago’s must-see museums . The Art Institute alone is the second-largest museum in the United States—at over a million square feet and with 300,000 pieces in its collection, don’t expect to knock it off your list in an afternoon. You’ll have to pay admission to most of the big institutions; free days are generally offered only to Illinois residents, but a Chicago CityPASS is a good way to get discounted admission to several. And plenty of smaller free museums and galleries never charge admission and are definitely worth your while.

20.  We still love Old Style, but we’re increasingly a craft beer town.

While Chicago has always been a beer-loving city, there was a dark period of a decade or so after Peter Hand Brewing closed in 1978 when no beer was actually being made here. The closest you could get to a “local brew” was stuff from Milwaukee. But in the late ’80s and early ’90s, a few hops-headed entrepreneurs launched Chicago’s first brewpubs, where beer was made and drank on the same premises. One of these, Goose Island, made its first foray into bottling and distribution in 1995; within another decade, the craft beer boom had begun. Now, Goose sits alongside names like Half Acre, Revolution and Lagunitas on any list of Chicago’s best breweries , but there are well over 100 breweries operating in the city and suburbs, many of which have attached taprooms and offer brewery tours,  and events like FOBAB (Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers) and Illinois Craft Beer Week have become tourist draws all their own.

21.  You can (and should) skip the Magnificent Mile.

We mentioned the chain restaurants around Michigan Avenue. Well, these days most of the shops lining the pedestrian-packed sidewalks of the Mag Mile are also outposts of department stores and brands you can find elsewhere in the country (or even elsewhere in the city). For more unique retail, look where the locals do: great shopping neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Logan Square or Andersonville.

22.  Experience the local sports culture.

From the Michael Jordan-led Bulls dynasty in the ‘90s to recent championship titles by the Blackhawks, Cubs and Sky, Chicago prides itself on heavy-hitting sports teams and wildly passionate fans. With most stadiums easily accessible by train or bus and single-game tickets relatively affordable if you book in advance (it’s possible to get White Sox tickets for as little as $8 , for example), cheering on one of the many local teams with a hot dog and an Old Style in hand is a great way to spend an afternoon in Chicago. 

If you’re not much of a sports person, it still helps to know when the local teams are playing for getting-around purposes. If you’re heading north on the Red Line and the Cubs are in town, be prepared for a packed-to-the-gills train or bus and possible delays. There’s even a handy website for quick references.

23.  There’s way more to Chicago theater than downtown, and more to comedy than Second City.

The big musicals that visit the Loop under the banner of Broadway in Chicago are a major tourist draw; some visitors build their trips to Chicago around getting to see Broadway-style shows without having to go to New York. And hey, we’re not going to tell you not to see Hamilton  (or whatever other marquee show is playing) if that’s what brings you here. But Chicago’s homegrown theater isn’t centralized around a theater district. Instead, theaters large and small have cropped up across the city and suburbs; you can catch a show in neighborhoods from Lincoln Park to Jefferson Park, Back of the Yards to Grand Crossing, and many residents become loyal subscribers of the theaters in their own backyards. Similarly, while Second City has produced a lot of famous names, it’s not the only game in town for the improv and sketch comedy Chicago’s famous for. You’ll find a greater variety of shows (and possibly more comfortable seats) at Lincoln Lodge or the Annoyance, and many more of the city’s best comedy nights take place in bars, bookstores and other non-theater venues.

While you’re here

Best things to do in Chicago that locals and tourists will love

• Things to do

These attractions and events are fun for first-time visitors and residents alike

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23 Best Things to Do in Chicago

By Nicole Schnitzler

Home to 77 neighborhoods, a robust lineup of festivals, a sprawling waterfront, and charming parks and walkways throughout, Chicago packs in something for every one of its locals. Add to that list award-winning theaters, iconic architecture, and a dynamic dining scene, and you’re looking at a world-class destination, too—smack dab in America’s heartland. The city’s draws only continue to grow, thanks to arrivals in everything from music venues to Michelin-starred restaurants—and the town’s hospitality remains strong, invested in helping others to enjoy those experiences across the board. From an education in the arts to an entirely outdoors itinerary (and plenty of easy-to-elegant noshes along the way), here are some of the best things to do in Chicago now.

Read our complete Chicago travel guide here.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Garfield Park Conservatory Arrow

Step into the humid, glass-enclosed domes of Garfield Park where the air is clean thanks to thousands of jewel-toned plant specimens filtering toxins throughout. The space is fashionably untamed across its verdant showcase of flora from wet and dry environments, and those between. Spread across twelve acres, there's abundance year-round, from the colorful spring flower show to permanent indoor exhibits and holiday displays. Plant and garden enthusiasts should make the conservatory—easily accessed by Green Line—one of their stops.

Pizza City USA Arrow

In writing his book Pizza City USA , James Beard Award-winning food reporter Steve Dolinsky had organized the city into 10 different styles of pizza, quickly understanding Chicago’s wide array of pie styles. That research led him to start a tour showcasing that range, offering him and a team of “doughcents” a chance to tout Chicago’s diverse pizza scene to visitors and locals alike. There are four different kinds of tours, each exploring 3-4 styles of pizza. A walking tour Friday nights (downtown), a bus tour (various neighborhoods), and a walking tour (West Loop) on Saturdays, and a walking tour on Sundays (Bucktown/Wicker Park). Though the venues vary by tour, you can expect stops at favorites like Labriola (deep pan), My Pi (deep-dish), Robert’s (artisan), Paulie Gee’s Logan Square (Detroit-style), Eataly, and Bar Cargo (Roman). Get ready to grow your pizza IQ—in addition to discussing the range of pie styles, the team shares plenty of ‘za terminology and local history.

Urban Kayaks Arrow

Kayaking on the Chicago River or lake front is one way to shake up your perspective while visiting. Urban Kayaks offers tours along either. Move through the pulsing heart of the city on the river or travel Lake Michigan and circle Museum Campus (featuring the Field Museum , Adler Planetarium , Shedd Aquarium and Soldier Field). A night tour on the river boasts views of the glowing Merchandise Mart, which is showered in rotating, digital art displays projected onto the building. A one and a half hour skyline paddle in Lake Michigan gives you all the tourist sites without the foot traffic and crowds, showing you Grant Park and Navy Pier on a route few tourists trek.

The Salt Shed Arrow

The team responsible for some of Chicago’s best restaurants and concert halls is behind this hugely popular newcomer, housed within the iconic Morton Salt building on the North Branch of the Chicago River. The indoor-outdoor space made a soft debut last summer and continues those rollouts this year, with indoor shows this past winter and a full lineup this summer (including acts like First Aid Kit, Pretty Lights, Caamp, and Tash Sultana). Multi-level ticketing tiers help guests in selecting their vantage point for shows. Even if you don’t have prime sightlines every time (now considered the largest independent concert venue in Chicago, the space has a capacity of 5,000 for outdoor shows and 3,500 for indoors), you’re still in luck: They feature a state-of-the-art sound system by L-Acoustics. The venue also features a solid lineup of local food options, including Pizza Friendly Pizza and Café Tola. Find them in the outdoor Fairgrounds space (perfect for grabbing a bite pre-show).

