From the dynamic Cape Town to the cosmopolitan vibes of Johannesburg to expanses such as Namakwa, the Kalahari and Karoo, South Africa remains an alluring destination for all types of travelers.

The country's diverse terrain and impressive landscapes provide the perfect opportunity to visit all year round. Here's our guide to the best time to visit South Africa.

Editor's note: During COVID-19, please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and always follow government health advice. Events may be subject to change.

High Season: November to March

Best time for music festivals

It’s summertime in South Africa, and if you’re looking to visit during peak times, you’ve got to plan ahead. Coastal and national-park accommodation book up months in advance and popular holiday spots see accommodation prices rise by 50% or more.

But if you’re willing to spend the money, there are a host of festivals and events to enjoy like the Cape Town Street Parade (Cape Minstrel Carnival), a colorful new-year celebration that includes floats, routines and troupes. AFROPUNK, a massive international music concert that brings in artists from all over the world, kicks off in December. The Cape Town Cycle Tour in March brings in cycling enthusiasts from all over the globe.

Shoulder Season: April to May & September to October

Best time for wildlife and whale watching

Shoulder season offers less crowds and more wildlife. Autumn (April-May) provides the optimum wildlife-watching conditions, while spring (September-October) is the best time for whale watching. Wildflower season runs from late August to early September.

Low Season: June to August

Best time for budget travelers

Winter brings lower prices and fewer crowds, but it is rainy season in Cape Town and the Western Cape. The northern areas like Karoo are a bit drier and sunnier during this time. Among the top winter festivals is Knysna’s incredible 10-day oyster festival in July.

January

South Africans descend on tourist areas, including the coast and major parks, during summer school holidays (early December to mid-January). Book accommodation and transport well in advance. High season for accommodation is November to March.
Key event: Cape Town Street Parade (Cape Town Minstrel Carnival).

February

Summer continues, with smiles on the beaches, half-price cable cars up Table Mountain for sunset, and dramatic lightning storms in Jo'burg. Elephants munch marula trees, and baby antelope, zebras and giraffes cavort in the parks.

For something a little different, there’s the Up the Creek Festival. Billed as the second-longest outdoor music festival in South Africa, Up the Creek takes place on the banks of the Breede River. Don’t forget your floaties.
Key events: Hands-on-Harvest, Up the Creek Festival, Ultra South Africa.

March

Summer rolls towards autumn, although days remain sunny, the Lowveld steamy and the landscapes green. Good for walking and beach bumming in the Western Cape. Cultural and music festivals happen in Cape Town and Jo'burg.
Key events: Cape Town Cycle Tour, Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

April

There's a two-week school holiday around Easter, generally regarded as the beginning of autumn. Temperatures drop, and wildlife watching in the bushveld starts to look more attractive than beach bumming. Wildlife rutting season runs until May.
Key events: AfrikaBurn, Klein Karoo National Arts Festival.

July

Winter brings rain to the Cape and clouds to Table Mountain. Northern areas experience fresh, sunny days and clear night skies. Low season is June to September, apart from the mid-June to mid-July school holidays.
Key events: Oyster Festival, National Arts Festival, J-Bay Open.

September

Winter starts giving way to spring. Cherry trees bloom in the Free State Eastern Highlands in September and October, which are also the last dry months for wildlife viewing. School holidays run from late September to early October.
Key events: Namakwa Wildflowers, Whale Watching, Jo’burg Festivals.

October

A great month to visit, offering mostly sunny weather without the worst of the summer crowds and prices. There is a 10-day South African school holiday at the beginning of the month.
Key events: South African National Gold Panning Championships, Soweto Festivals, Mangaung African Cultural Festival.

November

Spring drifts into summer: wildflowers in the Drakensberg, beach potential before the worst humidity hits KwaZulu-Natal, and all of the above in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Rain in the Lowveld. High season begins.
Key events: Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, Cherry Festival.

December

The hot, dry days pick up as summer officially gets cooking. Music festival AFROPUNK Johannesburg, is the perfect big-time kickoff to the city’s music festival season.
Key event: AFROPUNK.

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Michigan is the Midwest state that cranks it up. Bet you never knew that it sports more beaches than the Atlantic seaboard. Michigan occupies prime real estate, surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie. Islands – Mackinac, Manitou and Isle Royale – freckle its coast and make top touring destinations. Surf beaches, colored sandstone cliffs and trekkable sand dunes also woo visitors.

The majority of the state's beaches are scattered throughout Michigan's Gold Coast. This 300-mile western shoreline features seemingly endless stretches of beaches, dunes and inn-filled towns that boom in the summer – and shiver during the snow-packed winter.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel and opening hours may vary. Check the latest guidance in Michigan before planning a trip, and always follow local health advice.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Eye-popping lake views from atop colossal sand dunes? Water blue enough to be in the Caribbean? Miles of unspoiled beaches? Secluded islands with mystical trees? All here at Sleeping Bear Dunes, along with lush forests, terrific day hikes and glass-clear waterways for paddling. The national park stretches from north of Frankfort to just before Leland, on the Leelanau Peninsula. Several cute little towns fringe the area.

Hikers will love the Dune Climb, Empire Bluff Trail and Sleeping Bear Heritage trail; the park visitor center has maps for other jaunts. The Crystal River draws paddlers; head to Glen Arbor for outfitters with canoes, kayaks and gear.

Ludington State Park

Ludington State Park is one of Michigan's largest and most popular playlots. Once inside, people simply pull over on the roadside and make a break for the beautiful stretches of beach. It also has a top-notch trial system and the renovated Big Sable Point Lighthouse to hike to.

There are tent and RV sites and some cabins to rent.

Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area

Also near Ludington, Nordhouse Dunes is a 3,450-acre plot within the Huron-Manistee National forest that features perhaps the wildest stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline. Dunes rise up to 140ft high and are interspersed with stands of forest. Bird watching and hiking in the undeveloped expanse are excellent. The best access is via the Lake Michigan Recreation Area, 8 miles east of US 31.

Frankfort Beach

In the charming town of Frankfort, the wide, sandy Frankfort Beach is the family-friendly beach vacation of your dreams. The clear blue water is in a protected cove, making swimming and paddle boarding the name of the game. Crystal Lake Adventure Sports has an outpost on the beach to rent chairs, umbrellas and paddle boards.

