Things To Do |

It’s now or never — Our favorite ways to spend the last weekend of summer

We’ve been counting down the last 25 days of summer in Chicago. That’s 25 days for al fresco dining, walks along the lake and regular season baseball. With any amount of luck, the warmth will stretch well into October, but the Windy City makes no promises. So just in case, we’ve rounded up a bucket list of seasonal favorites to make the most of these last few days.

Day 25. Go see an outdoor play: This is the last week of the summer to score free tickets to a play at Theater on the Lake’s summer festival celebrating 67 years of local storefront theaters. Steep Theatre is presenting “Red Rex,” which earned 3.5 stars from the Tribune’s Chris Jones back in January, when it was showing at Steep’s Edgewater Beach home. It will be a very meta experience, as Ike Holter’s “Red Rex” is the story of a small theater company hoping for its big break that moves into an abandoned Chicago storefront in a gentrifying neighborhood. The festival holds back a few tickets for pickup on the day of each performance for last-minute theatergoers; just show up two hours before curtain time. Performances will be at 2 and 7 p.m. Thursday, and 7 p.m. Friday. Theater on the Lake, 2401 N. Lake Shore Drive

Day 24. Find balance on the water: Rent a stand up paddle board at Montrose or North Avenue Beach. You get a gorgeous view of the city from the water. The sounds of the beach fade into the distance. And all that paddling is actually decent exercise. A win, win, win.

Day 23: Take a sick day from work and head to Wrigley Field: Simply put, eating a hot dog and drinking a cold beer at a Cubs game is about as summer as summer gets. Home games are: Aug. 30-Sept. 1, Sept. 2-3, Sept. 13-15, Sept. 16-18 and Sept. 19-22. 1060 W. Addison St.

Day 22. And they’re off! Hop a Metra train to Arlington International Racecourse for any number of the venue’s remaining summer events, like the “Luck of the Irish” celebration on Sept. 14. Horse racing is still in session too, so there’s a little something for everyone at the nearby suburban locale. Visit arlingtonpark.com for a full schedule of events.

Day 21: Dine al fresco at a neighborhood hot spot: You’ve got four more chances this summer to enjoy Taco Tuesdays, the one night a week that the tiny East Lake View hot spot Esencia Urban Kitchen serves dinner. The family run restaurant has gained a solid following for its brunch specialties like poblano eggs and chorizo hash. Now from 4-9 p.m., you can savor their tacos like blackened Old-Bay shrimp topped with green apple, radish and lime pico de gallo; or braised short rib with crispy potato straws and pickled red onions. It’s BYOB, but you can’t go wrong with the refreshing mango or watermelon agua fresca. 3351 N. Broadway.

Day 20: Catch some late summer sun and see legendary rocker Patti Smith: Get your ticket today to see punk’s poet laureate and her band rock Riot Fest, the most low-key, least fussy and gently priced of Chicago’s summer music festivals. The Sunday lineup has 30 other bands, including The B-52s, and Jack White’s The Raconteurs. Sept. 15, Douglas Park, $49.98, eventbrite.com

Day 19: Take a walk on the lakefront: Mingle with the great cross section of people on Chicago’s lakefront, from families barbecuing to the fitness obsessed. The crowds die down in the early evening, making it the perfect time to chill on an after-work stroll.

Day 18. Drink on a rooftop: Chicago hotels boast some stellar rooftop and terrace bars, where you can enjoy your cocktail al fresco while soaking up the view. The Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton, Trump and the Conrad all have sweet spaces to sip outdoors, or swing by the recently revamped Roof on theWit or the top of The Hoxton.

Day 17: Have a mermaid moment: Not your average dip in the pool, AquaMermaid school in Little Italy offers beginner lessons, private parties and meetups for those looking to channel their inner Ariel. The one hour Discovery Class will run you $60 (tail included). 901 W. Roosevelt Road.

Day 16: Test new trails: It’s easy to get stuck in your neighborhood bubble — with a favorite park or walking route on repeat — but Chicago has dozens of nature trails north, south and west of the city center. Walk or bike the 7.5-mile Major Taylor Trail on the far South Side, or the North Branch Trail for 21 miles of forest that runs alongside that stretch of the river. Visit traillink.com to search by zip code or trail name, and dig around to find a distance that suits your style.

Day 15: Laid back libations: Sip craft beer and cocktails on the spacious, laid back patio at Peckish Pig, located a few blocks west of the Howard Red Line, on the border of Rogers Park and Evanston. A rotating selection of slushee cocktails will have you savoring every last bit of summer.

Day 14. Pack a picnic: Bring your picnic basket and spread out on the grass at Chinatown’s Ping Tom Memorial Park, which was originally a Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard on the South Branch of the Chicago River. Great place for train spotting, boat spotting and people watching.