Alex Erdekian

Blane Bachelor

Josephine Wong

Adele Chapin

The Morton Arboretum Arrow

Located about 30 minutes west of downtown Chicago, the Morton Arboretum feels like a world away. It's a pastoral escape that feeds the mind and heart. Art installations on site are rotated seasonally, several of them are dedicated to the natural sciences, such as the living exhibit dedicated to tree growth. 'Human+Nature' is the current installation here, showcasing the work of acclaimed sculptor Daniel Popper. Five pieces are currently on display in various locations across the arboretum's 1,700 acres, making this Popper's largest exhibition to date anywhere in the world. Open from 7:00 a.m. to sunset, daily—it's a relative bargain at $16 a ticket. With a maze garden and over 16 miles of hiking trail, this is the ideal urban getaway for outdoorsy sorts looking to decompress.

Wrigley Field Arrow

Iconic Wrigley Field is arguably one of Chicago's most storied landmarks, with millions of baseball fans flocking to the stadium just to get a photo in front of the iconic Wrigley Field Marquee (whether they’re rooting for the Cubs or not). The stadium anchors the Wrigleyville neighborhood, which has experienced a boon in development. A new outdoor plaza, luxury hotels, and an influx of restaurants/bars have boosted the area's cultural cachet, so it's worth hanging around before or after your stop at the stadium.

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago Arrow

The MCA is one of the city’s museums that’s in a near constant state of transition. With its relatively small permanent collection, it relies on special shows—from large scale installations to video, fashion, music, photography, and more—that showcase just as many rising local talents and underground, avant-garde renegades as recognizable names. Past exhibits include David Bowie Is, Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, and Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech.   It also has one of the best gift shops (ever) and is home to Marisol, where chef Jason Hammel puts forth thoughtful, seasonal cuisine. Come summer, visit for their “Tuesday on the Terrace” music series, along with 21 Minus, an annual festival celebrating the next generation of artists.

Midway Plaisance Arrow

Known simply as the Midway, this mile-long natural stretch on the South Side connects the east end's Washington Park to Jackson Park on the west. Once the site of amusements during the 1893 Columbian World's Exposition (AKA World's Fair), the Midway is flanked by Hyde Park's noted gothic architecture, particularly the University of Chicago campus, and tree-lined boulevards, as well as outfitted with an ice skating rink and other facilities to keep folks visiting year-round.

Lincoln Park Zoo Arrow

Located in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park, this zoo offers free, family-friendly entertainment year-round including the festive Zoolights around the holidays (reservations are required for all visits though). The sprawling grounds are seamlessly woven into the park’s landscape, balancing open, natural spaces and numerous animal exhibits. If you skip the pricey concessions (but maybe spring for a paddle boat ride), Lincoln Park Zoo is a great option to keep all ages occupied while staying on a budget. Visit the animals, take a spin on the AT&T Endangered Species Carousel or the Lionel Train Adventure, and enjoy family-friendly dining options, such as Bird’s Eye Bar & Grill or the Patio at Café Brauer. 

Art Institute of Chicago Arrow

If you're coming to Chicago for culture, you're hitting the Art Institute first. It is the city's grandest museum, a Beaux Arts gem flanked by two bronze lions that are as much a symbol of the city as the Willis Tower and it has as fine an impressionist collection as you'll find anywhere. While you're there, plan to take a stroll through Millennium Park next door.

Bloomingdale Trail (The 606) Arrow

Chicago's answer to New York's High Line , the Bloomingdale Trail—a.k.a. The 606—is a nearly three-mile, elevated greenway running west and east on the city’s North Side. Unlike its NYC counterpart, the trails are wide enough to accommodate active patrons running, walking and cycling without running off more casual strollers, the formerly abandoned rail line is also lined with public art installations and gardens. During fairer weather, the trail also hosts various free events for families with young children.

3 Arts Club Cafe Arrow

Today there are more than 15 RH restaurants across the nation, but Chicago’s 3 Arts Club Café, which opened in 2015, was the first. Guests will discover it within Restoration Hardware’s 70,000-square-foot design gallery, which formerly functioned as the Three Arts Club, a residence built in 1914 for young women studying music, drama and the visual arts. Today, that space has been royally reimagined in the hands of RH, turning the six-story building into a lavishly outfitted labyrinth featuring its myriad décor whimsies (from the brand’s Design Atelier line to its children’s collections). Come here with friends or a special plus one, and arrive early—you'll want to factor in time for grabbing a coupe and perusing the historic property as you await your table.

Humboldt Park Arrow

One of Chicago's prettiest parks, this nearly 200-acre green space is located within the larger neighborhood of Humboldt Park (both are named for German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt). It's home to several statues—including one of its namesake, and two bison that were placed there during the 1893 World's Fair—as well as the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, located in the park's former stables. It's easy to drop in if you're headed down the 606 trail, but the park is big enough that it could take more than half a day to do all of it, so it's best if you're not in a rush.

The Second City Arrow

Tina Fey, Bill Murray, and Chris Farley all grew out of the scene at Second City and it continues to nurture some of the country's best comedy talent. Over three stages and four intimate studio theaters, there's plenty to see. The Mainstage show, featuring that season's top billed act, features long-form improv sketch, and is often packed on marquee nights. The same can be said for the e.t.c. Theater, which showcases up-and-comers, and the Up Comedy Club, for stand-up comic acts. The shows tend to be full, and ticketed for general admission, so come early to snag a prime seat. (Pro-tip: Avoid front row if you don't want to crane your neck all night.)

Chicago Lakefront Trail Arrow

The 18-mile long trail hugs the coast of Lake Michigan, offering almost all manner of activity along the shore. From sandy beaches and sprawling parks, to some of the best views of the Chicago skyline, the Lakefront Path is one of the city's great public treasures, enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. Runners and cyclists love the width and ease of use of the trail, while intramural type teams make use of the many open spaces found up and down the path. If you don't want to run around, there’s plenty of room to just sit and people watch, as well as check out a number of art installations that pop up throughout the year.

Chicago Electric Boat Company Arrow

Auditorium Theatre Arrow

Inspired to build a theater that would benefit the city and serve as the world’s largest and most ornate building, Chicago businessman Ferdinand Wythe Peck began plans for the Auditorium Theatre and debuted the venue in 1889. Since then, the theater has been the site of major historical events and performances and earned impressive titles along the way (including a National Historic Landmark designation). Keep an eye on this season's calendar for events with Tom Hanks, The National, and Loreena McKennitt, among others. Anyone seeking a dose of the arts in elevated, historic environs will do well by a visit here. Gather friends for a speaker event or concert, or make it a date night.

Green Mill Arrow

Do not come here expecting fancy drinks—or anything fancy, really. This is living, breathing history. And it's a rocking good time. The Green Mill is a warm and inviting throwback to a bygone era. There’s live jazz, cheap drinks, and loads of local history (Al Capone used to have a booth reserved here during Prohibition); what's not to love? Bar eats are not on the menu here. Bring your own potato chips if you think you'll need a snack (no one will judge you). The craft beer list has expanded commendably over the past few years. So grab yourself a cold one or a whiskey soda and see where the night takes you.

