About us
🎉 Welcome to & Windy City Wanderers! 🌆
We’re so glad you’re here!
Whether you’re new to Chicago or a lifelong local, these sister groups are all about being a tourist in your own city—discovering hidden gems, rich history, fun facts, and unforgettable experiences across Chicagoland. 🗺️✨
Windy City Wanderers is the sister group to 1001 Things to See in Chicago Before You Die, and we host many joint events together—so you’ll often see crossover adventures and shared outings. 🤝
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🗓 What to Expect
We host fun, social outings year-round (yes, even in winter ❄️). Expect:
• Walking tours & neighborhood explorations
• Concerts, lectures & theater
• Pop-up dinners, trivia & social nights
• Museums, festivals & special events
Events take place throughout Chicago and nearby suburbs like Evanston, Oak Park, and Park Ridge.
🚇 All events are CTA-accessible.
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💬 Why Join?
• Discover new places all over Chicagoland
• Meet new people and make real connections
• Enjoy an active, well-curated event calendar
• Try the group FREE for 90 days
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💰 Membership
• 90-day free trial
• Annual dues: $12/year after the trial
• 🎉 Host an event and your dues are waived!
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🚨 RSVP / No-Show Policy (Please Read)
To keep events fair and running smoothly:
• A no-show without updating your RSVP = 1 strike
• 3 strikes = a 3-month pause from events
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🤝 Stay Connected
📘 Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576822533554
👥 Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1571684466442303
📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/1001thingstoseeinchicago/
🌬️ !001 Things to See in Chicago Before You Die Meetup (sister group)
https://www.meetup.com/windy-city-wanderers
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💡 Have an idea for an event? Want to host or co-host?
Just message me—I’d love to hear from you!
Can’t wait to explore, wander, and discover Chicago together 💙
Cheers,
Giovina Romandine
Organizer, Windy City Wanderers 🌬️🚶♀️🚶♂️
Featured event
🎃🍂 Fall Farm Fest: Pumpkin Patch, Corn Maze & Bonfire Under the Stars 🔥🌽
🎃🍂 Fall Farm Fest: Pumpkin Patch, Corn Maze & Bonfire Under the Stars 🔥🌽
🔥🎃 Fall Farm Fun at Richardson’s Adventure Farm & Corn Maze + Bonfire Bash! 🍂🌽
Going back for our third year! Come join us for an earlier-than-usual fall adventure—this year we’re kicking things off in early October rather than our usual mid-October outing.
📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM–10:30 PM CT
📍 Richardson’s Adventure Farm & Corn Maze
909 English Prairie Road, Spring Grove, IL
🍁🎃 Hey friends! Let’s kick off fall together with pumpkin-patch, corn-maze, and Halloween fun at Richardson’s Adventure Farm! 🌽👻
We’re spending the afternoon into the evening at the farm—exploring the pumpkin patch, tackling the world’s largest corn maze, hopping on hayrides, enjoying wine tasting, and capping it all off with our own private bonfire party. 🔥🍷✨
We had such a blast the past two years that we’re bringing it back for year three. I hope you’ll join us! 🙌
🍂🔥 PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY DOWN — LOTS OF INFO! 🔥🍂
I’ve rented a large bonfire site so we can gather around the fire, enjoy good food and drinks, and spend time together. Some of you I haven’t seen in a while, so I’m especially looking forward to catching up!
The farm has tons of activities, so bring your kids, adult kids, grandkids, and even your leashed, well-behaved dogs. 🐶 The more the merrier!
📍 Meet-up plan
- We’ll gather around 1:00 PM at the entrance near the ticket booths.
- Coming later? That is fine just call or text me at 312-835-4259 so I can tell you where to find us.
- Our bonfire site opens at 5:00 PM, so please keep supplies in your car until then.
- Give my name—Giovina Romandine—at the ticket booth, and staff will tell you our bonfire-site location.
🔥 Our bonfire rental
🕔 Bonfire time: 5:00–9:00 PM
- We have a large bonfire site with picnic tables and electrical outlets—yes, you can plug in crockpots.
- Please contribute $8 per person, paid directly to Giovina, to help cover some of the bonfire and party-rental costs.
- This $8 bonfire contribution is separate from farm admission.
- Bring a folding chair plus a blanket or warm jacket; it gets chilly after sunset.
- I’ll bring plates, cups, napkins, and silverware. Backup supplies are always welcome!