Day 13. Did someone say waterpark? Tired of finding sand in your swimsuit? Take a day trip with your friends to one of the Chicago area waterparks. Between the wave pools and lazy rivers, you’ll surely feel like you traveled to a tropical island.

Day 12. Mini golf at Par-King: The 42-year-old Lincolnshire course is a delightful sea of colors and contraptions and mini golf challenges. There’s even a miniature, wooden roller-coaster to send your golf ball through. Not to be missed. 21711 N. Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire

Day 11. Go for a swim: Take a dip in the pool at Norwood Park, one of the few Chicago Park District pools with a big, twisty slide. 5801 N. Natoma Ave.

Day 10. Cool off with a Mario’s Italian Lemonade: It’s a Chicago staple that has been open since the ’50s — and its only open during the summer months. The line for blocks is totally worth the wait for the plethora of refreshing, affordable Italian ice flavors. 1068 W. Taylor St.

Day 9. Kayaking on the river: Rent a kayak at Richard Clark Park and view the city from the vantage point of the Chicago River. Not only do you get to see the cool boat house designed by Jeanne Gang’s studio (which includes a rowing facility and clean bathrooms), but you also get to see turtles, ducks, herons and more while taking a restorative paddle through the city. Note, after you’re done paddling you can head to Metropolitan Brewery just south of Belmont near the kayak rental and sip a few beers while sitting on their amazing deck overlooking the river.

Day 8. Riverwalk stroll: While your winter coat is still stuffed in the back of the closet, take a comfortable nighttime stroll on the Riverwalk. Stop for a drink and a bite to eat along the 1.25-mile path that stretches from Lake Shore Drive to Lake Street. Swing by the section across from the Merchandise Mart to watch Art on theMart, when colorful projections cover the building’s facade starting around 15 minutes after sunset, seven nights a week through Sept. 30.

Day 7. Have a giant sundae at Margie’s Candies: A summertime favorite since 1921, Margie’s has served up cold treats to everyone from Al Capone to The Beatles. Grab a friend and try the Jumbo Fudge Royale — four scoops of French vanilla ice cream surrounded with bananas and fudge, all in a giant clamshell. Time to smile. 1960 N. Western Ave.

Day 6. Read a book: It sounds simple, but sometimes the busy, active days of summer don’t leave much time to pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. Or your book club took a hiatus in the summer months and you lost your inspiration. As summer winds down there’s still time to head to the beach, the pool, the park, or your favorite chair in your house and cross at least one title on your list. Try “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens, “Queen of the South” by Arturo Perez-Reverte, or “Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee” by Casey Cep. Or ask friends or your local librarian for other suggestions. Happy reading!

Day 5. Tour your own city: Play tourist for the day and partake in the globally popular architecture cruise. Lay back and kick up your feet with the breeze in your hair and learn about the buildings we walk/drive by every day. It’s one of those classic summer events that you treat others to when they visit, but why not treat yourself?

Day 4. Bubble tea time: Swing by Chinatown for a cool treat. Stop by Joy Yee for a bubble tea or Legend Tasty House for Thai rolled ice cream. Walk over to nearby Ping Tom Park with your chilly dessert or drink.

Day 3. Spend a night under the stars: Don’t worry if you ran out of time to take the family camping this summer, there’s still plenty of time to commune with nature. Set up camp in your (or your best friend’s) backyard with Bell’s waterproof cotton canvas glamping tent. The tent comes with a zipped-in ground sheet and a mosquito net door at the front to keep critters out. Grab your flashlights, sleeping bags and fire up the grill, and after the sun sets, see who can tell the spookiest ghost stories. Boo! $499, amazon.com

Day 2. Fill the car with friends and pull into Superdawg: Superdawg Drive-In has been serving up their classic namesake (served with a juicy wedge of pickled green tomato) plus Whoopskidawgs and Supercheesies at the corner of Milwaukee, Devon and Nagle since 1948. Car hops deliver your order in the glow of the neon lit parking lot, all under the watch of two 12-foot-tall hot dog mascots perched on the rooftop. Some say it’s Chicago’s best dog, but you can make that call.

Day 1. Soca on the last day of summer: On summer’s final afternoon, grab the family and head out to the Humboldt Park Boathouse for the Global Peace Picnic, part of World Music Festival Chicago. Groove to the global sounds of Garifuna Collective from Belize; tech-infused African rock band KOKOKO! from the Democratic Republic of Congo and New Jersey-based Herman Olivera y su Orquestra. Watch for paleta vendors in the park and soak up a final taste of the season. 2-6 p.m. Sept. 22. 1301 N. Sacramento Ave.