Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My girlfriend and I are very excited to visit the Chicago area for the first time ever this coming long weekend. We've never been there before and are really looking forward to discovering the city and its food. Here's the general outline of our trip - I'd like to run some stuff by you guys before we get there, so please let me know if anything doesn't make sense to you in our plans.
We plan to drive a rental car from Ontario on July 1st, and return home on the 5th. To save some dough on lodging and parking, we've booked a stay at the Hyatt in Rosemont IL near O'Hare Airport, and plan to leave the car at our hotel during the day. To spare us from any major traffic headaches, we plan to "commute" from Rosemont (from either the O'Hare or Rosemont stations) to downtown Chicago and back every morning/evening on the CTA "L" train - we'll get a Chicago Card pass for unlimited use. We'll only use the car in the suburbs during the evenings, if we need to do some shopping or go somewhere out of the way to eat.
Here's my first question: The Hyatt provides a complimentary airport shuttle to O'Hare. Will we be able to get dropped off there and easily catch our "L" train to Chicago, or will we have to enter what I know as one of the biggest and busiest airports in the U.S. and deal with the maze of gates and corridors? Not too interested in doing that to be honest. I'd walk from the Hyatt (6350 N. River Rd., 60018) to the Rosemont station, but I don't know how long it would really take or how practical it would be.
1. Shedd Aquarium
2. Field Museum
3. Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower
4. Adler Planetarium
5. Museum of Science and Industry
In addition, we'd like to do/visit/eat the following:
6. Fourth of July Fireworks at Navy Pier + get on Ferris Wheel (July 4th)
7. Taste of Chicago Festival (July 1st, 2nd or 3rd, depending on our schedule)
8. Stroll around Millennium Park
9. Walk the Magnificent Mile
10. Check out Buckingham Fountain
11. Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo (it's free, right?)
12. Try some Chicago-style deep dish pizza (I'm SO looking forward to try this) either at Uno, Due or Lou Malnati's (which is best?)
13. Get a Chicago hot dog at Superdawg (worth it?)
14. Stake out a spot to take pictures of the Chicago skyline during the day and at night (where is the best spot for that?)
And maybe, if there's time left:
15. Check out Wrigley Field (we won't have time to catch a Cubs game, but we'd like to see what this historic place looks like)
16. Check out Soldier Field (same situation, just want to look at it)
17. Taking an evening trip to Milwaukee to eat at the Safe House and say we've been to Wisconsin since it's close by
18. Take a walk (and pictures) on the University of Chicago campus
19. Check out the Home Alone house in Winnetka IL.
So, here are my second, third and fourth questions: Do you think we'll have time for all this in 5 days? We ARE pretty fast-paced travelers. Is doing all this worth it? And, is there anything we SHOULD ABSOLUTELY do that's not on our list? We're obviously looking for a very representative and complete Chicago experience, but keep in mind that we are two twenty-somethings traveling on a budget so no fine dining or millionaire stuff, please. Also, I'm not that much into the arts either so I left most artsy-type museums off the list - this is not an oversight on my part.
And my fifth and last question: Is there anywhere that you can park a car in downtown Chicago for a few hours that *doesn't* cost an arm and a leg? (For example, I know of a downtown Toronto parking garage that is $5.00 all the time, except when Blue Jays games are on.) Are there any such places in Chicago that locals know about? If we get there early on the 1st, we might not want to go all the way to Rosemont to check in and then come back to Chicago to see the sights. It might be more practical to just jump into tourist stuff right away if we have time to spare when we get there, especially since we've got so much we want to see...
Thanks all for your help, and we REALLY can't wait to get to Chicago!
My girlfriend and I are very excited to visit the Chicago area for the first time ever this coming long weekend. We've never been there before and are really looking forward to discovering the city and its food. Here's the general outline of our trip - I'd like to run some stuff by you guys before we get there, so please let me know if anything doesn't make sense to you in our plans.
