Things to do in Chicago.

[Clone83]

Been many years since I lived there, so FWIW. May not be what you want, but the old water tower on the Magnificent Mile has Chicago history, tourist info and info about Chicago (it survived the fire):

The Chicago Water Tower

Cruises are also good. You would get a lot of architectural history, going down the river as well as out on the lake.

There are a handful of excellent pizza places (really well known, great pizza) and steak houses (the steak houses are great, but expensive). Of course many places with live music, jazz, blues, etc., and clubs. Others here I'm sure could tell you particular places for pizza (I see they already have), for example, if interested in that. Harry Carey's was OK and I actually met him there once. There was a really good Chinese place close to the river on Michigan Ave. but I can't remember the name.

Grant Park, where the Art Institute is, is OK but next to downtown (a lot of office buildings) so not near the nicest neighborhood. Lincoln Park north of the Magnificent Mile is good for a walk, and you could go walk out by the lake from there (say, under a tunnel under LSD), and it is more residential, nicer neighborhood. It has a zoo, which I never really went to, but it was cool going for a run early AM past the big cats.

The Shedd aquarium is good.

 

[JMCato]

A guy that lives on my floor that was born and raised in Chicago recommended to me to go to Gino's if you're in Chicago proper. Go to Giordano's if you're in the suburbs. I went to Giordano's in Buffalo Grove when I went to Chicago back in November.

Best pizza ever.

i second that! Lawry's Prime Rib is a great place to eat as well!

 

[HFCS]

So I'm taking the Girlfriend on a trip to Chicago, and she has never been there. I plan on taking her to the Field museum, but after that I have no idea. I've been there twice before and can't remember exactly what I did (just that it was fun). Any suggestions on places to eat/things to do?

I"ve lived here for a decade now. Here are some of my tips.

Museums:
Field Museum is better to visit than Museum of Science and Industry (and easier to get to), but the Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute are just as impressive. I think the Art Institute is the #1 American art museum in terms of American paintings and overall well rounded collection. I've been to the Met in NYC twice now and I don't see how it's more impressive. The MCA is good too if you prefer modern art. Millenium Park is a really cool place to check out for free near the Art Institute as well.

Tall Buildings:
Especially if you are 21 skip Sears (Willis) Tower and buy a drink at the Signature Lounge on top of the Hancock building. It's cheaper, still up high as hell with an equal or better view, you get a drink instead of just a ticket and it's near tons of other shopping and restaurant where Sears Tower is in the business district.

Food/shopping:
I don't blame anybody for trying deep dish pizza (Gino's East, Lou Malnati's) in Chicago but the Chicago style hot dogs, polish sausage and Italian beef sandwiches are incredible. There are a few Portillo's and Al's Italian Beef around town, either will do, and probably a dozen other great places you could find. There's good shopping near Hancock building in Water Tower place and it has an awesome high quality foodcourt for lunch called "Foodlife". There are so many nice to upscale restaurants, too many to chose, Yelp would probably help you as much as me or anybody else.

Nightlife:
The most obvious choices are the bars and clubs on Rush Street (Viagra Triangle) or Wrigleyville. But if you want to go somewhere a little less obvious with more of an artsy/rock type crowd Wicker Park neighborhood is really lively and vibrant almost every night. Start at the threeway intersection of Milwaukee/North/Damen and you'll see lots of bars, restaurants and music clubs in several directions. There's a blue line stop right there too.

 

[bowlfan912]

go to a hawks or bulls game. Always fun

 

[CyBer]

go to a hawks or bulls game. Always fun

Interesting Idea.

 

[RING4CY]

go to a hawks or bulls game. Always fun

Black Hawks game, yes.
Bulls game, no.

 

[LindenCy]

And lots of great shopping and restaurants near the Hancock Building. Ditka's is about a block west. Classy place but not terribly expensive for breakfast or lunch. Of course, I prefer Mr G's dawg and burger on State Street. Order a #1 for $5. Tons of places in the blocks just west of the Hancock, including Loyola University's downtown campus. The best of Rush Street runs parallel just a few blocks west of Michigan Avenue. Note that these places are about two miles north of the bean, but it is a very cool walk past the Hard Rock Hotel, Chicago River, Wrigley Building, Tribune Building, Nike store, Apple store, the Water Tower, and Water Tower Place (beware of estrogen clouds as you walk past the American Girl Place).

Also check out 4th Presbyterian Church right across the street from Hancock and Holy Name Cathedral on State Street and Chicago Avenue.

Glad to know Mr.G's is still going strong. I haven't been there in 15+ years.

 

[gocubs2118]

You have to try Chicago deep dish pizza and go to Catch 35 Seafood & Steak.

 

[leroycyclone]

Not sure yet.

