Time In: The best things to do at home in Chicago

Stuck at home? Us too. Experience the best of Chicago from your couch.

Posted: Thursday October 1 2020

chicago, skyline — Photograph: Shutterstock

Even as we emerge from lockdown, social distancing makes it tough to get out and experience the best of Chicago like you used to. But it's not impossible. During this time, we're committed to bringing the city to you so that you don't have to leave your apartment. (You don't even have to put on pants if you don't want to.) Experience the best restaurants in Chicago with our comprehensive delivery guide, pick up a six-pack from your favorite brewery, stream a concert from your couch and visit the finest Chicago museums in your living room. Plus, we're sprinkling in critic-approved Netflix recommendations and travel inspo for days. Check back often for new features and guides to living your best city life from home. We'll get through this together, Chicago.

Food and drink delivery in Chicago

Restaurants

The best restaurants for delivery and takeout in Chicago

We're officially over cooking. Anyone else?

News

Here’s where to find the best to-go cocktails in Chicago

Sip drinks from the city's best bartenders from the comfort of your home.

Bars

The best alcohol delivery services in Chicago

Stock your bar cart without leaving the house.

Things to do

You can now order delivery from Time Out Market Chicago

Queue up your order, put on your favorite sweatpants and open a bottle of wine.

News

Two Chinatown food startups spring to life on social media in the shadow of COVID-19

Slide into their DMs to order from these culinary innovators.

Restaurants

The best pizza spots in Chicago

Let's do delivery tonight.

Things to do from your couch

News

These online resources connect Chicagoans to Black-owned businesses

If you're searching for ways to uplift local Black-owned businesses, you don't have to look far.

News

At the Hideout, streaming is the future of live music—for now

Moving to the NoonChorus streaming platform, the Chicago venue is building on its already expansive lineup of virtual events.

News

Open House Chicago will return in October with outdoor and online programming

Expanding to 10 days, the annual event will observe current safety guidelines while exploring buildings in more than 20 neighborhoods.

News

10 ways to keep Chicago kids busy at home and reclaim your sanity

Get the kids off your back—if only for 30 minutes—with these enriching at-home activities.

The best stuff to stream right now

Movies

The 50 best family movies to watch together

The whole family is invited.

Movies

The 101 best sex scenes of all time

Check out these sexy films for your next at-home date night.

Movies

The 100 best animated movies ever made

Find Oscar winners, along with darkly imaginative foreign films from Japan, France and beyond.

Movies

The 28 best Netflix originals

Stop scrolling, start bingeing.

News you should know

News

Illinois officials release guidelines for trick-or-treating this year

Here's what you need to know before heading out on October 31.

News

Chicago eases capacity restrictions for restaurants, bars and fitness centers

Here's what you need to know about the city's newest guidelines.

News

Chicago asks travelers to quarantine for 14 days if coming from states with high case numbers

Keep an eye on which states are currently under Chicago's emergency travel order.

Things to do

Here’s what you can and can’t do outside in Chicago right now

Let's brush up on the rules, shall we?

City pride

Things to do

11 dumb questions people from Chicago get asked all the time

When you live in Chicago, you're bound to get hit with some fairly annoying questions whenever you leave the city.

Things to do

15 things that fill every Chicagoan with irrational rage

We're a pretty chill bunch, but these things get under our skin.

Things to do

20 slang words that every Chicagoan should know

Get acquainted with the local vernacular.

Things to do

The 13 rules of living in Chicago

Know 'em, live 'em, love 'em.

Things to do

16 things Chicagoans do that are absolutely disgusting

We're a nasty bunch.

News

26 moments that give every Chicagoan anxiety

We're sweating just thinking about it.

Travel the country without leaving home

Things to do

The 19 most stunning castles in America

You don’t have to book a flight to Europe to see a medieval ruin.

Travel

The most scenic train rides in America

Trains are a wildly atmospheric throwback to the leisurely travel of times past.

Travel

The 17 best places to visit in the USA

Cnsider this your guide to the beautiful ol' US of A—from sea to shining sea.

Bars

Sipping Sazeracs: The story of America’s very first cocktail

The Sazerac just might be the most famous drink to come out of New Orleans. (Take that, milk punch.)

More Time In

Music

The 50 best ’80s songs

Fire up the boombox: These are the 50 best jams to come out of the ’80s, from hair-metal anthems to rap's first wave.

Music

The 30 best birthday songs

We can do so, so much better than another chorus of ‘Happy Birthday.’

Music

The 22 best friendship songs for celebrating your BFF

These are the uplifting friendship songs you and your closest pals need

Music

25 songs guaranteed to put you in a happy mood

Feeling down? Here's a playlist guaranteed to shift your mood from sullen to sunny.

Music

The 50 best sad songs ever written

Need a good cry? These are the songs to get the waterwork

Music

The 50 greatest breakup songs of all time

From distraught soul singers to rockers ready to burn love to the ground, these are the best brokenhearted songs ever written.

Music

The 30 best inspirational songs of all time

Let music give you a sweet, sweet boost with our list of the most inspirational songs of all time

Music

The 50 best workout songs to play at the gym

The best workout songs create the ultimate pump-up playlist for adrenalin-fuelled exercise

Music

The 30 best Halloween songs of all time

All ‘Thriller’, no filler with our list of the best Halloween songs of all time

Film

The 50 best family films to stream on movie night

Looking to marathon the best family movies? We've got classics, Disney favorites, newcomers and everything in between!

Even more things to do at home

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