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise Arrow

Run by the Chicago Architecture Center, the Architecture River Tour is one of the most polished operations in town ( and a wonderful alternative to some of the cheesier tours ). Taking place on a barge in spring, summer, and fairer fall weather, the cruise explores Chicago's beginnings from various branches of the Chicago River—offering both day and evening tours. While groups are typically large, the Architecture Center-trained docent speaks via loudspeaker, audible from throughout the boat. (Pro-tip: Head straight upstairs when you board and snag a seat in the rear for optimal views.) In 90 minutes, you'll get to know 50 buildings along the Chicago River, hear secrets about a map of the river's topography hidden in plain sight, and learn about the only skyscraper in the skyline designed by an award-winning female architect.

Promontory Point Arrow

This man-made peninsula in Burnham Park has become a favorite gathering and photo shoot spot for locals due to its manicured landscape and rock formations along the lakefront. Our plan of attack here is to have a picnic at the point, then walk among a number of public art works edging the surrounding park. Some of the most interesting  public art installations and gathering spaces, such as Sounding Bronzeville and La Ronda Parakata, are actually within the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, which is composed of the Burnham Centennial Prairie, Burnham Nature Sanctuary, and McCormick Bird Sanctuary.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center Arrow

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art Arrow

Among the only museums in the world dedicated wholly to outsider art, Intuit is an impressive shrine to self-taught creators across all forms of media. Beyond an unassuming, brick facade, you’ll brush up against a concise-yet-vibrant collection of paintings, sculptures and assorted ephemera. The collected work draws you in with an air of unconventional audacity. This is a whimsical environment with an industrial edge. Exhibits are spread out with ample room for wandering and gazing at your leisure. The museum is curated by passionate docents who are committed to the cause of promoting the artistic output of marginalized creatives.

Chicago Botanic Garden Arrow

The Chicago Botanic Garden, a 385-acre living plant museum, features 28 distinct gardens and four natural areas. Those figures are impressive enough to draw more than one million visitors annually, making it one of the most frequented botanical gardens in the United States . Inside the gates, the Garden’s living collections feature more than 2.8 million plants from around the world that grow well in the Chicago area and are adapted to Midwest climate and soils. Expect to see a lush array of trees, shrubs, vines, and tropical plants, among other varieties.

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13 Chicago Suburbs Worth Leaving the City to Visit

Arlington heights.

Arlington Heights is one of the closest places to Chicago where you can take a day trip and feel like you’ve traveled far, far away from the city’s bustle. Take the 45-minute train ride (or half-hour-ish car trip) northwest past the convention centers of Rosemont and you’ll find a municipality that really can offer day trippers anything they could want. First, indulge in some shopping over at Mitsuwa Marketplace , the largest Japanese marketplace in the midwest. Grab yourself some pastries and sweets at a selection of fine pastry shops, bakeries, and chocolatiers, and then hop over to Books Kinokuniya to pick up some manga, collectibles, or a squishy-comfy Pikachu pillow. Then, watch the sunset over Lake Arlington and take in a show at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center before your twilight trip back home. For nature lovers, the nearby 3,500+ acre Busse Woods forest preserve is one of the area’s best, boasting an elk pasture, ancient upland forests, almost 13 miles of trails, and Cook County’s largest fishing and boating waters.

Young families moving out of the city often build their first nest in this sprawling suburb, home to an array of eateries from the trendy 151 Kitchen to the old-school classic Roberto’s . Snap some pics at Wilder Mansion , do some biking on the Prairie Path , and catch movies al fresco all summer long at Wilder Park . Summer also brings live music at the gazebo in Wild Meadows Trace Park, with nearby dive bar Spring Inn acting as the perfect post-concert destination. Fans of golf and shopping will definitely want to stop by Oak Brook beforehand, where the massive Oak Brook Center and Oak Brook Golf Club beckon visitors from near and far.

Why you should visit: Another popular settling down spot for first-time homeowners, La Grange boasts a small but lively main drag just off the Metra stop along La Grange Road where bars and restaurants like Palmer Place and Milk Money Brewing add loads of character. The vibe is endlessly quaint and cute, with the town also known for fun summer programming including a pet parade and arts fest. Nearby Hinsdale is another pretty little town just off the Metra line. Hop off here for a breezy stroll down the tree-lined sidewalks while drooling over upscale homes.

The hometown of Harrison Ford and Hillary Clinton sits just beyond the border of family-friendly northwest side hoods like Edison Park and Norwood Park, making for a stress-free diversion on the way to nearby O’Hare. Catching a movie at the historic Pickwick Theatre is an absolute must for any first-timer, while nature fans should make a beeline to the Des Plaines River Trail before stopping off for a well-deserved cold one at craft hotspot Beer on the Wall . Nearby Des Plaines is home to both Rivers Casino and legendary tropical bar Tiki Terrace .

With close proximity to Chicago mixed with its own charming small-town aesthetic that feels a world away, Geneva has a little bit of everything—from a ridiculously cute Downtown dotted with tree-lined bars and restaurants to a wealth of nature at nearby parks and the Fox River, which runs through town. A leisurely stroll down Third Street's intimate bar and restaurant scene is a near-perfect way to spend an afternoon, as is taking in a minor league baseball game at the Kane County Cougars stadium (aka Northwestern Medicine Field ) here in the summer. A side trip to the equally cool but slightly larger adjacent riverside town of St. Charles is a must, where you can sip drinks at bars along the river or take in a show at the historic Arcada Theatre .

As the town where much of the Bill Murray classic “Groundhog Day” was filmed, Woodstock is instantly recognized thanks to iconic film locations like the Woodstock Opera House . (The town even goes as far as to host a Groundhog Days festival every February with film screenings, beer tastings, and something called “groundhog bowling.”) But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a cool little hamlet with a surprisingly decent music scene, yours to enjoy at popular local watering holes like Liquid Blues . Be sure to make a detour over to Boone Creek Conservation Area and take advantage of miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. The area is also home to a variety of endangered, protected species of birds, turtles, and other creatures.

Arguably Chicago’s coolest and most famous suburb, Oak Park made a name for itself as the hometown of Ernest Hemingway as well as the town where architect Frank Lloyd Wright spent much of his early career. In addition to the Hemingway Museum and a compelling assortment of architecture tours detailing the world’s largest collection of Wright-designed buildings, Oak Park is an artsy bike-friendly town as well as a culinary hub with more than 150 eateries including the standout Sen Sushi Bar . Even if you don’t have a full day to spend here, simply driving through and taking in the architecture for a half hour or so is more than worth the trip out.  Freddy’s Pizza in nearby Cicero is a veritable local institution. 

Evanston may be suburban, but it doesn’t always feel like it, with a wealth of city-quality bars and restaurants including Ward Eight , as well as Edzo’s Burger Shop , arguably the best place in the entire Chicagoland area to grab a burger and shake. Meanwhile, the town’s lakeside location offers plenty of enviable views at local parks and beaches, and even though construction of the Wildcats’ new stadium will mean that there’s no football to be found in Evanston for a little bit, there’s still plenty of Big Ten action to be found at Welsh-Ryan Arena . You can also catch a concert at the excellent but underrated music venue SPACE while diving into some of the finest classic Chicago-style grub in the region at casual joints like the hungover-Northwestern-student haven Chicken Shack . Venture just across Evanston’s northern border to the neighboring town of Wilmette to check out the stunning Baha’i Temple , one of only eight such temples in the world and the only one in the US ( not to mention one of the most beautiful places in Illinois ).

