Chicago's finest museum (in Klara's biased opinion.) Spend an afternoon exploring paintings by masters like Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Rembrandt, or check out ancient Egyptian artifacts and the Thorne miniature rooms!

With unforgettable views of Lake Michigan, this iconic Chicago museum has it all--ancient astronomical artifacts, a history of space exploration with objects from NASA missions, and Doane Observatory, the largest telescope available to the public! If you're feeling brave, you can buy some freeze dried astronaut food in the museum's gift shop.

Home of world-famous Sue the T. Rex (the most complete T. Rex fossil ever discovered!), the Field Museum has tons of stuff from the natural world. The Grainger Hall of Gems has dazzling jewels on display, the Ancient Egypt exhibit showcases one of the largest mummy collections in the US, while the Hall of Americas provides an anthropological view of some indigenous cultures and traditions in North and South America. Finally, take a look at the museum's incredibly detailed diorama habitats on the Nature Walk!

A trip to Chicago is the perfect time to stop by the Shedd Aquarium and admire the reefs, sharks, otters, belugas (and of course, sit and watch a dolphin show!) The Shedd does incredible work showcasing aquatic species and promoting conservation. Last time we went, we even got to pet the stingrays! They were very polite.

Though neither of us are Cubs fans (except for Klara's brief bandwagoning when they won the World Series in 2016), you might have the chance to attend a Cubs game while you're in town for our wedding! Opened in 1914, the stadium has a rich history and is a great place to spend an afternoon. We hear the hotdogs are pretty good.

This is where we're getting married! Whether you want to stroll past the animals when you're already glammed up and on the way to our venue, Cafe Brauer, or take a few hours to visit another day, the Zoo has some of our favorites - polar bears, lions, giraffes, and of course, the bird exhibit. The Zoo also has a beautiful boardwalk right by Cafe Brauer with spectacular views of the downtown skyline. And, it's completely free to visit!

Klara's favorite place in the city - the Conservatory is a beautiful, Victorian era building full of ferns, orchids, and tropical palms. Also free to visit, the Conservatory is directly adjacent to the Lincoln Park Zoo, so you can combine them into one trip! If you're wanting to see more plants, check out the Garfield Conservatory on the West Side, which is much larger and also lovely.

Hop on a short cruise of the Chicago River for a tour of Chicago's iconic architecture and history!

Spring is a perfect time to see migratory birds in this sanctuary, right on the shores of the lake. If you're not a birder, it's also a beautiful spot for a walk, especially in the morning. If you're lucky, you might spot Matteo lurking around the shrubs with his binoculars, trying to catch a glimpse of some of the 300 recorded species that stop here on their migration route!

Chicago has over 200 theatres! There are plenty of big names like the Goodman, Steppenwolf, the Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier, and Second City for comedy, but also lots of great smaller options around the city, like Lookingglass, Red Orchid, and Porchlight. The iconic Chicago Theatre downtown has music, plays and comedy shows every day of the week.

Little Bad Wolf (1541 W Bryn Mawr Ave., no reservations). New American, some great burgers but also vegetarian options! Gretel (2833 W Armitage Ave., no reservations) is also really good.

Tzuco (720 N State St., reservations accepted) - upscale Mexican food in River North. 5 Rabanitos (1758 W 18th St., in Pilsen) is also highly recommended!

SuperDawg (6363 N Milwaukee Ave.) for a classic Chicago hotdog. Jr.'s Red Hots (2345 W. Armitage Ave.) is good too.

Osteria Langhe (2824 W Armitage Ave, reservations accepted). Italian - delicious!

Smyth & The Loyalist (West Loop, 177 N. Ada St., reservations accepted) Two restaurants under one roof. French-inspired, they have really good brunch, too!

Athenian Room (807 W. Webster). Greek - a classic, family-owned spot in Lincoln Park, with yummy gyros, pita sandwiches, and delicious baklava for dessert.

Ben's Noodles (1139 W Bryn Mawr Ave). No frills but highly regarded Thai food in the Edgewater neighborhood. Their pad Thai is delightful.

Antico (1946 N Leavitt Chicago, IL 60647). A delicious trattoria serving Northern Italian food in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area.

Bloom Plant Based Kitchen (1559 N Milwaukee Ave) - if you're looking for vegan and vegetarian food (and lots of gluten free options!) look no further than Wicker Park's own Bloom. They serve brunch Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Pequods (2207 N. Clybourn Ave. in Lincoln Park, reservations accepted). If you're going to have Chicago deep dish, go here! [Klara thinks deep dish is heinous, Matteo loves it. You decide!]

For drinks:

District Brew Yards (417 N. Ashland Ave). Super cool beer hall with BBQ and sandwiches, too.

Three Dots and a Dash (435 N. Clark St.) - speakeasy, tiki bar and craft cocktails.

The Signature Room (in the Hancock) - amazing views and good cocktails!

For coffee:

Metropolis (1039 W. Granville Ave.),

First Sip (1057 W Argyle St.) and

Big Shoulders (there are Loop, Gold Coast, and West Town locations).

For dessert:

Molly's Cupcakes (4 locations),

Firecakes Donuts (68 Hubbard St. and 2453 N. Clark St.) and

Sweet Mandy B's (1208 W. Webster Ave. and 254 E. Ontario St.)