BCB Tourist Guide to Chicago

Are you looking for music, art, culture? Are you looking for the best places to eat (if so, I reccomend you skip Giordano’s)? Are you looking for more baseball related things? Are you foucsed on history? Shopping?

Let me know what you’re looking for and I’ll be happy to help.

You can get awesome rates online… check out one of the suites… I got bumped up to the “Extreme” suite a few months ago and it was INCREDIBLE. Massive suite with conference table, plasma, 2 bathrooms, and a steller view in 3 directions… 35th floor or better for those, but even the regular rooms are awesome and you’re in the middle of everything with a spectacular view of the magnificent mile.

The Museum of Science and Industry is great. You can also go the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Field Museum, which are all in very close proximity to each other.

That should keep us busy one of the days. Can I take the L to most of these places, or what would be the recommended travel method?

Portillo’s is great. They have great hot dogs. Malnati’s is also very good but if your staying in the city, you’d have to go out to Lincolnwood, so I would suggest Due’s. If your going shopping, anything on Michigan Ave. I like going to the Watertower. They have a pretty bug Cubs store at the top. Shedd Aquarium is interesting.

Have a great time!

The Cultural Center is lovely and has a variety of exhibits always worth seeing, the tiffany dome is spectacular. Take a walk along the lake front, rent a Segway and take a tour that way, the architectural boat cruise is perfect on a hot summer day…

The Chop House on Ontario Street for fine dining and steak that melts in your mouth. Malnati’s is very good too. Wasn’t really thrilled with the Billy Goat Tavern, so you might try Harry Caray’s instead.

We wanted to check out the Board of Trade but it was closed to the public (that was in 2002). Don’t know if they’re letting tourists in again or not. Still it’s fun to just walk around with a camera and get photos of the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower and the “spaceship” inside Soldier Field.

Lincoln Park was nice to walk through. There’s a zoo, an arboretum, and of course the Trixies with their power strollers. We had a good time walking up and down Rush Street at night too.

Food: Pizza, we like Gino’s East, Due is very good as is Lou Malnati’s, I have to make our own pan pizza in CO Springs, actually it is not hard but it is hard to find good mozz cheese. Giordano’s is okay as well.

Staying hotel depends on the budget, location and doings. I like the Hilton Towers, across Grant Park, walk to Art Institute, can get to the EL or the subway take the Red line to Wrigley…easy cab to 1st Ward….other museums Natural History is good in Grant Park Science & History is far south but worth it. Modern Art is good as is the Broadcast musuem. We also stay at the Knickerbocker only because it was our honeymoon, very traditional near the Oak Street Beach. Maybe you can get a deal at the Fairmont or Four Seasons.

Night life is depending on who is playing that weekend…..we like jazz and good headliners, but my father in law played with Dorsey during WWII (he is still playing and knows all of the players), another item is try Ravina and take the train up to Highland Park.

It’s Home Run Inn - with many locations. My favorite is the one near Midway, on Archer - perhaps a mile or more west of the airport. I try to time my flights in & out so I can get there.

Can’t beat it!

nice and cheap little dive motel, you can take the bus to the ballpark.

with family July 28-Aug 3, I have researched, looked at the orginal post in 2007, so any ideas of food, fun and entertainment will be greatly appreciated.

Another good place to eat is Pete Miller’s, with 3 locations (Evanston, Schaumburg, Wheeling).