Things to Do in Chicago

The party-loving minds behind City Lights Cruises wanted a creative way for locals and tourists to explore a city's late-night atmosphere. Eventually they launched a fleet of luxury yachts into the waters of eight of North America's most lively urban waterfronts. On each vessel, festivities abound as DJs spin everything from hip-hop to Sinatra, inviting passengers to shake a leg in between trips to the full bar or buffet lined with hot appetizers. All yachts boast extravagant details such as wraparound decks, fireplaces, or a glass atrium that hangs above the dance floor offering dancers a direct view of the man in the moon's game of solitaire. Guests can also step onto the decks for fresh air or panoramic views of city's skyline.

Village Pilates Studio's owner, Regan Hoerster, boasts an impressive 1,000 hours of apprenticeship work, earning a master's certification with the Pilates Method Alliance. She draws from her extensive education to create a comfortable, friendly environment with class styles to accommodate patrons of all skill levels and varying needs. Hoerster offers one-on-one private lessons and semiprivate lessons with a maximum of four participants, which are especially beneficial to beginners. The small class sizes enable her to devote ample attention to each person to foster the development of proper technique. More advanced patrons can opt for gender-specific classes, large-group mat classes, or those that incorporate props such as the barre, pole, and low chair. Reformer machines—built specifically to enhance Pilates workouts by adding resistance to the exercises—line the walls of the hardwood studio, with the majority of the floor space left open for performing mat work and impressing fellow students by forming every letter in Mississippi with your body.

Bike and Roll Chicago's staff dispatches clients on wheel-based expeditions throughout Chicago. Guides—several of whom are Chicagoland natives—can lead informative and entertaining tours in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and semaphores.

The high-flying acrobats of Cirque du Soleil set their microscopes on the insect world with Ovo, a family-friendly circus spectacle that exposes the beauty of the lowest levels of our ecosphere. Like the lost Disney adaptation of Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the show bridges the gap between humans and their minuscular counterparts with the help of whimsical costumes and set designs. As the first act begins, a monolithic egg lands in the midst of a bustling insect community, raising a commotion among the many-legged residents. Ants and crickets creep across the stage’s webby backdrop, extending their antennae for a peek at the mysterious object. By the time a gawky blue insect arrives onstage and a ladybug sets his heart aflutter, audiences are cocooned to their seats in awe of the stylized habitat. Creature-themed stunts and dance routines fill the show’s nine acts, which include a juggling firefly, a trapeze troupe of scarabs, and a pair of Spanish butterflies engaged in a rousing thumb-wrestling bout.

A 7,100-square-foot sculpture garden is only the tip of the iceberg at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. In fact, the garden is also the tip of the museum—it’s on the facility’s roof. Designed by Cesar Pelli, the sprawling building encompasses an eclectic array of modern works, including a 5,000-item permanent collection that incorporates pieces ranging from Frida Kahlo’s works to John Coplans’ black-and-white self portrait, which shows only his feet.

A rotating lineup of temporary exhibits complements the permanent core, and a regular event schedule features films, talks, and performance by masters of their craft. Visitors can browse art books and craft jewelry in the museum store, where all purchases support artists and designers more simply than training to become a muse.