- We’re planning on s’mores. 🍫🔥 If you have long roasting skewers, please bring them.
- We officially have the bonfire site until 9:00 PM, though we may be able to linger while packing up until around 10:30 PM.
✨ Bonus: Friends of mine are renting the campsite next to ours, so we’ll have a joint gathering of approximately 30 people! 🎉
🎟️ Tickets and costs
- Bonfire contribution: $8 per person, paid directly to Giovina, to help cover some of the private bonfire-site rental costs.
- Farm admission is separate and must be purchased individually online or at the gate.
- Saturday admission prices:
- Ages 13 and up: $32
- Ages 3–12: $26
- Age 2 and under: Free
- Tickets are available online or at the gate. Most people will likely buy at the gate:
https://richardsonadventurefarm.com/shop/
- If I find any local coupons or discount codes, I’ll share them with the group.
🍽️ Food and drinks
- Bring a dish to share—picnic-style and easy to serve is best.
- Please sign up with what you are bringing so we can avoid duplicates:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DAFA62EA5F8C07-65845354-richardsons
- BYO drinks; alcohol is allowed. 🍷🍻
- Coolers and ice are always appreciated.
- The farm also has food stands, a wine bar, craft beer, sweets, a country store, and other snacks if you prefer to buy food or drinks on site.
🚗 Carpooling
Need a ride? Have extra seats in your car? Please leave a comment so we can connect people.
When posting, please include:
- Whether you are arriving later or leaving early
- Whether you plan to stay for the full event
- Your neighborhood, pickup area, or general part of the city
Last year we had six or seven cars—let’s keep the carpool tradition going! 🙌
🅿️ Parking
- Parking is free in a large on-site lot.
- You may have a short walk from your car to the entrance, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. 👟🍂
🎡 Farm fun
The farm is open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Saturdays in October, so there is plenty of time to explore before and after the bonfire.
Activities include:
- 🌻 Sunflower field, when in bloom, plus pumpkins and mums for sale
- 🌽 The “World’s Largest” Corn Maze
- 🚜 Wagon rides and train rides
- 🐷 Pig races and a small petting zoo
- 🎠 Antique carousel and giant slides
- 🧗 50-foot observation/climbing tower and zip line
- 🚲 Pedal bikes, trikes, and other play areas
- 🍷 Wine bar, craft beer, food stands, sweets, and country store
- 🎉 More than 30 family-friendly activities overall
🐾 Dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed and get along well with others.
🍁 See you there!
People will be coming and going throughout the day—some early birds, some night owls, and some joining for the full afternoon-and-evening adventure. Whether you can stay for a little while or the whole event, it will be great to connect.
🌞🎶 Expect cozy fall vibes, good food, pumpkin-patch fun, plenty of laughs, and a bonfire night under the stars. Let’s hope the weather cooperates! 🌤️🍻
Upcoming events
25
🏡🗝️ Open Doors, Hidden History: Edgewater Home Tour! 🌳✨
Immanuel Lutheran Church Edgewater, 1500 W. Elmdale, Chicago, IL, US🏡🗝️ Open Doors, Hidden History: Edgewater Home Tour! 🌳✨
🏡 35th Annual Edgewater Home Tour — Step Inside Historic Homes! 🏛️
Ever wondered what’s hiding behind the doors of some of Edgewater’s beautiful historic homes? Here’s your chance to step inside!
Join me for the 35th Annual Edgewater Home Tour, presented by the Edgewater Historical Society, and explore the Edgewater Glen Historic District from the inside out.
Discover beautiful historic residences, fascinating architectural details, and stories of the families and homeowners who helped shape this wonderful North Side neighborhood. 🏡✨
At each home, volunteer docents will share information about the exterior before groups head inside, where additional docents will highlight the home’s unique interior features, history, architecture, furnishings, and changes over the years.
📅 Sunday, September 20, 2026
⏰ 12:00–5:00 PM
📍 Registration: Immanuel Lutheran Church
1500 W. Elmdale Ave.
🎟️ $25 per person — tickets available at the door!
Cash or credit card accepted.
🌦️ Rain or shine***
📍 QUICK DETAILS
🎟️ No advance reservation required!
Simply come to Immanuel Lutheran Church between Noon and 4:00 PM to register and receive your souvenir Tour Booklet and neighborhood map.