With the bulk of it designated a National Historic Landmark, greenery is king in this town designed by famed landscape architect and Central Park mastermind Frederick Law Olmsted in 1869, making it one of the oldest planned communities in America. The town is devoid of traffic lights, with gas lamps illuminating the routes along winding streets that follow the Des Plaines River beside ample green space that creates a park-like vibe everywhere you look. Traditionally, there hasn’t been a ton to do here outside of high school house parties, but that’s all starting to change with the opening of a few new bars and restaurants in recent years including the standout La Barra . A trip to the world-famous Brookfield Zoo in the neighboring town of Brookfield is a must, followed by a night of inebriation at the infamous local watering hole, Irish Times .

Is it wrong to make a trip to the suburbs strictly to visit a brewery? Not when the suburb is Flossmoor and the brewery is the legendary Flossmoor Station , built into a historic former train station and now serving award-winning brews in one of the loveliest settings in all of Chicago (they’ve even got a caboose out back, so you know it’s legit). Surrounded by verdant landscaping, the town is also a haven for golfers and is just a short ride from Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (where you totally saw your first Mötley Crüe concert with your parents... or at least wanted to). Hit the Holy Trinity of South Suburban brews with side trips from Flossmoor Station to Blue Island’s Rock Island Public House and Tinley Park’s Soundgrowler , both within a 20-minute drive of Flossmoor.

Highland Park

With former resident Michael Jordan and current resident Billy Corgan (who operates a tea shop and art studio in town called Madame ZuZu’s ), Highland Park is packed with beautiful lakeside homes and iconic filming locations that have made their way into many classic ‘80s films, from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to Sixteen Candles to Risky Business . These days, the town offers a lively downtown scene, plus two beaches, a handful of golf courses, and plenty of bars in nearby Highwood. But one of the best things to do here is take a leisurely drive down scenic Sheridan Road (which winds through several posh North Shore suburbs) before stopping off for an outdoor summer concert at the always-ravishing Ravinia . Just across the border from Highland Park is the town of Glencoe, home to the utterly beautiful and incredibly date-worthy   Chicago Botanic Garden .

Elmwood Park

After you’ve done our unofficial “The Bear”-themed food tour of Chicago , Elmwood Park should be your next culinary conquest. The suburb lays claim to the original old-school locations of Johnnie’s Beef , Old World Pizza , and Armand’s , not to mention Russell’s Barbecue and Alpine Food Shop . A trip to the Bourdain-approved Johnnie’s is reason enough for a visit, but stick around and explore this ethnic Italian enclave to discover your new favorite Chicagoland staple. Either way, you aren’t going home hungry. A drive past the beautiful homes in neighboring River Forest leads you to the notorious row of Irish bars along Madison Street in Forest Park, where you can cap off a night of heavy boozing with even heavier delights by way of Chicago hot dog icons Portillo’s and Parky’s .

There’s a difference between living somewhere and visiting a place, and there are certainly worse places to visit than Illinois’ fifth-largest city. The highlight would have to be exploring the bars and restaurants along the brick paths and covered bridges of the Naperville Riverwalk . A close second? Sipping your way through the respectable area craft beer scene led by Solemn Oath Brewery alongside Two Brothers Tap House in nearby Warrenville and Hopvine in neighboring Aurora. With 16 miles of hiking trails and 4,000+ species of trees, nearby Morton Arboretum is Chicago’s closest thing to a national park.  Naperville Ribfest is definitely worth hitting. Sign up here for our daily Chicago email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town.

Jay Gentile is an award-winning freelance journalist specializing in travel, food & drink, culture, events and entertainment stories. In addition to Thrillist, you can find his work in The Washington Post, The Guardian, CNN Travel, Chicago Tribune, Lonely Planet, VICE, Outside Magazine and more. Follow @thejaygentile .

Sam Greszes  is a contributor for Thrillist.

Readers’ favourite travel discoveries of 2023

From a Finnish archipelago to a tranquil lake in Albania, our tipsters have unearthed beautiful beaches, lively cities and wild, atmospheric places

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Tove Jansson’s island life, Finland

Fans of Finnish author Tove Jansson will love the idyllic Pellinki archipelago, where she spent her summers on a tiny island, Klovharun, described in several of her novels. About 50 miles east of Helsinki, Pellinki forms part of a group of islands, linked by bridges and a delightful ferry, which you can explore by boat, car, bicycle, bus or on foot. Walk through the woods to reach one of the quiet beaches, hire a boat to fish or just tootle around the beautiful bays and stay in a traditional, wooden cottage with a matching sauna set among the trees where the only sounds you’ll hear are birdsong and the gentle putter of a small boat passing by. Finnish people know a lot about the importance of connecting with nature and this is a place where you will quickly find yourself reflecting on what really matters in life. Christine

Sounds and sights of Lake Ohrid, Albania

Our summer 2023 trip took us on a tour of Albania. We loved Tirana and its lively drivers, Berat bewitched us, historical Gjirokaster entranced us and we chilled out by the beach in Himarë. But it was tiny Lin in the Korçë region, eastern Albania, perhaps the oldest inhabited settlement in Europe, dating back to 6,000 BC, that totally captured our hearts. Our accommodation on the shores of Lake Ohrid offered amazing views across to North Macedonia. Delicious homecooked meals, including the tasty local Ohrid brown trout caught by the owner, were served on the terrace overlooking the lake where we were serenaded by a noisy frog chorus. Lisa J

Young and inclusive, Wrocław

Wrocław is an underrated city, a place to be immersed in river boat trips, £1.30 pints, chimney cakes and cobbled streets. The cathedrals are stunning, the people are warm and kind and it’s just about within day-trip range of the beautifully preserved German town of Görlitz. As a centre of academia in Poland, it has plenty of inclusive, youth-friendly bars and shops, and for far less money than in France, Belgium or Germany you can enjoy a truly authentic European long weekend. Aaron

Every day in Georgia we ate bread filled with oozing cheese

Khachapuri , bread filled with oozing, melted cheese, was so irresistible, cheap and ubiquitous, I ate it every day for two weeks in Georgia with each regional variation evoking travel memories. Breakfast in Tbilisi was warm imeruli khachapuri , stuffed with sour, salty Imeretian cheese ; while a version full of cheese and nettles warmed the soul on a dreary night in the Kazbegi mountains. In the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of western Georgia, we had megruli khachapuri , with sulguni cheese in the middle and on top, which was like pizza on speed. But we saved the best for the Black Sea resort Batumi: adjaruli , an iconic canoe-shaped bread, full of cheese swimming in butter. Lovely! Helen Jackson

Sea, surf, rock arches and beer, Galicia, Spain

Head to As Catedrais beach (Cathedral beach) in Galicia, north-west Spain, for incredible rock formations and turquoise waters. It takes its name from the huge arches which resemble the flying buttresses of a cathedral. During high tide the formations are hidden, but as the tide subsides beautiful arches and caves are revealed. Exploring these and sploshing through the beautifully clear water is pure pleasure. When you’re done exploring there is a cafe on the cliff top serving cold beers with views of the sea and surf below. Laura

