Visiting Chicago

[Dodsdomd]

Didn't look like there was anything in the travel thread.

Heading to Chicago at the end of May for 4 days. Looking for any tips or suggestions.

[mrkajz44]

Wrigley Field is a must, including walking around Wrigleyville before or after the game.

Architect boat tour is also something that is very cool. Make sure you get the official tour put on by the architect society - there are a lot of imitators our there, but you want the real meal deal on this one.

[squiggs96]

I'm also in Chicago at the end of May for four days. Maybe I'll see you on the architect tour, or at the Beyonce concert.

[Locke]

I did the architecture boat tour last year and highly recommend it.

Another touristy thing to do is go to the top of the Hancock building.

Wrigley field was also a lot of fun.

[wontondestruction]

1. Walk the Magnificent Mile
2. Grab a pizza at Lou Malnati's
3. If you're into architecture, take a train to Oak Park and take the Wright Around Oak Park Tour to look at the houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
4. Millennium Park

[tvp2003]

Here are some prior threads: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/search....archid=8163426

I could go for a Chicago style hot dog... cheap and tasty. Drool...

[V]

The blues clubs there are amazing. Blue Chicago on Clarke St is my favourite.

[taffeyb]

If you are thinking of visiting one of the observation decks, go to the Signature Room lounge in the John Hancock Building instead. The restaurant and lounge are located a floor below the observation deck. For the price of the admission to the observation deck, you can basically have a couple of drinks. They used to have a weekday lunch buffet when I worked in Chicago way back when. We would go up and have the buffet and enjoy the view. I would phone and confirm as it has been a while.

Oh...cheap eats...go to the Billy Goat tavern. $7 steak sandwiches. Hard to find. Heart of Michigan Avenue, but on the "lower" level. Find out about the Wrigley Curse.

[Kjesse]

Most of the above is great advice. One thing I really enjoyed was a bike tour. "Bikes, Bites and Brews", http://www.bobbysbikehike.com/Tours.aspx was awesome. Got to try some deep dish pizza, a hot dog, and see the harbour and some very awesome parks, and even some residential areas. Was perhaps not as breathtaking as the river architectural tour, I had more fun on the bike tour.

[cracher]

Used to live there.

Can you get more specific with what you'd like to do, etc? Chicago is too damn full of fun goodness for such a general question.

[CliffFletcher]

Millennium Park

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago-style hot dogs

Wicker Park neighbourhood for restaurants and beer halls (and ground zero in North America for hipsters)

Chicago Beer Experience Beer tour (also a neighbourhood tour and history lesson, with stops for some really tasty food, including top hot dog place in Chicago)

W Division Street for restaurants and bars, including Smoke Daddy BBQ

If you go to the Museum of Science and Technology south of downtown, DO NOT take the green line L-train

[TheAlpineOracle]

There is a restaurant called Au Cheval. Top ranked burger in North America. Would strongly advise going there if you like food. It's one of the better, and highest ranked restaurants in Chicago despite having a relatively reasonable rice point. Be warned though, it's a hipster hangout. There will be a wait (they give you a beeper). I would go ahead of peak times. My wife and I went at around 3:30 and only had to wait for like 30 minutes.

Other things I would recommend doing (or not):

- We loved the architectural boat tour, would probably do again when we go back.

- Take in a game at Wrigley. Make sure to go early to spend some time in the
neighborhood ahead of the game.

- Navy Pier - Skip this, an absolute waste of time. A couple of rides and souvenir shacks. Nothing worth seeing.

- If you like lively dueling pianos bars, go to a place called Howl at the Moon. Probably one of the funniest times i've had. They have a full band with the dueling pianos.

- If you want to go to a White Sox Game (if the Cubs aren't playing), wait until about an hour before the game than go on stubhub. We sat front row, right next to the Jays dugout for $35 this way.

- Wonder around the Magnificient Mile and end up at Millenium Park. The Bean statue still has me in awe.

- Art Institute of Chicago

- Try to catch a show or a concert. Always lots of big names playing there.

- If you are thinking about taking the train from the airport rather than a cab, don't do it. System is really old and not conducive to luggage (end up carrying up luggage many flights of stairs). The aggravation just isn't worth the 50 bucks you save.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

There is a restaurant called Au Cheval. Top ranked burger in North America. Would strongly advise going there if you like food. It's one of the better, and highest ranked restaurants in Chicago despite having a relatively reasonable rice point. Be warned though, it's a hipster hangout. There will be a wait (they give you a beeper). I would go ahead of peak times. My wife and I went at around 3:30 and only had to wait for like 30 minutes.

LOL at a restaurant called "horse" having the best ranked burger

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

LOL at a restaurant called "horse" having the best ranked burger

Yeah, odd choice of names.

It's the #5 ranked restaurant in Chicago on trip advisor.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran..._Illinois.html

[llwhiteoutll]

See if you can find a "I survived Chiraq" t-shirt

Provided you don't get shot.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I've seen several people mention the Hancock Building. We just walked around it, but if memory serves me right, I believe my hotel told me you could get a drink at the top and watch the fireworks they frequently have over the harbor (I think it's a nightly thing in the summer).

[TheAlpineOracle]

If you haven't booked hotels yet, I would highly recommend the Park Hyatt Chicago. Great location, can't get much better.

[OldDutch]

If you are are appreciative of fine dining, and love watching cooking shows get a reso at El Ideas. It is still #1 on my wife and my list of food experiences ever. It is open kitchen and between courses you mingle with the other patrons and watch you food be prepared. The dishes are served and explained by the head chef. Just incredible.

I did the Chicgo Pizza Tour and it was really good. https://www.yelp.ca/biz/chicago-pizza-tours-chicago

Korean Mexican is so good, loved this place for lunch: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/del-seoul-chicago

Use HotWire for a hotel, we got a smoking deal ($150/night) on a 4 star that ended up being the Sofitel.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Wrigley Field is a must, including walking around Wrigleyville before or after the game.

Architect boat tour is also something that is very cool. Make sure you get the official tour put on by the architect society - there are a lot of imitators our there, but you want the real meal deal on this one.

Recommend both. The White Sox as well if the Cubs are on the road while you are there, but Comiskey/US Cellular Park is the complete opposite of Wrigleyville. Also, if you are a baseball fan, Milwaukee is only a little over an hour north.

Millenium Park, as others mentioned.

The Willis (formerly Sears) Tower is neat.

I also quite enjoyed the Field Museum.

If you are really lucky, you might be able to catch a Blackhawks playoff game.

[EverfresH15]

Chicago is probably my favourite US city. We stayed just off of Magnificent Mile and it was awesome. There are so many pubs and restaurants to choose from. Lots of cool hidden ones that we didn't even know about. Really feel that it is a huge city without that huge city feeling.