We plan to drive a rental car from Ontario on July 1st, and return home on the 5th. To save some dough on lodging and parking, we've booked a stay at the Hyatt in Rosemont IL near O'Hare Airport, and plan to leave the car at our hotel during the day. To spare us from any major traffic headaches, we plan to "commute" from Rosemont (from either the O'Hare or Rosemont stations) to downtown Chicago and back every morning/evening on the CTA "L" train - we'll get a Chicago Card pass for unlimited use. We'll only use the car in the suburbs during the evenings, if we need to do some shopping or go somewhere out of the way to eat.
Here's my first question: The Hyatt provides a complimentary airport shuttle to O'Hare. Will we be able to get dropped off there and easily catch our "L" train to Chicago, or will we have to enter what I know as one of the biggest and busiest airports in the U.S. and deal with the maze of gates and corridors? Not too interested in doing that to be honest. I'd walk from the Hyatt (6350 N. River Rd., 60018) to the Rosemont station, but I don't know how long it would really take or how practical it would be.
1. Shedd Aquarium
2. Field Museum
3. Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower
4. Adler Planetarium
5. Museum of Science and Industry
In addition, we'd like to do/visit/eat the following:
6. Fourth of July Fireworks at Navy Pier + get on Ferris Wheel (July 4th)
7. Taste of Chicago Festival (July 1st, 2nd or 3rd, depending on our schedule)
8. Stroll around Millennium Park
9. Walk the Magnificent Mile
10. Check out Buckingham Fountain
11. Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo (it's free, right?)
12. Try some Chicago-style deep dish pizza (I'm SO looking forward to try this) either at Uno, Due or Lou Malnati's (which is best?)
13. Get a Chicago hot dog at Superdawg (worth it?)
14. Stake out a spot to take pictures of the Chicago skyline during the day and at night (where is the best spot for that?)
And maybe, if there's time left:
15. Check out Wrigley Field (we won't have time to catch a Cubs game, but we'd like to see what this historic place looks like)
16. Check out Soldier Field (same situation, just want to look at it)
17. Taking an evening trip to Milwaukee to eat at the Safe House and say we've been to Wisconsin since it's close by
18. Take a walk (and pictures) on the University of Chicago campus
19. Check out the Home Alone house in Winnetka IL.
So, here are my second, third and fourth questions: Do you think we'll have time for all this in 5 days? We ARE pretty fast-paced travelers. Is doing all this worth it? And, is there anything we SHOULD ABSOLUTELY do that's not on our list? We're obviously looking for a very representative and complete Chicago experience, but keep in mind that we are two twenty-somethings traveling on a budget so no fine dining or millionaire stuff, please. Also, I'm not that much into the arts either so I left most artsy-type museums off the list - this is not an oversight on my part.
And my fifth and last question: Is there anywhere that you can park a car in downtown Chicago for a few hours that *doesn't* cost an arm and a leg? (For example, I know of a downtown Toronto parking garage that is $5.00 all the time, except when Blue Jays games are on.) Are there any such places in Chicago that locals know about? If we get there early on the 1st, we might not want to go all the way to Rosemont to check in and then come back to Chicago to see the sights. It might be more practical to just jump into tourist stuff right away if we have time to spare when we get there, especially since we've got so much we want to see...
Thanks all for your help, and we REALLY can't wait to get to Chicago!
The Hyatt and Rosemont stop are very close to each other. It's literally like 5-10 minute walk, I have done it before.
If I were you I would skip the Planetarium. The field museum while good is also passable. If you really want to visit museums I would exclusively look at the Shedd, Science and Industry and Art Institute. FYI Science and Industry is far and can be hard to get to. I know you plan on getting a city pass, but honestly if I were you I would skip the Planetarium and Field.
I would also skip the Sears (Willis) tower skydeck, and go to the John Hancock's. It's a much nicer view. Also it's less touristy and gimmicky.
Navy Pier is very touristy and basically a tourist trap. Only things worth it are the views you get of the city and the ferris wheel. Other than that, I would not dedicate too much time to Navy Pier. Also there will be no fireworks this 4th of July.