Content with one museum but open for more options.

You'll have a car so the Field Museum by the Shedd Aquarium is a good option. See Sue, the most complete T-Rex skeleton and the most expensive at $8,000,000. Take Michigan Avenue south and between Washington and Madison you'll see The Bean in Millennium Park, the NW section of Grant Park and you can decide to park in underground Grant Park parking to walk around there. Museums take up a lot of time.

Drive up Lake Shore Drive, LSD, and go to Wrigleyville, a bunch of bars and see Wrigley Field.

Stay along or near N. Michigan Avenue, north of the Chicago River. Walk up and down the Magnificent Mile. Hilton Garden Inn, E Grand Avenue is next to some nice restaurants and Joe's Seafood and Stone Crab. Harry Carey's is nearby. Gene & Georgetti's is the classic steakhouse.

The Hard Rock Hotel at 230 N. Michigan Avenue is fun. The bar is nice. All of the rooms are different.

The Hancock Bldg observatory is on N. Michigan and convenient.

You'll see the Water Tower in the middle of N. Michigan.

Shop all along N. Michigan.

A really nice restaurant on N. Michigan Avenue is Bandera's, 535 N. Michigan Avenue, west side of street, one level up from street level, a restaurant that caters to Chicagoans and not really expensive. The concierges recommend this place. Go early for dinner and sit at the windows. Live music too.

Ask at the hotel for clubs and bars.

 

[HFCS]

Black Hawks game, yes.
Bulls game, no.

I'd only agree with this in terms of price or if you hate basketball. The Bulls are the most complete basketball team on planet Earth right now if you appreciate defense and offense...only bad part is nosebleed tickets start at $92 for two tickets after fees. Pretty pricy for a regular season NBA game. Rose made Chris Paul seem like an 8th grader a few nights ago in LA.

Both teams pack the house lately, the Bulls sold out even when they were bad. The Blackhawks were giving FREE tickets away six years ago but times change quickly and winning packs the seats.

 

[isuno1fan]

Best thing to do in Chicago is leave the city.

 

[gocubs2118]

Good luck getting tickets to either the Bulls or the Hawks. Both teams sell out every game they play and the prices on Stubhub are expensive.

 

[HFCS]

Good luck getting tickets to either the Bulls or the Hawks. Both teams sell out every game they play and the prices on Stubhub are expensive.

That's kind of what I'm thinking. I'm a HUGE Bulls fan but rarely go because it's so outrageous. I usually go to one Bulls game a year unless gift tickets land in my lap. If I lived within 100 miles of Ames I'd have season football/basketball tickets every year for life probably, it's such a better value. Bears are even more outrageous. Taking the red line to a White Sox game is probably the best bang for your Chicago sports buck, great ticket deals sometimes.

 

[CyBer]

Best thing to do in Chicago is leave the city.

I love Chicago.

 

[Cycsk]

Glad to know Mr.G's is still going strong. I haven't been there in 15+ years.

Correction of Freudian slip because I was a huge Mr. G's fan. G's is gone (built new building in its place on Clark St but I go all the way back to G's when it was on Chicago). I was referring to Mr. J's which is still there. Most people couldn't tell the difference, but Tom always remembered how to fix my burger without me even having to ask. And the chocolate shakes were always creamier at G's (J's was too icy).

 

[gocubs2118]

You also have to go to Portillo's, best Italian beef around.

 

[Clone83]

This whole neighborhood would be nice, safe, lot of residential high rises, close to a lot of things you could walk to, but the hotels I'm sure are pricier:

Streeterville - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RING4CY]

Another thing: Do not try to fit it all in, in one trip. Especially if you're only going for a weekend like I did.

I took note of the things I wanted to do but did not get around to. I'm already planning on a return trip, hopefully this spring to do some of the things I didn't get to do and take in a Twins @ White Sox game.

 

[LindenCy]

Correction of Freudian slip because I was a huge Mr. G's fan. G's is gone (built new building in its place on Clark St but I go all the way back to G's when it was on Chicago). I was referring to Mr. J's which is still there. Most people couldn't tell the difference, but Tom always remembered how to fix my burger without me even having to ask. And the chocolate shakes were always creamier at G's (J's was too icy).

Yeah, I must have been thinking G's on Chicago (or did it move later to Wells). I haven't been there in a long time. The neighborhoods have changed so much in the last 15 years.

 

[CycloneChris]

When are you planning on being here? That will have a huge effect on recommendations.

Many of the places she will know of will likely be touristy, so you can't fully avoid that.

Food wise besides the Chicago originals, do you want to do a nice dinner ($$) or a really nice dinner ($$$$)?

And true to form, isuno1fan makes an *** of himself in a thread about Chicago.