I’ve just returned from my third visit to Chicago, and have finally dug in and gotten to know a bit more of the city, so I thought I would update my previous spotlight! SO, in case you’re looking to go visit the Windy City, here are a few tips & ideas:
- Where to Stay: If you weren’t aware, Chicago is mostly stretched north/south along the west coast of Lake Michigan, with the Chicago river basically cutting the city in half. The river sort of encircles the central part of downtown, otherwise known as “The Loop”, and then you’re either North, South, or West of that loop. The Loop is mostly businesses, but there are lots of hotels located here, as it is central. The area just north is where you’ll find the Magnificent Mile and also the Navy Pier, which is right on the lake. The area just south of the loop is where you’ll find Millennium Park and all of it’s museums, but in general the hotels down on this side are a bit older (and larger- think convention hotels). I’ve now stayed in River North (check out my review of The James!) and at the historic Palmer House Hilton, just south of the loop. I did really enjoy the big old historic hotel with it’s magnificent lobby, since it was located super close to the park and museums, but it really is an older-style hotel, and not nearly as fancy as some of the options in River North.
- Where to eat: This is such a difficult one to be concise on, as Chicago is SUCH a food heaven. There are obviously strong opinions on where to find the best “deep dish pizza” (like “Gino’s” perhaps?), and then there are Michelin-starred chef’s eateries sprinkled all over (like the world-famous “Alinea”, and that doesn’t even include the trendy-fave from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izzard – “The Girl & the Goat”!). I mean – ask any local “where to go” and you’ll get massive LISTS of restaurants to try, so all I can do is tell you where I’ve personally eaten & enjoyed: “Ada Street” which was uniformly delicious – across all sorts of small plates- and certainly an experience as it’s off in the more industrial warehouse district of the West Loop and hardly looks open. The West Loop is home to all of Izzard’s Goat-themed options, as well as an AMAZING spot for designer cocktails & tiny bites- “The Aviary” (they do have a super-secret restaurant option as well that is well worth checking out). “The Purple Pig” was a delicious & bustling spot directly off the Magnificent Mile, yet avoided feeling touristy at all. Down near Millennium Park, I only got a peek at the cool roof-top “Cindy’s” in the trendy Chicago Athletic Association hotel, but I did eat at neighboring gastropub called “The Gage” and had a simply fabulous meal. So, for what it’s worth, that’s a scratch at the surface of amazing dining available in Chicago!
- What to do: I’ve already mentioned some things you’ll want to see in Chicago but there’s so much more. Navy Pier is really touristy and for kids, Chicago’s answer to SF’s Pier 49 for example. Magnificent Mile is for the shoppers, and Millennium Park is where you’ll find the “bean” (the silver bean-shaped sculpture that everyone takes selfies at) along with other modern art installations, the Gehry designed Pritzker Pavillion (an outdoor concert hall), and many amazing museums (like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum, to name just two). But honestly, Chicago is about it’s architecture – from Frank Lloyd Wright all the way up to the aforementioned Frank Gehry. The cruise along the river is a must (and apparently the Architectural Foundation has the best guides, fyi), and if you have a little extra time, head out to Oak Park to see FLW’s house & some of his earlier works, or perhaps even just his Robie house just north of downtown (see here for options). I will note that, again, if you want a walking tour of Oak Park – check for guides with the Architectural Foundation – the audio guide from the FLW Trust was super basic. All of the above of course doesn’t even mention evening options like comedy at the famous Second City, or perhaps a show at the Civic Opera house, the 2nd largest opera house in the US. Hamilton tickets are a bit easier to find there than on Broadway!!! If art & culture aren’t your jam, no worries! Hit Lake Shore Drive for a gorgeous walk/run/bike ride, check out the (free!) Lincoln Park Zoo, or head up to Wrigley to catch the Cubs. There’s just SO much to do – again, I’ve only just begun.