Tipple in the taverna, Volos, Greece

Volos is a city in eastern Greece that many pass through en route to the Sporades islands, but we stayed a bit longer and discovered the culture of tsipouradika . Order a small bottle of tsipouro (a wine-based spirit), and a meze or two will come with it. If there are two of you, you get double; four and they quadruple it – it’s a social thing. The first meze are basic: aubergine salad, cured fish. Then the more you drink, the better they get: grilled sea bream, scallops. There are no menus, but as it’s a fishing city, seafood dominates. With hundreds of tsipouradika tavernas throughout Volos, it’s an integral part of local life and one I’m glad to have discovered. Alice

Incredible atmosphere, Essex by the Thames

Thames View in East Tilbury is an eco-conscious, no-frills campsite and a perfect weekend escape, with a firepit and table on each generous pitch. It’s right on the Thames Estuary path. There’s a second world war battery next door, and Coalhouse Fort is at the end of the road. For a real sense of the edge of things, walk up the path to Tilbury Fort just after high tide; it’s lonely, desolate and incredibly atmospheric. This is where Elizabeth I rallied her army nearby to face the threat of the Armada in 1588. It’s a half-mile walk to the jetty for the ferry to Gravesend here. At the other end of East Tilbury is the old Bata estate , a modernist masterpiece best explored by bike. Tim Smith

Canny meandering, Essaouira, Morocco

The Essaouira Sunday souq on Avenue Moulay Hicham is an un-Googleable paradise of organic produce. Our landlady showed us the way, cannily meandering, pausing to ask a price, split open a pea pod, exchange gossip. Essaouira, best known for surf and seafood, is also ridiculously fertile. November and December are best, when all the key Moroccan ingredients are at their peak. A truckload of corn in their husks? Thick bunches of wormwood? Artichokes, their stalks intact for soup making? One step back from the coast, the Essaouira land was brought to us, and it was delicious. Rachel Hobley

Tranquil swimming spot, Lake District

In July we found the tranquil and secluded Wasdale Emerald Pool . We were the only people there. The double waterfall is framed by the 899-metre peak of Great Gable, and looks out to the Wasdale valley below. After an invigorating dip we headed back to our timber cabin in Irton near Ravenglass and watched a thunderstorm from the half-moon window. Rachel Donnison

Winning tip: Cycling and refuelling on the Hebridean Way

In August we cycled the 184-mile Hebridean Way from Vatersay to the Butt of Lewis. Our best discovery? The food! We enjoyed fudgy brownies from Ardmhor Coffee while waiting at Barra ferry terminal. A day later we arrived, soaked to the skin, at the Hebridean Jewellery Cafe on South Uist and had the best brie and cauliflower soup ever. We ate, overlooking the beach, at the Wee Cottage Kitchen trailer on North Uist; my partner loved his scallop and black pudding roll. And on Lewis we hunkered down beside a blue shipping container, sheltering from the wind, with yummy Neapolitan pizza from Crust . Christine

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New Chicago travel show promotes neighborhood-led tourism

The program by choose chicago reimagines neighborhoods as prime travel destinations beyond downtown..

Victor and Nancy Garcia, owners of Papa’s Cache Sabroso in Humboldt Park, show off family pictures to Rob Fojtik, host of Choose Chicago’s new travel show, “The 77: City of Neighborhoods,” which explores the city’s hidden gems and histories.

Choose Chicago

Can Chicago tourism be reimagined as more than city skyscrapers and deep dish pizza? Choose Chicago thinks so.

Its new travel show, “The 77: City of Neighborhoods” hopes to uplift neighborhoods as prime travel destinations in Chicago beyond downtown. The series was unveiled earlier this month as part of broader efforts by the city’s tourism marketing agency to support community-led neighborhood tourism.

Hosted by Rob Fojtik, vice president of neighborhood strategy at Choose Chicago, the series journeys through five distinct communities: Humboldt Park, Little Village, Uptown, Bronzeville and Pullman/Roseland.

“I think our neighborhoods really are a proof point that our diversity, our history — even if it’s challenging — has created this amazing, beautifully vibrant city where we have so many different cultures calling Chicago home,” Fojtik said.

Longtime community residents might recognize their favorite bites on the screen, from the jibarito at Papa’s Cache Sabroso in Humboldt Park to a vegan messab at Demera in Uptown or a handmade old-fashioned doughnut in Roseland.

Choose Chicago’s new travel show, “The 77: City of Neighborhoods,” features the city’s culinary staples, including the jibarito, which was created in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

Though food is a central component of each episode, aimed at increasing tourism and investment in the community, it is not the main objective of Choose’s Chicago’s marketing.

“If you get a million ads to come to the best restaurants in this neighborhood, but think that neighborhood has nothing going on, you’re not going to go there,” Fojtik said.

The goal is to shift the narrative of neighborhoods that have long been siloed through a “community-led” approach, Fojtik said.

Every episode includes a deep dive into that neighborhood’s history and culture as told by the people who live there.

“[Tourism] needs to be in the service of the folks who live there because otherwise you do see displacement [and] gentrification,” Fojtik said.

From community interviews with 26th Ward Ald. Jessie Fuentes, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center’s José E. López, urban historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas and many more, the series explores the city’s hidden culinary gems as well as hard truths, like disinvestment and gentrification.

Ambrocio Gonzalez, owner of La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant, discusses restaurant success in Little Village over coffee with Rob Fojtik, host of “The 77: City of Neighborhoods.”

Little Village resident Jennifer Aguilar , who participated in the series, agrees that storytelling is crucial to how a community is perceived. In her role as executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, Aguilar is tasked with promoting dozens of family-owned businesses in the 26th Street corridor, which has boasted the second-highest tax revenue in Chicago after the Magnificent Mile.

“It’s important to do a lot more storytelling to show people that, despite the violence, there’s also much bigger things [in the community],” Aguilar said.

With many of Little Village’s brick and mortar shops owned by Mexican and Latino community members, Aguilar hopes that increased tourism will stave off business closures and preserve the community’s cultural essence.

“Our target audience for tourists is other Mexicans in the Midwest and other Mexicans throughout the country … so they make the trip all the way over here to get their essentials and enjoy feeling like they’re in Mexico,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar’s clear that tourism should not come at the expense of displacing Little Village residents, which has been an ongoing issue in recent years.

“That’s why we were very intentional with talking about the possibility of gentrification and putting it in [the Little Village] episode,” Aguilar said, “so that whoever sees it and wants to come visit knows that it’s not an invitation for you to come live here.”

All 30-minute episodes of “The 77: City of Neighborhoods” are now available for viewing on YouTube and the Choose Chicago website, with upcoming community screenings in the next two weeks.

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WNBA draft 2024: Caitlin Clark drafted as No 1 pick, Angel Reese goes seventh – as it happened

• Clark selected by Indiana with first overall pick in WNBA draft
• Clark can take women’s basketball to a level never seen before
• 3d ago Complete list of WNBA draft picks
• 3d ago Chicago Sky select Angel Reese as the No 7 pick
• 3d ago Chicago Sky select Kamilla Cardoso as the No 3 pick
• 3d ago LA Sparks select Cameron Brink as the No 2 pick
• 3d ago Indiana Fever select Caitlin Clark as the No 1 pick
• 3d ago Full WNBA draft order
• 3d ago Preamble

Indiana Fever select Caitlin Clark as the No 1 pick

No surprises here! Clark is joining the Fever.

The all-time scoring leader in major college basketball history, whose fast-paced, crowd-pleasing style has drawn millions of new fans to the sport in recent months, formally entered the paying ranks.

