138 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Chicago - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Oz Park

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany Dome

This massive stained-glass masterpiece is thought to be the largest Tiffany dome in existence.

Chicago, Illinois

Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities

This morbid, delightful curiosity shop offers everything from animal bones to human teeth.

Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower Glass Platform

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.

Chicago, Illinois

International Museum of Surgical Science

A monument to the art of slicing people open.

Chicago, Illinois

Shit Fountain

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

See All 138 Things to Do in Chicago See All 138 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in Chicago

Atomic Cake

This Chicago specialty stacks three cakes into one monster dessert.

Tom and Jerry

A small industry of themed glassware was launched solely for the enjoyment of this hot winter punch.

Gym Shoe Sandwich

The South Side favorite is a cross between a meat-lover's sub and a gyro.

Lanzi's Cashew Nut & Rice Crunch

Candy makers recently resurrected this crispy Chicago confection from the graveyard of vintage sweets.

See all 8 things to eat in Chicago See all 8 things to eat in Chicago

Upcoming Experiences
Near Chicago

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

The World of Beekeeping & Native Bees

Chicago, Illinois

Hyde Park, Antiquity to the Atomic Age

Chicago, Illinois

Hidden Stories at Rosehill Cemetery

Chicago, Illinois

Hidden Stories at Graceland Cemetery

Chicago, Illinois

Riverside, What the Burbs Could've Been

Riverside, Illinois

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Chicago

Just when you thought you knew the Windy City, it finds new ways to surprise you.

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Just when you thought you knew the Windy City, it finds new ways to surprise you.

View this Itinerary

Join Faier (Henry Darger Room Collection at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art)

Community Forums / United States / US: Midwest

Top Discussions in the US: Midwest Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Shaker Lemon Pie	10 April 26, 2019	2283	April 26, 2019
The Archduke of Austria's Michigan Grave	10 May 2, 2019	1895	May 2, 2019
Two-Story Outhouse	11 January 4, 2020	3196	January 4, 2020
Silver Dome Ballroom	16 July 29, 2019	2242	July 29, 2019
Toadstool Geologic Park	4 May 15, 2019	5944	May 15, 2019

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Stories
About Chicago

Detail shot of Rita's quilt. The hexagons are decorated with the outlines of the 50 U.S. states, along with their official birds and animals.

The Surprising Complexity of an Unfinished American Quilt

A community of feminist crafters grapples with a patriotic quilt that a 99-year-old nurse left behind.

December 12, 2019

Private railways once offered fine cuisine for the well-heeled.

A Newly Digitized Menu Collection Shows Off America’s Lost Railroad Cuisine

Once, Americans rode the rails for charbroiled steak, golden French toast, and prunes.

December 2, 2019

After surviving a church fire, the windows sat in a garage for 50 years.

For Sale: Two Tiffany-Style Windows From a Historic South Side Church

The auctioneers think they’re Tiffany, but it’s actually hard to prove.

by Sabrina Imbler

November 12, 2019

SUE could have used a breath mint.

How Scientists Are Recreating Dinosaur Breath

At the Field Museum, visitors can now get a whiff of the Cretaceous.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 10, 2019

The map is richly detailed—and a little whimsical too.

For Sale: An Old Map of Small-Town Chicago

Recognize anything?

by Jessica Leigh Hester

When the goats aren't eating grass, they enjoy scoping their surroundings from higher ground.

Meet the Farm Animals That Help One of America’s Busiest Airports Run

At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, these hungry herds serve an additional purpose beyond simple gardening.

The stem has outgrown its room!

A 'Century Plant' in Chicago Is Having an Epic Growth Spurt

It's outgrown the greenhouse, and it's a big greenhouse.

by Evan Nicole Brown

Competitors at the Pro Circuit Championship.

Chicago Has Become the Nerve Center of Competitive Pinball

Experience the thrill of multiball mayhem and the agony of a double drain.

by Lindsey Quinn

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