It's summer. Finally.
After weeks of teasingly warm weather and monsoon-like rains, it is now time to get out and enjoy the sun.
Unfortunately, a lot of families don't have the money to go on elaborate vacations this year. For some, just a trip to the grocery store is a bank-breaker.
The easiest solution for fun? It's time to take advantage of all the free events Chicago has to offer.
And the best thing is, most are fun for adults and kids alike.
Getting into the city from Northwest Indiana can be a cost-effective trip as well. On the South Shore Line, up to two children 13 years of age or younger ride free with each adult on weekday off-peak and all weekend/holiday trains.
So don't waste all of this wonderful summer weather in front of your television playing "Rock Band."
Talk mom or dad into taking you to the city.
There are so many things to do:
Take advantage of free admission days for the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the Art Institute of Chicago.
* Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago; (312) 939-2438 FYI: sheddaquarium.org
2009 Community Discount Days at the Shedd: Sept. 21, 22, 28 and 29
* Adler Planetarium, 1300 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago; 312-922-STAR FYI: adlerplanetarium.org
Charter One Discount Days at the Adler: Sept. 1, 8, 14-18, 22, and 29
* The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 South Michigan Ave., Chicago; (312) 443-3933 FYI: artic.edu/aic
Target Free Summer Evenings: Thursday and Friday free admission from 5 to 9 p.m.
* Chicago Children's Museum, 700 East Grand Ave. at Navy Pier, Chicago; (312) 527-1000 FYI: chicagochildrensmuseum.org
Located on Navy Pier, the museum offers three floors of interactive family fun.
Target Free First Sundays: First Sunday of every month, free admission all day for ages 15 and younger.
Kraft Free Family Night: Thursday evenings, 5 to 8 p.m., free admission for everyone.
* Chicago's Navy Pier (700 East Grand Ave., FYI: navypier.com) is not to be missed. This 3,000-foot-long playground offers many attractions -- from a Ferris wheel to a winter ice-skating rink to two children's museums. Although most of the indoor attractions charge a fee, some offer free admission, including the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. Many people enjoy walking around the pier, which doesn't cost a thing. Also through Labor Day, visitors can watch a free fireworks display every Wednesday and Saturday night.
* Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL; (847) 835-5440 FYI: chicago-botanic.org/
Stroll through miles of bucolic landscapes. The garden boasts more than 200 bird species, a sculpture collection and plant varieties from across the world. During spring and summer, gardens are open from 8 a.m. until sunset. Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden Family Drop-in Activities are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 4. Admission is free, however there's a charge for parking. Get close to nature and discover where food comes from with fun, free activities each weekend. Pollinate flowers, dissect seeds, see roots growing, compost with worms, create a rainbow for healthy eating and more. Activities vary from week to week and are subject to change.
* Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Ave., Chicago; (312) 280-2660 FYI: mcachicago.org
Every Tuesday in the summer explore themes from the art on view with free, all-ages, hands-on art experiences. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on MCA's front plaza and from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on the terrace.
Upcoming events:
July 14: Go behind it all. Get an in-depth look at what it takes to bring an exhibition to the MCA.
July 21: Produce optical illusions related to scale. With the aid of an expert, discover why you can't always trust what your eye sees.
July 28: Discover how Olafur Eliasson uses scent in his work and learn, alongside an expert, how scents complement each other. Outdoors, enjoy the tastes and scents of the MCA's farmer's market.
August 4: The MCA invites you to explore through touch. Feel some of the materials Olafur Eliasson and other artists used to make the artworks you see in the MCA"s galleries and experiment with unique and everyday textures.
* Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 North Clark St., Chicago; FYI: 312-742-2000 FYI: lpzoo.com
Lincoln Park Zoo is a world of wildlife in the shadow of skyscrapers. Located within a verdant park just minutes north of downtown, the zoo has been a natural, free oasis for generations of animal lovers, who come to hear a lion's roar echo off nearby apartment buildings, see gorillas climb trees as the Sears Tower looms in the distance, or forget where they are as they immerse themselves in tropical rainforests, dry-thorn forests or spacious savannas. Head to the underwater viewing area to catch a glimpse of swimming sea lions or take a guided tour of the hundreds of species on view at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Admission to the zoo is free seven days a week.