The selection itself was a formality. The 22-year-old Iowa sensation was hotly tipped for Indiana, which had secured the rights to the top pick by winning the WNBA draft lottery in December, from the moment Clark announced plans to forgo her final season of college eligibility in February.

with the first pick… Caitlin Clark, guard, University of Iowa. pic.twitter.com/8gUOkK15tF — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) April 15, 2024

That is all from me for tonight. Thanks so much for joining me for tonight’s 2024 WNBA draft.

The woman of the hour, Caitlin Clark , was drafted No 1 by the Indiana Fever, to absolutely no one’s surprise.

You can read all about what her pick means for the upcoming season and the rest of the picks here.

And the WNBA tips off on 14 May when the Sun host Clark’s Fever. See you then.

Clark says the goal is to get back to winning ways after she was selected as the No 1 pick by the Indiana Fever.

The Fever have not been in the playoffs since 2016 and Clark will be expected to help be the catalyst that changes that.

The now former Iowa star said in her post-draft press conference that getting back to the postseason will be the priority.

That’s definitely our goal is to get back to championship habits. I’m very lucky to be going there to an organisation that really loves women’s basketball. You see it today, I think they had 17,000 tickets claimed to just watch the draft. I think that shows the excitement in Indianapolis. It’s a great basketball city. Obviously, what the Pacers have been able to do this year is special, in the playoffs. I think I’m just excited. There’s a lot of young talent on the team, and just getting back to the playoffs and doing everything we can to win a lot of basketball games is certainly the goal.

Clark was also asked on if she feels she has any rivals in the WNBA:

Honestly, I don’t really feel like I have a rival. I think the biggest thing is the WNBA is so competitive right now. Every single time you step on the floor, it’s going to be a rivalry. I think so many teams are loaded with so much talent. This is the most competitive league in the entire world. Less than 144 spots. So you’d better bring it every single night, and I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. But I think that’s exactly how I lived my college career, too, is every single game, no matter what the opponent was I prepped the exact same way, I prepared the same way, I brought the same fire, I brought the same energy. I think that’s the biggest thing going into my WNBA career.

Clark also gave a shoutout to her former head coach Lisa Bluder:

She believed I would be here and she coached me really hard to get to this moment. There was a lot of ups and downs. Something I really appreciated about Coach Bluder is no matter what awards or success or wins we ever had or I had, it’s like she never stopped coaching me, she never stopped holding me accountable. She always thought there was ways for me to get better. She still thinks that, and I still think that. That’s one of the things I just love about her.

Complete list of WNBA draft picks

The first round is in the books. Here is how it went down:

1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark

2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink

3. Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardoso

4. Los Angeles Sparks: Rickea Jackson

5. Dallas Wings: Jacy Sheldon

6. Washington Mystics: Aaliyah Edwards

7. Chicago Sky: Angel Reese

8. Minnesota Lynx: Alissa Pili

9. Dallas Wings: Carla Leite

10. Connecticut Sun: Leila Lacan

11. New York Liberty: Marquesha Davis

12. Atlanta Dream: Nyadiew Puoch

Second round

13. Chicago Sky: Brynna Maxwell

14. Seattle Storm: Nika Mühl

15. Indiana Fever: Celeste Taylor

16. Las Vegas Aces: Dyaisha Fair

17. New York Liberty: Esmery Martinez

18. Las Vegas Aces: Kate Martin

19. Connecticut Sun: Taiyanna Jackson

20. Atlanta Dream: Isobel Borlase

21. Washington Mystics: Kaylynne Truong

22. Connecticut Sun: Helena Pueyo

23. New York Liberty: Jessika Carter

24. Las Vegas Aces: Elizabeth Kitley

Third round

25. Phoenix Mercury: Charisma Osborne

26. Seattle Storm: Mackenzie Holmes

27. Indiana Fever: Leilani Correa

28. Los Angeles Sparks: McKenzie Forbes

29. Phoenix Mercury: Jaz Shelley

30. Washington Mystics: Nastja Claessens

31. Minnesota Lynx: Kiki Jefferson

32. Atlanta Dream: Matilde Villa

33. Dallas Wings: Ashley Owusu

34. Connecticut Sun: Abbey Hsu

35. New York Liberty: Kaitlyn Davis

36. Las Vegas Aces: Angel Jackson

Atlanta Dream select Nyadiew Puoch as the No 12 pick

Puoch becomes the final pick of the first round of the 2024 WNBA draft. Another international player, she comes from Australia and has excelled in the WNBL, the Australian professional league. In 2023, her debut season, Puoch was nominated for the WNBL’s Sixth Woman of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year awards and in her second season, she helped her team win the 2024 Grand Final.

New York Liberty select Marquesha Davis as the No 11 pick

The guard was an All-SEC First Team selection this season, when she led Mississippi with a career-high 14.0 points per game and contributed 4.7 rebounds per game. Davis transferred from Arkansas to Ole Miss in 2022 and helped the Rebels to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She scored at least 20 points in eight games this season. Given the draft is taking place in New York City, the fans in attendance are mostly Liberty fans and their cheers are loud for their newest player.

Just a small town kid makin' her dreams come true 😀 @MarqueshaDavis is headed to the @nyliberty as pick #11 pic.twitter.com/zidCcpmUok — WNBA (@WNBA) April 16, 2024

Connecticut Sun select Leila Lacan as the No 10 pick

Another French point guard. Lacan made waves at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup and the Sun will hope she can adapt quickly to the W.

Dallas Wings select Carla Leite as the No 9 pick

The first pick that comes from outside of the college draftees. Leite, from France, is an explosive guard who is certainly one for the future.

Minnesota Lynx select Alissa Pili as the No 8 pick

Pili is an extremely physical 6ft2 forward whose breakout season in 2022-23 at Utah, after three seasons with USC, marked a spot in the All-America Second Team and Most Improved Player honours after leading the conference in points per game (20.7) and field goal percentage (59.0). She averaged 21.4 PPG this season and shot 40.4% from 3-point range.

Chicago Sky select Angel Reese as the No 7 pick

As mentioned earlier in this blog, Chicago did a lot to get this pick. They really wanted Reese.

Reese led the Tigers to the 2023 national title as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. This season, the 6ft3 forward paced the SEC in scoring (18.6 ppg) and rebounding (13.4 rpg) for the second straight year, becoming the first player to do so since 1990. She led the nation with 5.5 offensive rebounds per game and ranked second with 13.4 rebounds per game.

She had 17 points, 20 rebounds and 4 assists in her last college game, LSU’s Elite Eight loss to Iowa. Rebounding is easily her biggest strength and she has all the tools to become a star offensively.

Her and Cardoso have been playing against each other since high school and now they become teammates as the Sky look to rebuild.

We. Did. That. @Kamillascsilva @Reese10Angel pic.twitter.com/LwEJRCwWma — Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 16, 2024

Washington Mystics select Aaliyah Edwards as the No 6 pick

Edwards was key for UConn during three NCAA Final Four appearances, including the 2022 championship game. She averaged career highs of 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season. And she already has professional experience; she was the youngest member of the Canada women’s national team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dallas Wings select Jacy Sheldon as the No 5 pick

Jacy Sheldon wraps up the top five of the draft and is heading to Dallas. The energetic 5ft10 guard was an All-America Second Team pick this season after ranking third in the Big Ten with a team-leading 17.8 points per game. An All-Big Ten First Team choice in her final two seasons, Sheldon paced the Buckeyes in scoring in 2020-21 (16.7 ppg) and 2021-22 (19.7 ppg).

