About us
This group is for people who want to get out and explore Chicago and beyond, make new friends, and have some fun! If you don't want to wait on friends to finally say “yes” to get out to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer and to see the world. Life is too short!
The local events in this group are member-driven so if you’d like to host a Meetup in your area (i.e. walk, museum, coffee, play pickleball, concerts, etc), feel free to let me know and I'll help you get it set up in the group!
The trips in this group are usually 90% solo travelers but everyone is welcome, female/male, solo/couple/friends, straight/LGBTQIA+! So let’s travel together with fun, like-minded travelers! If you have an open mind and are kind to fellow travelers, you will fit in perfectly on these trips!
NOTE: The people on these trips are from all over the States but you’ll always be connected with people from the same city on a trip so you can meet up face to face and get to know your future travel buddies prior to the trip. You’ll also be connected to the whole group via email prior to the trip so you can virtually get to know those that are from different areas. On average, the people on each trip are 90% solo travelers but it’s hard to predict the exact demographic for each trip so please keep this in mind.
Feel free to join the Facebook group to connect with past travelers on these trips, see pictures, ask questions, funny travel memes, travel-related articles, etc: https://www.facebook.com/groups/613025845523107
The trips in this group are put on by a tour company called Globe Drifters and they focus on small group trips geared towards solo travelers with the mission of giving new meaning to travel by putting the human experience at the heart of their trips. The groups are small, usually with 12 people maximum per trip and about 90% of everyone on each trip are solo travelers so you’re not stuck being the odd man out on trips with mostly couples. You’ll have the best of both worlds, solo travel with the security of a small group of other solo travelers for some company on your adventure! To contact Globe Drifters directly, you can email [info@globe-drifters.com](mailto:info@globe-drifters.com).
Upcoming events
14
⛪✨ A Medieval Jewel in Edgewater: St. Gregory the Great Church Visit 🕯️🏛️
St. Gregory The Great, 5545 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL, US⛪✨ A Medieval Jewel in Edgewater: St. Gregory the Great Church Visit 🕯️🏛️
🌿 An Inspiring Afternoon Inside One of Edgewater’s Most Beautiful Historic Churches ✨
Join us for a special guided visit to St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church, a beloved Catholic landmark in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Known for its striking architecture, breathtaking sanctuary, and deep roots in the city’s immigrant history, St. Gregory offers a powerful glimpse into faith, community, and neighborhood life on the North Side.
This is a stationary guided church visit — no walking tour — allowing us to slow down and truly appreciate the church’s architecture, artwork, symbolism, and history in a peaceful and reflective setting.
Expect soaring spaces, stunning stained glass, sacred imagery, candlelight, and stories that connect Catholic tradition with the development of Edgewater itself. ✨
***
🕰️ Schedule, Meeting Info & Cost
📅 Saturday, February 7, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church 5545 N. Paulina St.
⏱️ Visit length: ~90 minutes
💰 $15 per person
💵 Cash strongly preferred (Zelle / Venmo / PayPal accepted as I submit one group donation)⚠️ All attendees must check in with me at the start and submit payment directly to me so I can provide one group donation to the church.
📸 Photography is allowed — please be respectful of the sacred space and follow any guidance from our hosts.
🎤 Private guided experience arranged for our group.
***
🌟 What We’ll Experience
⛪ A beautiful historic sanctuary
🎨 Religious art and stained glass
🕯️ Candles, devotional elements, and sacred symbolism
📜 The story of the parish and Edgewater’s immigrant Catholic communities
🏛️ Architectural details reflecting early 20th-century church designThis visit takes place entirely inside the church and immediate grounds.
***
📖 About St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church
St. Gregory the Great has served Chicago’s North Side since 1904, when Luxembourger immigrants petitioned for the creation of a new parish to serve the rapidly growing Edgewater community. As the neighborhood evolved from lakeside farmland into a vibrant residential district, the parish quickly became a spiritual and cultural anchor.The current church building, completed in the 1920s, is officially classified as Norman Gothic in style — reflecting French influences on English architecture following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It stands as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
At the dedication ceremony, George Cardinal Mundelein famously described St. Gregory’s as “a medieval jewel in a modern setting.”
