Chicago

[BengalHawk62]

Me and the wife are headed to Chicago to celebrate our 1 year anniversary next weekend.  Does anyone have an helpful suggestions on what to do?  We are staying downtown near the Magnificent Mile. I'd like to take in a Cubbies game but it looks like they are on a west coast swing that week. 

[jfkbengals]

Some good friends were just there last week and said it was amazing.

They went to Seattle last year and said Chicago was 10 times better.

Now I really wanna go!

[Tiger Teeth]

I went to Chicago once. It's when I discovered I had a fear of heights as I was stepping off the elevator at the top of the Sears Tower. That was a less than pleasant experience for me, and several other people who were there, too.

[*bfine32*]

Check out the South Side at night.

[Donnyho]

I love Chicago.  We used to go up at least once a year, but since we've had kids it's kind of slowed down (we haven't been in about two years).

It's too bad the Cubs are out of town.  That's a really fun thing to do.  We used to sit in the Wrigley Rooftops, which was really awesome.  All your food and beer was included with the ticket.  But since they've renovated Wrigley I think only one (maybe none) of the rooftops have decent views anymore.

Grant Park is a cool place.  It has the fountain from the opening of 'Married with Children' and you can check out 'The Bean' which is in the same area:


Navy Pier has a Ferris wheel and is a neat place to check out.

You have to get a Chicago hot dog and some Chicago pizza.  I've never been on one, but my parents went on a 'food tour' last time they were there and had a blast.

If you're staying near the Mile, just walk around the area; there's a lot going on.

[*jason*]

(08-10-2016, 07:10 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Check out the South Side at night.

Yep. You should also take the roundabout way and come in thru Gary, Indiana and the beautiful town of East Chicago.

[jfkbengals]

(08-10-2016, 07:43 PM)jason Wrote: Yep. You should also take the roundabout way and come in thru Gary, Indiana and the beautiful town of East Chicago.

By way of East Saint Louis if possible...

[Beaker]

I did the Segway Tour last Halloween. That was a lot of fun.

2 restaurant suggestions....both fairly pricey:

Gene & Georgetti Steakhouse

Shaw's Crab House

Both well worth the price.

[Westwood Bengal]

The Field Museum (it has one of the most complete and famous T-rex skeletons) and Art Museums are world class. Should def take a stroll through Millennium park.


Gino's pizza for your deep dish, but admittedly more people prefer a different one (the name escapes me now).


Congrats, and have a good time. I had a sister who lived in Chicago, and loved to visit.

[StoneTheCrow]

(08-11-2016, 01:54 AM)Westwood Bengal Wrote: The Field Museum (it has one of the most complete and famous T-rex skeletons) and Art Museums are world class. Should def take a stroll through Millennium park.


Gino's pizza for your deep dish, but admittedly more people prefer a different one (the name escapes me now).


Congrats, and have a good time. I had a sister who lived in Chicago, and loved to visit.

Giordano's probably. 

[bengal_fan_in_toronto]

I'm jealous. Chicago is a great city. Did a trip with the boys there the year we all turned 40.

do the architectural river boat tour for sure. you can catch a boat by the navy pier. great way to view the city and such an awesome vantage point of one of America's greatest big cities. we just showed up and got on a boat immediately but you might want to buy tix up front. we were there memorial day weekend and it was busy so not sure what you should do. its my most highly recommended recommendation to anybody going to Chicago.

http://shorelinesightseeing.com/

Let the wife peruse the mag mile for a day. trust me. wear sunglasses as you too will be taking in sights all around you. the sunglasses will allow you to enjoy the views without taking a backhand to the noggin from said wife.

check out old town if you have the time (you'll have to take a cab from where you will be staying) its a really nice part of the city. This restaurant is great for Italian and the prices are reasonable. Anthony Bourdain featured it on his new show (Parts Unknown) hot spot for locals and a local actually took us there for dinner.

http://topogigiochicago.com/

[HarleyDog]

(08-10-2016, 07:43 PM)jason Wrote: Yep. You should also take the roundabout way and come in thru Gary, Indiana and the beautiful town of East Chicago.

Gary? You trying to get him killed?

[xxlt]

(08-10-2016, 05:48 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Me and the wife are headed to Chicago to celebrate our 1 year anniversary next weekend.  Does anyone have an helpful suggestions on what to do?  We are staying downtown near the Magnificent Mile. I'd like to take in a Cubbies game but it looks like they are on a west coast swing that week. 

1. Giordano's for pizza.

2. Listen to some live blues. Chicago is kind of like Nashville, Memphis, Austin - so many good places to hear live music you almost can't go wrong. You may also be lucky enough to be in town for a blues street festival (do a quick search)...

3. If you want private time with wifey while out and about that is certainly OK, but note that Chicago people are some of the friendliest in the country. If you walk into any neighborhood bar people won't freeze you out like they will in some towns because they didn't go to high school with you. They will be very welcoming. You can have a good time with new "friends" in most bars in Chicago.

4. There is a great museum of natural history as well as an aquarium that I believe will be close to where you are staying. If those sorts of things interest you both, check out one or both. A walk along the lake is always nice too, particularly early in the morning.

[The Real Deal]

Go get ya a greasy cheeseburger and house brewed beer at The billy goat tavern on Michigan Ave on the lower level. A good quick bite while site seeing.

[Belsnickel]

(08-10-2016, 06:58 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Some good friends were just there last week and said it was amazing.

They went to Seattle last year and said Chicago was 10 times better.

Now I really wanna go!

Probably a noticeably smaller hipster population.

[BengalHawk62]

All good ideas.  I thought I would take the Mrs. BengalHawk to Gary, via East St. Louis and find a nice quiet side street to park and take a stroll thru the neighborhood.  Have a picnic and just do some people watching.    Yes, the South Side is our dream destination vacation spot. 


No you fools!  This is an anniversary trip, not a tour of duty. We are probably going to do the architectural tour during the day and then do the hop-on hop-off bus tour at night.  This way we get to see a lot of the city that we normally wouldn't get to see.  I would love to see the top of the Sears tour, but......time limitations and the fact that if i'm more than 4 inches off the ground, my fear of heights gets in my head and then bad things happen........bad things.  We are headed up to Wrigley to catch the Pearl Jam concert (a dream of mine to see PJ in Wrigley), and then maybe head down to Navy Pier the next day to see the bean and what nots.  Our hotel is literally, 2 blocks from Giordano's Pizza.  How freaking excited am I for some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza?  This excited!!!!!! 


I've heard of the Billy Goat tavern.........we may have to stop in for a refreshment. A blues bar is right around the corner from the hotel. I'd like to stop in there too. In high school, our Senior trip was to Chicago. Can you imagine that? About 45-50 high school seniors from BFE Iowa, most of us haven't ever been off the farm, placed smack dab in the middle of downtown Chicago....at night? Oh, we're lucky none of us got shanked. But anyways, we did go the Natural History museum while out there then. I'd love to go back, now that I have a much more deeper appreciation for history.



 

[Benton]

City Museum is great, so is the Gateway Arch. Visit the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and eat at the Shaved Duck.

[Beaker]

(08-11-2016, 03:20 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: We are probably going to do the architectural tour during the day 

Should do that one at night when you can sleep through it...or it can put you to sleep if you have insomnia.

[Bengalzona]

The Navy Pier and the downtown Museums are cool. The park downtown is cool too with the funny silver egg-like statue thing.

[Au165]

Great band, overrated city.