Main street Frankfort has all the ice cream stores and souvenir shops you could want and Storm Cloud Brewery is serving up local beer and delicious bites.

Saugatuck

Saugatuck is one of the most popular resort areas, known for its strong arts community, numerous B&Bs and gay-friendly vibe. It's a touristy, but funky place with ice-cream-licking families, yuppie boaters and martini-drinking couples sharing the waterfront. Galleries and shops fill the compact downtown core. Weekends attract the masses.

The main beach is called Oval beach. Lifeguards patrol the long expanse of fine sand. There are bathrooms and concession stands, though not enough to spoil the peaceful, dune-laden scene. It costs $10 to park. Or arrive the adventurous way, via chain ferry and trek over Mt. Baldhead.

Grand Haven

Grand Haven rocks the classic, old-fashioned beach-town attributes. You know the kind: a waterfront boardwalk, ice-cream shops, sand so clean it squeaks and ooh-and-aah sunsets. The bars and restaurants buzz each evening, and everyone congregates for the eye-popping show by the musical fountain once night falls. Add in the surfing, cycling and inventive breweries, and it's easy to see why Grand Haven blows up each summer.

Grand Haven State Park is a 48-acre urban park is all beach – a wide, gorgeous one with squeaky clean sand. It’s mega popular in summer, especially for families, who appreciate the warm shallows for swimming. Stroll the pier punctuated by a tall red lighthouse, or mosey on the boardwalk that skirts the Grand River and deposits you downtown.

Harbor County

Harbor Country refers to a group of eight small, lake-hugging towns that roll out beaches, wineries, cool shops and all-round rustic charm.

New Buffalo is the largest community, home to a surf school, a busy public beach, ice-cream shops and a beer church.  Surprised you can surf Lake Michigan? It's true. The folks at Third Coast Surf Shop will how you how. It provides wetsuits and boards for surfing and paddleboarding and private lessons at the local beach for novices.

Warren Dunes state park has 3 miles of beachfront, 6 miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails (Michigan beaches are stunning in the winter) and climable dunes that rise 260ft in the air, visitors are all over this park. A concession stand offers food, soft drinks, ice cream and souvenirs from May through September. There are also RV and tent sites.

Charlevoix & Petoskey

These two towns, among the most affluent along Michigan's western shore, brim with yacht-filled marinas and fancy summer homes. They're not snooty though, and they provide a fair bit of offbeat adventure. Beachcombing, island trekking and following in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway await those who make the trip.

Petoskey State Park is north along Hwy 119 and has a beautiful beach. Look for indigenous Petoskey stones, which are honeycomb-patterned fragments of ancient coral. Some 180 tent and RV sites are spread through two modern campgrounds.

Beaver Island is a quiet, Irish-influenced enclave of some 600 people offshore from Charlevoix. Forest covers most of its 9-mile length and 4.5-mile width. Visitors come to hike, bike, fish and kayak and to snorkel to shipwrecked schooners. It takes about two hours by ferry from Charlevoix.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Stretching along prime Lake Superior real estate, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a series of wild cliffs and caves, where blue and green minerals have streaked the red and yellow sandstone into a kaleidoscope of color. County Rd H-58 spans the park for 52 slow miles from Grand Marais in the east to Munising in the west.

Either town makes a good base for exploring the area. In between you'll find lakeside hikes, kayak trips and boat tours that offer brilliant ways to take in the area's shipwrecks, waterfalls and artist's-palette geology.

Few visitors make it to Twelvemile beach. Its long and isolated and perfect for finding agates and other colorful rocks. Access is via the day-use area of Twelvemile Beach Campground, from which you take stairs down to the sand.

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As the birthplace of American democracy—where the Founding Fathers debated and signed the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution— Philadelphia may be best known for its rich American history. (And more recently, perhaps, for its cheesesteaks.)

You can and should spend weeks soaking up the City of Brotherly Love and its countless treasures, including museums, murals, restaurants, and gardens. But you should also make time to get out of town. Philly is a prime jumping off point to explore sandy beaches, bucolic farms and wineries, and one delicious ice cream trail.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel. Check the latest guidance for greater Philadelphia before planning a trip, and always follow local health advice.

1. New Hope, Pennsylvania

About 40 miles north of Philadelphia, situated on the Delaware River, the charming town of New Hope is home to a notable antique shopping scene, a robust LGBTQ+ community, riverfront dining (including Stella and Odette’s at the River House), and the legendary Bucks County Playhouse. (Robert Redford and Grace Kelly performed here, among other Hollywood royalty.)

A few miles down river, history buffs shouldn’t miss Washington Crossing Historic Park, where America’s first president sailed with his Continental Army in 1776. And in sunny weather, spend time outdoors at the 134-acre Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and botanical garden, or hiking around Ringing Rocks county park. Don’t forget to bring a hammer to the latter, when you strike the boulders, they ring like a bell.

How to get to New Hope: From Center City, Philadelphia, take I-95 north to I-295 east. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes.

2. Cape May, New Jersey

Known as America’s original seaside resort, you could spend the day in Cape May soaking up the sun from your patch of sand, or exploring more of the quaint beach town. (Or, stay a little longer and do both.) Tour the 20,000 square-foot facility at Cape May Brewing Co. and sample a flight of freshly-brewed beers on their newly-expanded outdoor beer garden. Climb to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse, built in 1859 and perched on the southern tip of New Jersey.

After working up an appetite, head to the charming Beach Plum Farm. Home to a handful of luxe private cottages for overnight guests, even those not staying on the property can tour the 62-acre working farm, feed the chickens, and dine at Beach Plum Farm Kitchen. At the casual outpost tucked inside an Amish barn, the menu changes to highlight what’s fresh that day on the farm. Don’t leave the shore without strolling through town, stopping at the Original Fudge Kitchen for made-from-scratch confections and boxes of salt water taffy.

How to get to Cape May, New Jersey: The 95-mile drive takes about an hour and 35 minutes without traffic, but can take much longer on summer weekends.

3. Wilmington, Delaware

Just a short drive south of Center City, Philadelphia, Delaware’s biggest city and its surrounding areas are filled with history, culture, and an up-and-coming dining scene. Explore the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway at your own pace—the self-guided tour highlights central sites on the historic network.