LA Sparks select Rickea Jackson as the No 4 pick

Jackson, who joins Brink in Los Angeles, was Tennessee’s shining star with a fantastic scoring record; the 6ft2 forward averaged 19.6 points per game over her two seasons with the Lady Vols. She made a career-high 22 3-pointers this season. She is incredibly tough to beat defensively and she is as close to ready made for the WNBA as can be. This season, Jackson paced the SEC in scoring (20.2 ppg) and registered a career-best 8.2 rebounds per game.

. @iamthathooper is bringing her talents to LA as the 4th pick in the WNBA Draft! pic.twitter.com/fTe0WdBkj8 — Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) April 16, 2024

Chicago Sky select Kamilla Cardoso as the No 3 pick

What a month for Cardoso. Her stock definitely went up after March Madness. She is so effective when she gets the ball in the paint and how much she can control the boards.

The 6ft7 centre won two national championships (2022 and 2024) and made three Final Four appearances (also in 2023) with SC. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 Final Four after recording 22 points and 11 rebounds against North Carolina State in the semi-finals and 15 points and 17 rebounds against Iowa in the championship game. This season, she led the conference in field goal percentage (59.4) and blocks per game (2.48) and pacing the Gamecocks with 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

With the 3rd pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, we select Kamilla Cardoso from South Carolina Welcome to Skytown, @Kamillascsilva ! pic.twitter.com/05PtILINle — Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 15, 2024

LA Sparks select Cameron Brink as the No 2 pick

The Sparks have a fantastic player as they look to rebuild. She may have had a quieter post-season than some of her other draftees but her ability on both ends of the court will be a massive asset.

Brink capped her Stanford career as the 2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. The 6ft4 Brink , who won an NCAA championship , is a three-time All-America pick, including a First Team selection this year. She led all Division I players this season with 3.74 blocks per game, ranked fifth with 11.9 rebounds per game and averaged 17.4 points per game.

On the Brink of something great. With the 2nd pick in the @WNBA draft the LA Sparks select @cameronbrink22 . pic.twitter.com/u70Id65Pra — Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) April 15, 2024

Clark finished her college career with 3,951 points, 1,144 assists and 990 rebounds, leading Iowa to two NCAA championship games.

The consensus Division I Player of the Year for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Clark joined Chamique Holdsclaw, Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart as the only players to be named the Player of the Year multiple times.

The 6ft guard is the NCAA men’s and women’s all-time leading scorer, eclipsing Pete Maravich (3,667) and Kelsey Plum (3,527), respectively. This season, she became the only men’s or women’s player in NCAA history to score 1,000 points in back-to-back seasons and the first Division I player to lead her conference in scoring and assists in four straight seasons.

Generational. Welcome to Basketball Country, Caitlin Clark. pic.twitter.com/FpeK5YGpot — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) April 15, 2024

Her initial thoughts on what she is most excited for about joining the Indiana Fever:

The biggest thing is they have such a good roster. [Indiana] are a winning franchise. I am just excited to get there. I love playing basketball since I was a young girl and that is not going to change.

After the interview, Clark says hello to Aliyah Boston, last year’s No 1 pick and her new teammate.

this duo 😮‍💨 https://t.co/jJnx6DXXKt — WNBA (@WNBA) April 16, 2024

We are moments away from the 2024 WNBA draft starting!

Here is the projected top five. Let’s see if we get any early surprises.

1. Indiana: Caitlin Clark , Iowa

2. Los Angeles: Cameron Brink, Stanford

3. Chicago: Rickea Jackson, Tennessee

4. Los Angeles: Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina

5. Dallas: Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State

A quick interview with Stanford’s Cameron Brink on the orange carpet.

On what her best attribute is that will translate well in the WNBA:

I think it will be guard my guards. My offensive game will be developed but I think I can switch 1 to 5. I mean we’ll see but I think that’s what I can bring immediately to the table.

Brink’s family is close friends with the NBA player Steph Curry, whose mother is Brink’s godmother. She tells us that she was speaking to her earlier today and that Steph came on the FaceTime call and hung up immediately. Classic.

Earlier, I mentioned that teams can swap draft places up until the day before the draft. And that actually happened this year. The draft order saw a last-minute shuffle yesterday, with Chicago and Minnesota exchanging positions in the first round. In the trade, the Lynx traded their No 7 pick and the rights to Nikolina Milić to the Sky in return for Chicago’s No 8 pick, a second-round pick in 2025, the option to swap first-round picks in 2026, and Sika Koné.

It is certainly interesting that Chicago made such a significant investment to move up one spot in the draft, a move that may seem surprising for a team in the early stages of rebuilding. This likely means that the Sky have a specific player in mind. Is it Angel Reese?

With a rebuilding phase ahead, the Sky have ample time to nurture Reese’s talent. As Reese herself expressed in her draft announcement in Vogue, succeeding in the WNBA is a gradual process, and she is prepared to embrace the journey of growth from the ground up.

If Chicago are indeed going for Reese, this is certainly an interesting way to go about it. While they may have insights into other teams’ intentions, there’s no certainty that their desired pick will still be available when they make their second selection. It’s a bold move for Chicago, especially considering the high cost involved.

Angel Reese is up next to be interviewed. It was unclear until very recently that LSU player was going to declare for the draft. In true Reese fashion, she announced it in Vogue.

On her decision to leave college despite still having the option to stay another year:

It was a hard decision. LSU was good to me. The community embraced me. But I won a national championship and I got my degree. That’s all I wanted to do in college so it was time for a new beginning. I am a sponge. I am a sponge and I am so excited for this new level.

On what aspect of her game she will bring to the W:

Rebounding is something I know I can do if my shots are not falling. That’s something I know can bring to the table.

The draft itself does not start until 7.30pm EST but the pre-show is in full swing. Caitlin Clark was just interviewed inside the venue and here is what she had to say.

On how she thinks her game will translate to the professional league:

I think the biggest thing is my passing. I think that was overlooked during my college career. Don’t get me wrong, I love shooting the ball but I love playing with good post players and with good guards.

On her mindset heading into tonight:

I am ready for this chapter of my life. Maturity wise, confidence wise, basketball wise. This weekend has gone fast. I am just trying to soak it in.

Clark is also a self-proclaimed Swiftie and when asked what Taylor Swift song she’ll blast to celebrate tonight, she said:

Enchanted is my favourite song of all time but that’s kind of sad. But I’ll play it anyway.

How high are the stakes tonight? The college season showcased an exceptional level of talent, setting the stage for an exciting WNBA Draft, especially given the cutthroat nature of the league.

The jump from college to professional basketball is steep . There are only 12 teams in the WNBA compared to the NBA’s 30. Roster spots are incredibly limited. Consequently, the WNBA Draft, unlike its NBA counterpart, tends to favour players with proven collegiate records over those with solely theoretical potential. While projections can anticipate a player’s impact in a different team context, there’s a threshold where a lack of significant accomplishments over four years in college makes it difficult to justify taking a chance on them.

