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MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4282
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 5:27 pm: | 
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Thinking of going to Chicago (with our 4 year old) for a number of days this Summer for vacation & to see the usual tourist spots.
Any suggestions on MUST SEE things and decent places to stay? I don't want to spend a fortune on a hotel, but I also want to stay in a decent place in a desirable part of town (I may even consider using Priceline or Hotwire).
Thanks! |
tulip
Citizen
Username: Braveheart
Post Number: 3577
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 8:17 pm: |
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The Art Museum and the dunes of Lake Michigan, the University of Chicago's archaeology museum, and the University campus itself, the cathedral, some summer concerts at Ravennia (outdoor concerts.) |
Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 59
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 9:02 pm: |
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*sniff* I'm just packing up to leave Chicago (we live right on the Lake, next to Navy Pier) for the wide-open steppes of Essex county...
Anyway, as a proper tourist  you've GOT to visit the Navy Pier (it's actually fun! We walk over there frequently); I heartily recommend the Children's Museum (our kids love it!), then ride the Seadog to get an amazing view of the city, both South and North, then hit the Ferris wheel. Play in the cool fountain right at the entrance to the Pier, then cross the street and take a dip in Lake Michigan on Ohio Street Beach. It's a neat little beach and the view of the skyscrapers is awesome! Catch some lunch at Dick's Last Resort on N McClurg Ct, right on the Ogden Slip, where you can abuse the waiters (and vice versa!).
Go to the Museum Campus; this is a gorgeous promenade on the Lake, which houses the Field Museum (with Sue, the large T. Rex in the world), Soldiers Field, home of the Bears, the Planetarium, and the awesome Shedd Aquarium, where they now have a great lizard exhibit, include enormous Komodo Dragons. The campus is stunning and has an awesome sculpture park and Children's Garden, where my kids spend hours playing. The nearby Muesum of Science and Industry, the only building left standing form the 1893 Columbia World Exposition, is incredible, but, maybe, is better for older kids.
Check out the Lincoln Park Zoo, of course, which is great and free; then visit the petting farm next door and the Botanical Gardens. Across the street, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is small and easy for kids, with a beautiful, live butterfly garden.
Try to go up the Sears Tower or the John Hancock building.
The UIC University Campus is gorgeous, too, including Frank Lloyd Wright's Robbie House, but, it's a bit boring for little kids.
As for hotels, check out Hotel 71 at 71 E Wacker Dr, right on the river, or, the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriot, at 216 E Ontario St. or the Best Western Inn of Chicago at 162 E Ohio. The latter two may not sound fancy, but, they are located in lovely art deco buildings in *KILLER* locations, on charming streets, halfway between N Michigan Ave and the Lake, right in the middle of everything.
Enjoy!
BlueHeeler |
Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 60
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 9:33 pm: |
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How could I forget Millenium Park?! You've got to run barefoot through the Crown Fountain  http://www.chicagotraveler.com/chicago_millennium_park_pictures.htm
BlueHeeler |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2514
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 7:11 am: |
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We have an apartment (Fiancé working with PepsiCo) in the building that says Now Leasing on it.
http://www.chicagotraveler.com/millennium-photos/P1010280.jpg
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Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 62
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 7:00 pm: |
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Hey, Brett, that's really cool and a great corner! I walk by that building every day :-) They are closing Columbus and Grant Park for "Taste of Chicago" right now, just a couple of blocks away -- that's always great fun!
Looks like my company is going to splurge (so that I come over and work long, long hours away from the kids fl.gif) ), so I'll be able to get an occassional Chicago fix!
Cheers,
BlueHeeler |
Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 63
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 7:03 pm: |
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oops, itchy "posting" finger... I meant to write that my company is going to splurge for a corporate apartment. Looks like in River North, which is happening these days, so I can't wait!
Cheers,
BlueHeeler |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2527
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 8:00 pm: |
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Blue,
If you're walking by and J. Randolphes (Bottem of our building) is advertising "Mini Hot Beef sandwiches" make sure to stop in. $1.50 per and two get you so stuffed there will be no dinner.