Every artistic and architectural element within the church — from paintings and sculpture to arches, shrines, and stained glass — carries symbolic meaning. The interior invites visitors on a spiritual journey from darkness to light, Alpha to Omega, life to death to rebirth.The founding pastor, Msgr. Michael Klasen, created a booklet titled The Church Beautiful, explaining the symbolism behind the church’s design and sacred artwork — many of which we will discuss during our visit.
Named for Pope St. Gregory the Great, the 6th-century pope known for strengthening the early Church, promoting sacred music (Gregorian chant), and expanding Christian education, the parish reflects his legacy of faith, beauty, and teaching.
Over the decades, St. Gregory has served generations of immigrant families — including Luxembourger, Irish, German, Polish, and later Latino parishioners — mirroring the evolving story of Edgewater itself.
Today, the church remains an active and welcoming parish, celebrated for its magnificent interior and enduring role in the neighborhood.
***
🍽️ Optional Coffee or Lunch After the Visit
Those interested are welcome to join me afterward for coffee or lunch at a nearby neighborhood spot.
🍽️ Options will be shared closer to the date.
⚠️ Please bring cash — some venues may not split checks.***
👟 What to Bring
• Camera
• Respectful attire
• $15 tour fee (exact change appreciated)***
🚇 Getting There
Public transportation is easy and encouraged.
Use Google Maps or CTA Trip Planner:
https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/***
🚗 Parking
• Street parking available nearby (check posted signs)
• Metered parking along Bryn Mawr, Ashland & Ravenswood
• Residential side streets often available
• Area can be busy due to lakefront & Loyola — arriving early is recommended
• SpotHero or ParkWhiz also helpful***
📝 RSVP & No-Show Policy
✔️ Please keep your RSVP updated
✔️ Cancel promptly if plans change
❌ Repeated no-shows may affect future event participation***
✨⛪ Join us for a meaningful opportunity to experience Catholic faith, sacred art, and Edgewater history — all inside one of Chicago’s most beautiful neighborhood churches. ✨
11 attendees
🎟️ 🎶Theater Week Stop 3: $30 tix-Trial in the Delta: Murder of Emmett Till🎭
Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball, Chicago, IL, US🎟️ 🎶Theater Week Stop 3: $30 tix-Trial in the Delta: Murder of Emmett Till🎭
Chicago Theater Week 2026 Play #3 - $30 Tix- Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till @Kimball Arts Center
Chicago Theater Week Play #3
🎶 Trial in the Delta: the Murder of Emmett Till
📅 Saturday Feb 14, 2025
⏰ 7:30 PM
📍 The Kimball Arts Center | 1757 N. Kimball Ave, Chicago,
🎟️ General Admission SeatingOur 3rd & final stop for Chicago Theater Week is Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, a powerful, award-winning live docu-drama presented by Collaboraction in their brand-new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park.
This immersive production brings the 1955 murder trial of Emmett Till to life using the recently unearthed trial transcript, placing audiences inside the courtroom for a deeply human, radically honest examination of a case that changed America forever.
Actors sit among the audience, taking the stand as witnesses for both the defense and prosecution — including Mamie Till-Bradley — creating a stunning, immediate, and unforgettable experience.
New this year! Tickets are available on Hottix, no special codes needed!
🎟 Theater Week Deal via Hot Tix
• $30 tickets + fees (normally $55.00) — no special code
• Limited quantity — WILL sell out
👉 Buy here: https://hottix.org/shows/collaboraction-in-the-kimball-arts-center/trial-in-the-delta-the-murder-of-emmett-till/
✔️ Select 2/14/25 General Admission – 7:30 PM | The Kimball Arts Center
-reg price $55.00 for $30! so $25.00 savings!Any issues calls Hot tix helpdesk at Phone: (312) 977-9483 or Email: help@chicagoplays.com
⚠️ Important Ticket Rules
· You must buy your own ticket
· DO NOT RSVP YES until ticket is purchased
· GA seating — we’ll meet in the bar & sit together
· High probability of value-priced tickets selling out!! - buy asap!I’ll arrive around 7:00 PM to grab seats as general admission. I may grab a meal nearby earlier & I will post a comment of where I will go for those who wish to meet & grab a bite. Check back for updates
🍷 Food & Drinks
• No food served and no outside food allowed
• Full bar available (wine, spirits, non-alcoholic drinks allowed in theaters)
• If you want to eat, plan to do so before the show — many nearby options
• Some of us may grab a bite. I’ll post updates closer to the dateTrial in the Delta: the Murder of Emmett Till
🎶 About the Production
On September 20, 1955, testimony began in the murder trial of two members of Emmett Till’s lynch mob. What happened during that trial — and in the weeks and months surrounding it — would help ignite the Civil Rights Movement.Written by Willie Round & G. Riley Mills, directed by Anthony Moseley & Dana Anderson, this production is drawn directly from The State of Mississippi vs. Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam trial transcript. It plays as a live courtroom reenactment, featuring top Chicago actors seated among the audience.