The area is also home to exquisite mansions and historic sites built by the Du Pont family, who founded their eponymous gunpowder manufacturing company on the nearby banks of the Brandywine River at the turn of the 19th century. Tour Hagley, the site of the company’s original mills, and stroll the wooded walking trails. In the summer, check the events schedule for pop-up beer gardens, concerts, and other family-friendly programming. Just a few miles down the road, find Winterthur (pronounced winter-tour), the once-Du Pont family home now open to the public.

Inside the sprawling 175-room mansion, examine some of the 90,000-piece collection of American decorative arts, but make time to walk the gardens. Kids especially love the Enchanted Woods, with a stone fairy cottage and tulip treehouse. Also nearby: Nemours Estate. This Du Pont home is set on a 3,000-acre estate, and gardens and fountains inspired by Versailles. Book a dinner reservation at Le Cavalier, the recently-revamped brasserie in the historic Hotel Du Pont in downtown Wilmington.

How to get to Wilmington, Delaware: The 29-minute drive usually takes about 35 minutes from Philadelphia.

4. Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

Just 45 minutes from bustling Philadelphia, find the rolling green hills of the Brandywine Valley, home to Revolutionary War history, small wineries, and one world-class museum. Join the locals at Hank’s Plac e for breakfast before spending the morning at the Brandywine Valley River Museum, a gem of a collection featuring hundreds of works by local artists Andrew and NC Wyeth. Oenophiles could plan a whole day on the Brandywine Valley wine trail, with stops at the award-winning (and beautiful) Penns Woods, or Chaddsford winery.

Treasure hunters should stop into the Brandywine River Antiques Market to peruse prints, coins, and objects of art from dozens of dealers. On a warm evening, book a table on the verdant patio at the Gables and Chadds Ford, where the menu’s ingredients are sourced from nearby farms.

How to get to Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania: The 30-mile drive usually takes less than 45 minutes.

5. Princeton, New Jersey

Best known as the home of the Ivy League university, the lovely town of Princeton is well worth the hour-long drive from Philly. Visit the Princeton University Art Museum to see its collection of works that includes centuries-old African art and works by Picasso. While you’re on campus, check out the Gothic-style buildings and don’t miss the Bent Spoon for scoops of small-batch ice cream in flavors like cinnamon cookie and lemon mascarpone.

Right outside of town is Terhune Orchards, a 200-acre farm where you can walk the gardens, pick-your-own in-season fruit, and meet the resident animals, including sheep, horses, and chickens. Stop into the farm store to pick up provisions like fresh fruit, jams, and apple cider donuts for the drive home. Also on the way back to Philly, Hamilton, New Jersey is home to Grounds for Sculpture is a sprawling collection of outdoor art. Purchase timed tickets to stroll through the gardens, surrounded by some 400 works of larger-than-life contemporary art.

How to get to Princeton, New Jersey: The 48-mile drive usually takes about an hour from Philadelphia. Allow for an extra 20 minutes if you stop at Grounds for Sculpture, too.

6. Lancaster, Pennsylvania

If you loved sampling Pennsylvania Dutch delights like whoopie pies and scrapple inside Philly’s historic Reading Terminal Market, great news: you can also go straight to the source. On the hour-long drive to Lancaster, pass rolling farmland and Amish-driven horse and buggies. Stroll around Lancaster Central Market —dating back to 1730, it’s the oldest, continuously-operating public farmer’s market in the country—and stop at the stalls selling soft pretzels, scratch-made baked goods, farm-fresh meat and produce.

For a true Pennsylvania Dutch experience, dine at Shady Maple Smorgasbord, offering 200 feet of local specialties like country ham and fruit pies. Stop by one of the working farms, preferably one that also makes ice cream. At Lapp Valley Farm and Creamery, you can see the Jersey cows being milked before ordering scoops on handmade waffle cones. (Side note: Lapp Valley is also part of Pennsylvania’s ice cream trail.) For family fun, head to Dutch Wonderland or Hershey Park—classic theme parks filled with rides and attractions. At the latter, you’ll be treated to the wafting smell of chocolate from the nearby Hershey candy factory.

How to get to Lancaster: Located west of Philadelphia, the drive takes about an hour and thirty minutes.

7. Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Known as the mushroom capital of the world for its vast farms that produce hundreds of millions of pounds of the fungi each year, Kennett Square also boasts one of the most famous gardens in the country and restaurants that are alone worth the drive. Come for the Mushroom Festival, the weekend after Labor Day each year, featuring a carnival, cooking competitions, and lots of creminis, buttons, and shiitakes.

Anytime of year, Longwood Gardens, with 1,077-acres of greenhouses and impeccably-manicured gardens dazzles, though the yearly holiday light show may be its most popular attraction. (Make sure to buy tickets in advance, it sells out quickly.) Also make a reservation for Talula’s Table —Aimee Olexy’s 8-seat restaurant featuring true farm-to-table cooking—books up to a year in advance. For a more casual meal, stop into Victory Brewing Company’s tap room, and try a flight of brewed-on-site stouts, sours, and session IPAs.

How to get to Kennett Square: The 35-mile drive usually takes about 45 minutes from Philadelphia.

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New Orleans is a good value-for-money city, and not just because the drinks are cheap. The city that gave the USA carnival season is itself a sort of perpetual carnival, a place where spectacle and showmanship are constantly on offer to even the casual visitor – and it's all free.

Here are 20 free things to do in New Orleans.

Editor's note: During COVID-19, please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and always follow government health advice. Events may be subject to change.

1. Mardi Gras

Few cities are as defined by an event the way Mardi Gras defines New Orleans. The holiday, which hits in February or March depending on the year, has been called the greatest free show on Earth, and it's an explosion of color, costumes and revelry. Despite the cliches, the annual celebration is actually largely aimed at families. The two-and-a-half weeks preceding Mardi Gras are known as Carnival and are similarly packed with parades and street performances.

First time Mardi Gras: top tips for New Orleans' biggest party

2. City Park

While New Orleans’ City Park is not actually managed by the city, it is still free and open to the public. Visitors can expect to find ancient live oak trees with Spanish moss beards, slow waterways, Greek-style pavilions, and walking trails that meander through woods and wetlands.

3. Royal Street

A stroll down Royal Street is a stroll through the heart of the French Quarter, minus the booze-soaked bacchanalia of adjacent Bourbon Street. Various blocks expose visitors to some of the city’s finest Caribbean-style architecture. Travel tip: the sectioned off area that's chockablock of street performers becomes pedestrian-only in the middle of the day.

4. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

New Orleans is famed for its necropolis-style cemeteries, filled with raised mausoleums that keep local corpses from washing away during the city’s fabled rainstorms. Lafayette, located in the Garden District and packed with creeping vines, gnarled tree roots and faded statuary, is one of the most pathos-drenched examples of the local Gothic cemetery genre.

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5. Louis Armstrong Park

Usually just called “ Armstrong Park ” by locals, this park, adjacent to the Treme and French Quarter, was once the site of Congo Square, the place where African slaves were allowed to perform their Old World music. The performances laid the foundation for the development of all the sonic genres New Orleans has helped give the world. Today, the park is home to sculptures and walkways and often hosts free festivals and concerts throughout the year.

6. Sydney & Wanda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Some 90 sculptures by world-renowned artists pepper a series of shady walking trails that web over two lagoons and through a living forest of magnolia and live oak trees. The Besthoff Sculpture Garden is a beloved gem and fixture of the local arts scene and represents one of the city’s best marriages of public art and outdoors activity. Admission is free.

7. Palace Market

On Frenchmen Street – itself a notable gratis attraction – you’ll find this art market, a sort of bizarre bazaar of some of this city’s funkiest creatives. “Art market” is a broad brush, and in this case includes weird t-shirts, idiosyncratic crafts, handmade jewelry and the occasional jacket detailing/bedazzling. Located next to the similar, just-a-skooch-smaller, Art Garden market.

8. Second Lines

A second line is a New Orleans street parade, led by a local brass band and followed by hundreds of citizens carrying on because life is short so why not listen to some good music? While weddings and even conventions throw small second lines, the real deal parades that occur in Treme and Central City – both largely African American neighborhoods – have deep community significance. Second lines generally occur on Sundays outside of summer; schedules can be found on the website of local radio station WWOZ.

9. Jackson Square

The beating heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square fronts the gorgeous St Louis Cathedral, perhaps the most iconic building in New Orleans, plus the historic Pontalba apartment buildings, the Cabildo, a state history museum, and the Presbytere – a museum dedicated to Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina. This pedestrian-only area is constantly (like, 24 hours) filled with street performers, tarot card readers, artists and general non-stop pageantry.

10. St Augustine Church

St Augustine is the oldest African American Catholic church in the country and occupies a lovely tree-lined corner of the Treme neighborhood and a vitally important position in African American history. The congregation explicitly preaches for civil rights and social justice and is the site of the moving sculpture, the “Tomb of the Unknown Slave.”

11. Crescent Park

Many visitors to New Orleans are surprised at how tough it can be to spot the Mississippi River, given that said river is so integral to the city’s identity. But this isn’t the case at Crescent Park, which runs alongside the banks of the famed river adjacent to the candy-colored charm of neighborhoods like Faubourg Marigny and Bywater.

12. Bourbon Street

The most (in)famous street in New Orleans is a multi-block procession of neon, bars, strip clubs, bachelor/ette parties, drinks the color of a Lisa Frank binder and bad decisions. At least, that’s Bourbon closer to Canal St. The other side of Bourbon is a little more low-key, aimed at LGBTQIA+ travelers around St Philip St, and turning residential as one approaches Esplanade Ave.

13. Free Performances

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation puts on several free festivals and concerts throughout the year. The music department at the University of New Orleans also has an impressive lineup of shows that are free and open to the public. There are also plenty of musical acts on the street and in local bars, but these aren’t really free: locals pride themselves on being good tippers, and if a tip hat or jar gets passed around, you should always kick in some money.

14. Magazine Street

If you like shopping, historic buildings, or both, take a walk down Magazine Street. The roughly six miles of city blocks offer up the best shops, galleries, restaurants and bars in New Orleans. It’s popular with all ages; some blocks seem to cater more towards students, while others are aimed at families.

15. St Charles Avenue

Few people can cross the length of St Charles Avenue without having to pick their jaw up off of the floor. This is classic overgrown, lush and fecund New Orleans: a wide avenue, cut through by a charming streetcar (technically not free, but at $3 for an all-day pass, it’s pretty close), flanked on either side by enormous live oak trees and some of the South’s most stately mansions.

16. Bayou St John

Once an actual bayou (a body of very slow-moving water), Bayou St John used to form a natural watery highway throughout the marshy membrane of historic New Orleans. Now, this waterway is a pretty body of water plunked directly in the middle of the city. It’s surrounded by small grassy walkways and forms a pleasant natural cooling agent on hot days (of which there are many…).

17. Frenchmen Street

While Frenchmen can feel as busy as Bourbon on the weekends, it’s still well worth a visit; this is the best concentration of live music clubs in the city. Stroll around after 6pm on any given evening (even during the week), and you’ll hear music somewhere that will inevitably pull you in.

18. Arts Market of New Orleans

Every fourth Sunday of the month, the Arts Council of New Orleans puts on this excellent juried arts market at Palmer Park, located just off of Carrollton Ave. There you’ll find a showcasing of some of the city’s local creative talent, as well as kid-friendly music and activities.

19. Esplanade Avenue

Most visitors to New Orleans have heard of Bourbon St and St Charles Avenue is at least world-famous in photos, but it’s the rare tourist who mentions Esplanade Ave. That’s telling because this is an absolutely stunning street, lined with French-Creole style mansions and cut through by a bicycle lane that extends all the way from the French Quarter to the fields of City Park.

20. Audubon Park

Although Audubon is smaller than City Park, it's also filled with live oak trees and Spanish moss and is flanked by some of the city’s most impressive mansions and handsome neighborhoods.

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This article was originally published in August 2019 and updated in March 2021.

20 free things to do in New Orleans

The picturesque island of Madeira is waiving COVID-19 testing requirements for those who are vaccinated and meet the country's entry requirements. Visitors must prove their status through an official vaccination certificate that includes the date of the two doses taken and the immunization period for each vaccine. The requirement can also be waived for those who can provide proof of recovery from the virus in the previous 90 days.

To qualify, documentation in English must be submitted to the Madeirasafe.com app before the trip is taken. The Madeira Promotion Bureau has described the new development as a "vote of confidence in this new phase the world is going through."

Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal off the northwest coast of Africa. It's been crowned Europe's Leading Island Destination 2020 at the World Travel Awards, making it the overall award-winner for seven out of the past eight years.

