The 15 best things to do in Uptown

In a neighborhood full of iconic venues, Green Mill Cocktail Lounge remains the crown jewel. The jazz institution, originally opened in 1907, was once frequented by the likes of Al Capone and his gangster squad during the Prohibition era (you can still spot Capone's preferred booth, conveniently placed within eyeshot of both the front and back exits, inside the joint). Decades later, in the '80s, current owner Dave Jemilo revamped the club to include a music-focused roster of bebop, free jazz and slam poetry nights; in normal times, the space is packed to the gills with spectators sipping martinis and listening intently. The Green Mill isn't hosting live music shows for now, but in the meantime, you can still visit the bar's new sidewalk patio for drinks and bites from nearby restaurant Fiesta Mexicana.

Since 1860, the massive Graceland Cemetery has served as the final resting place for hordes of famous Chicagoans, from pioneering architect Daniel Burnham to Bauhaus giant Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Spookiness aside, though, Graceland is just a beautiful green space—it's a certified arboretum with more than 2,000 trees spread across 121 acres. Take a walk down its winding paths to admire natural beauty, stunning burial monuments and a reflective lake while paying respect to some of the city's most influential people. 

The neighborhood's stalwart honky tonk tavern, resurrected in 2018 after a two-year closure, dates back nearly 50 years. In its original form, you could visit the no-nonsense dive in the wee hours of the morning for last calls and live country music; now, the bar offers most of its former spunk alongside a no-frills food menu and a revamped cocktail list (don't worry—you can still get cheap Old Style on tap alongside fancier options from Maplewood and Half Acre). Catch live music most Friday and Saturday nights and karaoke on Sundays, plus a brand new sidewalk cafe for sipping and to-tapping.  

Commonly called "Little Vietnam" or "Asia on Argyle," Uptown's historic stretch of Argyle Street—which flanks the Red Line station of the same name—is home to dozens of Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian and Lao businesses, so prepare for an entire afternoon of browsing along its colorful corridors. Start at the Argyle El stop and stroll around the pedestrian-friendly street for bakeries, speciality stores, plant shops and more; finish the day with a bowl of toothsome pho from one of the neighborhood's countless (and delicious) Vietnamese restaurants.

In 2019—following 50 years of rising rents in its original River North location—the Baton Show Lounge made a new home in Uptown and has since settled comfortably into the neighborhood's nightlife scene. The legendary drag bar hosted the likes of RuPaul, Joan Rivers and Madonna (among other entertainment luminaries) over the course of its storied history and features near-nightly shows from a cast of drag performers. In the pandemic era, guests can catch socially-distanced performances from a new patio decked out with a stage and professional lighting.

The city's largest public beach hosts concessions, kayak rentals and a fenced-off dog area where your pup can roam free. A 13-acre stretch of rolling sand dunes flanks the eastern edge of the beach, but watch out for closures—the area is sometimes sealed off to protect endangered piping plover chicks.

Note: City beaches remain closed for now in accordance with Chicago Park District COVID-19 rules.

There's no shortage of public art in Chicago, but if you're looking for an especially concentrated stretch of works, head up to the area surrounding the Wilson Red Line stop in Uptown. There, you'll find an outdoor gallery of more than 24 murals and sculptures produced by an international cohort of artists, capturing scenes both local (like Chicago-based artist Liz Flores' "For the Bears Fans" or Christian Paz's homage to the Uptown lakefront) and universal (Mitch Reardon's colorful Seascape, for example) in scope.

Brush up on your painting, photography, printmaking and sculpting skills at this longtime art co-op located in Ravenswood (the northwest reaches of the Uptown community area). The co-op, which hosts rotating casts of resident artists, features a gallery, artisan gift shop, tasty pie options from First Slice and a large roster of classes for folks of all ages—check out the Lillstreet website to view and register in classes, which will be offered digitally and in-person this fall.

Explore the cultural and social history of Haiti at this Uptown museum—the first of its kind in the Midwest—which houses art exhibitions, cultural programming and a library of primary sources and other literature. Visit the space to tour the exhibits on display, attend lectures or take classes; right now, for instance, you can enroll in courses on Kreyol, the national language of Haiti.

Husband-and-wife team Robert Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker Hart left their careers to launch this small-batch craft distillery in 2008, which has gone on to win international awards for its organic and thoughtfully conceived spirits. The distillery is currently in the process of moving its retail and event space (5121 N Ravenswood Ave) to the nearby production facilities in Ravenswood (4241 N Ravenswood Ave); when it reopens, you'll be able to shop a variety of whiskeys, gins and liqueurs online for contactless pickup. Plus, once COVID restrictions ease up—tentatively in the spring—guests will be able to once again tour the distilling facilities and take in-person classes on everything from cocktail making to whiskey workshops. For now, you can tune into a lineup of online classes and other virtual events.

This 170-seat theater aims to combat racism with theater performances of original plays and musicals that center Black stories, plus educational outreach programs that introduce theater arts to young people. The theater's founder, director-actress-playwright Jackie Taylor, has written and produced more than 100 plays and musicals—recent ventures include Legends the Musical, a two-hour show that explores the legacy of racism and the civil rights movement in America. In-person shows remain on hold for now, but visit the theater's website and social media pages to catch virtual programming, like the Facebook Live version of the theater's annual "Sex in the Summer" production series.

Seeking a little taste of tranquility? This quiet garden area, located in a small section of Lincoln Park in Uptown's Buena Park neighborhood, features a smattering of native plants among a waterfall, pond and rock garden. Bring a blanket and a book to hang out away from the bustle of the nearby Lakefront Trail.

This beautiful, ornate and capacious space opened as a ballroom in 1926 with interior decor inspired by a Spanish village. These days, it serves as one of the biggest music venues within the city limits (and the only one with swords mounted above its stage). The 4,500-capacity room hosts acts like Queens of the Stone Age, Run the Jewels, and deadmau5. Fair warning: The noise bounces around that high, pretty, star-flecked ceiling until it's a fat wad of mud in your ears.

Note: The Aragon Ballroom is currently closed due to COVID-19.

The Riv is generally considered to be the sister rock club to the Aragon, located just a block away. With a capacity of around 2,500, the jazz-age theater isn’t quite as big as its neighbor, but the acoustics are much better. You might catch someone like Dan Auerbach or Miguel here. Those afraid of heights should probably skip the steep balcony seating, which has a tendency to vibrate during bass-heavy shows. 

Note: The Riviera Theatre is currently closed due to COVID-19. 

Expert and amateur birders alike will delight in this 15-acre lakefront bird sanctuary nestled in the northern stretches of Lincoln Park, a frequent resting point for more than 300 species of migratory birds. You're sure to get some good birding in no matter what, but the avian hot spot of the sanctuary is a row of shrubs and trees dubbed "The Magic Hedge," where catbirds, common yellowthroats, purple martins, many types of warblers and hosts of other birds stop by or nest for the season. At the nearby Montrose Beach, the endangered (and very adorable) piping plovers are known to lay eggs; if you spot them, maintain your distance and admire the feathered creatures from afar. Don't forget your binoculars! 

Note: The Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary is currently closed due to COVID-19.