FREE ACTIVITY: Only a mile from the Hotel Versey, the Lincoln Park Zoo also known as Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, is a 35-acre zoo in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868, making it the fourth oldest zoo in North America.

FREE ACTIVITY: Right next to the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Lincoln Park Conservatory showcases exotic plants and grow the thousands of plants needed for use in the parks, the Conservatory offers visitors a tropical experience within its four display houses: Palm House, Fern Room, Orchid House and Show House, which is home to the annual flower shows. This historic facility continues to provide an escape to nature to the millions that live in and visit Chicago.

FREE ACTIVITY: 2 miles from the Hotel Versey, North Avenue beach is a free beach on Lake Michigan that offers volleyball courts and a chess pavilion, along with equipment rentals (hello jet skis). One of our favorite spots to grab a bite here is Castaways, on the top of a landlocked ship on the beach.

FREE ACTIVIY: Just a mile from the hotel, the beautiful lakefront trail runs along Lake Michigan. Belmont Harbor to the North and both Fullerton and North Avenue beaches to the south, it's a beautiful trail where you can jump straight into the lake!

FREE ACTIVITY: Discover the best of the Midwest at Green City Market's Lincoln Park farmers' market, with dozens of local, sustainable farmers and food producers, community programs for all ages, on Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Blue Man Group will rock your world. Blow your mind. And unleash your spirit. As three bald and blue men explore our world, together we’ll discover music, laughter and surprises at every turn. By the end of this spectacular journey, you’ll be saying “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT JUST HAPPENED BUT I LOOOVED IT.”

FREE ACTIVITY: Huge outdoor sculpture shaped like a bean & allowing for views from its many mirrored sides.

FREE ACTIVITY: 24.5-acre green space with a video display, the reflective "Bean" sculpture & an outdoor theater.

Renowned art museum holding nearly 300,000 works from all over the world, spanning many centuries.

FREE ACTIVITY: Free art & shows in an 1897 Beaux-Arts building with vaulted lobby, mosaics & 2 stained-glass domes.

FREE ACTIVITY: Among the world’s largest, Grant Park’s 3-level rococo fountain (1927) offers light & water shows.

State-of-the-art museum of science & invention, with the world's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex.

State-of-the-art indoor aquarium, famous for its variety of habitats & views of Lake Michigan.

Interactive exhibits & high-tech sky shows entertain stargazers, lakefront views are a bonus.

FREE ACTIVITY: Former Navy training center draws crowds with carnival rides, restaurants, shops & fireworks.

This sandy city beach on Lake Michigan allows swimming when lifeguards are present.

Downtown museum showcasing post-World War II paintings, sculptures, photos, videos & performances.

Skyscraper observation deck offering panoramic city views from 1,000 feet up, plus food & drink.

FREE ACTIVITY (minus actually shopping): On Michigan Ave, from Oak St. to the Chicago River are tons of iconic stores including an American Girl Place, Starbucks Reserve Roastery, and a giant Apple Store.

FREE ACTIVITY: Riverside pedestrian path featuring city views & dining, plus bridges, fishing piers & boat docks.

Comedy venue at The Second City showcasing stand-up comics, improv shows & experimental works.

Iconic, 110-story skyscraper featuring expansive views of Chicago from its 103rd-story Skydeck.

Ivy-clad walls & manual scoreboard add retro charm to the 2nd oldest baseball stadium in the majors.

Swinging sounds are on tap nightly, from big-name artists to local late-night jam sessions.

FREE ACTIVITY: Created on a former rail line, this elevated, 2.7 mile landscaped trail draws runners & bikers through the Wicker Park neighborhood.