Read more: What countries can I travel to if I’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine?

Warmed year-round by the Atlantic sun, Madeira is known as the 'Pearl of the Atlantic' and is loved for its lush botanical gardens, wine tasting and, of course, the exhilarating toboggan rides in a wicker basket from Monte to Funchal. It is also an outdoor hotspot that attracts hikers, with its black sand beaches, towering rock walls, gushing streams and irrigation channels.

Passengers who aren't vaccinated but meet the country's entry requirements can still visit, but they are required to have a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours prior to boarding. If they arrive without it, they can take the test on arrival at the airport, and are required to quarantine at their destination until they receive the result. Those who don't take the test upon arrival are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days where they are staying. Find out more about Madeira's entry requirements here.

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With its "fake spring", occasionally cold, wet summers, sometimes mild autumns and rather gray winters, there's no reliable way of saying what weather to expect when visiting London. But what you can be confident about is that there are world-class museums, cozy pubs and lively events running year-round. As with anywhere, you should time your visit to suit your interests and your budget. This guide, with its monthly list of events, can help you decide the best time for your visit to London.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel and opening hours may vary. Check the latest guidance in England before planning a trip, and always follow local health advice. Events may be subject to change.

High season: June to August

Best time for festivals, events and good weather

Expect to be cheek by jowl with strangers on the sweaty public transport system, and fork out higher prices for accommodations. But this is also the time the city is buzzing with events – from one of the largest street parties in the world, to small pop-up book fairs and markets.

Shoulder season: Easter to May, mid-September to October

Best time for beautiful scenery

Spring can be a delightful time to visit the city, with events starting to pick up, and many flowers blooming in the city's gardens. It can also be pretty wet, so bring a waterproof jacket. London in the fall means anything from dreary wet and windy days to crisp bright sunshine glowing off the spectacular autumn scenery across the city's many parks and commons.

Low season: December to February

Best time for visiting museums and galleries

Winter brings cold, wet, and gray days, that don't seem to last very long at all, with the sun making a fleeting appearance. The city is far from empty though, and major sights remain open, making this the perfect time to dedicate to incredible museums and galleries, wandering the chilly but atmospheric streets, and getting your fill of local food and drink in a snug bar in a traditional London pub.

Month-by-month breakdown

Here's a monthly guide to what you can expect through the year in London. All events are subject to change, and those held at the end or start of a month often switch between.

January

New Year kicks off with a big bang at midnight. London is in the throes of winter, with short days: light appears at around 8am and is all but gone by 4pm.
Key events: The London Parade, London International Mime Festival, London Art Fair.

February

February is chilly and wet, and it may snow, which tends to bring the city's transport to a grinding halt. Chinese New Year falls somewhere between the end of January and early February, drawing big crowds to London's Chinatown for a huge celebration. Locals lark about with pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.
Key events: Chinese New Year, BAFTAs, Pancake Day Races.

March

Spring is in the air, trees begin to blossom and daffodils emerge across parks and gardens.
Key events: St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival, Flare, Head of the River Race.

April

Warmer days bring a lighthearted vibe. British Summer Time starts late March, moving clocks forward an hour, so it's now light until 7pm. Some sites previously shut for winter reopen. Crowds line the streets to cheer on runners in the London Marathon.
Key events: University Boat Race, London Marathon (held in October in 2021).

May

Days are warming up and the locals enjoy two bank holidays (the first and the last weekends of May).
Key events: London Tweed Run, Chelsea Flower Show.

June

Peak season begins with long, warm days (it's light until 10pm), the arrival of Wimbledon and other alfresco events, including a naked bike ride through the city. The South Bank is a lively spot for a wander, with something always happening, whether that's street food markets or live music.
Key events: Underbelly Street Eat Festival, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Trooping the Colour, London Festival of Architecture, Meltdown, Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (starting in September in 2021), London World Naked Bike Ride, Pride (held in September in 2021).

July

This is the time to munch on strawberries, drink in beer gardens and join in the numerous outdoor activities, including big music festivals.
Key events: Wireless, The Proms, Lovebox.

August

School's out for summer. Many festivals take place across the UK, but London has one of the biggest and best – the hugely popular Notting Hill Carnival takes places on the last weekend of the month, a bank holiday, when thousands of people party in the streets around this area of West London to celebrate all things to do with the Caribbean.
Key events: Notting Hill Carnival, Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House, Great British Beer Festival.

September

Fall begins. This is a lovely time to be in London, and can be slightly quieter as local kids start a new school year. It's the best time for architecture and interior design lovers to head to the city for the Open House Festival, where properties normally shut to the public allow visitors and offer tours.
Key events: Thames Festival, Greenwich Comedy Festival, Open House Festival.

October

It's getting colder, but parks are splashed with gorgeous fall colors. Clocks go back to winter time the last weekend of the month, and school kids celebrate Halloween with ghoulish dress-up and trick-or-treating.
Key events: London Film Festival, Dance Umbrella, Affordable Art Fair, London Cocktail Week.

November

Nights are getting longer. Enjoy the last of the autumn colors with long walks through city parks and relax by an open fire in a pub afterwards.
Key events: Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night), Remembrance Day, Lord Mayor's Show, London Jazz Festival.

December

Christmas approaches and a festive mood reigns. Days are at their shortest. Ice-rinks open up across the city, with popular locations at Somerset House, the Natural History Museum, and the South Bank. Christmas Day is quiet, with all shops and museums closed and the public transport network shut. It all kicks off again on Boxing Day, as keen shoppers hit the sales.
Key events: Lighting of the Christmas Tree, Boxing Day Shopping, New Year's Celebrations.

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The Uffizi Gallery is one of Italy’s most famous galleries, and it has announced a project called Uffizi Diffusi that will see some of its precious artworks on view at art museums outside Florence.

The art will head to museums located in well-known artists' hometowns in an attempt to give more context to the work and artist. Located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Uffizi Gallery houses masterpieces by artists like Michelangelo, Botticelli, da Vinci, Correggio, Raffaello and Caravaggio as part of its Renaissance art collections.

It now plans to place artworks that are currently in storage in at least 60 exhibition spaces across Tuscany, with the pieces having a local connection to the museum or area where they're on display. The full details of the project have not yet been released, but Uffizi Gallery director, Eike Schmidt, said at a press conference that they aim to launch in about three months. The project will showcase the artworks in their local context, and will turn the spotlight on various parts of the cultural history of Tuscany.

