Finally you can leave your dorm without your parka and winter boots, now what the heck are you going to do! Since making the trek to the L isn’t like taking a walk through the tundra, the options are virtually endless. So what are you going to do? Here are some of the things that I am going to do with this non-polar weather!

The first place I definitely want to visit this spring is the Lincoln Park Zoo! In addition to the fun of going to the zoo and being a kid for the day, its also FREE! Yes, it’s free, which as a college student is one of the most important aspects of any activity. If you didn’t make your way to the zoo for Zoo Lights around Christmas, this is a great opportunity to experience Lincoln Park Zoo!

One of Chicago’s most famous land marks is also a great place to visit this spring, and it’s Navy Pier! You can’t live in Chicago and not visit Navy Pier at least once. This spring Navy Pier is getting a face lift with a brand new, even bigger ferris wheel. The ferris wheel won’t be open till the summer, but, there are plenty of other things to do. Navy Pier offers daily cruises around the Lake Michigan coast, and also currently has a garden exhibit and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (currently playing Othello). Navy Pier is a great field trip place, even if you aren’t interested with any of these things, it’s just a great place to visit!

Something to do when the weather gets even a little bit warmer than it is now is Kayaking on the Chicago River! Yeah, you actually can do this. You can rent Kayaks from Kayak Chicago, Urban Kayaks, or Wateriders. Kayak Chicago rents kayaks for $20/hr or $80/day. This is such a fun and unique activity, plus  like everyone who takes snapchats while river kayaking gets on the Chicago snapstory!

Spring time is also a great time to visit any of the museums in Chicago. Aside from the big museums like the Field Museum, the Art Institute, the Science and Industry Museum, or The Shedd, Chicago also has smaller museums like the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, the Chicago Children’s Museum, the Museum of Broadcast Communications, and many many more!

Of course my favorite thing to do when the weather is nice though, is shopping! Michigan Avenue is one of the best places to shop in the country and is of course right in the heart of Chicago! You can take the campus shuttle right to Water Tower campus and be right there! Take a walk down Mich Ave and hit up any of your favorite stores as well as taking a basic pic at the bridge over the Chicago River.

Take advantage of the amazing things around you while you live in Chicago, there are so many things to do to help get your mind off school for a while. It’s a great incentive to going to Loyola and I appreciate it everyday! Have fun!