We LOVE the taste. My favorite part is that everyone gives the homeless any leftover tickets. So all week you see the homeless eating Cherries Jubilee, Flan, and Pâté. Make sure you stop for the Chocolate covered bananas!
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hismom
Citizen
Username: Hismom
Post Number: 471
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 6:06 pm: |
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Just bumping this up since we're going in the beginning of August and need things to do with our almost 7 year old and 3 year old. All the ideas are great. Is it possible to get Sox or Cubs tix? ( The boy is a major Mets fan but baseball is all good). Other than Uno's - any suggestions for Chicago Pizza?
Hubby made reservations at a Hampton Inn on W Illinois. Is that a decent area? (I've never been so I'm entirely clueless ) |
mooewe
Citizen
Username: Mooewe
Post Number: 360
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 10:10 am: |
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Hismom, I looked up where the Hampton Inn is - great location! It's north of the river, not far from the Merchandise Mart to the west and Michigan Ave to the east. Lots to see and do within walking distance, and also very convenient to the easy-to-use subway/El trains.
Re: baseball - not sure what dates you're going, but the Cubs will be home Aug. 1-6, then on the road until the 18th. I did a little ticket search for a couple of the days in the first week, and 4 seats together were not available. The White Sox will be home from the 7th to the 17th. There were 4 tickets available on Monday, Aug. 7th vs. Los Angeles - after that, they play the Yankees, and I think you'll have difficulty (we've seen the Yankees play on the road several times, and the games are nearly all sellouts - there are Yankee fans everywhere!). Go to the teams' websites to search for tickets.
One restaurant that your kids will probably enjoy is Ed Debevic's http://centerstage.net/restaurants/ed-debevics.html. It's what Johnny Rocket's tries to imitate, but doesn't come close. It has a live DJ playing the oldies (he takes requests), and a gruff (but in a funny, put-on way) wait staff that does do the dancing on the counters. I don't think it's that far from your hotel. Be prepared for lines, but they move quickly.
Other than that, Blue Heeler gave you plenty of great suggestions for what to do with young kids. Have a blast, Chicago is a fantastic city. |
Charlie
Citizen
Username: Cking27
Post Number: 16
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 8:26 pm: |
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For Chicago Pizza, we are huge fans of Lou Malnati's (and also Pizano's which was started by same family) for thin crust. It's a buttery crust that I've never tasted anywhere else and miss desperately. For deep dish, we used to always get Nancy's.
Uno is good, but it's always packed and the wait can be long. It's more of a toursisty type spot.
I would say to go to a Cub's game if you could. It's one of the older ball parks and the atmosphere in wrigleville is really cool. The field is integrated into a fun neighborhood with lots of restaurants and bars. Some of the ones close in get packed with people really drinking it up. But you can head over West a few blocks to Southport for more family-oriented places. In the summer you can sit outside at a lot of them. Now, I'm biased on all this as we're cubby fans and that's our old neighborhood. US Cellular field has a lot of really nice features being a newer facility. However, the surrounding area does NOT have the same neighborhood feel. If you go there, you are just going right to the ball park and that's it.
One other thing, bring a light jacket or sweater as it's not always warm in Chicago like here. Closer to the lake, it can get cool sometimes. It can also be brutally hot.... In Wrigley Field, seats in the shade can be chilly if there is a wind off the lake, while ones in the sun can be really hot.
For Millenium park, make sure you bring extra clothes for the kids. Ours got completely soaked when we took them last summer.
Other than that, I can only second Blue Heeler's recommendations.
Blue Heeler--we just landed in Maplewood after 7 years in Chicago. Loop for a year or so and then Wrigleyville for the rest of the time.
Have fun!