Schmidt noted that art cannot only live in large exhibition centres, and this will bring art closer to people's homes throughout Tuscany.

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The Uffizi Gallery will spread its famed art collection across Tuscany

From the headwaters of the Mississippi to the birthplace of Bob Dylan and the Greyhound bus line, there's a lot of Americana to be found just a few hours from Minneapolis. Whether you're hoping to hike, hit up wineries, ride on a riverboat, or see a whole museum dedicated to SPAM, you can do it in a short car drive that takes you to the far north of Minnesota, across the border into Wisconsin, or a little ways south where ancient glacier's couldn't reach. Try one of these twelve day trips for a fun outing in any season.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel. Check the latest guidance before departure, and always follow local health advice.

1. Stillwater

Hilly Stillwater, on the lower St Croix River, is an old logging town with beautifully restored 19th-century buildings, paddle wheel steamboats churning by and antique shops galore. It's touristy, but it's hard to deny its time-warped charm. Stillwater proudly declaims itself as the birthplace of Minnesota. It was here in 1848 where settlers from then-Wisconsin's vast northwestern territories met to petition the US Congress for statehood. They agreed on the name 'Minnesota', with the state eventually joining the union in 1858.

While most visitors content themselves with a crawl along bustling Main St and maybe a paddle wheel tootle on the St Croix River, it's worth a hike up in to the residential areas west of the downtown to admire the many stately homes and the impressive Washington County Historic Courthouse, dating from 1867.

How to get to Stillwater: MN-36 E will get you to Stillwater in just thirty five minutes from downtown Minneapolis.

2. Chippewa Falls

This pretty Wisconsin 'berg sits on the banks of both the Chippewa River and Lake Wissota, making it a fantastic day trip for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a place to camp and canoe in the summer or ice skate in the winter. But there's plenty of indoorsy activities to enjoy, too, like paying a visit to the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, which has been part of Chippewa Falls since 1867. It's the seventh-oldest brewery in the United States and you can taste the suds yourself at their Leinie Lodge tasting room. That's not all there is for history buffs, either. The Cook-Rutledge Mansion is only ten years older and is a fun glimpse at the glamor of the lumber baron lifestyle. Or you can just pick up some ice cream from Olson's and have a picnic in Chippewa Falls' pretty Irvine Park.

How to get to Chippewa Falls: It's just an hour and a half drive due east on I-94.

3. Duluth

Duluth is a brawny shot-and-a-beer port town that offers visitors a glimpse into its storied history as a major shipping center, as well as some citified cultural, dining and drinking amenities. Shipping is still a major industry, but officials have now turned to tourism to supplement the local economy, and Duluth blends history and a burgeoning adventure sports scene. Downtown Duluth is rejuvenating rapidly and there’s a fun craft-beer and cider subculture developing west of the downtown.

Explore some of the town's history at the Glensheen Mansion, Leif Erikson Park (with a replica Viking longship), and the William A Irvin ship museum. Kids of all ages will get a kick out of the Great Lakes Aquarium, which boasts both fresh and saltwater exhibits. You can also take in some lovely natural wonders at the Hawk Ridge Observatory, where 94,000 raptors swing by as part of the autumn hawk migration. Music fans will want to make a pilgrimage to Bob Dylan's Birthplace, too.

How to get to Duluth: Minneapolis is just shy of two and a half hours from Duluth if you take I-35 North.

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4. Hibbing

Speaking of Bob Dylan, the folk poet spent his boyhood years here in Hibbing after leaving Duluth at age six. You can pay homage at Bob Dylan's Boyhood Home, natch, and learn even more at the Hibbing Public Library. This town is also the birthplace of the iconic Greyhound bus line lauded in so many great rock songs – with a museum dedicated to the company's history. If you've got an itch to ramble yourself, the Mesabi Bike Trail runs throughout the Iron Range, providing a chance to see the terrain close up. The mountains' moniker here is accurate, too – Hibbing is home to one of the world's largest open-cast mines. You can take in the scale of industry here from above at the Hull Rust Mine Viewpoint, from below with a tour of the old Soudan Underground Mine, or on ground level at Hill Annex Mine State Park. Cap off the day with a visit to Palmer's Tavern, which has been feeding Hibbing's denizens for four generations.

How to get to Hibbing: It's just over three hours to Hibbing from Minneapolis driving I-35 N and MN-73 N.

5. The Ice Age Trail

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a thousand-mile footpath carved by ancient glaciers running from Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls near the Minnesota border to Potawatomi State Park in Wisconsin's famous Door County. The trek follows the terminal moraine of the glaciers that pushed into the upper midwest thousands of years ago – that's the outermost edge of the gravely debris that glaciers push in front of them as they grind over rocks, hills, and other features.

The Ice Age Trail was conceived of by Milwaukeean Ray Zillmer over seventy years ago as a way to not only create a uniquely Wisconsin backcountry thru-hike, but also to connect several communities along the way, including Cornell, Cross Plains, Delafield, Hartland, Lodi, Manitowoc-Two Rivers, Milton, Slinger, St. Croix Falls, Verona, West Bend, and Whitewater. Those towns are great jumping off points if you want to hike a section of the Ice Age Trail for a day trip, or places to resupply if you plan to join the one hundred "Thousand-Milers" – or people who have completed the entire trek.

How to get to the Ice Age Trail: The western terminus of the trail is only an hour from Minneapolis via via I-35W N and US-8 E. The eastern terminus is five hours away via via I-35W N and US-8 E.

6. Pepin, Wisconsin

Best known as the birthplace of Little House on the Prairie author Laura Ingalls Wilder, Pepin is a pretty town on the banks of the Mississippi River, which serves as the border from Minnesota.  You can, of course, learn more about Wilder's life at the replica of the famous Little House in the Big Woods which serves as a museum. But Pepin is also just a hop, skip, and a jump from Tiffany Bottoms, Prairie State Natural Area and Nelson-Trevino Bottoms, each excellent places for hiking, canoeing and birdwatching. Or stick around town for the Pepin Public Beach, the Depot Museum that taps into the city's railroad history, and the sailing school and marina. There are great views of the water from the Buena Vista Park Overlook, as well as a nearby wine trail and the local Villa Bellezza Winery.

