If you have never been to Chicago before, than you probably want to see and do everything that you can. Chicago being a large city, with many attractions and pit stops can end up costing you a ton of money and completely blowing any budget that you had. You can pay way too much for many stops that you could have done without. Here are some ways to save money and still have a great time.

One of the best times of the year to visit Chicago is during the winter. However, Chicago is extremely cold so bring plenty of warm clothes that you can layer. Michigan Avenue is popular for Christmas shopping, and there are quite a few festivals and events for the holiday season.

Summertime offers the “Taste of Chicago”, Blues Fest and other cultural and music events.

A must have to eat is to have Chicago style pizza. One or two slices of Chicago pizza is very filling, so go smaller than what you would usually get. Uno’s is one of my personal favorites!

Michigan Avenue is one of the best areas with all the main attractions and restaurants right there. Going to the discount websites usually will have some good deals for this area. Or staying near O'Hare airport has budget rooms; however not as glamorous as downtown.

Chicago also has a mass transit system, which is looped in the downtown area; there are also elevated trains (“The El”), and buses. Choose these instead of using cabs, this will be much cheaper. However, if you are going to be in the suburbs then rent a car to get around.

A great way to see all the attractions is to get a City Pass which will get you into six different attractions. Prices are $59.00 for an adult and $49.00 for children that are 3-11. It's also good for nine days, which gives you plenty of time to use it. Do not forget to check the local listings and newspapers also for any additional events during your visit.

A free attraction to go see is Grant Park, right on the lake front. It was a rail yard at one time and now one of the coolest urban playgrounds, featuring festivals and concerts. Try and see Buckingham Fountain while at the park. It is one of the world’s most extensive park systems.

Furthermore, a few other must sees while you are in Chicago are:

1. The Sears Tower because if its height and view of the entire city and suburbs.

2. The John Hancock, also known as Big John is smaller but you can see Lake Michigan clearly.

3. Park your car and leave it. The best garage is The Millennium Garage at Columbus and Monroe, near Grant Park. It will be about $16.00 a day and half the cost of the hotel parking that is offered. The Sears Tower parking garage can run you ~$28 for a few hours of parking.

4. If you can get tickets in advance to Wrigley Field than definitely go. It will be a bit pricier, however it will be well worth it and you can watch the batting practice at no extra charge. Chicagoans from the South Side may recommend our other baseball team, the White Sox.

5. Go to the Northwestern University to see theater and musical performances, since these are the highest rated in the country. These tickets will be about half of what theater tickets are downtown. Further north from there is Ravinia, Chicago’s Botanic Gardens, and more!

6. Venture through the different ethnic neighborhoods, since there is about every nationality on earth in Chicago. There will be street festivals and you will be able to sample the foods too.