I love weekends away in Chicago, but I always feel Sundays turn out to be a waste. I usually stay downtown and stores don't open until 11 or mostly noon. I tend to wake up early. I am usually driving home by noon or 1 pm. How do other Fodorites spend their Sunday morning when spending a weekend in Chicago?

I've never been, but it's on my list someday to go to the gospel brunch at the House of Blues.

My favorite thing to do is a bike ride or walk along the lake before a mid-morning breakfast.

I took a Sunday tour with Bobby's Bike Hikes in June (www.bobbysbikehike.com). I thought it was a really fun way to see part of the city I hadn't before. They have a few different tours to choose from. It would make you stay a little longer than your usual time, but if you can be a little flexible personally I thought it was worth it.

Brunch! It is a must-do in Chicago. There is a big culture around Sunday brunch and we have some excellent restaurants. I'd consider going to a neighborhood for a great brunch versus staying downtown. Some of my favorites:
Over Easy Cafe - You can even take the metra here. It's easy. It's on the north side...Ravenswood area.

Bongo Room - 2 locations. I prefer the original in Bucktown, but there is one closer to downtown at Roosevelt and Wabash.

The South Loop also has Yolk and Eleven City (those are near Bongo Room).

There are many other brunch places, but those are my favorite!
You can check out reviews and menus on Yelp and Metromix.

I forgot to add - these places will have LONG lines, so be prepared. Many ppl (including myself) have no problem waiting upwards of 30-60 plus minutes for a table. I avoid this when possible by getting there early...usually before 9 is ok, but closer to 8 is even better for some of these.
Yes I realize that would make it a breakfast, but you will be getting their brunch menu. I hope I make sense!

Also...watch the Bears game schedule. If there is a game at home on that particular Sunday, I would strongly advise avoiding the South Loop area all together.

Millenium Park and Lincoln Park.

A walk, run or bike along the lakefront at sunrise.

Art Institute opens at 10 am on Sundays.

Lincoln Park Zoo opens at 10 am on Sundays. (And the gardens along the West side are always open.) Consider breakfast at RJ Grunts or the new Orange nearby.

In summer Chicago Architecture Foundation offers boat tours starting as early as 9 am.

The architectural tours by boat on the Chicago river are offered all year, and they are wonderful. http://www.chicagoline.com/schedule.php