Cheap Fun Chicago

May 21, 2010 10:16 AM

Cheap, fun date ideas for tomorrow night in Chicago.

I'm trying to come up with some cheap, fun, and creative ideas for tomorrow night in Chicago. Googling cheap date ideas has given me some great suggestions, but the problem is that they're all for the daytime and we won't be getting together until 5 or 6 pm. I'd also really like to take advantage of something that is unique to Chicago.

To give you an idea of what we like to do, on previous dates we've seen plays, explored Rogers Park, cooked for each other, walked by the lake, and watched an old A&E miniseries. Things we've discussed doing include a Buffy marathon, kayaking on the Chicago river, and taking a roadtrip. We're definitely up for something we've never done before or things that are a little unconventional.

Thanks for your suggestions!

posted by Colonel_Chappy to human relations (12 answers total)

Have you seen Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind yet?
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:20 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yes, do that. Too Much Light. It's awesome. Ticket price depends on the roll of a die.
posted by aimedwander at 10:33 AM on May 21, 2010

roller derby! last match of the regular season at UIC.
posted by garlic at 11:17 AM on May 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

Second City could be an option too.
posted by kdern at 11:52 AM on May 21, 2010

Roller skating. Why watch it when you can do it? It's not in Rogers Park but supposedly 28 miles away: http://www.orbitskate.net/
posted by stormpooper at 11:58 AM on May 21, 2010

Great America. Or the Chicago Botanic Garden. Or mini-golf at Millennium Park.
posted by eamondaly at 12:26 PM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

And as always, Gapers Block lists plenty of fun events for Saturday, including the history of chop suey and the National Tap Day Festival.

But yeah, go to roller derby. I'll be there!
posted by eamondaly at 12:29 PM on May 21, 2010

Eamondaly beat me to it on the Gapers Block calendar (full disclosure: my site)!
posted by me3dia at 12:34 PM on May 21, 2010

D'oh! I forgot to mention that part. Sorry, MeFi's own me3dia!
posted by eamondaly at 2:19 PM on May 21, 2010

Thirding Too Much Light.
posted by JustKeepSwimming at 4:44 PM on May 21, 2010

Whatever you do, eat at Feed. If you are not vegetarian (it's quite chicken centric). Located at Chicago Ave and California. There's a neighborhood bar nearby called (?) that isn't all that great, but lots of people like it for some reason (so I mention it here).

Bite and Empty Bottle are uniquely Chicago and are located next door to each other on 1035 N. Western Ave. Connected by a door yet operating individually, Bite is a small, neighborhood cafe (partially vegetarian, always tasty) and The Bottle is an interesting venue for live music.

Or go to Millennium Park. 201 E. Randolf. It's architecture, music, gardens, sculpture (the bean) and fun to walk around now that it's (kind of muggy and cold) springtime.

And it's walking distance from the Art Institute. Among a million other things (very inexpensive to enjoy) architectural wonders in the loop - for instance, the Monadnock Building, to name one.

Have fun!
posted by marimeko at 6:30 PM on May 21, 2010

improv olympic has good cheap shows too.

and i nth roller derby. i went recently to see a friend dance at half time and it was incredibly fun. (queefer sutherland was my favorite derby girl name)
posted by anthropomorphic at 6:55 PM on May 21, 2010