I would also skip the Taste of Chicago. It's overrpriced, overcrowded and IMO not really worth it. I feel better money can be spent going to a few restaurants in downtown or in the neighborhoods.
Definitely visit Millenium Park. Touristy, but very well worth the visit.
Definitely walk Michigan Ave.
Definitely check out Buckingham Fountain although it might not be as nice as it usually is with all the Taste of Chicago crowds.
Definitely checkout Lincoln Park Zoo. but don't stop there. You should also check out the actual neighborhood of Lincoln Park. Especially the area around Halsted and Armitage is very nice.
Definitely get Deep Dish.
I am not sure if going all the way to Superdawg is worth it. There are many more places that you can get a hot dog that is just as good.
A few spots for great skyline shots:
1. From Navy Pier
2. From a Boat
3. From Buckingham Fountain
4. From North Ave. Beach/Lincoln Park/Diversey Harbor
Definitely check out Wrigley Field. If I were you I would dedicate that day to Lakeview (where Wrigley Field is), Lincoln Park the neighborhood and the zoo, and the Old Town/Gold Coast. Best way would be to take the train up to Wrigley and work your way down.
I really wouldn't go out of my way to look at Soldier Field. I mean if you are close go for it, but it literally just looks like a spaceship that has landed in some Roman stadium thing. It's definitely something to look at, but not to go out of your way. However if you are going to the Shedd, Field, and the Planetrium you will be right next to it.
Milwaukee deserves a visit. However, I think that time could be spent checking out other Chicago neighborhoods that will give you more of a city flavor.
Definitely take a walk at the University of Chicago campus it's beautiful. I don't think it's a must do thing, but definitely well worth it. Since you are planning on going to Science and Industry might as well hit up the University of Chicago.
Unless you are obsessed with Home Alone, I would not go so far out of my way to look at that house. You could save more time by going to Oak Park and that has numerous Frank Lloyd Wright houses/buildings. The suburb of Oak Park is also a million times more interesting than Winnetka. Winnetka is beautiful, but you will find that once you have driven all the way over there, there is nothing to do.
So here's my advice:
You have a lot planned for 5 days but it's doable. However there is some fat that I would trim:
1. Don't visit the Field or Planetrium.
2. I would advise not going to the Taste, I think your money and time could be better spent.
3. Don't go to Winnetka.
If I were you this is how I would plan the trip (of course this is just my opinion):
Day 1: Dedicate to downtown. Walk down Michigan Avenue, go to the Hancock Observatory or Willis Tower whichever you prefer, visit Navy Pier, take an architecture boat tour (this is money much better spent than the Taste IMO), visit Millenium Park, walk around the rest of downtown, and if you have time at the end of the day maybe visit the Taste.
Day 2: Dedicate to the Museums. Go to the Shedd, see Soldier Field, see the Art Institute, and if you really want to go to the Planetrium and the Field Museum (but again I think your time could be spent doing other things). If time left over I would rent a bike and take a bike ride heading north on the lakefront trail up to Diversey Harbor and you will get some beautiful views.
Day 3: Hit up the northside. On this day I would hit up Lakeview, see Wrigley Field, walk down Broadway, Clark, Halsted. Go to Lincoln Park hit up the Lincoln Park Zoo, check out the Lincoln park neighborhood especially around Halsted and Armitage and around DePaul University. Then go to Old Town/the Gold Coast. Check out the neighborhood as well.
Day 4: Hit up the Southside. Since you are renting a car I would drive to it. Check out the Museum of Science and Industry. Check out the park it's in. Check out the University of Chicago. Check out the Kenwood neighborhood (it's very beautiful).
Day 5: If I were you I would scratch out Milwaukee. It's a great town, but I feel there is still more to see in Chicago than what Milwaukee will satisfy you with. I would go to Oak Park, check out the downtown and Frank Lloyd Wright houses. Then I would check out the Wicker Park/Bucktown neighborhood. Very artsy, urban, dynamic and very interesting. Best place is to visit the North Ave, Milwaukee Ave and Damen Ave intersection in Wicker Park.
