Visiting Chicago

[GoingMyWay]

My wife is going to Chicago for CPE (Continuing Professional Education) next month and I'm going to tag along.

Are there any must see attractions or places to eat?  I'm really not a fan of deep dish pizza.  I'm most interested in getting a Chicago Style Hot Dog.  I was planning on going to Superdawg unless there's a better place.

Thanks!

 

[Green Mojo]

If you are downtown, Eataly Market is pretty cool.

 

[GoingMyWay]

We're going to be near what I guess is referred to as the Near East Side?  I've heard of Eately Market before, I didn't know there was one in Chicago.  Thanks for that suggestion!  It's only about half a mile from where we're staying.

 

[rvieceli]

The Art Institute has a great collection.  The Field Museum is good. The Shedd Aquarium is nearby. A ballgame at Wrigley is quite the experience.

If you’re an early SNL FAN (Ackroyd and Belushi) the Billy Goat is on lower Wacker in that area.

Chicago deep dish is really unique and very different from the stuff masquerading as it outside Chicago.

 

[Cheese]

Chicago is my fav when you need a short time out. Its dog friendly and that’s really important. So many things to do and experience. If you’re a camera guy carry it with you every day, unlimited photo ops.
As Ron mentioned, get a room close to the lake so that everything is within walking distance.

There are so many things to partake in.  Sweet, being the foodie that you are, you’ll absolutely enjoy the experience.

 

[Cheese]

OMG...I forgot the blues factor. These joints are pumping out blues 24/7. Just take a walk and enter whatever establishment you want and you’ll be mesmerized with the local musicians.  Great local talent.

Sweet...

 

[tjbnwi]

Stop at the Palmer House and have a brownie, it is the birthplace of the brownie.

Gold Coast Dogs on Wabash. I’d send you to Fat Johnies for a Mother in Law, but it’s to far to travel on this trip.

Al’s Italian beef on Adams. Al’s is the birthplace of the Italian beef sandwich. 

Tour the Drieshause Manson.

See the moon rock at the Tribune Tower, look at all the stones of the world while you’re at the Tribune Tower. Turn around, face West, see the Wrigley Building.

See the water tower on the Mag Mile.

Wonder over to 100 West Monroe, look at the door, realize—-it’s there for the cow path...

Dinner with the wife, the Walnut Room at Marshall Fields State St. because it’s the Walnut Room.

After dinner stroll down the river walk, taking in the various “rooms”.

If you need more ideas let me know...

Tom

 

[wakyct]

Too bad it looks like the Hot Doug's that used to be on California is closed, but it seems like they're still doing hot dogs somewhere in Chicago? They had killer food.

 

[tjbnwi]

Too bad it looks like the Hot Doug's that used to be on California is closed, but it seems like they're still doing hot dogs somewhere in Chicago? They had killer food.

Doug decided he wanted to do something else with his life.

Tom

 

[rvieceli]

If you're a Rick Bayless Mexican fan. Two of his operations are on Clark. The flagship Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/frontera-grill/
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/topolobampo/

As I recall there are also a few blues bars on Clark as well. Blue Chicago being one.
http://www.bluechicago.com/

Spiaggia is an excellent although expensive Italian place on upper Michigan. Cafe Spiaggia next door is more casual and more reasonable but uses the same kitchen.
http://www.spiaggiarestaurant.com/

Ron

 

[BarneyD]

The narrated architectural cruise is pretty sweet.  Catch the boat at Michigan Ave. and the river.

Millenium Park.

Navy Pier (if you like a bunch of tourists).

The Museum of Science and Industry is awesome ( but a bit of a ride from downtown).

 

[tjbnwi]

If you really want to do blues, head south on Wabash to Buddy Guy’s Legends.

Tom

 

[Cochese]

Grab a pie from Lou Malnati's and have your outlook changed. Key Lime Pie from the Walnut Room.

There's quite a bit of woodworking on display at the Art Institute, including a couple Morris, Stickley, and G&G styles. Some really ornate stuff from long ago too.

Wife isn't doing anything with AHIMA, is she?

 

[GoingMyWay]

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

The Art Institute has a great collection.  The Field Museum is good. The Shedd Aquarium is nearby. A ballgame at Wrigley is quite the experience.

If youre an early SNL FAN (Ackroyd and Belushi) the Billy Goat is on lower Wacker in that area.

Chicago deep dish is really unique and very different from the stuff masquerading as it outside Chicago.

