Four days in Chicago... (Grant Park, Buckingham: rental car, rental, hotel)

[KaraDeeismoving]

Hello,
I am planning a four day trip in April to Chicago to prospect the city and get a feel for it since I am looking to move there. My father gets a discount on hotel rooms and I am looking to stay in the Embassy suites hotel in downtown/lakefront, More than likely it will be from Thursday-Sunday.

With these four days, where should I go? What should I do? What should I look for since I am thinking about moving to the city?

I plan on having a rental car.

[Drover]

Where you should go and what you should do will depend a lot on your interests. Do you like theater? Live music? Dining? If so, what kind?

If you have a car with you, plan on spending an extra $30 a night to park it at the hotel lot. Hotel parking lots in or near downtown are not free, even for paid guests.

[jessiegirl_98]

There in no need for a rental car in that area. You can walk to most places in the Gold Coast/Loop and are near the red line. As Drover asked, what do you like to do?

[Ilovethewindycity]

Originally Posted by KaraDeeismoving

Hello,
I am planning a four day trip in April to Chicago to prospect the city and get a feel for it since I am looking to move there. My father gets a discount on hotel rooms and I am looking to stay in the Embassy suites hotel in downtown/lakefront, More than likely it will be from Thursday-Sunday.

With these four days, where should I go? What should I do? What should I look for since I am thinking about moving to the city?

I plan on having a rental car.

Go to Wicker Park start at the North ave, Milwaukee, Damen intersection, there are shops, restaurants and bars. Go to Cafe Iberico (Spanish food) on LaSalle and Chicago Ave. Must go to Michigan ave and do some shopping or at least walking. I moved to Dallas 3 years ago an miss my hometown very much , but I have to say I don't at all miss the Chicago winters. As for neighborhoods to live in I lived in Bucktown and Logan Square and worked in Wicker Park, those are my favorite areas.

[New2SouthernIL]

Navy Pier (shopping, eating, IMAX theatre), shopping on Michigan Ave., Bucktown/Logan Square has a good bar scene as do many areas in the loop. Metromix.com has a lot of information too. Oh, and DITTO on the previous comment about parking...Have fun!

[KevK]

The last thing you need staying there is a car. You can walk or get a day pass for the transit system or a cheap cab fare and you will find life less stressful- and cheaper too. You will be near all the action there- Navy Pier, the Aquairum, the museums, Millineum Park, Grant Park, Michigan Ave, Buckingham Fountain. If you want to club, the club scene is about a mile and half away- a nice long walk on a spring day or a cheap cab fare. Sears Tower is just to the west and if you want to go up to the 101st floor deck, you can do that too.

[Ramo Nash]

Eh, avoid Navy Pier and all the tourist traps, unless that's what you enjoy doing. It's the same crap you'll find in any big city. The art institute is worth seeing, but, to me, the real treasures are some of the smaller, more offbeat museums (museum of contemporary photography [free], international museum of surgical science [I think it's like $3 to get in], etc...).

Michigan Ave is worth checking out if you're not used to big cities with skyscrapers, but it's really just a giant chain mall with huge buildings surrounding you. Definitely check out wicker park/bucktown, which are also basically outdoor malls at this point but worth it for the remnants of galleries around and relative lack of chains.

I'd recommend trying to see some music someplace (depends on what you're into) and some of the fringe things, like an art house movie theater (facets, musicbox), that are among the plus things about living in Chicago that you won't find in a smaller city.

[sharkylittleton]

Check out Chicago's stunning architecture & landscape from the Hancock observatory deck on the 94th floor.

Family Attractions in Chicago – Hancock Observatory

[Drover]

Or take the money you'd spend for the Hancock observation floor, go one floor up and buy yourself a couple of drinks at the Signature Room.

[KaraDeeismoving]

Bump