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
7
Egypt Trip! - Oct/Nov 2026
Location not specified yet• Dates: October 25 - November 4, 2026 (11 days / 10 nights)
• Cost: $4500 (per person, excluding international flights)
• Single supplement: $1050
• Details: https://globe-drifters.com/trip/egypt/See pictures from past trips here: EGYPT PHOTOS!
See below for more information. Please email info@globe-drifters.com if you have any questions.
Explore the temples and pyramids of Egypt… Step back in history to discover the mysticism of ancient Egypt, the secrets of the River Nile, the intricacies of the local culture, and so much more on our 11-day, small group trip!
Cruise the Nile River: Sail in comfort for 4 days on one of the best boats on the Nile; a true, premium cruise!
Float through the Valley of the Kings: Drift through the sky in a hot air balloon for a bird’s eye view of the ancient pharaonic landscape.
Abu Simbel minus the crowds!: Enjoy Abu Simbel, one of the best temples in Egypt, at sunset after all the daytrippers have gone and witness a spectacular light & sound show over the temple as night falls.
Stay up-to-date on this trip and upcoming ones by joining the Facebook travel group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/613025845523107.
1 attendee
Explore Six Corners: Historic Gems, Movie Palaces & Behind-the-Scenes Access!
Clarendale Six Corners, 4715 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60641, USA, Chicago, IL, US🎭🏬 Explore Six Corners: Historic Gems, Movie Palaces & Behind-the-Scenes Access! 🏛️
A SPECIAL complimentary, sponsored walking tour of the 6 Corners Shopping District!
Discover the history, architecture & hidden gems of the Northwest Side’s legendary shopping district!
🌳 Think you know Six Corners? Come see it with a guide! Join me for a FREE walking tour of what was once the largest shopping district in Chicago outside the Loop. We’ll see old movie palaces, grand department stores, historic banks, and businesses that have faded into memory, while discovering how new energy is bringing the district back. 🎭🏬
🎤 Led by your passionate, ever-curious guide (that’s me!), this walk is perfect for architecture lovers, history buffs, photographers, and anyone who enjoys being a tourist in their own city! 😊
***
🌟 SPONSORED BY THE PORTAGE PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
This walk is sponsored by the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization, and SSA 28-2014 (Six Corners). That means a break from my usual paid tours—this one is FREE and open to all! Includes complimentary lunch after the walk provided by Clarendale Six Corners!For those who missed my summer tours of Portage Park East and West, here’s another chance to explore the area, this time focusing on Six Corners. 🏡
***
📍 QUICK DETAILS
🗓️ Saturday, November 7, 2026
⏰ 10 AM–12 PM
☕ START: Clarendale at Six Corners, 4715 W. Irving Park Rd.
🏁 END: Clarendale at Six Corners, 4715 W. Irving Park Rd. (end where we start)
👟 Approximately 1.8 miles, outdoors
💰 FREE TOUR BUT REGISTRATION REQUIRED
🎟️ Register here on Evenbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/explore-six-corners-historic-gems-movie-palaces-behind-the-scenes-tickets-2004096219742🌦️ Casual pace | Rain or shine
👥 Multi-group event! Expect a great crowd.
⚠️ SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTER NOW!***
🎁 WHAT MAKES THIS WALK SPECIAL?
🔑 Behind-the-scenes access! We’ll get inside several buildings.
🥪 FREE boxed lunch! Complimentary boxed lunches are included after the walk. Provided by Clarendale Six Corners. Enjoy yours with a scenic view of the Six Corners intersection at one of Six Corners' most recognizable buildings or take it home.
🎉 Treats and surprises along the way.
📸 Not a strict photo walk, but there will be plenty of photo opportunities!***
🌿 TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
🏡 Chicago’s famous Bungalow Belt
🎭 Historic movie palaces & entertainment venues
🏬 Classic Six Corners shopping corridors
⛪ Historic churches & neighborhood institutions
🏦 Historic banks & commercial buildings
🌳 Parks, green spaces & community gathering spots
📎 Local trivia & unexpected hidden gems
👥 Meet fellow Chicagoans, history lovers & curious explorers!🗺️ POINTS OF INTEREST (stops subject to change)
🏦 Former Inland Bank, now Clarendale at Six Corners (tour starts here!)
☕ City News Café
🗿 Portage Indian Sculpture
🎎 Fantasy Costumes
🍺 Former site of the old Dickinson Tavern
🎭 Portage Theater
🏛️ National Veterans Art Museum
🎭 Filament Theater
🛁 Distinct Bath & Body
☕ Junebug Café
🍻 Community Tavern
🏢 Former Klee Store, now Klee Plaza at Six Corners
🎨 Portage Park Makers Market
🌮 Tata’s Tacos
🍦 Culver’s & the Six Corners Mural
🏦 Former site of Northwest Federal Savings and the Northwest Chicago Film Society, now Binny’s
🧵 Singer Factory Distributor
💡 Former People’s Gas Store, now Lydia Home
💊 Former Borovik Drugstore site, now a mattress store
🎭 Former Grayland Theatre, now Rasenick’s
🌭 Jeff’s Red Hots
🏬 Former Sears Store, now Six Corners Lofts
🏦 Former Inland Bank, now Clarendale at Six Corners (tour ends here!)We’ll explore several of these in detail, including behind-the-scenes access! ✨
***
📜 WHY SIX CORNERS?
Six Corners gets its name from the meeting of three major thoroughfares: Irving Park Road, Cicero Avenue, and Milwaukee Avenue.The area developed into a major commercial hub and became known as Chicago’s largest shopping district outside the Loop. Its stores, theaters, banks, and neighborhood businesses attracted shoppers from across the Northwest Side and beyond.
