There's much to do in Chicago with the lakefront, dozens of museums and galleries, and a multitude of parks at your disposal. Even in winter, when the weather can be brutally cold, there are plenty of fitness and health-oriented options in the city that can be done inside as well. Fun activities to do in Chicago include touring the city by bike, taking the family to the batting cages, learning a new sport such as fencing, spending an evening learning to salsa dance or playing a round of frisbee golf.
Bike Tours
Tourists and locals alike will have a blast touring Chicago by bike. Bobby’s Bike Hike offers bike tours that will take you off the typical tourist paths and journey you deep into the local scene. Choose a tour that highlights the Old Town Historic District, Gold Coast Mansions or Japanese Gardens. Special family-friendly tours, geared toward young children, are also available. More traditional lakefront and downtown bike tour options are offered by Bike Chicago. Whatever tour you choose, you can rent bikes on the spot if you wish.
Frisbee Golf
Tossing the frisbee around at the park is fun, but you can challenge yourself and have even more fun with a round of frisbee golf at the Illinois Institute of Tech disc golf course. You’ll get your exercise playing 9 holes while maneuvering around obstacles such as buildings, sculptures and trees.
Batting Cages
If you want to learn to bat like a pro or you just want to burn some calories while having a good time, make your way to the batting cages at Warren Park or West Lawn Park. If you want more than a batting cage, BASH Sports Academy has a 15,000 square foot training facility that includes baseball and softball pitching and hitting tunnels. Frozen Ropes Chicago has an indoor 30,000 square foot baseball and softball field where you can take hitting, pitching and catching classes.
Salsa Dancing
Spice up your fitness schedule with salsa dancing. Latin Street Dancing offers a variety of salsa dance classes including kids’ classes. Alternatively, Dance Academy of Salsa offers six-week courses and also has a weekly drop-in class. If you’re ready to hit the dance floor, several Chicago clubs have salsa nights. Try Club Babalu on Saturdays or Excalibur on Thursdays.
Fencing
Whether you’re an experienced fencer or have always wanted to learn, you’ll have a great time at the Chicago Fencing Club. The club offers individual lessons for the advanced as well as beginners’ classes. A typical evening at the club includes warm-up, footwork conditioning, structured practice and free fencing. The club encourages anyone interested in joining to drop by to watch a class or two first and chat with instructors.
Member Comments