How to get to Pepin: It's an hour an a half from Minneapolis via via US-10 E and WI-35 S/Great River Rd.

7. Eau Claire

Eau Claire got its start in the middle of the 19th century and was able to leverage its position at the confluence of two important rivers, the Eau Claire and the Chippewa, to dominate the local logging industry for decades. These days, much of that industry is gone, though the riverside location continues to offer some pretty views and fun waterborne activities, like rafting and tubing, in nice weather. In recent years, Eau Claire has earned something of a hip reputation reminiscent of Portland or Austin back in the day, with a handful of great bars and restaurants, a decent live music scene and some inspired choices for an overnight stay. Work up an appetite paddling the local water trails or cycling along the Chippewa River State Trail before heading to Houligans for a classic midwestern steak house and supper club experience, or taking in a show at the Acoustic Cafe.

How to get to Eau Claire: The city is just south of Chippewa Falls, and is also just an hour and a half away from Minneapolis on I-94 East.

8. Austin

Austin, Minnesota is a quirky place full of unusual oddities, from a roadside attraction known as Buffy the Cow to the official SPAM Museum. The Hormel Foods headquarters are located here, so don't be surprised if you find yourself thinking of chili and pepperoni as you work up an appetite with the rental canoes, kayaks, cross-country skis and snowshoes at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. But there's more to Austin than just meat. The city is home to the Hormel Historic Home, yes, but also a genuine Frank Lloyd Wright creation, the S. P. Elam Residence, which was built in 1950.

How to get to Austin: The SPAM capital of the world is an hour and forty minutes from Minneapolis via I-35 S and US-218 S.

9. Red Wing

Best known as the home of Red Wing Shoes, the city of the same name got the moniker from a celebrated Dakota chief who relocated his people to this site on the upper Mississippi in the early 19th century. Today, the town of Red Wing is best known for its artsy vibe, its pottery, and for the Prairie Island Indian Community that is home to Chief Red Wing's descendants. Take in the scenery by hiking up Barn Bluff, canoeing Lake Pepin, biking Sorin’s Bluff, picnicking in Memorial Park or skiing in the winter – Red Wing is the perhaps unlikely location of the The American Ski Jumping Museum and Hall of Fame. The Anderson Center at Tower View is a sprawling artist's residency and retreat nestled in the former estate of the family that made a fortune on Quaker Puffed Wheat and Quaker Puffed Rice cereals in the 19th century. They offer tours of their collection by appointment for $10.

How to get to Red Wing: Just an hour from Minneapolis on via US-10 E and WI-35 S/Great River Rd, Red Wing is an easy day trip.

10. Taylor Falls and St. Croix

A trip to Taylor Falls doesn't take long from Minneapolis, but it does pack in plenty of fun. You can stop at the Franconia Sculpture Park, grab a root beer at the 60 year old Taylors Falls Drive In, take a ride on a riverboat, or sample the local viticulture at Wild Mountain Winery. On the Wisconsin Side of the river in St. Croix Falls, find out why it's called "the city of trails. The Woolly Bike Trail beckons, along with beers at the nearby Trap Rock Brewery. You can go for a hike in Interstate State Park (where the Ice Age Trail also ends), paddle the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, or explore the the Gandy Dancer State Recreation Trail. The Elroy-Sparta State Trail is a popular rail-to-trail conversion, while the Tuscobia State Trail has the distinction of being Wisconsin's longest state trail. ATVing and mountain biking are also popular in the area.

How to get to Taylor Falls: It's less than an hour's drive from Minneapolis to Taylor Falls on I-35W N and US-8 E.

11. Chippewa National Forest

The vast Chippewa National Forest covers a large swath of the north-central part of the state. It's a protected wilderness that offers visitors the chance to hike and bike as well as swim and fish. The Norway Beach Visitor Center, four miles east of the forest's headquarters at Cass Lake, occupies a historic 80-year-old lodge and is a good place to pick up maps and learn about the forest's flora and fauna. Don't forget to pack bug spray – ticks can be prevalent in Minnesota.

How to get to Chippewa National Forest: At three an a half hours from Minneapolis, it might seem like a stretch for a day trip. But this is the midwest, where car trips are a badge of honor. Hop on US-10 W and put the pedal to the metal!

12. Itasca State Park

Itasca State Park is an area highlight. You can walk across the tiny headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River, which is pretty wild. Wade in the knee-deep flow and hop over a couple of stepping stones, then boast you strode over the Father of Waters. The park also offers canoeing, hiking, biking and camping (tent and RV sites $18 to $32)

How to get to Itasca State Park: Itasca State Park is also three and a half hours from Minneapolis in northern Minnesota, but it's still well worth the time on US-10 W

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From the Art Institute to skyscraper-viewing boat tours, there’s plenty of brilliant things to do in Chicago that will leave your purse aching. However there’s lots of ways to experience the Windy City’s art, architecture, blues and beer without spending anything at all. Here’s what to do in Chicago for free.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel. Check the latest guidance in Chicago before planning a trip, and always follow local health advice.

1. Millennium Park

You could spend the entire day taking in Millennium Park ’s mother lode of freebies, especially in summer. Stretch in a morning yoga class. Admire soaring public art and splash in the fountain-turned-water-park in the afternoon. Then catch a movie or concert at Pritzker Pavilion in the evening. The free nightly shows are a Chicago highlight, where locals gather to picnic and sip wine as music fills the air.

2. Chicago Cultural Center

The block-long Cultural Center offers a trove of gratis goodness. Museum-quality art exhibitions, foreign film screenings and lunchtime concerts lead the roster. Thursday to Saturday, volunteers lead free hour-long walking tours of the building.

3. Lagunitas Brewing Company

The city’s biggest brewery, Lagunitas provides rollicking free tours that include Willy Wonka music, unicorn art, arcade games, catwalks over the production area and copious samples of the head-walloping ales.

4. Navy Pier

Yes, it’ll cost you to spin on the Ferris wheel or set sail on a boat – the most popular things to do at Navy Pier. But the cool breezes and terrific lakefront views are always free, and in summer al fresco films, cardio workouts, mega fireworks shows and rocking concerts add to the complimentary stash.

5. The Second City

Improv comedy began in Chicago at The Second City. Tickets typically cost around $45, but the theater has a little-known bargain: arrive at 10pm Tuesday through Thursday (or 1am Saturday or 9pm Sunday) – after the main show – and you can watch the comics improvise a half-hour session for free.

