The first sign of summer in Chicago is when the icebergs begin to melt in Lake Michigan. Summer in Chicago is a magical season where the city is filled with so much to do (and you don't have to worry about bringing your winter parka and boots). Unfortunately for us suburbia folks, we are stuck just outside the magical city limits. Summertime is the suburbs is a little lackluster compared to all the city has to offer. Here are eight activities you can do to spice up the typical Chicago suburb summer.

1. Go to a Music Festival or Concert

Pictured Lollapalooza

Summertime in the Chicago area is all about music. From Spring Awakening and Lollapalooza in Chicago to Country Thunder and Summerfest in Wisconsin, us Chicagoans love to see some great musical acts. If music festivals aren't your thing, there are amazing venues like Tinley Park, Ravinia, Rosemont, and Allstate Arena that hold a wide variety of single artists.

2. Hike at Starved Rock or Matthiessen State Park

Pictured Matthiessen State Park

Summer is the perfect season to explore nature without having to deal with all the snow. Starved Rock, located in Oglesby, Illinois, is free for anyone to explore. The paths lead you through the woods, by the river, past river overlooks, and even lead to a waterfall. If you're looking for a state park nearby that is less crowded, Matthiessen State Park is the perfect place. Be prepared, there are a lot of stairs to climb, but they lead down to beautiful picturesque canyons and waterfalls.

3. Visit Morton's Arboretum

Located in Lisle, Illinois, Morton's Arboretum houses plants from all around the world. For a small fee, you can enjoy hiking on wooded trails, bike riding around the Arboretum, walking through the flower gardens, seeing theater plays in nature, and viewing their yearly art collection. Last year the art collection was animal sculptures made entirely of Legos. I love to pick up White Fence Farm Chicken (best Illinois fried chicken) and have a picnic dinner before I bike and hike around the Arboretum.

4. Go to a Cougar's Game

If you can't take a full day to go down to Chicago to see the Cubs (boo, Soxs!), then seeing a Cougar's game is the perfect solution. The Cougars are the minor league team that plays at the Fifth Third Ballpark in Geneva. This is a much more affordable way to get your baseball (and baseball pants) fix. Watching these guys is pretty cool because they are the feeder team for the Arizona Diamondbacks. On a good summer night, there are fireworks to end the game.

5. Take a trip to Brookfield Zoo

Brookfield Zoo is rated the 8th zoo in the country and you can definitely tell why. They have just about every animal imaginable and natural-looking exhibits. Even as a 20 year old, I love to go walk around Brookfield Zoo. Be sure to check out their new bear grotto and the monkey house (my personal favorite). Even more exciting is that Brookfield is continuing to update and expand their habitats for the animals over the next couple of years.

6. Have dinner/drinks and play "golf" at Top Golf

Top Golf is a fun place to hit around the golf ball without having to have skills like Tiger Woods. Just down the road in Naperville, it brings food, friends, fun, and golf all together in one. The point of the game is to get your ball in a certain targets on the range. In the upcoming months, there is going to be a Top Golf Tour where you can play in 68 places across the country and have the chance to win $50,000.

7. Take a dip at Quarry Beach

Quarry Beach is a perfect man-made beach right in the suburbs. Located near downtown Batavia, Quarry Beach is an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the water and sit in the sand. There are sand courts, water slides, and a grilling area. It is a wonderful solution to going to the beach for the day without having to take the long trip to Chicago.

8. GNO at Pinot's Palette

Painting while drinking a glass of wine? Sign me up! Pinot's Palette in Naperville is the perfect place to show off your creative side while enjoying a drink with friends. Or it could be a funny night full of laughs due to lack of artistic talent--either or.

I hope this gives you all some inspiration on how to have an awesome rest of your summer in Chicago. Know of any other hidden gems in the suburbs? Make sure to share by leaving a comment!