Life Going to Chicago. What do I need to do? Avoid? - Page 5

**BigRedChief** · 10:07 AM

Going to Chicago for a little 4 day vacation(Thrusday - Sunday) on spring break. Going to the Bulls vs. Cleveland NBA game and see Lebron, Derrick Rose, Shaq etc on Friday night. What is the can't miss "stuff" in Chicago? Avoid? opinions welcome...

Staying downtown at the Allerton hotel.

Any Planeteers want to get together?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
03/22/2010 edit to pay it forward for future chicago visitors:
Transportation:
Definitely take the trains and bus’s if you are planning to spend a lot of time downtown. We saved a fortune in cabs. Get the CTA pass and you can get on how ever many buses, trains, transfers etc that you want for how many days you purchase. http://faremedia.chicago-card.com/store/main.aspx?DepartmentId=34 Check the schedule and plan your route out:
http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/maps/default.aspx http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/populardestinations.aspx

We arrived at 8:00 at the O’Hara airport and not taking the train would have been a disaster. They highways are parking lots that time of the day. We flew out of Midway on the way out and took a cab out there to the airport.
We really enjoyed riding the bus’s and talking to the locals. They gave us great tips on where to eat etc.

You don’t need a car. If you are driving, there is no where to park and where there is parking is very expensive and driving downtown is dangerous trying to navigate all those cabs and buses? Not for the weak of heart.

Attractions:
Get the Go Chicago card: Saved us a ton of money on admission fees but more importantly we avoided the lines at the attractions to get tickets. It was snowing and the line to get into the Field museum was over an hour and a half to just get tickets to get into the museum. The lines to get tickets are long. Get your tickets in advance.
http://www.smartdestinations.com/chicago-attractions-and-tours/_d_Chi-p1.html?pass=Chi_Prod_Go

Sears Tower: Was cool but if you have to wait an hour or two? Question the value. The ledge is really cool. Nothing between you and the street 103 stories up but some Plexiglas. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

John Hancock observatory: We actually liked it better than the Sears tower because of the better ocean and beach views. They have something cool there, a skywalk 93 stories up that you can walk along that is exposed to the wind, temperatures etc 93 floors up. Just some mesh screen between you and the sky.

Science and Industry museum: We all felt that this was the best of all the museums. You have to see the U-Boat. It’s another one of those you can only experience in Chicago things.

Millennium Park: The silver bean was really cool. Seems like a real simple thing but once you get there and see it up close you understand the draw the bean has for people. Make sure you go underneath the bean and check it out. Looks like a wonderful place to watch a concert.

Shedd Aquarium: We were disappointed in this one. Maybe we are just spoiled but we thought the Aquarium in Omaha was much better.

The Field museum: Another disappointment. Sue the T-Rex was really cool but the rest of the museum left us flat. Seemed really educational for kids but for us adults we would like to have seen more exhibits than some pottery.

Chicago Bulls game: We decided to take the bus out there. Straight shot to and from downtown. Not really a bad seat in the house. The mascot seems to be pretty athletic and entertaining. Highly recommend getting one of the monster dogs.

Navy Pier: We went there and it was cold. Looks like a great place to visit in the warm weather.

Second City: We saw “Rush Limbaugh, the musical”. Barney Frank, Hillary, Dancing Ronald Reagan’s…Very funny stuff. Had a bit in there when Rush with the Royals and George Brett on a toilet with hemorrhoids. Highly recommend checking out a show there.

The Art Institute: A wonderful place to see art. So many Picasso’s, Monet’s and Van Gough’s you can’t really appreciate them fully like if some were here in KC just because of the sheer volume of masterpieces in one place. Very impressive collection. We also enjoyed seeing the American Gothic and some American art.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/

Eats:
Ginos East: Great pizza. Love the crust. We went to the one on Shapiro and it has all the walls filled with customer graffiti. Not living off its past reputation. My son thought it was the best pizza ever.

Giordanos: on Shapiro, Excellent deep dish pizza here also. Better than anything you can get in KC. Try sprinkling a little Italian herb seasoning on the pizza here.
http://www.giordanos.com/locations.html

West Egg: Breakfast by the doubletree. Reasonable prices and great food. Everything we had was good.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-egg-cafe-chicago-2

Yokes: Breakfast on Lake Shore drive. Best crepes we have ever had. Very good food.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/yolk-chicago-2

Quaritinos: Best meal in Chicago. Very trendy and hip place but don’t let that push you away. You order 5-6 things and share them. Ravioli, Brusheta and the Bananas foster desert were our favorites but everything we had was real flavorful and well prepared. http://www.quartinochicago.com/

Lodging:
We stayed at the Allerton hotel downtown. I would highly recommend if you are coming to Chicago and you are going to do these things listed above to stay downtown. This was a great hotel. If you can’t afford the downtown rates just take the train into the city and go from there.

