Rainy day · Chicago · United States
8 things to do in Chicago when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 16–22 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free. April is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 16–22 hours
- Areas
- The Loop, Museum Campus and Hyde Park
Chicago on a rainy day
Museum · The Loop
1.Art Institute of Chicago
Start with the Impressionists on the second floor before tour groups arrive, then take the Modern Wing's Nichols Bridgeway straight into Millennium Park.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Museum Campus
2.Field Museum
Arrive at opening and do the Field in the morning; the Shedd is a five-minute walk away for the afternoon.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Iconic
Aquarium · Museum Campus
3.Shedd Aquarium
Walk the lakefront path from the Shedd to the Adler Planetarium afterwards for the classic skyline photo.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Museum Campus
4.Adler Planetarium
Even if you skip the museum, walk out to the Adler around sunset for the view back across the harbour to downtown.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
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Museum · Hyde Park
5.Museum of Science and Industry
Allow at least half a day and pick two or three big exhibits; the Metra Electric to 55th–56th–57th Street is the easiest way there from downtown.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
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Architecture · The Loop
6.Chicago Cultural Center
Go up to Preston Bradley Hall on the third floor first; lunchtime concerts are often held under the dome.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- History
Garden · East Garfield Park
7.Garfield Park Conservatory
Take the Green Line to Conservatory–Central Park Drive, which stops right next to the entrance.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Pilsen
8.National Museum of Mexican Art
Combine it with lunch on 18th Street and a look at the murals inside the 18th Street Pink Line station.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| The Loop | Art Institute of Chicago and Chicago Cultural Center | 3–4 hours + 45 minutes |
| Museum Campus | Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium | 3–4 hours + 2–3 hours + 2 hours |
| Hyde Park | Museum of Science and Industry | Half a day |
| East Garfield Park | Garfield Park Conservatory | 1–2 hours |
| Pilsen | National Museum of Mexican Art | 1–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry. The longest visit is Art Institute of Chicago; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Shedd Aquarium: Buy timed tickets online; on summer weekends and school holidays the entry queue can stretch around the building.
- Museum of Science and Industry: The U-505 on-board tour and the coal mine need separate timed tickets that sell out on busy days; add them when you book entry.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (The Loop): Art Institute of Chicago → Chicago Cultural Center, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Museum Campus): Field Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Museum Campus): Shedd Aquarium → Adler Planetarium, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Hyde Park): Museum of Science and Industry, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (East Garfield Park and Pilsen): Garfield Park Conservatory → National Museum of Mexican Art, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- April: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. Cool and showery, but the baseball season opens and the first magnolias bloom in Lincoln Park.
- May: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Pleasant and green, with river cruises in full swing; the lake stays cold, so near-shore areas can feel cooler than inland.
- January: highs of 0°C (32°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The coldest month, with wind off the lake pushing wind chills far below freezing; museums are quiet and hotel rates are among the lowest of the year.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- The Loop — Elevated L tracks, skyscraper canyons, Millennium Park and the State Street theatres
- Hyde Park — University of Chicago quads, Robie House and the Museum of Science and Industry
More of Chicago
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Chicago?
Art Institute of Chicago. Guarded by two bronze lions on Michigan Avenue, the Art Institute is one of the great encyclopaedic museums of the US.
+Which of these are free in Chicago?
Chicago Cultural Center, Garfield Park Conservatory and National Museum of Mexican Art.