We’re ready for another great year of hockey showcases. Join us this year for weekends filled with competitive hockey. Experience the GLHL for yourself and show everyone what your team can do! This event is a prime opportunity for those involved in competitive hockey and want to compete at a high level..
All teams are rostered on Gamesheet. All games will be released on the app, along with scoring, statistics, and brackets. Please down either version for your upcoming tournament.
Most visitors come to Millennium Park to see the Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate, better known as “The Bean.” Designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the Crown Fountain features two 50-foot towers that face each other at opposite ends of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers’ LED screens project the faces of 1,000 different Chicago residents, which are perfectly aligned with spouts so that it appears they are spitting water on passersby. The water flows mid-spring through mid-fall, while the faces are projected year-round. Cloud Gate – created by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor – is a 110-ton bean-shaped sculpture forged from stainless steel. The Bean’s elliptical shape reflects the Chicago skyline. A quintessential Chicago souvenir is a photo of your reflection in The Bean.
If you’re visiting Chicago in early September, head to Grant Park early – around 11 a.m. to avoid the lines – for the Taste of Chicago. Enjoy the park and eat the best cuisine the city has to offer. Admission is free. – Sarah Estime
Often referred to as “Chicago’s front yard,” Grant Park is an approximately 313-acre swath of green space that starts at the eastern edge of the Loop and stretches down to the northern fringes of the Near South Side.
First-time visitors should plan on spending a fair amount of time in Grant Park: This is where you’ll find several of Chicago’s most popular things to do, including The Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago and Shedd Aquarium. (Millennium Park also rubs elbows with the northwest corner of Grant Park.) Baseball diamonds, flower gardens, walking paths and wide-open grassy terrain are available as well.
The Magnificent Mile, known for its world-class shopping, also has plenty to offer architecture buffs. Book a walking tour with the Chicago Architecture Center and hear the untold stories of North Michigan Avenue’s architectural icons. Tours start at $30. – Sarah Estime
For shopping at more than 450 retailers within walking distance in downtown Chicago, make your way to The Magnificent Mile.
This portion of Michigan Avenue – which stretches between Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago River – beckons to shopaholics with department stores and luxury retailers like Bloomingdale’s, Marcus, Macy’s, Tory Burch and Nordstrom. Additionally, The Magnificent Mile is home to several top-notch eateries and luxury hotels, including The Drake, the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile and the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile.
Architecture buffs will also appreciate a stroll down this street thanks to its eclectic collection of buildings. While you’re walking around, turn your eyes upward for views of the Chicago Water Tower, which survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and is the longest standing structure on Michigan Avenue. Other structural highlights include the Wrigley Building (once the headquarters of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr.) and the Tribune Tower (former home to the Chicago Tribune daily newspaper).
Extending out onto Lake Michigan, Navy Pier offers plenty in the way of family-friendly entertainment.
The first thing you’ll spot once you set foot on the pier is the towering Ferris wheel (which stands 196 feet tall); you’ll also find a drop tower and a carousel. Once the kids have had their fill of thrill rides, you can spend some time cruising the Chicago River on a sightseeing or speedboat tour or spend a few hours exploring the Chicago Children’s Museum, with hands-on exhibits ranging from treehouses to fire trucks.
But you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy a visit to Navy Pier. Grown-ups can catch a show at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, flex some credit card muscle at a variety of shops or grab a drink at the Navy Pier Beer Garden. And be sure to check Navy Pier’s website for a list of events: Concerts are often held here, and from Memorial Day to Labor Day (as well as New Year’s Eve), impressive fireworks displays light up the skies on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Many of the city’s top Segway tours offer special summer evening tours to the pier to catch the semiweekly fireworks show.
One of Chicago’s most notable attractions is its skyline, and one of the best places to experience it is at the 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck.
Formerly known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 CHICAGO towers 1,000 feet over The Magnificent Mile from its location on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center (or 875 North Michigan Avenue as its more formally known). Encased by floor-to-ceiling windows, 360 CHICAGO boasts expansive views of the city; on a clear day, you can see four states. Meanwhile, the interactive screens will help you identify different landmarks that appear in your panorama.
For a different point of view (and an adrenaline rush), test out 360 CHICAGO’s TILT. In this mechanized room, visitors hold on to handlebars as the top of the room’s windows extend outward, tilting you toward bustling North Michigan Avenue down below. For another memorable way to immerse yourself in the views, try ClouldWalk, a 3D art experience introduced in 2022. Mural artist Nate Baranowski created an optical illusion on the observation deck that makes visitors feel as though they are standing on a crane platform in the clouds. Should you prefer to experience the view without feeling your heart skip a beat, grab a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a snack at the cafe and bar, or look for souvenirs in the gift shop.
After hours of museum hopping, grab a kid-approved lunch at Kim & Carlo’s Hot Dog Cart. The no-frills stand offers everything from vegan dogs to the traditional Chicago hotdog. Enjoy your lunch on the water. – Sarah Estime
This extensive natural history museum occupies half an acre of Grant Park’s Museum Campus and houses exhibits that showcase artifacts from multiple eras and destinations, making it a must-see for kids (as well as any fans of the “Indiana Jones” movies).
Some of the most popular parts of the museum include the “Inside Ancient Egypt” exhibit, which features a reconstruction of a three-story replica of an Egyptian tomb, one of the largest collections of mummies in the United States and interactive representations of life on the Nile. There’s also the Restoring Earth area in the Abbott Hall of Conservation, where visitors can learn more about sustainability through hands-on activities. But no visit to The Field Museum would be complete without some quality time with SUE, the facility’s T. rex who just happens to be the largest, most complete T. rex ever discovered. SUE is 40 feet long from nose to tail and boasts 55 terrifying teeth
