Buckingham Fountain is cheap entertainment on a Saturday night in Chicago. It costs nothing to slowly walk around it and enjoy a variety of beautiful angles. And the colors change fairly regularly, too.
Not far away in Grant Park, the Chicago Summer Dance Festival's free concert had hundreds of people dancing the night away under the stars. And this weekend features the Chicago Air and Water Show, an annual free event that draws about two million spectators to the lakefront.
Naturally, it costs money to get here and stay here. But I found a round trip fare for under $225 from Memphis to Chicago O'Hare. I only use one carry-on bag, so I paid no baggage fees.
Despite both Chicago baseball teams playing home games and the Air and Water Show crowds, a bid on Priceline.com landed an affordable three-star hotel within the Chicago Loop. Then, I used Capital One miles to pay the Priceline bill. As for ground transportation, in my first day I only used about half of a $10 CTA Transit Card that gets me around town with ease.
A weekend like this is possible in many places. Do some planning and find an affordable getaway this fall.
Put Together a Budget Weekend Getaway: