Erin Yarnall

This summer, the CTA is planning to open up a long-awaited Damen Green Line station, a stop near the United Center. But it’s not entirely new—the station is being constructed on the same site as the Robey station, one of the city’s first "L" stations that was originally in service from 1893 to 1948. When it opens, the Damen Green Line station will become the 146th "L" station the CTA currently operates. However, more than 150 have also closed throughout the agency's existence, like the Robey station. While many of the stations are demolished after they’re closed, some are left completely abandoned, or permanently closed. There are several reasons why "L" stations are shuttered, including low ridership, service cuts, and making way for a new station. Some closed stations have even taken on new lives and been reconstructed decades later. Here are 11 of the city’s "L" stations that have closed, and what happened to them. RECOMMENDED: Discover the best Metra day trips from Chicago

Chicago is well known for its towering architecture, amazing restaurants and beautiful beaches, but the city also has a notorious history of Prohibition-era organized crime and violence. Some of Chicago’s most beautiful streets have dark pasts, and you can explore the oftentimes grisly history on a Chicago crime tour. Guides unearth the city’s darkest stories, and some of them even make stops at local restaurants and bars to help set the scene. While the tours may be a bit eerie, some can be experienced on your own schedule, whether in-person or virtually. Experience Chicago's history hidden in plain sight on the best Chicago crime tours. RECOMMENDED: Check out the full guide to the best Chicago tours This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Chicago doesn’t have the film reputation that Hollywood does, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great city for movies. The city is home to several top-notch movie theaters and impressive film festivals, and also provides the filming locales for countless movies and television shows. Whether film crews are capturing the city’s impressive skyline, beautiful parks or world-renowned museums, television shows, short films and feature-length movies are constantly being filmed throughout the city—and have been for decades. Some of the most beloved American films and shows, including classics like Home Alone, The Dark Knight and the massively successful series The Bear, have immortalized many popular Chicago destinations. While you might not always be able to catch a movie or television show while it’s being shot, these notable sites in and around Chicago are still worth checking out for their significance in pop culture history. RECOMMENDED: The best holiday films set in Chicago, ranked

Between the best restaurants to try, swankiest bars to visit and events to attend, having a good time in Chicago can be expensive. However, there are still plenty of options for fun on a budget. Chicagoans have access to affordable museums around the city, creative activities that don't break the bank and even a cat cafe. Here are some of the best cheap things to do in Chicago for under $25. And for even more cost-effective options, check out the best free things to do in Chicago. RECOMMENDED: The best cheap eats in Chicago

It often feels like the second you step outside, money is immediately sucked from your wallet. Prices for things like concerts, a fancy latte or trendy bars are getting higher and higher, but that doesn't mean that everything in Chicago will break your budget. There are plenty of activities around the city that don't cost a penny. Give your bank account a rest by exploring captivating Chicago museums during free museum days, checking out a beautiful park or going for a run on one of the city’s best trails. Our list of the best free things to do in Chicago is here to save you some dough. RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to the best things to do in Chicago

Whethe it's New Year's resolution or beach body season, there's never a bad time to find ways to move more, feel better and re-energize. The journey of finding a gym can be daunting, but luckily, Chicago has a host of spaces for exercise all over the city for every kind of person, from the glitzy, spa-like clubs with massage therapists and nice restaurants to rigorous, high-intensity gyms to affirming fitness centers that focus on welcoming all kinds of bodies. Whether you want a yoga studio, dedicated personal trainers or the thrill of a climbing wall, you'll find it at the following places. So head out to the best gyms in Chicago to get started on your fitness journey. RECOMMENDED: The best spas in Chicago