The district features significant architectural landmarks, including the Art Deco Sears and Klee buildings, the classical-style Portage Theater, and the distinctive former People’s Gas Irving Park Neighborhood Store.
Like many traditional shopping districts, Six Corners has faced challenges as shopping habits have changed. But new development, historic preservation, and independent businesses are helping write its next chapter. 🏬✨
We’ll look at how this neighborhood evolved, what made it such a destination, and what its historic buildings reveal about Chicago’s commercial and cultural history.
🏡 A LITTLE ABOUT PORTAGE PARK
Portage Park is known for its classic Chicago bungalows and its namesake park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The park hosted the 1959 Pan-American Games and the 1972 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.
The neighborhood is also home to a vibrant Polish community, the National Veterans Art Museum, the Portage and Patio theaters, and Merrimac Park. 🌳🏊♀️
There’s a lot more to this Northwest Side neighborhood than meets the eye!
***
🎒 WHAT TO BRING
👟 Comfortable walking shoes
💧 Water bottle
🍂 Weather-appropriate clothing for Chicago in November
📸 Camera or phone***
🚗 PARKING & TRANSIT
🅿️ Metered parking is available along Irving Park Road, Milwaukee Avenue, and Cicero Avenue. Free parking may be available on nearby side streets—watch for permit restrictions and no-parking signs!
🚇 Taking public transportation? Use the CTA Trip Planner or Google Maps.
🌐 https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/***
📱 LOST OR RUNNING LATE?
Call or text Giovina at 312-835-4259
👋 Please check in with Giovina when you arrive!✨🏡 Come explore beyond Six Corners! Discover the theatres, bungalows, businesses, churches, parks, architecture, and hidden stories that make Portage Park one of Chicago’s most fascinating neighborhoods. 🌳🎭🏛️
Whether you're a longtime Northwest Sider or visiting Portage Park for the first time, come see the neighborhood through fresh eyes — and be a tourist in your own city! 🌆😊
— Giovina📍 How to Find Us – Meet OUTSIDE the Clarendale at Six Corners near the large window, 4715 W. Irving Park Rd. Look for the group gathered - we are hard to miss!
🛑 Note: This is an outdoor walk. Remember walk ends where we start so plan your parking or transit accordingly.
📞 Lost or running late? Call or text me at (312) 835-4259.
Want to Learn More About the Group? Check out our Meetup page here:🔗 1001 Things to See in Chicago Before You Die https://www.meetup.com/1001-things-to-see-in-chicago-before-you-die/1 attendee
Ecuador & Galapagos! - Jan 2027
Quito, ECECUADOR & GALAPAGOS ISLANDS TRIP!
• Dates: January 7 - 19, 2027 (13 days / 12 nights)
• Cost: from $5800 (per person, excluding flights)
• Trip details: https://globe-drifters.com/trip/galapagos-and-ecuador/Email info@globe-drifters.com if you have questions!
***A small-group trip that covers more than just the Galápagos. ***You’ll explore Quito, travel into Ecuador’s Cloud Forest, and then continue on to the Galápagos Islands. The Cloud Forest offers a completely different ecosystem, with cooler air, dense jungle, and rare wildlife, before shifting to the volcanic landscapes and iconic animals of the Galápagos. It’s a varied itinerary that combines cities, rainforest, and islands in one trip.
Cloud Forest: While many itineraries skip it, the Cloud Forest is a true highlight. Perched on the Equator, this rare environment has a one-of-a-kind climate that supports remarkable plant and animal life found nowhere else. To fully experience it, we’ll soar through the mist itself — by cable car and zipline above the forest canopy.
Comfort & flexibility: We’ve chosen a land-based Galápagos experience for comfort and flexibility. Without overnight sailing in rough seas, you’ll sleep well and feel refreshed for the next day. Evenings are yours to explore local towns, experience everyday island life, and enjoy unique specialties like Galápagos craft beer and locally grown coffee from tortoise farms.
No hidden costs: All domestic flights and national park fees are included. ($1000 USD value).
1 attendee
Portugal Slowcation! - Apr/May 2027
Sintra, Praça Dom Fernando II, 2710-483, PT• Dates: April 30 - May 11, 2027 (12 days / 11 nights)
• Cost: $6200 (per person, excluding flights)
• Single supplement: NONE!
*Room upgrades available for premium rooms.
• Details: https://globe-drifters.com/trip/portugal-slowcation-april-2027/https://globe-drifters.com/trip/portugal-slowcation-april-2027/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 Portugal at a slower pace, with time to enjoy each place rather than rush through it. Spend your days exploring Sintra’s palaces, gardens, and cobblestone streets before returning to a charming 19th-century estate. Then continue to Porto for riverside neighborhoods, private sailing, wine tastings, and a day in the Douro Valley. Along the way, enjoy hands-on experiences, memorable meals, and plenty of time to relax and explore on your own.
Sintra beyond the palaces: Explore the gardens and architecture of Monserrate, wander through the mysterious passageways of Quinta da Regaleira, and visit tile workshops, wineries, and coastal viewpoints beyond the busiest parts of town.
Porto from the water: See Porto at its best during a private sunset sail along the Douro River, complete with views of the city’s colorful waterfront and a glass of port wine.
A day in the Douro Valley: Travel into Portugal’s celebrated wine region for vineyard visits, tastings, and a leisurely lunch surrounded by terraced hills and river views.
1 attendee
Past events
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