Join us as we witness this vital story — and stay to discuss its impact and legacy.
🏛️ About Collaboraction & the Kimball Arts Center
Collaboraction celebrates 30 years of innovative, socially conscious theater and opens its new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park.The space includes:
• 🎭 99-seat flexible studio theater
• 🍷 50-seat cabaret with café/bar
• 🏙️ Located next to the 606 Trail, where Logan Square meets Humboldt ParkCollaboraction’s work is grounded in KEDA — Knowledge, Empathy, Dialogue, and Action — theater for social change.
Kimball Arts Center
Kimball Arts Center is a hub of Chicago creativity located next to the 606 Trail, where Logan Square meets Humboldt Park. Home to a collection of independent businesses for over 15 years. Always inclusive. Always open-minded.🚗 Parking: Metered street parking nearby; SpotHero/ParkWhiz recommended
🚇 CTA accessible https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
❗ No-Show Policy
3 no-shows without RSVP updates = 3-month event freeze.🎭✨ This is a true Theater Week steal — grab your ticket before it’s gone!
4 attendees
Cuba Trip! - Mar 2026
Location not specified yet• Dates: March 14 - 22, 2026 (9 days / 8 nights)
• Cost: $2700 (per person, excluding flights)
• Single supplement: $450
• Detailed itinerary, visa info, FAQ, etc: https://globe-drifters.com/trip/cuba-march/See photos from previous trips here: CUBA TRIP PHOTOS
For more information or if you have questions, please email info@globe-drifters.com
Cuba travel, legal and local… Thanks to the small group size, we avoid the big, government-run establishments, most of which US travelers aren’t allowed to patronize. As a small group, we can also dine at privately owned restaurants to support everyday citizens. Our groups of 12 travelers or less can visit smaller, more off-the-beaten-path places for more meaningful interaction with locals. Below are some of the things that make our small group trips to Cuba unique:
Authentic, local interaction: Your own dedicated Cuban trip leader throughout the trip will be your friend and show you Cuba through the eyes of a local.
Playa Larga: A sleepy beach town on the Bay of Pigs to escape the hordes of travelers at the major tourist hotspots. It’s a great place to witness everyday Cuban life in a typical Cuban town.
FAC: The Fábrica de Arte Cubano is a great place to mingle with Cubans over a drink while listening to live music and admiring works of art by local artists.
1 attendee
Portugal Slowcation! - Apr 2026
Location not specified yet• Dates: April 9 - 19, 2026 (11 days / 10 nights)
• Cost: $4450 (per person, excluding flights)
• Single supplement: NONE!
*Room upgrades available for premium rooms.
• Details: https://globe-drifters.com/trip/portugalslowcation/Check out pictures from previous trips to see what we do, where we go and who goes on the trips: PORTUGAL PHOTOS!
If you have any questions, please email info@globe-drifters.com.
What is a slowcation? Click here to find out: https://globe-drifters.com/slowcations/
Experience the magic of Portugal at your leisure on our slowcation… Explore Sintra’s fairytale castles, verdant hills, and charming cobblestone streets returning each day to a dreamy 19th-century estate. Then, head to Porto for wine tasting, golden sunsets aboard private sailboats, and strolls through colorful, lively neighborhoods. With hands-on experiences, unforgettable meals, and time to truly connect with each place; this is Portugal at your pace!
Portugal like a local: Step off the tourist trail into authentic Portuguese traditions. Learn the art of cheese making at a family-run dairy farm, paint your own azulejo (traditional tile), and wander through the unique landscapes of a working cork plantation.
Fairytale castles: Roam through Sintra, where enchanting palaces, lush gardens, and picturesque streets reveal centuries-old legends and hidden gems at every turn.
Douro Valley delights: Sail in style down the Douro River and indulge in the finest wines at exclusive quintas nestled in the scenic, rolling hills of Portugal’s award-winning wine country.
1 attendee
Past events
1269