6. Art on theMart

The Art on theMart video art extravaganza – a trippy light show projected on the world’s largest commercial building for two hours each evening – is one of the quirkiest things to do at night in Chicago. Best of all, it’ll burst your eyeball free of charge. The website has show times.

7. Buddy Guy’s Legends

Chicago’s musical claim to fame is the electric blues—and Buddy Guy’s is the ace place to hear a fret-bending set for nothing. While evening shows cost $10 to $20, guitarists wail for free during all-ages lunchtime shows (noon to 2pm Wednesday through Sunday) and dinner jams (5 or 6pm to 8:30pm daily) at the restaurant/club.

8. Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo has entertained families for free for more than 150 years. Lions roar, apes swing, polar bears swim and snow monkeys chill just blocks from downtown’s skyscrapers.

9. Garfield Park Conservatory

The 1907 hothouse bursts with exotic cacti, ferns and flowers. Outdoors, roam the grounds past a carnivorous plant bog, lily pool, labyrinth and Claude Monet’s recreated garden, then attend a demonstration on beekeeping or composting – all free.

10. Stony Island Arts Bank

The far-flung Stony Island Arts Bank now trades in cultural capital rather than cash. This rewarding free-to-visit arts center hosts provocative art exhibitions and holds peculiar permanent collections such as the 5000-strong vinyl trove of DJ Frankie Knuckles, the creator of house music. Hours vary, so check the website before embarking.

11. Design Museum of Chicago

The free Design Museum puts on cool exhibitions that change regularly and cover everything from stage design to bicycle design, game design and paper design.

12. Chicago Greeter

Top-class walking tours in the Windy City don’t come as free and breezy as the two- to four-hour guided trips by Chicago Greeter. Choose a theme, maybe history or architecture, or pick a neighborhood, perhaps arty Pilsen or historic Uptown. Book at least ten business days in advance. Not only is this service free, the greeters – all locals – adhere to a strict no-tipping policy.

13. Whistler

The Whistler is part-gallery, part-cocktail lounge and part-venue for local indie bands, jazz combos and DJs. There’s never a cover charge. Instead, most everyone purchases a snazzy drink to fund the nightly performances (although it's not compulsory).

14. National Museum of Mexican Art

Colorful folk art and politically-charged paintings grace the walls at the free National Museum of Mexican Art, the USA’s largest Latinx arts institution. Afterwards amble around the neighborhood to see images of Aztec gods, singing gauchos and other works by Mexican muralists splashed across the buildings – a sort of outdoor gallery that continues the theme.

15. The 606

An elevated train track converted into a smart, 2.7-mile trail, the 606 unfolds overhead and connects the hipster ’hoods of Bucktown, Wicker Park and Logan Square. Look for murals, public art installations and cool views of L trains zipping by – it all costs nothing.

16. Charnley-Persky House

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Charnley-Persky House when he was just 19 years old. Free tours on Wednesdays at 10am show how he left behind the baroque decorations of Victorian design and kicked off a simple style that laid the foundation for modern architecture.

17. Buckingham Fountain

The centerpiece of Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain is one the world's largest with a 1.5-million-gallon capacity and a 15-story-high spray. The central fountain symbolizes Lake Michigan, with the four water-spouting sea creatures representing the surrounding states. So far, so super-sized.

The fountain then lets loose on the hour from 9am to 11pm early May to mid-October, accompanied at night by multi-colored lights and music, and all for free.

18. Replay Lincoln Park

A little off-the-beaten-path, this dark Chicago bar is loaded with scores of pinball machines, classic arcade games like Tetris, Donkey Kong and Paperboy, plus plenty of up-to-date beat-’em-ups like Mortal Kombat and Tekken 5 —all available to play for free. There’s no cover charge to enter either, but plenty of regular drink offers.

19. Signature Lounge

It’s the worst kept secret in Chicago: Signature Lounge has the best views of the city’s skyline. Best of all, it’s free. Take the elevator to the 96th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (still locally known as the John Hancock Center) and order a – admittedly pricey – beverage while enjoying the views from some 1000ft up in the sky. It’s especially gape-worthy at night, but children aren't allowed in the lounge after 7pm. Be prepared for a crowd.

20. Montrose Beach

Chicago has plenty of great beaches, but Montrose Beach – the bronze, baseball pitch-shaped stretch of sand in Uptown – is amongst its most popular. Many rent kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and Jet Skis here, but with a good book, some shorts and a towel, it’s just as lovely whiling away a day for absolutely nothing too.

21. Maggie Daley Park

Families love Maggie Daley Park ’s fanciful, free playgrounds in all their enchanted-forest and pirate-themed glory. Multiple picnic tables make the park an excellent spot to relax as well.

22. Intuit: The Center For Intuitive & Outsider Art

Behold this free museum' s collection of naive and outsider art from Chicago artists, including rotating mixed-media exhibits and watercolors by famed local Henry Darger. In a back room the museum has recreated Darger's awesomely-cluttered studio apartment, complete with balls of twine, teetering stacks of old magazines, an ancient typewriter and a Victrola phonograph.

23. Pilsen Murals

Pilsen is famous for its murals that splash across churches, schools and cafes throughout the neighborhood, all of which can be seen for free and on foot. The 16th Street railroad embankment unfurls a particularly rich vein, with 50 works by local and international artists adorning a 1.5-mile stretch between Wood and Halsted Streets.

The whole of 18th Street station is a work of art too—its walls and steps are adorned with murals. Don’t miss the house of muralist Hector Duarte, a few blocks southwest of the station. He’s covered it with his most striking work Gulliver in Wonderland.

24. Museum of Contemporary Photography

This free museum focuses on American and international photography from the early 20th century onward. The permanent collection includes the works of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Harry Callahan, Sally Mann, Victor Skrebneski, Catherine Wagner and 500 more of the best photographers working today.

25. Smart Museum of Art

Named after the founders of Esquire magazine, who contributed the start-up money, this is the official fine-arts museum of the University of Chicago. The free collection holds 5000 years' worth of works. Twentieth-century paintings and sculptures, Central European expressionism and East Asian art are the strong suits. De Goya, Warhol and Kandinsky are just a few of the big-name artists on offer.

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This article was first published in July 2019 and last updated in March 2021.

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