The best attractions in Bridgeport

Located in the former Spiegel Catalog Warehouse, the Bridgeport Art Center hosts artist studios, a special event venue, gallery space and a raw industrial work space. Every third Friday, artist in the building open their creative spaces to the public and give visitors the opportunity to buy one-of-a-kind pieces.

The Bridgeport Farmers Market takes over the Bridgeport Art Center parking lot, offering a variety of produce and goods from local vendors. The market occurs each Saturday from 7am-11am, June through October.

An experimental cultural center located in Bridgeport, Co-Prosperity Sphere regularly hosts art, music, performances, screenings and local events in its 5,000 square foot gallery.

Located directly south of Palmisano Park, McGuane Park features an indoor swimming pool, two gymnasiums and an assembly hall. The Birdgeport park was opened in 1905 and also offers baseball fields, an athletic field, tennis courts and a playground.

Known by locals as "Mount Bridgeport," the site of Palmisano Park was formerly a limestone quarry (called Stearns Quarry) that opened in 1836. When the quarry was shut down in 1970, the 380 foot deep hole was used as a dumping site for construction waste until the city stepped in and decided to turn the area into a park. Today, the old quarry contains a fishing pond, while wetlands, running paths and an athletic field surround a small hill that provides wonderful views of the park and the Chicago skyline.

The SMALL Showroom acts as a storefront and gallery space for products manufactured locally by companies and individuals. Many of the participating artisans are members for the Small Manufacturing Alliance, a Bridgeport-based non-profit that helps raise awareness of local goods.

Formerly Comiskey Park, the U.S. Cellular Field is home to the Chicago White Sox. The South Side team doesn't command the rabid following of its neighbors to the north, but the stadium is much more spacious than Wrigley and it's almost always possible to walk up and purchase tickets. Plus, the Sox gave Chicago its most recent World Series Championship in 2005.

Founded in 2004 by Chinese-American artists the Zhou brothers, this Bridgeport arts center provides galleries, studio spaces and a collaborative creative environment for local artists. On the third Friday of each month, the center hosts a free exhibition and open studio event, allowing visitors to explore exhibitions, galleries and resident artists' studios.