What to do for a layover in december (Chicago, Addison: homes, cost)

[mike2519]

Hi, I have a 6 hour layover in the afternoon in Chicago in December on Amtrak from about 9am-3pm. I was wondering the best way to spend it since I have never been to Chicago. Please let me know. I am open to any ideas. Thank you.

[marothisu]

What day of the week is it?

[mike2519]

It is a Monday ......i can try Chicago pizza....taking my picture in front Wrigley.....anything is fine for me...I am solo.

[marothisu]

I've never taken Amtrak out of Union Station, so I can't tell you what time you should be back, but Union Station pulls into the "West Loop", which is right next to the central business district (the Loop). So I guess at least it won't be completely dead when you're there since it will be a work day (unless it's right before a holiday ;-)).

I would try and pay for a locker for your stuff when you're there so you don't have to lug around stuff. Let's see, maybe:

1) Millennium Park - It's in the Loop but like 1 mile away from where you'll put into. It's free and this is where you'll see the stuff like the big reflecting bean you've probably seen and some other stuff.

2) Chicago Pizza - yeah we call it tourist pizza, but Lou Malnati's is good. If you plan on going to Wrigley Field, then there's a few kind of on the way up there. Take the Red Line train (in the direction of Howard) and either get off at Clark & Division, or Fullerton. Here are the two locations near these stops:

* Clark & Division - 1120 N State St
* Fullerton - 858 W Wrightwood Ave

The one near Clark & Division stop is in a cooler immediate area, and if you're really interested, the original Playboy mansion is not that far from there at 1340 N State. There's a lot of excellent old mansions/big row homes in this area.

3) Wrigley Field. If you do that, then you take the Red Line in the direction of Howard (like above) and get off at the Addison stop. You can't miss Wrigley Field from there..it's right near it and you can see it pulling into the train station (on your left in the direction of travel).

4) A great view - The views at the John Hancock Tower are better than Sears Tower IMO. There is a lounge that serves beer, cocktails, snacks, etc on the 96th floor and free to get up there. You will need to get a southern view (to the right as you get off the elevators. If anyone guides you to the left, **** em and go to the right).

This is on Michigan Avenue, or Magnificent Mile, which is a mile long shopping street.

I'm sure you can do more. Trying to think of a typical 5-ish hour time period with someone who doesn't know the city.

[chet everett]

Realistically a six hour layover may only leave one with about four hours to explore. It is probably wise to stick to the Loop and adjacent areas. Millenium Park is DECEMEBER is rather unlikely to be hospitable. I would probably stick to more "all weather" venues. If you have any interest in art the Art Institue is a wonderful place, walk due east along Jackson and then one block north when you hit Michigan Ave. You won't be able to scour every inch of its collection but four hours is enough to get some great highlights.

Given that you will be here after Thanksgiving I might also recommend taking in what is still an amazing retail showplace -- the old Marshall Field State St. store between Washington & Randolph has fantastic architectural features including a Tiffany dome ceiling, internal atrium and a much broader range of merchandise than any other Macy's store. There are several resturants and unique food offerings that could easily take several hours to explore.

If you do want to do more tourist type things you could head to the Adler Planetrium or Shedd Aquarium or Field Museum of Natural History but these don't strike me as either as cost effective or unique for a single guy traveling alone...

Originally Posted by marothisu

I've never taken Amtrak out of Union Station, so I can't tell you what time you should be back, but Union Station pulls into the "West Loop", which is right next to the central business district (the Loop). So I guess at least it won't be completely dead when you're there since it will be a work day (unless it's right before a holiday ;-)).

I would try and pay for a locker for your stuff when you're there so you don't have to lug around stuff. Let's see, maybe:

1) Millennium Park - It's in the Loop but like 1 mile away from where you'll put into. It's free and this is where you'll see the stuff like the big reflecting bean you've probably seen and some other stuff.

2) Chicago Pizza - yeah we call it tourist pizza, Hmm, poster seems to have been a tourist himself not that long ago, many life long residents of Chicago and the region have made Lou Malnati's into one the most successful locally owned pizza empires with multiple locations far from any "tourist" desitination...but Lou Malnati's is good. If you plan on going to Wrigley Field, then there's a few kind of on the way up there. Take the Red Line train (in the direction of Howard) and either get off at Clark & Division, or Fullerton. Here are the two locations near these stops:

* Clark & Division - 1120 N State St
* Fullerton - 858 W Wrightwood Ave

The one near Clark & Division stop is in a cooler immediate area, and if you're really interested, the original Playboy mansion is not that far from there at 1340 N State. There's a lot of excellent old mansions/big row homes in this area.

3) Wrigley Field. If you do that, then you take the Red Line in the direction of Howard (like above) and get off at the Addison stop. You can't miss Wrigley Field from there..it's right near it and you can see it pulling into the train station (on your left in the direction of travel).

4) A great view - The views at the John Hancock Tower are better than Sears Tower IMO. There is a lounge that serves beer, cocktails, snacks, etc on the 96th floor and free to get up there. You will need to get a southern view (to the right as you get off the elevators. If anyone guides you to the left, **** em and go to the right).

This is on Michigan Avenue, or Magnificent Mile, which is a mile long shopping street.

I'm sure you can do more. Trying to think of a typical 5-ish hour time period with someone who doesn't know the city.

[thegrid]

Christkindlmarket @ Washington/Dearborn

Google it.

[marothisu]

Millennium Park is not inhospitable in December. Do you even do half of the **** you give advice for? I had friends in from NYC in January and we went to Millennium Park. It was absolutely full of people even though it was 30 out and not very warm. I work in the Loop, and everyday going home from work I am near Millennium Park. There's always people there no matter what time of year it is. This isn't one of those things that once it gets cold, everyone stops visiting it. The place is a big tourist draw.

I stand by my Lou's recommendation. It doesn't matter how it became known. ALL of those brands were "local" at one point in time that became famous. Stop bringing up a moot point. It would be like claiming that at one point Apple was kind of an "indie" brand and that somehow takes away from their success today or makes it any different. They're still considered "tourist pizza" and Lou's IMO is the best of the big ones (out of Giordano's, Uno's, Gino's, etc). I don't need a whole paragraph on this again.