Charlie's better half |
kathy
Citizen
Username: Kathy
Post Number: 1323
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 3:44 pm: |
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For kids, the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Science and Industry. And Wrigley Field is the best place to see a baseball game--still lots of day games. |
Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 66
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 7:04 pm: |
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Hi, Hismom,
As others have said, the location of the Hampton Inn, at Dearborn and Illinois, is -- while it's not a particularly attractive intersection -- at an awesome location and very safe.
15 min easy walk straight East on W. Illinois will take you to Lake Michigan and the Navy Pier, which is a paradise for kids. A two-minute detour North of the Pier will take you to the Milton Olive Park and Ohio Beach, which is a small beach perfect for kids. The water is shallow and clean and lifeguards are a-plenty.
On the way, you'll pass an AMC 21-screen movie theater and Lucky Strike bowling lanes, which are fun and funky. On the opposite side, at Illinoi and N. McClurg Ct, is arguably the best gourmet food shop in town, Fox and Obel. Try their cafe with the kids - yum! Fox & Obel is located in the River East Arts Center, with a bunch of galleries and artists' spaces.
Due straight North from the hotel, you'll hit the Chicago River, with lots of great monuments, boat rides, etc. Everything else is a quick cab ride away.
There is a great NOrthern Italian restaurant right in the lobby of the Hampton Inn -- Ballo. The food is excellent, but, it can get quite noisy and Friday and Saturday nights it can be a bit of a meat market. On the other hand, they show Godfather on the plasma screens continuously :-)
If your kids enjoy fireworks, there is an impressive display twice a week off a barge at the Navy Pier: Wednesdays at 9:30PM or so, and Saturday, at 10:15PM.
The best view is from the Pier, but, it gets very crowded. For a very uncrowded, but, pleasant spot, head towards the Pier from your hotel, make a right on N. McClurg Court and go two blocks until you hit a huge fountain. There is a lovely river walk in fron of it, hang a left for a 100 feet or so, and enjoy the view over Lake Shore Drive. As a bonus, you'll be treated to a huge arc of water over the entire river, from a watter cannon in front of the fountain.
Enjoy!
BlueHeeler |
Blue Heeler
Citizen
Username: Blueheeler
Post Number: 67
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 7:12 pm: |
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Hi, Charlie and Charlie's Better Half! :-)
I'm actually in Chicago this weekend (oy, the heat wave!), finishing up some move-related stuff and trying to load up on the city's charms. Driving back, for good, on Monday :-(
We've lived in River North for six months, then moved East to Streetervile, to N. McClurg Court.
How did you find the change? Silly as it is, I'm going through withdrawal symptoms and pretty sad about leaving Chicago. Plus, I'm bummed by the order of magnitude increase in unkindness and rudeness in our area, despite having grown up in Brooklyn :-) My wife is freaked out about going to live in suburbia; she's quite the city girl.
Cheers,
BlueHeeler
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DriveAllNight
Citizen
Username: Dolmets
Post Number: 14
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 6:15 pm: |
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Wrigley games are very popular and most are sellouts. Check the Cubs website for availability or you can try the box office early on the day of the game. If the game is officially sold out, they sell standing room tickets too. Craigslist is also a good place to check. I just went to the Mets-Cubs game last weekend using tickets bought on Craigslist. Good luck. |
Soda
Supporter
Username: Soda
Post Number: 4048
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 9:11 pm: |
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If the heat's getting to you, I suggest you try this:
Money well-spent.
-s. |
Chalmers
Citizen
Username: Chalmers
Post Number: 178
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 11:04 pm: |
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At 435 N. Michigan, right in the heart of the Loop, is the Tribune Tower. Built after a worldwide design competition, the top of the building has been said to resemble a wedding cake. My favorite part, however, is at the base of the building where they have stones from great edifices from around the world, including the Parthenon, the Great Wall of China, and the Taj Mahal. I remember when they put in one from the Berlin Wall. It's a really neat thing to look at for a few minutes.
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/T/TribuneTower.html
You can also walk down to Lower Michigan Avenue for a "Cheeborger" at the Billy Goat.
http://www.billygoattavern.com/ |
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