You guys are young so if you are going out at night, I would take a look at Wrigleyville, Wicker Park/Bucktown and Lincoln Park for nightlife.
Hey there Ontario - sounds like a busy weekend you've got planned eh? I'm a native although I live in Florida right now. As for your first concern - you can walk to the L from your hotel, but it's a 15-20 minute walk. I don't know if you want to weigh that against a shuttle dropping you off @ O'Hare in highway traffic, etc. If you take the shuttle ask them to drop you off at Terminal 3 (American) which is where the Blue Line L stop is. Go all the way downstairs to the sub-level under Baggage Claim (it's pretty well marked). It adds about 20 minutes to your ride downtown though.
You might want to consider a couple of things with your list. #1, there will be plenty of traffic whether you're on the L or not. Lots of people doing the same thing so plan for crowds. I hear the weather will be great so that adds to the "fun". All those people also take the L/bus to avoid driving so there will be longer waits to get around. As for cheap parking - the Monroe St./Millennium Park garage is the best of a bad lot, cheap parking downtown is kinda nonexistent these days. You could try parking slightly west of downtown along Madison/Randolph/Washington and taking the bus back over to the Loop, but that's about the only option.
On your list #1-5, you can hit the Shedd, Field and Adler in the same morning/afternoon as they're all in walking distance on the same campus. Bad thing is there is no L stop there so you may need to cab over or take the #12 Roosevelt/Museum Campus bus. The Field is worth a quick look at Sue the T-Rex and other large displays, but you can skip the minutae if time is tight. Same goes for the Shedd - see if you can get a look at the belugas/dolphins before doing anything else. The Museum of Science & Industry can take a whole day depending on how much you want to see, also keep in mind it's quite far from downtown and not as easy to get to on public transportation. You're talking a 30-45 minute bus ride or L commute with transfers. But still, it is the one museum you should NOT miss in Chi-town :-) Any spot near the planetarium is fabulous for that classic Chicago skyline shot.
I'd also consider the Chicago History Museum for a deep dive into local and Illinois culture. It's right by Lincoln Park & the Zoo which is free and fun to walk through. Finally, re: the Skydeck @ the Sears Tower (no one here calls it Willis!)...do yourself a favor and go instead to the observatory at the top of the John Hancock. Bonus is you'll be walking on the Mag Mile to get there, and the view is MUCH better & the deck is cheaper. Better yet, go to the Signature Room for a drink, it's cheaper & has the same view.
For #6-14...go to Navy Pier/Ferris wheel BEFORE the 4th. It'll be too packed on the holiday. The fireworks are OK but IMO not worth the crowds. Find a nice spot north of downtown (i.e. North Ave. Beach) for a more pleasant experience. Same goes for Taste - just not worth it unless you go in midday Friday. People go for lunch from work and that's about the only time it isn't jammed. For hot dogs, skip Superdawg unless you want to drive in from Rosemont - it's nowhere near the L. The kitsch factor is cool but the food isn't great. Here's a link to a couple other places to try:
IMO you can't go wrong with the Wiener Circle or Byron's, both by Wrigley Field, for a genuine Chicago dog & fries experience. For deep dish pizza, Uno/Due are owned by the same place so you'll get an equally wonderful meal at either. Be prepared to wait though, the lines can be 2 hours long in summer. Giordano's is an acceptable alternative. Only those with no tastebuds eat Lou Malnati's!
As for the bottom of your list - a Cubs game is worth it for Wrigley ambiance but skip the Sox. Soldier Field is an abomination - skip it! Instead of the "Home Alone" house, check out the drive north into Wilmette on Sheridan Rd. that winds north past the "Ferris Bueller" house in Kenilworth - also don't miss the Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park/River Forest which is worth the drive in from Rosemont (take the I-294 Tollway south to I-190 East, exit at Harlem and go north to Lake St., then east to Oak Park Ave.). Kenosha is fun for a quick jaunt to WI - you can also buy cheese which is a great WI souvenir. If you're really adventurous you can even take the ferry back to Muskegon, MI across Lake Michigan. From there it's a straight shot to I-94 and the 403/401 back to Miss.
