Chicago boasts an incredible dining scene, luxurious spas, and uplifting immersive experiences. Despite the weight of adult responsibilities, there are moments when we long to embrace the carefree joy of childhood once more!
Join us as we explore eight delightful activities guaranteed to awaken your inner child and infuse your life with much-needed fun. So go ahead and embark on a journey to rediscover the magic of youth in the vibrant city of Chicago! We can guarantee you we won’t judge.
1. Check out the adult-only Camp Hide N Seek in your swankiest glamping-inspired cocktail attire!
If you really want to heal your inner child for one night only, step into Camp Hide N Seek for their after-hours, 21+ fundraiser by the Chicago Children’s Museum’s Associates Board. Explore the museum just like you did when you were a kid, but do it with cocktails. The event will have small bites, live music, and the best part? Camp-inspired activities. So go ahead, and do as the invite says, and pull out your best ‘glamping’ cocktail attire for a memorable night. Funds raised for the evening benefit important programs like Museums for All, Play for All, arts programming, and STEM hands-on learning.
Grab tickets!2. Check out a music festival this summer
It’s music festival season, which gives us a special opportunity to relive the joy and excitement of our childhoods with our favorite music. The vibrant atmosphere and diverse lineup of artists take us back to a time of carefree fun. The best part about these festivals is dancing to our favorite songs, surrounded by like-minded people, bringing out the adventurous spirit within us all. Here are a few of our favorite music festivals coming up!
🍋🔊🎡🎪Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash June 16-18th, 2024 at SeatGeek Stadium
Windy City Smokeout July 11-14, 2024 at United Center Parking Lot C
Lollapalooza August 1-4, 2024 at Grant Park
Read all about the 2024 festivals in Chicago here!3. Fall in love with science again at one of the quirkiest shops we’ve found!
If you once had a passion for science, you can rest assured that it will be reignited at the American Science & Surplus store near the city. From dissection frogs to vintage Russian microscopes and 1950s Geiger counters, they have it all. For a spectacular science experience, mark your calendar for their upcoming ‘Science Night’ on February 9th from 7-9 p.m. It promises exciting experiments, games, and step-by-step instructions on how to make a lava lamp, transporting you back to your school science class days!
📍27 N. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, IL 60068
4. Check out the world’s greatest LEGO® fan event at the ‘Brick Convention’!
LEGO® enthusiasts, brace yourselves for the upcoming Brick Convention, hailed as ‘the Greatest LEGO® Fan Event on Earth,’ arriving in Illinois, from September 28 to the 29th, 2024. While it may seem early, this event is known to sell out! This eagerly awaited LEGO® extravaganza assures a weekend where enthusiasts of all ages can rediscover the joy of being a kid. Packed with creativity, hands-on building activities, and mind-boggling entertainment, it’s an immersive experience that promises to bring out the inner child in everyone!
Get your tickets here!📍DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds, DuPage County Complex, 2015 Manchester Road, North County Farm Road, Wheaton, 60187
5. Step into the metaverse
Step out of your everyday reality and into the metaverse at Verse: The Art of the Future. This exciting experience merges art and technology, inviting you to marvel at a digital art exhibition like no other. Featuring augmented reality holograms and artwork by top-selling artists from the world of NFTs, Verse offers a truly immersive experience. Using an AR headset, smartphone, or tablet, visitors can explore the intersection of art and technology and delve into the stories shaping this dynamic sector of the art world.
🥽 Get your tickets for Verse: The Art of the Future in Chicago here!
📍Location: Block 37, 108 North State Street, Chicago, 60602
6. Have an all-out live-action gaming experience with friends or colleagues
Activate Games is undeniably a blast for families with young children, but let’s be honest, it’s also a fantastic outing for friends or a team-building adventure with coworkers (*wink, wink, Secret Chicago team)! These live-action games challenge teams to collaborate, testing their mental and physical agility in three-minute face-offs. From Hoops and Push to Hide (reminiscent of Netflix’s Squid Game), Megagrid (a sprawling space with color grids on the floor), and laser games straight out of thrilling spy movies like ‘Entrapment,’ there’s something here for everyone. It’s the perfect activity to unleash the inner child in all of us!
Read more here!7. Play Pickleball at this beach-themed indoor spot!
Pickleball has swept the nation, with courts popping up all over the city. One, in particular, offers 40,000 square feet of indoor fun with a beach theme, letting us feel as if we’ve escaped Chicago’s harsh winters.
Lincoln Park’s Social Pickleball Fun has it all—a massive turf, nine pickleball courts, Kikwetu coffee shop, Honey Butter Chicken restaurant, and a touch of luxury in the locker rooms with saunas. We don’t know about you, but this gives us all the adult camp vibes we need to bring back the carefree days of our youth. With the beach theme, we’ll feel like it’s summer all year round.
Get all the details here!