131 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Chicago - Atlas Obscura
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The Atlas Obscura Guide To

Chicago

131 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Chicago, Illinois

Unusual Attractions in Chicago

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Chicago: A Weekend Guide for the Curious Traveler

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

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Unique Food & Drink in Chicago

Explore Chicago, Illinois

Launch Map

Upcoming Events Near Chicago

Here be monsters.
Apr 25
Chicago, Illinois

Carta Monstruosa - Weird, Wild, and Wonderful Maps

Discover Maps and Travel Ephemera at the Newberry Library.
From The Project Gutenberg EBook of "Official Views Of The World's Columbian Exposition"
Apr 26
Chicago, Illinois

Glitz, Glamour… and Panic! A Hunt for the History of 1893 in Chicago

A "Google-proof," history-themed scavenger hunt in the Loop.
Horn Speakers
Apr 27
Chicago, Illinois

Sound and Beauty: A Tour of Specimen Products

Join us for a one-of-a-kind visit to Ian Schneller’s magical workshop teeming with his finely tuned creations.
The sign for the Green Mill, a historic jazz lounge, on a rainy day.
Apr 28
Chicago, Illinois

Of Movie Palaces and Film Studios: Entertainment in Uptown

Explore film and entertainment history in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood.
Rabkin and Hoppy the Psychic Wonder Bunny wowing the audience with magic and miracles.
Apr 28
Chicago, Illinois

Sideshow and Sleight of Hand: A Showcase of Intrigue and Illusions

Join Atlas Obscura for an exclusive evening of magic and sideshow at Trickery Chicago.
The monument to Perkins Bass, who was fired from his job by President Andrew Johnson.
May 5
Chicago, Illinois

Rosehill Cemetery Walk

One of our most popular monthly events returns for the 2019 season!
Challengers Comics.
May 9
Chicago, Illinois

An Interactive History of Comics

Explore the history of comics, zines, & more at Challengers Comics.
Will these hops be a hit?
May 15
Evanston, Illinois

A Battle of the Bizarre Brews

Taste your way through a delightfully strange sampling of craft beers paired with a five-course meal inside a former fire station.
New info has been discovered about Inez.
May 18
Chicago, Illinois

Graceland Cemetery Walking Tour

Explore both the celebrated and overlooked histories of Graceland Cemetery.
Mentalist Jacob Mayfield gazes into his crystal ball
May 23
Chicago, Illinois

Psychic Speakeasy: An Evening of Mind Reading in Room 13

Join us for an intimate evening with a local mentalist inside a cozy, prohibition-themed speakeasy in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.
Apartment buildings came after the mansions.
May 26
Chicago, Illinois

Beaches, Landmarks, and Mansions: The Search for the Suburbs in Edgewater

Learn about the surprisingly suburban history of Edgewater in this brand new summer scavenger hunt.
A common site to all Chicagoans...and film buffs.
May 31
Chicago, Illinois

Location, Location, Location! A Scavenger Hunt for Movie Magic

Race to discover the Chicago locales featured in famous Hollywood films as we act as location scouts and travel to places near, far, and in-between during this thrilling, star-studded scavenger hunt.

Recent Chicago Activity

mordekia wants to go to Cosmic Ray Detectors
Ehmannky wants to go to St. Mary of the Angels
Ehmannky wants to go to Oriental Institute Museum
Ehmannky wants to go to Chicago Mosaic School
Ehmannky wants to go to Couch Tomb

Stories About Chicago

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
April 09, 2019
Geese will probably be fine.

How Will Chicago's Birds Weather the Polar Vortex?

Here's how the region's avian residents will survive the cold snap.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
January 30, 2019

Lists Featuring Chicago

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets
View from inside the cave
The House of the Temple.
Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

14

Including Zedekiah’s Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

Unique Cemeteries in Chicago
Palmer Tomb
Entrance to Bohemian National Cemetery. (Wikimedia Commons)
Confederate Mound.

Unique Cemeteries in Chicago

Strange and fascinating graveyards to visit in the Second City.

7

Including Rosehill Cemetery, Graceland Cemetery, and Bohemian National Cemetery