Winter in Chicago can be pretty brutal—with freezing cold temperatures and icy sidewalks—but there’s still outdoor adventure to be had, especially if you own a sled. While the Midwest isn’t known for its elevation, there are snowboarding and skiing resorts within driving distance as well as some reasonably sized sledding hills throughout the city that are worth a visit, from toddler-friendly bunny hills to a steep “mount” that looms over Palmisano Park. Sledding is not just a daytime activity either—plenty of Chicago parks and forest preserves in the suburbs are lighted, allowing the fun to continue all night (or until the lights turn off). So the next time there's snow on the ground, layer up and head to the best hills in and near Chicago to go sledding. RECOMMENDED: Find more things to do in Chicago this winter

In the blink of an eye, the holiday shopping season has arrived. Buying presents for all of the people in your life can be a tricky process, but if you’re shopping for a Chicago resident, or just someone who loves the city, we can help you out. Get them something made by local artists at a Chicago gift shop, or help them learn a new skill with an instuctional class. From household items that will always remind them of their favorite city to unforgettable experiences like a food tour of restaurants featured in The Bear, show your love this year with these Chicago-themed gifts. RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas stores in Chicago

A lot of people make their way through O’Hare International Airport every day on their way to somewhere else—more than 54 million travelers passed through the airport in 2021. It’s the fourth-busiest airport in the world, sending travelers to every inhabited continent in the world. And while the airport is a popular transit hub, it's more than just a place to sit and wait for your flight to board. You can spend time perusing the airport’s art galleries (including one with local art in Terminal 5), get a workout in at a hotel or grab a bite to eat at some of the city’s best restaurants (which also have locations in the airport). So don't fret if you have a long layover or your flight's delayed, these are the 10 best things to do at O’Hare International Airport. RECOMMENDED: What to eat and drink at O'Hare International Airport

Winters in Chicago are known to be particularly brutal, but that doesn’t mean that the city isn’t any fun throughout the season. Bundle up and head outside to go sledding or snowboarding, check out seasonally-themed activities, and of course hit the ice. Chicago, and its surrounding suburbs, are home to plenty of ice rinks to show off your skating skills, or work on them if you're still a novice. You don’t have to be an expert skater, or even own a pair of ice skates, to have a good time at one of the these spots around the city. The best skating rinks in Chicago offer skate rentals, for a fee, as well as lessons to help you skate circles around friends and family. Chicago Park District ice rinks will open November 24. All outdoor rinks operate weather permitting, so call ahead to confirm availability.

Between the cold, the icy sidewalks and the wet slush that always piles up everywhere you need to step, winter in Chicago can be pretty brutal. That’s not to say that the season is all bad, though—there’s always plenty to do in the city no matter how low the temperatures may drop. But if you’ve already stopped by Christkindlmarket and hit all of the ice skating rinks, maybe it’s time to explore what the rest of the Midwest has to offer. There’s plenty of adventure to be had throughout the Midwest: Check out the winter scenery at two nearby (well, sort of) national parks or hit the slopes at some exciting sledding hills and skiing and snowboarding resorts. Sick of being cold? We’ve got you covered for that, too. Visit an indoor water park, where the temperature is always in the 80s, or spend the weekend crafting at a lakeside resort. Whether you want to spend your winter enjoying the outdoors or staying warm inside, here are some of the best winter getaway destinations in the Midwest that the whole family will love. RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from Chicago

Whether you’re a fan of the classics or prefer something a bit more original, Chicago’s best pie makers are here to please. With a seemingly endless variety of fillings and toppings to choose from, there’s an option for every taste. Key lime fans can head to Joe’s or Bang Bang to get their fix, while those who want to step into a time warp should check out Spinning J. Even gluten-free pies are available, courtesy of Defloured. While many of these offerings are found at the city’s best bakeries, they also serve as tantalizing desserts at seafood restaurants and steakhouses. And you can usually buy them by the slice, but if you’re trying to be the MVP during the holiday season, grab a whole one for the family. So read on to discover the best pies in Chicago.

DePaul University students use The Ray to help avoid the freshman 15, but it’s not just for students. Undergraduate students have the membership cost included in their tuition, but graduate students, staff, faculty and members of the community can purchase memberships with community memberships costing $91 per month. The 12,000-square-foot open fitness area has more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment, free weights and strength equipment. The gym also offers up a six-lane swimming pool, a banked jogging track, racquetball courts and more than 40 group classes each week.