The Museum and Aquarium sounds like fun!  I noticed that the Planetarium is also close by, is it worth checking out?  I'm not really a sport's fan, but Wrigley Field is really well known so that might be a worthwhile experience.

I never was an SNL fan and I don't think I've ever seen any of the early skits.

I guess Pizzeria Uno's isn't really Chicago deep dish.

Chicago is my fav when you need a short time out. It’s dog friendly and that’s really important. So many things to do and experience. If you’re a camera guy carry it with you every day, unlimited photo ops.
As Ron mentioned, get a room close to the lake so that everything is within walking distance.

There are so many things to partake in.  Sweet, being the foodie that you are, you’ll absolutely enjoy the experience.

I own a DSLR, but I've never traveled with it because of its size and weight.  I do have a GoPro Hero 5 that I used to film our trip to Singapore and Bali.  I was thinking out taking the GoPro to film this trip.

The food is definitely what we look forward to the most about a trip!

OMG...I forgot the blues factor. These joints are pumping out blues 24/7. Just take a walk and enter whatever establishment you want and you’ll be mesmerized with the local musicians.  Great local talent.

Sweet...

Unfortunately, I'm not really a blues fan.  I mostly like country music and also listen mostly to 90s, the 2000s, and PopRocks on SiriusXM.

Stop at the Palmer House and have a brownie, it is the birthplace of the brownie.

Gold Coast Dogs on Wabash. I’d send you to Fat Johnies for a Mother in Law, but it’s to far to travel on this trip.

Al’s Italian beef on Adams. Al’s is the birthplace of the Italian beef sandwich. 

Tour the Drieshause Manson.

See the moon rock at the Tribune Tower, look at all the stones of the world while you’re at the Tribune Tower. Turn around, face West, see the Wrigley Building.

See the water tower on the Mag Mile.

Wonder over to 100 West Monroe, look at the door, realize—-it’s there for the cow path...

Dinner with the wife, the Walnut Room at Marshall Fields State St. because it’s the Walnut Room.

After dinner stroll down the river walk, taking in the various “rooms”.

If you need more ideas let me know...

Tom

The birthplace of the brownie?!?!  We absolutely HAVE to go there then!  Same for the birthplace of the Italian beef sandwich.  We love to go to place where something originated.

Too bad it looks like the Hot Doug's that used to be on California is closed, but it seems like they're still doing hot dogs somewhere in Chicago? They had killer food.

Doug decided he wanted to do something else with his life.

Tom

I had seen Hot Doug's on several food programs.  It is too bad he decided to do something different.

If you're a Rick Bayless Mexican fan. Two of his operations are on Clark. The flagship Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/frontera-grill/
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/topolobampo/

As I recall there are also a few blues bars on Clark as well. Blue Chicago being one.
http://www.bluechicago.com/

Spiaggia is an excellent although expensive Italian place on upper Michigan. Cafe Spiaggia next door is more casual and more reasonable but uses the same kitchen.
http://www.spiaggiarestaurant.com/

Ron

I really liked watching the early episodes of Mexico: One Plate at a Time.  Frontera might be worth checking out.

The narrated architectural cruise is pretty sweet.  Catch the boat at Michigan Ave. and the river.

Millenium Park.

Navy Pier (if you like a bunch of tourists).

The Museum of Science and Industry is awesome ( but a bit of a ride from downtown).

An architectural cruise might be fun.  We did the little cruise on the Riverwalk on San Antonio.  I didn't really want to do it, but it turned out to be pretty interesting.

We'll blend right in with the rest of the tourists  .

Oh that is a bit of a ways away.  What's the best way getting around Chicago anyway?  I prefer to walk most places, but the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium is about 2 miles from our hotel, which is a pretty decent hike especially considering we'd need to walk back.

Grab a pie from Lou Malnati's and have your outlook changed. Key Lime Pie from the Walnut Room.

There's quite a bit of woodworking on display at the Art Institute, including a couple Morris, Stickley, and G&G styles. Some really ornate stuff from long ago too.

Wife isn't doing anything with AHIMA, is she?

Is that the best Deep Dish in Chicago?

Woodworking displays makes the Art Institute sound more appealing to me.  I also like that it's only about 1/2 a mile from the hotel.

Nope she is not.  She's an accountant.  I'm not sure exactly what courses she's taking.

