A Seriously Social Spring in Chicago

Spring in Chicago is unlike anywhere else in the country. If you blink, you just might miss it all together and before you know it you'll be deep into the wonderfully warm summer. Joking aside, spring here in the city is like a wonderful awakening of the senses: the famed Michigan Avenue tulips begin to bloom; the waterways are starting to see some boat-life traffic; and Chicagoans and visitors begin to shed the heavy winter layers for more suitable outdoor gear. Altogether, it’s one of the best parts of the year for travel to Chicago.

Every year the city surprises me with a newly renovated park, a new art installation or a new family-friendly activity that makes use of almost every square inch of the lakefront, Riverwalk and the parks in the downtown area.

Streeterville Social | Chicago's go-to rooftop bar and bistro.

Streeterville Social

The minute Chicago hits 55 degrees, the spring awakening begins with rooftop bars opening to serve up summertime treats and crafty cocktail concoctions. Chefs across the city begin sourcing local seasonal ingredients for fresh, bright, tasty dishes. We begin to shift from sipping on hot toddies to savoring refreshing, crisp cocktails.

You can get a taste of this rooftop buzz right here at Loews Chicago, where Streeterville Social, our beautiful bistro in the sky overlooking the ever-growing Chicago skyline (and snippets of the Chicago River) will be opening early this year on May 10th. 

If you're coming by, you can expect an all-new menu and brunch offerings and everyone's summer favorite, large-format cocktails. Check out our sneak peek below and stay in the know on happy hour and other specials via our Instagram @StreetervilleSocial.

Streeterville Social 2019 Cocktail Program

Additional al fresco finds in the city to enjoy this year:

• Picnic in the Parks: Head on over to one of the local markets downtown, grab yourself some savory snacks and refreshing bevies and head on over to Millennium Park, where acres of green space await your afternoon picnic.

Insider Tip: Most areas restaurants like our ETA Restaurant + Bar offer up many items to go. So, if you’re not in the mood to wander a market consider ordering food to go for your picnic.

• Roam the Riverwalk: The Chicago Riverwalk is growing rapidly and adding new restaurants, cafés and other outlets each season – really transforming the waterways of Chicago into meeting places where you can spend hours people-watching or picking out which boat you would buy if you won the lottery, all while sipping on your favorite beverage under the summer sun.

Iconic Wrigley Field Marquee

What a Catch!

Wrigley Field, home to the boys in blue, the Chicago Cubs, has been getting a makeover for the last year and is revealing a plethora of new gourmet food options inside the ballpark that rival some of the popular local restaurants – and not it’s not just gourmet hot dogs anymore. The entire area surrounding the park in Wrigleyville also saw a big renovation over the last two years, making it a baseball fanatic's must-visit destination.

Fun Fact: You don’t need to have a game-day ticket to get inside the park. When the team is away hitting home runs out of competitors' parks, the management opens the field and skybox to the public for behind-the-scenes tours. You can purchase tickets for this special experience at mlb.com or at the ticket window at the ballpark.

Chicago's Front Yard | Photo Credit: @changecatalysts

Chicago’s Front Yard

From a distance, you see the city's impressive skyline and the cranes scattered in between the skyscrapers (as even more skyscrapers are being built). But there is more to the city's footprint than Chicago's world-famous architecture. Our parks and green spaces also offer up an idyllic retreat in an otherwise urban escape.

The area comprised of several parks along the lakefront is known historically as "Chicago’s Front Yard," a term coined by one of Chicago founders, Daniel Burnham, who was one of the visionaries behind this concept back when we were known as a gritty city with tons of rail yards. Today this space spans over 315 acres of parks, concert venues, museums, walking paths and other green space. It's home to dozens of festivals and foodie finds that make it such a truly wonderful place to wander.