Good luck and enjoy my sweet home Chicago. People are pretty friendly so don't hesitate to ask for help!
Chikid's list is great! I want to save that itinerary to show to future tourists too!
Though if you really don't care about art I would still probably see Field over the Art Institute.
True, but you can do the Ferris Bueller thing with the Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte painting. It's right near the entrance as I recall and the ambience of the Art Institute is worth it, IMO. Also the Chagall American Windows are definitely worth seeing.
How could I forget the Architecture tour boat? Definitely worth it!
ChiKid's list is a good one. One day DT, one day near northside around Lincoln Park/Lakeview, one day southside near museum of science and industry/U of C/Hyde Park/Kenwood, another around Wicker Park/Bucktown+maybe Oak Park.
It's a packed list, but doable.
My personal museum preference list in order is: Art Institute, Shedd, Field,
Museum of Science and Industry.
If you have to pick two, I'd do AI and Shedd. Field and M of S&I are a tossup to me.
The river cruise tour is great and has more of a "fun" factor, but if you're an architecture buff, there are probably better tours to take. All are run through the Chicago Architecture Foundation: Chicago Architecture Foundation - Find a Tour
The early risers tour is great if you want more detail and an early tour (7:30) to keep your day open. My personal favorite is the historic downtown (south) tour.
Going to the Hancock over the Sears is dead on. The Hancock offers better views, BUT you don't even need to pay for the observation deck...just go to the Signature Lounge instead, get up for free and buy a beer.
Also agree w/ skipping Navy Pier and the Taste. There is really no need to do either. Also: since you're from Ontario, you've probably already seen a better little India, Chinatown, Greektown, so no need to do any of that either.
I would encourage you to try some of our normal "common" food: deep dish, a chicago style hot dog and an Italian beef at a place like Al's.
If you are really interested in space, do go to the Adler Planetarium. They just remodeled one of the theaters. This Experience the Adler — Adler Planetarium Deep Space Adventure is opening July 8th. There was an article in the Trib about it recently, it sounds pretty cool.
Wow guys, can't believe how many very detailed (and super useful) responses I've gotten here! chikid, golondrina62, aragx6, Chicago76, knitgirl and jdiddy, thank you all so much for your help and your valuable input! (I'm especially impressed with the amount of knowledge shared by chikid and golondrina62, who even took it upon themselves to make us a tailored schedule for our trip - you sure don't see that every day!)
I'm speechless...
My girlfriend and I have been working on an outline for the trip tonight. It took some effort, but with your input/suggestions combined with what we know we were prepared to skip/compromise on, we ended up with what we believe is a workable three-and-a-half day (tight) schedule. (I know, I forgot to mention that we have a 10-hour trip to Chicago and back that we can't escape for the 1st and the 5th, so we *don't* actually get 5 full days in the city) I'll bring it to work tomorrow and post it here so you guys can comment. All that will be left will be to plot down interesting eateries/restaurants for the things we want to try (deep dish, Chicago hot dog, Italian beef sandwich) close to the areas we'll be in at given meal times during the day/evening. I'll need some more of your help for that, I'm afraid.
This is really exciting, and you guys are making it a lot easier! Thanks again!
If you guys are in a time crunch, it may be easier in terms of transit and compactness of venues to focus on downtown north to Wrigley, and hope to get U of C/Museum of Science and Industry and/or Wicker Park/Bucktwon in, time permitting.
Good locations for building shots that are my favorite "iconic" Chicago skyline vantage points:
1-Great panoramic available from the peninsula where the Shedd and Planetarium sit: Kinzie bridge & Sears tower | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kilometers/3371062332/ - broken link)
You will have plenty of opportunities for great shots, but these are my favorite vantage points.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