FAX · 01-31-2010, 02:42 PM

Avoid the guy named Jerry who hangs out at the 1300 block of Michigan Avenue wearing a trench coat, black socks, and no pants.

FAX

**DeezNutz** · 01-31-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Yeah, you have missed some pretty good Chiefs private info

Hey!

**Rain Man** · 01-31-2010, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FAX

Avoid the guy named Jerry who hangs out at the 1300 block of Michigan Avenue wearing a trench coat, black socks, and no pants.

FAX

What's wrong with Jerry? I like Jerry. He's the type of guy who would give you the pants off his back if you needed it.

BIG_DADDY · 01-31-2010, 02:52 PM

Just pack your mad collection of "Obama, change we can believe in" t-shirts and you will fit right in over there.

Frankie · 01-31-2010, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What's wrong with Jerry? I like Jerry. He's the type of guy who would give you the pants off his back if you needed it.

According to Mr. FAX that ship has already sailed.

NCarlsCorner2 · 01-31-2010, 03:54 PM

I saw the Bridge Of Brigadoon play at the Drury Lane, I would recommend going there if your into dinner and a play.

ILChief · 01-31-2010, 04:05 PM

get a Chicago style hot dog from Portillo's

**HemiEd** · 01-31-2010, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILChief

get a Chicago style hot dog from Portillo's

They suck compared to the "Combo."

Italian Beef and Italian Sausage

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 01-31-2010, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicy McHaggis

If you're driving, keep in mind that Daley sold the parking meters to an independent company that decided placing only one pay station per city block was a good idea. Also as a result, a lot of the places I used to be able to park overnight at I can no longer do so since they require being fed every two hours or so.

A plus is that you can basically get anywhere you really need to go via the "L", Metra, bus or cab.

I echo the calls for an Art Institute visit. The Field Museum is great if you haven't been before too. Gino's or Due's is good for pizza. If you want a steak/seafood I might hit Hugo's Frog Bar although it is a bit more $$$.

Yes. HUGO'S rocks.

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 01-31-2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevB

BRC, the wife and I going to Chicago for a quick weekend getaway this coming weekend. Never been before....we're staying downtown at Four Points Sheraton, a block off Michigan Ave.

I think we've planned to go to the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute, and a museum or two. If the weather permits, we'll do the Navy Pier. My wife isn't terrible excited about going up in the Sears Tower, but she feels somewhat obligated. We're going to the Bulls/Heat game on Saturday night, so I'm looking forward to that.

Don't waste your time on Navy Pier. Marginal in the warmer months, it would be worthless now. Shedd Aquarium I've heard is also iffy.

**Easy 6** · 01-31-2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Hey!

YEAH!

Frazod · 01-31-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Yeah, you have missed some pretty good Chiefs private info

You could have added me before, you know.....

**HemiEd** · 01-31-2010, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

You could have added me before, you know.....

Well?

**BigRedChief** · 01-31-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

You could have added me before, you know.....

It said you don't accept private messages.

**petegz28** · 01-31-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Thanks for the tips. Going to have the wife and son with me so safety is a top priorty.

I'd ask the hotel concierge what is the best way to get to the United Center. I was always told to take a cab.