If you’ve ever craved a private space to work out beyond your home office or living room, The Gym Pod, a cluster of repurposed shipping containers in Fulton Market, is ideal. The Gym Pod offers five different types of pods, each equipped for various types of workouts—the gym pod, which comes equipped with free weights and a cardio station; the spin pod, where spin classes are available; the flow pod, which offers yoga, dance barre and martial arts classes; the rumble pod for anyone looking to improve their boxing or MMA; and the grit pod, which has three weight training stations.

You don’t have to be ready to rumble in order to have a good workout at Gold Coast’s Rumble Boxing—the gym welcomes first-timers and breaks down each of the six punches they’ll be using during class five minutes before it begins. Like a boxing match without a knockout, classes consist of 10 rounds, alternating back and forth between boxing on bags and strength and conditioning, making sure you’re ready to jab, cross and hook with the best of them.

If you’ve heard your really in-shape friends talking about CrossFit and thought you should give it a try, then look no further than MagMile CrossFit. The gym offers several different membership options, including drop-in options for either a day or a week for those who are curious about the workout but not ready to dedicate themselves to it just yet.

Since opening in 1997, Cinema Chatham has been owned by a number of different companies, and has closed and reopened several times. After shuttering due to Covid-19, the South Side multiplex was purchased by Emagine Entertainment, and reopened in August 2021, showing the latest blockbusters to hit the silver screen.

Before she started working with My Block, My Hood, My City, Ashanti Marshall says that, despite living in Chicago, she and many teenagers like her hadn't actually seen much of the city. Marshall, who's currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, first started working with the Chicago-based nonprofit four years ago and is now much more familiar with the city's 77 neighborhoods—including her own, North Lawndale. My Block, My Hood, My City aims to provide educational programs and field trips to underprivileged youth communities throughout Chicago (which, by the way, was just named the second best city in the world according to Time Out readers). It was founded in 2013 by Jahmal Cole after he spent time volunteering at Cook County Juvenile Detention Center. According to Ernesto Gonzalez, the nonprofit's marketing manager, while working at Cook County Cole heard young people talk about their blocks and their hoods, but never the city as a whole. From there, Cole started an after-school program and the organization grew from there. "We're one of the fastest-growing nonprofits in the city," Gonzalez says. It's very local work, but with a loud purpose For the past five years, My Block has been hosting youth-led community walks through neighborhoods like Marshall's native North Lawndale. She's one of many young people leading community walks through their own Chicago neighborhoods, giving historical context and sharing what makes their blocks special. "I rea

One of the distinctive features of the West Loop is its vast collection of street art created by numerous artists, present amid the streets lined with restaurants and on the side of overpasses and railway embankments. Painter and muralist Jenny Vyas is one of those artists whose work has helped to shape the former industrial area, adding splashes of color and creativity to the trendy destination for nightlife and dining that it has become. A self-taught artist, Vyas first became inspired to paint while recovering from a breakup in 2013. She said that much of her work is inspired by “a lot of the darkness in life that we don’t really talk about.”. Her latest show, “Awaken,” opened last month and is on display at Pilsen Yards through October 31. The show features 15 of Vyas’ paintings, all of which center on themes of vulnerability and finding strength through exploring one’s own demons. “It’s the show I’ve been working toward for the last five years so it’s been really great to bring it all together,” Vyas said. “It’s my largest body of work, ever.” Although she’s originally from India, Vyas has lived in Chicago for more than two decades and considers the city to be her home. “I love the inclusivity and different cultures in Chicago,” Vyas said. “I’ve been to so many cities in America and the feeling of home that you get, it’s very much integral in Chicago. You can go to a bar and make friends that night.” One of the painter and muralist’s favorite neighborhoods in the city is