We spend the entire school year just a few miles away from the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant cities, but we rarely have the time or energy to take the train or Intercampus in to explore Chicago.

If you’re lucky enough to be staying in Evanston this summer, here are a few things you need to do to take advantage of the world-class city next door.

Be a tourist. Whether you’re from Chicago or not, the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and Adler Planetarium are always worth visits, and Northwestern students now have unlimited free admission to the Art Institute. Hop on a train, catch a shuttle or call a cab, and spend the day doing the most tourist-y things possible. Take a break between museums to have a picnic in Millennium Park and take the standard picture at The Bean with all of your friends to remind your Instagram followers how #blessed you are to live in Chi-town.

Explore the neighborhoods. This is your chance to finally try a wonut! Or go on a quest for the city’s best dim sum, or finally settle the age-old Giordano’s vs. Lou Malnati’s debate. Basically, spend your summer eating your way through Chicago’s many unique neighborhoods and sampling as many diverse delicacies as humanly possible. We all need food to live, so you might as well eat the best foods you can find (and Chicago definitely has some of the best!).

Hit the beach. The sun is finally out, and it’s over 100 degrees hotter than it was during the polar vortex. It’s time to soak up some rays! Pack up your towel, sunscreen and beach read, and head to one of the city’s great beaches, like North Avenue or Oak Street, for a perfect summer day. Soon enough, you’ll have convinced yourself that you’re laying out on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, rather than a lake that was full of ice just a few months ago.

Go to a Cubs game. Wrigley Field is one of the oldest baseball stadiums in America, and while the result of the game itself might end up breaking your heart, a day spent with America’s pastime is definitely a day well spent. Grab yourself a classic Chicago hot dog and settle in for a beautiful day of baseball at the “Friendly Confines.” Afterwards, win or lose, wander through super-fun Wrigleyville to cap off the night.

LOLLAPALOOZA. Lolla is basically Dillo Day times infinity: there’ll be tons of amazing performers (Outkast, Eminem, Lorde, and many others) and thousands of people milling around downtown Chicago. If you didn’t already snag your pass for the festival, start scouring StubHub now for the best deals, because they sold out almost as soon as they went on sale. 

Whatever you end up doing in Chicago, your summer will be awesome just by being close to such an amazing city! 

Photo courtesy of Lollapalooza.com