Chicagoing: Top Things to Do in Chicago this Summer...with your Dog

This is our last week of school, and we are already itching to get out and enjoy the summer. Since most of the year is spent like this, Chicagoans take every summer day for what it's worth and have festivals and events every weekend. The best part is many of these events are dog friendly. Here are our top picks for things to do in Chicago that include your dog:1. Get Dressed Up and go to the Gay Pride Parade
We love this event where the entire community gathers together to celebrate gay pride and culture. It's a huge party in the street complete with costumes, beads, dancing, and a huge parade. Last year the pooches showed their spirit in these costumes; we're super-excited for the event in Boystown next weekend.
2. Chicago Architectural Canine Cruise
Chicago is known for its amazing architecture, though we don't always appreciate it when we've actually worked in these buildings (during my advertising days I was in both the Wrigley building and the Aon Center!). Mercury Chicago's Skyline Cruise line offers a canine cruise where you can see the city from another perspective while traveling along the Chicago River and parts of Lake Michigan. While it's fun to ride along and see the sights, we also had so much fun meeting the other dogs on the cruise who all had big smiles on their faces the whole time. I would even recommend this to out-of-town guests, who may not have their dogs with them, but are looking for something a little different.
3. Welles Park Concert Series with an Apart Pizza picnic
Back when Miss M and I were bachelorettes in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, we used to spend our Tuesday evenings hanging in the park where they have free weekly concerts in the gazebo. It's fun spending a nice summer evening outside, but even better with an Apart pizza by your side. This pizza restaurant, located just across the street from the park, was recently rated one of the top 25 pizza restaurants in the city by Chicago Magazine; for a city like Chicago, known for their pizza, this is a big deal. They make a great thin-crust pizza.
4. Waiting in Line for Hot Doug's
There are several Chicago Restaurants that are so infamous, the lines cascade out of the restaurants and wrap around the corner as people are wiling to wait hours just to eat there. Since we will have some time on our hands this summer, we finally want to try Great Lake Pizza and Rick Bayless's Xoco restaurant. We also want to go to Hot Doug's which is known for its amazing gourmet-style hot dogs. Even if you arrive early, much of the time is spent waiting outside in a huge line. What better entertainment than to bring the dogs who provide countless entertainment to the point of simultaneously collapsing on the sidewalk in unison. While most of the line is outside, you do need to go inside to order, so we're prepared to have one of us wait outside with the dogs so we don't have to tie them up.
5. Prairie Wolf Dog Exercise Area in the "Chicago Countryside"
Most of the Chicago Dog Parks are overly crowded and congested which often creates unsafe situations for the dogs. While we do have our "secret dogpark" where other people rarely go, sometimes we treat the pooches and take them to this forest preserve in the suburbs. It is 44 acres of enclosed space so with the sheer immensity dogs rarely interact. It has small lake, enclosed training areas, and tons of space to run and run. Just check out Miss M with her mad-accuracy frisbee catching skills. The only downfall is that it can be kind of expensive; it costs about $20 for a day pass, or you can buy an annual pass if you frequent it often.
6. Walking in New Neighborhoods and Dining at Outdoor Cafes
The interesting thing about Chicago is that it is divided into several distinct, cultural neighborhoods. Though I've lived her for the past 10 years, there are still so many areas I've never been to. What better way to explore than to take the dogs. It gives a reason for walking around, you get to see more things first-hand, plus the dogs help you interact with more people. The best part is that Chicago is filled with outdoor cafes that allow dogs, so we're always able to stop and eat before moving on with our journeys.
What other activities does everyone else recommend this summer?