CGP Conference 2023 is in the wonderful city of Chicago, Illinois this year. In one of the largest cities, there are endless restaurants, museums and other activities to fill your spare time. If you have extra time in Chicago, be sure to visit one (or all!) of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving's favorite places. Be sure to share your adventures with us on socials!

Chicago Council on Planned Giving's Suggestions for How to Experience our World-Class City During Your Visit:

• Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Concert: Thursday, November 2, 7:30 p.m.  Consistently hailed as one of the world’s leading orchestras, experience a performance conducted by Daniel Harding in historic Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Avenue, featuring The Planets by Gustav Holst and other works by Brahms and Schumann. Book a reservation at cso.org or 312-294-3000.  “An orchestra of astonishing unity, virtuosity, power and refinement.” - LE MONDE, PARIS

   

• Art Institute of Chicago:  Be sure to visit one of the world's greatest art museum's during your time in Chicago. The Art Institute is home to such iconic works as Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte--1884, Grant Wood's American Gothic, and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks. Housing more than 5,000 years of human creativity, the museum is not to be missed.  Location: 111 S. Michigan Avenue: hours: Thursday 11-8, Friday-Monday 11-5. 

• Chicago Architecture Center: Opened to the public in 2018, our riverfront location is in the heart of the city, where Michigan Avenue meets the Chicago River, featuring nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space filled with super-sized models—and views—of iconic skyscrapers.  The Center is also your gateway to more than 75 CAC walking tours plus Chicago Architecture Center River Cruises aboard Chicago’s First Lady. 

   

• Shedd Aquarium:  Opened in 1930, Shedd Aquarium has nearly a century of experience bringing guests eye to eye with the aquatic animal world. Every year, Shedd Aquarium welcomes nearly 2 million guests for unforgettable encounters with belugas and bluegills, stingrays and sturgeons. With more than 32,000 animals, representing 1,500 species of fishes, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, birds and mammals, there’s always something new to see and explore. Plus, a ticket to Shedd helps fuel the aquarium’s ongoing field research, public education and conservation advocacy efforts here in Chicago and around the globe. Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. all week long; advance tickets required at sheddaquarium.org

• Lincoln Park Zoo: Lincoln Park Zoo is an urban oasis nestled along the lakefront in Chicago's beautiful Lincoln Park neighborhood just two miles north of downtown. The zoo is home to more than 650 animals, including recent arrivals—three lion cubs and a zebra foal. Also an accredited arboretum, the zoo's gorgeous grounds boast 850 plant species, a native prairie boardwalk, and stunning views of the city skyline. Hours: gates open 8am-5pm, buildings open 10am-4:30pm. Admission is free 365 days a year!

Share your adventures on social media with the CGP Conference hashtag (#CGPConference) and tag us for the chance to be shared.