01-31-2010, 11:04 AM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3259627 VARSITY	Going to Chicago. What do I need to do? Avoid? Going to Chicago for a little 4 day vacation(Thrusday - Sunday) on spring break. Going to the Bulls vs. Cleveland NBA game and see Lebron, Derrick Rose, Shaq etc on Friday night. What is the can't miss "stuff" in Chicago? Avoid? opinions welcome... Staying downtown at the Allerton hotel. Any Planeteers want to get together? -------------------------------------------------------------------- 03/22/2010 edit to pay it forward for future chicago visitors: Transportation: Definitely take the trains and bus’s if you are planning to spend a lot of time downtown. We saved a fortune in cabs. Get the CTA pass and you can get on how ever many buses, trains, transfers etc that you want for how many days you purchase. http://faremedia.chicago-card.com/store/main.aspx?DepartmentId=34 Check the schedule and plan your route out: http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/maps/default.aspx http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/populardestinations.aspx We arrived at 8:00 at the O’Hara airport and not taking the train would have been a disaster. They highways are parking lots that time of the day. We flew out of Midway on the way out and took a cab out there to the airport. We really enjoyed riding the bus’s and talking to the locals. They gave us great tips on where to eat etc. You don’t need a car. If you are driving, there is no where to park and where there is parking is very expensive and driving downtown is dangerous trying to navigate all those cabs and buses? Not for the weak of heart. Attractions: Get the Go Chicago card: Saved us a ton of money on admission fees but more importantly we avoided the lines at the attractions to get tickets. It was snowing and the line to get into the Field museum was over an hour and a half to just get tickets to get into the museum. The lines to get tickets are long. Get your tickets in advance. http://www.smartdestinations.com/chicago-attractions-and-tours/_d_Chi-p1.html?pass=Chi_Prod_Go Sears Tower: Was cool but if you have to wait an hour or two? Question the value. The ledge is really cool. Nothing between you and the street 103 stories up but some Plexiglas. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world. John Hancock observatory: We actually liked it better than the Sears tower because of the better ocean and beach views. They have something cool there, a skywalk 93 stories up that you can walk along that is exposed to the wind, temperatures etc 93 floors up. Just some mesh screen between you and the sky. Science and Industry museum: We all felt that this was the best of all the museums. You have to see the U-Boat. It’s another one of those you can only experience in Chicago things. Millennium Park: The silver bean was really cool. Seems like a real simple thing but once you get there and see it up close you understand the draw the bean has for people. Make sure you go underneath the bean and check it out. Looks like a wonderful place to watch a concert. Shedd Aquarium: We were disappointed in this one. Maybe we are just spoiled but we thought the Aquarium in Omaha was much better. The Field museum: Another disappointment. Sue the T-Rex was really cool but the rest of the museum left us flat. Seemed really educational for kids but for us adults we would like to have seen more exhibits than some pottery. Chicago Bulls game: We decided to take the bus out there. Straight shot to and from downtown. Not really a bad seat in the house. The mascot seems to be pretty athletic and entertaining. Highly recommend getting one of the monster dogs. Navy Pier: We went there and it was cold. Looks like a great place to visit in the warm weather. Second City: We saw “Rush Limbaugh, the musical”. Barney Frank, Hillary, Dancing Ronald Reagan’s…Very funny stuff. Had a bit in there when Rush with the Royals and George Brett on a toilet with hemorrhoids. Highly recommend checking out a show there. The Art Institute: A wonderful place to see art. So many Picasso’s, Monet’s and Van Gough’s you can’t really appreciate them fully like if some were here in KC just because of the sheer volume of masterpieces in one place. Very impressive collection. We also enjoyed seeing the American Gothic and some American art. http://www.artic.edu/aic/ Eats: Ginos East: Great pizza. Love the crust. We went to the one on Shapiro and it has all the walls filled with customer graffiti. Not living off its past reputation. My son thought it was the best pizza ever. Giordanos: on Shapiro, Excellent deep dish pizza here also. Better than anything you can get in KC. Try sprinkling a little Italian herb seasoning on the pizza here. http://www.giordanos.com/locations.html West Egg: Breakfast by the doubletree. Reasonable prices and great food. Everything we had was good. http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-egg-cafe-chicago-2 Yokes: Breakfast on Lake Shore drive. Best crepes we have ever had. Very good food. http://www.yelp.com/biz/yolk-chicago-2 Quaritinos: Best meal in Chicago. Very trendy and hip place but don’t let that push you away. You order 5-6 things and share them. Ravioli, Brusheta and the Bananas foster desert were our favorites but everything we had was real flavorful and well prepared. http://www.quartinochicago.com/ Lodging: We stayed at the Allerton hotel downtown. I would highly recommend if you are coming to Chicago and you are going to do these things listed above to stay downtown. This was a great hotel. If you can’t afford the downtown rates just take the train into the city and go from there. Last edited by BigRedChief; 03-22-2010 at 10:07 AM..
Posts: 78,918

01-31-2010, 02:42 PM	#61
FAX testing ... 1, 2, 3 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tennessee Casino cash: $6753759	Avoid the guy named Jerry who hangs out at the 1300 block of Michigan Avenue wearing a trench coat, black socks, and no pants. FAX
Posts: 44,492

01-31-2010, 02:52 PM	#64
BIG_DADDY THE RED MENACE Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Texas Casino cash: $5178410	Just pack your mad collection of "Obama, change we can believe in" t-shirts and you will fit right in over there. __________________ The diabolical genius of Marxism-Socialism is that it provides the emotional and intellectual road map for autocrats to persuade millions of people to support their own enslavement to government. ~Mark Levin April 15, 2019
Posts: 32,382

01-31-2010, 03:54 PM	#66
NCarlsCorner2 Starter Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Liberty,Mo Casino cash: $10004900	I saw the Bridge Of Brigadoon play at the Drury Lane, I would recommend going there if your into dinner and a play.
Posts: 405

01-31-2010, 04:05 PM	#67
ILChief MVP Join Date: Jan 2001 Casino cash: $7924831	get a Chicago style hot dog from Portillo's
Posts: 11,476

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