Lincoln Park-Old Town

Young children might enjoy this Wizard of Oz-themed park with statues and playlots.

A member of the River North gallery scene, with contemporary art, including paint, drawings and sculpture.

Historically, spiritually and architecturally, the Shrine is a "must see" destination for Chicago visitors. The Shrine Honors the first American Citizen Saint and Patron of Immigrants in the Catholic Church. Designed by world renowned architect Leonard Gliotto, the Shrine is a celebration of carrara marble, Florentine stained glass, gold mosaics, colorful frescoes and Romanesque splendor. All are welcome to visit the chapel, meditation garden, historical exhibit and gift shop. Visitors may take a self-guided tour or schedule a docent-led tour. Catholic Mass is celebrated Saturday at 4PM and Sunday at 10AM.

Buddhist temple built by Japanese-Americans who settled in Chicago following their release from the concentration camps after World War II, and part of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Japanese Buddhism. The layout of the main prayer hall more closely resembles that of a church than a traditional Buddhist temple, which was done in an attempt to gain wider acceptance for Buddhism among the mostly-Christian general American society by Americanizing the religion. Best known for their annual Ginza Festival in the summer, when their famous teriyaki chicken is sold, and numerous Japanese cultural performances are staged.

Near Old Town, on what's often referred to as the Gold Coast, Astor Street was named for the fur tycoon John Jacob Astor, and does him tribute on his favored terms — these are the most expensive houses in Chicago. The atmosphere is the main attraction, but the 1892 Charnley House (1365 N Astor St) is particularly interesting, marking a halfway point between the distinctive styles of master architect Louis Sullivan and his apprentice Frank Lloyd Wright. There are also some interesting Art Deco homes like Holabird & Root's design at 1444 N Astor St.

There are several nice blocks of Lincoln Park near the lake, but the Italianate, Queen Anne, and Romanesque homes of the Mid-North District are especially lovely. Three survived the Chicago Fire (2121 N Hudson, 2339 N Cleveland, 2343 N Cleveland), and two were early designs of Louis Sullivan (440 W Belden Ave, 2147 N Cleveland St). The 1882-89 row houses between Belden and Fullerton are worth a look, too. As you walk, you'll see the faded white-and-blue signs of the Church of Our Savior (530 W Fullerton Ave), founded in 1867 (although the present structure dates from 1889).

Several blocks of beautiful cottages and row houses, notably the five at 1826-34 N Lincoln Park West, which were designed by Louis Sullivan in 1885. The anchor of the district is St. Mike's (below).

Unveiled in 1869, the walls of St Mike's were all that remained after the Chicago Fire swept through Old Town, making it one of only six structures to survive — and the tallest in the city until 1885. A tower was added in 1887, and the current stained glass windows date from 1902. A Catholic church run by the Redemptorist congregation, it has seating for more than 1000 people.

Quite possibly the beach volleyball capital of the Midwest. There are semi-pro leagues here, and plenty of nets for amateurs to show up and play. There's also an enclosed roller-hockey rink and plenty of people whizzing past on the wide bike lanes. The North Avenue Beach House is a big boat-shaped structure at the center (look for the red smokestacks) where there are a few food and drink options, occasional live music, and Park District offices. A couple blocks south, toward Oak Street Beach, there are chess tables.

One of the premiere neighborhood festivals in Chicago, for almost 60 years. There's plenty of pretty stuff to buy, of course, with roughly 250 artists selected by a jury to participate and again at the fair for award purposes. But there's also food and good live music (local high school and national performers), garden walks through the historic district and the neighborhood at its early summer best.

An eclectic mix on two stages includes solo shows, major contemporary plays like "Ragtime" and "The Vagina Monologues," and the popular improvised musicals of Baby Wants Candy (Sa 10:30PM, $15).

One of the best concert venues in Chicago, this former movie theater received a beautiful renovation in 2009 and now hosts good, moderately priced ($12-15) indie rock shows most nights of the week. (Keep an eye out for some excellent free events on Sundays.) Arrive early for a space in the roomy balcony or a few drinks in the comfortable bar area. There's a Dillinger connection here, too — the FBI's sharpshooters were camped out on the theater's roof, waiting for him to leave the Biograph.

This converted movie theater (and former burlesque hall) has some of the best acoustics in the U.S., and it's surprisingly intimate considering it can seat up to a thousand. None other than Ringo Starr has said that Park West is second only to London's Royal Albert Hall. Fans will crowd the stage, but the best seats are toward the back, near the main bar and in the balconies... or call in advance to reserve a booth.

For the past decade, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company's passion for the power of great theatrical language has enriched Chicago's world-class theatre scene. Masterful acting and directing by the company's ensemble of professional artists showcases the wit and wisdom of the world's great playwrights. A hallmark of Remy Bumppo's work is the intimacy of its 150-seat theater, which puts you close to the actors, sweeping you into each play's exhilarating mix of passionate storytelling and invigorating ideas. And the best part is, after the curtain call ends and the houselights go up, you sense the whirring of brain cells around you. The play lives on as the conversation begins.

The list of Second City alumni in show business has become something of a cliche — Alan Alda, John Belushi, Bill Murray, on and on — and it's still going strong today, with recent graduates like Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and Tina Fey. The separate revues on the Mainstage and the e.t.c. theaters are consistently smart, timely, and funny. (The third stage, Donny's Skybox, is rented out to local sketch troupes outside the artistic direction of Second City, and is hit-or-miss.) The third act of the night is fully improvised, and if there's space left among the paying customers from the first two acts, admission is free.

The creation of John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, and many others, Steppenwolf features cutting-edge theater and doesn't trade on the famous name, offering both original material and incisive re-stagings of classic plays (like a terrific recent production of The Crucible). Unlike Second City, the famous alumni of Steppenwolf make occasional returns to the stage as their schedules allow.

One of the premier Off-Loop theaters in Chicago, Victory Gardens hosts a noteworthy slate of original plays and adaptations both fun and dramatic. Among their several stages is the Biograph Theater, and they're kind enough to screen classic movies there ($5) from time to time so people can relive old Hollywood and ill-fated dates of John Dillinger.

This is Chicago's flagship stand-up comedy club and hosts all the big international stand-up touring acts. Each show hosts two openers, a great chance to see some future stars as some of the Second City folk develop their voice. It is a must see place for Chicago Comedy.