So, just because a player gets drafted tonight does not mean they will actually make a team roster once the season starts. Because of its size, the WNBA cannot afford to be a development league and it is not uncommon for rookies to get waived even after being drafted. Sometimes, players will spend a couple of seasons in Europe after college before playing in the W, just because they need those extra years of development.

But this is an incredibly talented class. And the WNBA does have an expansion plan set with a team from the Bay Area joining in 2025. So maybe we will see a record number of rookies this season come tipoff.

The atmosphere inside the Howard Gilman Opera House at the Brooklyn Academy of Music is positively crackling more than 45 minutes before the WNBA draft is scheduled to begin. The cash bar is open and a DJ is spinning hip-hop hits from one of the parterre boxes. A total of 15 players have been invited to tonight’s event and each of them is drawing big cheers from the crowd of about 1,000 ticket-holders as they emerge from the wings one by one to take their seats with friends and family at their designated roundtables on the stage.

Tonight was always going to be a fashion bug’s dream and Caitlin Clark did not disappoint. The widely projected No 1 overall pick made (more) history on Monday by becoming the first basketball player, male or female, to wear Prada on draft night. The oversized white jacket, shimmering silver crop top and miniskirt, accessorised with white sunglasses and a Prada bag, was an early hit on the red carpet.

How does the WNBA draft work?

Tonight, we will get three rounds with 12 picks each, so only 36 total players are selected.

The first four picks have been determined by a lottery system. The four teams with the lowest cumulative records from the past two seasons are the ones eligible for the lottery.

The remaining eight franchises are ordered from the worst to best record. Teams can trade draft picks up until the day prior to the draft.

The draftees are currently walking the orange carpet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City before the official draft begins.

Earlier today, the draftees were together at the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate the draft.

Full WNBA draft order

First round

Indiana Fever

Los Angeles Sparks

Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury)

Los Angeles Sparks (via Seattle Storm)

Dallas Wings (via Chicago Sky)

Washington Mystics

Chicago Sky (via Minnesota Lynx)

Minnesota Lynx (via Atlanta Dream)

Dallas Wings

Connecticut Sun

New York Liberty

Atlanta Dream (via Las Vegas Aces)

Chicago (via Phoenix)

Las Vegas (via Los Angeles)

New York (via Chicago)

Las Vegas (via Washington)

Connecticut (via Minnesota)

Washington (via Dallas)

Connecticut

Phoenix (via Chicago)

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the highly anticipated 2024 WNBA draft. A historic March Madness, which saw record viewership and attendance numbers and some incredible basketball on display, ended with the South Carolina Gamecocks beating the Iowa Hawkeyes to take home their third title.

Some of the biggest stars from the NCAA tournament are here tonight to get drafted to the professional league, including Iowa’s Caitlin Clarke, who is widely projected to be the No 1 pick, and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, the NCAA’s MOP. Also expected to be drafted in the first round tonight are Stanford’s Cameron Brink, UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards, LSU’s Angel Reese, and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson.

From the first-round picks to any possible sleeper selections, join me for what is sure to be a fun night as we watch the beginning of some of college’s greatest basketball players embark on their professional careers. Let the drafting begin.

If you have any questions, predictions, musings, analysis, complaints, hopes & dreams, movie suggestions or just general thoughts, feel free to send me an email .

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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down airport highways and key bridges in major US cities

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down both directions of the Golden Gate Bridge Monday snarling traffic for hours.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers.

A passenger walks on the highway as he carries his luggage to at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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Pedestrians and bicyclists wait outside the pedestrian gate on the south side of the Golden Gate Bridge while the bridge is closed due to protesters on Monday, April 15, 2024 in San Francisco, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Heavy traffic is seen at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Protesters calling for a cease fire in Gaza shut down southbound traffic on Highway 880 in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Bronte Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A passenger talks on the her phone as she walks to Terminal 1 at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travellers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Passengers walk to a security checkpoint at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Travellers wait for their ride at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Travellers wait for an airport shuttle bus at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

TravelLers walk to Terminal 1 at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelLers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Travelers wait for an airport shuttle bus at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Traffic is backed up at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Travelers wait for their ride at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Travelers walk through Terminal 1 at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, April 15, 2024. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Demonstrators protesting the ongoing war in Gaza, block southbound traffic on Interstate 880 in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area was also snarled for hours Monday morning as pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down both directions of the Golden Gate Bridge and stalled a 17-mile (27-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 880 in Oakland. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked roadways in Illinois, California, New York and the Pacific Northwest on Monday, temporarily shutting down travel into some of the nation’s most heavily used airports, onto the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges and on a busy West Coast highway.

In Chicago, protesters linked arms and blocked lanes of Interstate 190 leading into O’Hare International Airport around 7 a.m. in a demonstration they said was part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine,” according to Rifqa Falaneh, one of the organizers.

Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area was snarled for hours as demonstrators shut down all vehicle, pedestrian and bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and chained themselves to 55-gallon drums filled with cement across Interstate 880 in Oakland. Protesters marching into Brooklyn blocked Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. In Eugene, Oregon, protesters blocked Interstate 5, shutting down traffic on the major highway for about 45 minutes.

Protesters say they chose O’Hare in part because it is one of the largest airports. Among other things, they’ve called for an immediate cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Anti- war protesters have demonstrated in Chicago near daily since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people. Israeli warplanes and ground troops have since conducted a scorched-earth campaign on the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli offensive has killed more than 33,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

O’Hare warned travelers on the social platform X to take alternative forms of transportation with car travel “substantially delayed this morning due to protest activity.”

Some travelers stuck in standstill traffic left their cars and walked the final leg to the airport along the freeway, trailing their luggage behind them.

Among them was Madeline Hannan from suburban Chicago. She was headed to O’Hare for a work trip to Florida when her and her husband’s car ended up stalled for 20 minutes. She got out and “both ran and speed walked” more than a mile (1.6 kilometers). She said she made it to the gate on time, but barely.

“This was an inconvenience,” she said in a telephone interview from Florida. “But in the grand scheme of things going on overseas, it’s a minor inconvenience.”

While individual travelers may have been affected, operations at the airport appeared near normal with delays of under 15 minutes, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

Inbound traffic toward O’Hare resumed around 9 a.m.

Near Seattle, the Washington State Department of Transportation said a demonstration closed the main road to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Social media posts showed people holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway, which reopened about three hours later.

About 20 protesters were arrested at the Golden Gate Bridge demonstration and traffic resumed shortly after noon, according to the California Highway Patrol. The agency said officers were making arrests at two points on the interstate, including one spot where roughly 300 protesters refused orders to disperse,

“Attempting to block or shut down a freeway or state highway to protest is unlawful, dangerous, and prevents motorists from safely reaching their destinations,” the agency said in a statement.

Oregon State Police said 52 protestors were were arrested for disorderly conduct following the Interstate 5 protest in Eugene, Oregon, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of Portland. Six vehicles were towed from the scene.

New York Police made numerous arrests, saying 150 protesters were initially involved in the march around 3:15 p.m., but that number quickly grew. The bridge was fully reopened by 5 p.m.

In Chicago, dozens of protesters were arrested, according to Falaneh. Chicago police said Monday that “multiple people” were taken into custody after a protest where people obstructed traffic, but they did not have a detailed count.

Associated Press writers Janie Har in San Francisco, Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford, Connecticut and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this report.