Smart Museum of Art

“There’s something super quaint about this old dive bar. You’d never expect a rager of a night from a bar that doesn’t even go by its legal name—locals refer to it as “Jimmy’s” for the namesake of its owner—but let me be the first to tell you that Woodlawn Tap has it going on. They serve burgers for $3.50, house drinks for $4, and plenty of beer for under $5. Giving this place the benefit of the doubt is probably the smartest idea you’ll have this year.”

“Fuse ’50s diner-style with a shoreside tavern and you’ve got the Cove Lounge. Cove Lounge is a relatively small space, which makes every experience there totally intimate, especially with the help of the vintage jukebox. And the lounge sports a mural painted by Chicago locals that you can enjoy while sippin’ on $2.50 Tall Boys.”

“Frank Llyod Wright called this Hyde Park home “the cornerstone of modern architecture.” ”

“Medici is a local favorite restaurant for professors, students, authors, and other area residents. We enjoy gluten-free pizza on the rooftop balcony in the Autumn, milkshakes in the Summer, and the chicken salad croissant with a side of chili in the Winter. Barack Obama used to eat here frequently before he was famous.”

“Tour the beautiful Gothic + modern architecture at the University of Chicago campus and stop in at the Oriental Institute Museum. It's full of the most amazing artifacts of the most ancient civilizations known to humans. They have real, fully preserved mummies!”