🏠 Featured homes will be open for touring from Noon–5:00 PM.
📍 2026 featured homes: Norwood Avenue and Glenlake Avenue
(The list of homes is subject to change.)
👟 Visiting all the featured homes involves approximately 1 mile of walking from the registration table.***
🏡 WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE
✨ Step inside several historic Edgewater Glen residences
🏛️ Discover architectural details you can't see from the sidewalk
📜 Learn about the history of each home and the people connected to it
🪟 See historic interiors, furnishings, renovations, and unique features
🌳 Explore one of Chicago's beautiful historic residential districts
🎤 Meet volunteer docents who bring each home and its history to life
📸 Plenty of beautiful architecture and photo opportunities along the way!***
📖 YOUR SOUVENIR TOUR BOOKLET
Your $25 admission includes a souvenir Tour Booklet created specifically for this year's tour.
The booklet includes:
🗺️ A map showing the featured homes
🏠 Photos or sketches and descriptions of each home
🏛️ Architectural highlights and interesting details
📜 Information about when each home was built and its architect, when known
🪑 Stories about furnishings and changes made over the years
✔️ A checklist of the homes on the tour
📣 Information from tour sponsors
It's the perfect keepsake for anyone interested in Chicago architecture and neighborhood history!***
🌿 ABOUT EDGEWATER
Edgewater is one of Chicago's most fascinating North Side neighborhoods, stretching along the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Uptown.Originally home to the Potawatomi, the area was later settled by Europeans and became part of Lake View Township. By the late 19th century, wealthy Chicagoans were building large estates and mansions along the lake.
🚋 Streetcars and the Northwestern Elevated Railroad — today's Red Line — helped transform Edgewater from a lakeside retreat into a thriving residential community.
🏨 The legendary Edgewater Beach Hotel, opened in 1916, became one of Chicago's most fashionable destinations before eventually being demolished in 1971.
As Edgewater developed, many of its original mansions disappeared or were replaced by apartment buildings.
Fortunately, neighborhoods such as Edgewater Glen retain many beautiful examples of historic residential architecture.
Today, Edgewater is known for its diverse communities, lakefront parks, historic homes, and active preservation efforts. 🌳🏡🌊
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🏛️ WHY TAKE A HOME TOUR?
There's something special about seeing Chicago architecture from the inside.A building's exterior tells only part of its story. Inside, you'll see how these homes were designed, decorated, renovated, and adapted by generations of Chicagoans.
From architectural details to unexpected floor plans, furnishings, craftsmanship, and homeowner changes, the tour offers a glimpse into how people actually lived in these historic houses.
And unlike simply walking past them, you get to open the door and see what’s inside! 🗝️🏠✨
🔗 MORE INFORMATION
Edgewater Historical Society — 2026 Home Tour Preview:
https://www.edgewaterhistory.org/ehs/tours/home-tour-preview***
🎒 WHAT TO BRING
👟 Comfortable walking shoes
💧 Water bottle
🌦️ Weather-appropriate clothing
📸 Camera or phone
💵 $25 admission — cash or credit card accepted
📖 A little extra room in your bag for your souvenir Tour Booklet!***
🚇 GETTING THERE
🚇 CTA Red Line and nearby bus routes provide convenient access to Edgewater.
🌐 CTA Trip Planner: https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
🚗 Street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Please watch carefully for permit restrictions and posted signs.***
🍴 OPTIONAL POST-TOUR PLANS
After exploring the homes, some of us may grab a bite or drink somewhere nearby in Edgewater.
📍 Location TBD on the day of the event.***
📱 LOST OR RUNNING LATE?
Call or text Giovina at 312-835-4259
👋 Please check in with Giovina when you arrive!***
⚠️ RSVP / NO-SHOW REMINDER
✔️ Please keep your RSVP up to date.
✔️ Update your RSVP if your plans change.
✔️ RSVP changes should be made before the event begins.
❌ Three no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month RSVP restriction.***
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🌳🏠 Come step beyond the sidewalk and inside Edgewater's historic homes! 🗝️✨
Spend a beautiful Sunday exploring Edgewater Glen, discovering hidden architectural details, hearing the stories behind these remarkable residences, and experiencing a side of Chicago history you simply can't see from the street.🏡 Historic homes. Fascinating stories. Beautiful architecture. One great Chicago neighborhood!
— Giovina9 attendees
Past events
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