 

[nclemmons]

If you go to the Art Institute, make sure you see the Thorne Rooms.  These are a set of 32 miniature rooms that were commissioned by a woman to be built by master craftsmen from 1932 to 1940.  Adobe rooms.  Shaker rooms.  Japanese rooms.  Colonial America rooms.  Really an amazing permanent exhibit on the lower level of the Art Institute. 

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/thorne

Definitely do the architecture tour and even the river walk on the lower level on the south side.  Gives you a very different view of Chicago.  There is both a river only and a river and lake tour.  I'd suggest the latter.  Gives you a great view of the city from the lake.  Takes about 90 minutes as I recall.  I was on it a couple of weeks ago and it never gets old.

Both Willis Tower (former Sears Tower) and 360 Chicago (former Hancock Tower) offer top-of-the-city lookouts if you are interested in a view of the lake and surrounding suburbs from 100 stories up.  360 Chicago has a bar/restaurant on top if you want to do lunch or dinner there.

The Museum of Science and Industry is also a great museum about 10 minute cab ride south of the city on Lakeshore Drive.  Much to see there from a coal mine to an amazing train layout and lots of other ways to spend time.

There is currently a very cool art project on display at the Merchandise Mart along the river.  The Mart is one of the largest office buildings in the country - I think 16 stories tall and two city blocks large.  The exhibit is called 'Canstruction' and is an exhibit on the first and second floors of using vegetable cans to create art.  - Free entry and they really have some cool examples of what you can do with stacking cans.  Dinosaurs, Rhinos.  Ducks.  Buildings.  Elevated Trains.  The exhibit is free and open to the public through September 9th 7 days a week.

The Mart is also the home of several design boutiques for furniture, cabinets and plumbing fixtures.  And the upper floors there are where a lot of the startup community gets going in an incubator on the 12th floor called 1871 - The year of the Chicago fire and the rebirth of the city. 

https://canstructionchicago.org is the site.

The exhibit brochure is here:  https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59127a8986e6c038de5757a9/t/5b7c2295f950b7433ce73392/1534861997976/2018+Canstruction+Chicago+Program-DL.pdf

Chicago is a great city.  Much to do and friendly people.  Great food.  Great theater and some of the best architecture in the world.

neil

 

[rvieceli]

For getting around, Lyft, Uber, taxis, busses run up and down Michigan Ave. the El for getting  to Wrigley

The Thorne rooms are a must see.

A great debate in the Windy City between Lou Malnati and Gino’s although Malnati’s usually gets the nod. Gino’s East is quite the experience though.

Ron

 

[tjbnwi]

Yes, The Palmer House is the birthplace of the brownie, it was Berta Palmers contribution to the Colombian Exposition.

Pizzeria Uno is the birthplace of Chicago deep dish pizza.

Once you get to the Museum Campus, take your pick...

While we’re dealing with birth[laces, take a ride on the Navy Pier Ferris wheel. Chicago is the birthplace of the Ferris wheel also.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

From a foodie to a foodie.... lose the go pro. They’re great for motorcycle shots, but, if you’re real about capturing real life situations, bring the Cannon and just take pictures. I’m a Nikon guy but a lens in the 16-85 range would work well for candid shots. I think it was Ron that suggested Rick Bayless...great suggestion. Great food,

 

[nclemmons]

West Loop has some great restaurants.  It’s West of the Loop across the Interstate.  Lots of gentrification happening with startups converting old meat markets and warehouses into office spaces and lofts, and a great nightlife and restaurant scene.  Google and McDonalds are driving the corporate expansion as well.

Au Chevalier burgers on Randolph - best in the  city.  Green Street Meats - excellent BBQ.  Stacy Izard is an amazing restauranteur.  Her ‘Girl and the Goat’ - amazing place for dinner.  Reservations needed several weeks in advance or show up at 4:45 for a bar table.  But the food is so good.  Or instead do Stacy’s ‘Little Goat’ diner across Randolph.  You haven’t lived till you’ve had Pork Belly pancakes.  Reservation suggested but easy to do on Open table.

 

[Cochese]

Is that the best Deep Dish in Chicago?

Woodworking displays makes the Art Institute sound more appealing to me.  I also like that it's only about 1/2 a mile from the hotel.

Nope she is not.  She's an accountant.  I'm not sure exactly what courses she's taking.

Not sure. We stayed with someone in Evanston and that was what we got. I thought we might go to Pequods, but Lou's was great.

If you are considering MSI, look at riding Metra down. It was only like $5 or so on the train, and it was very relaxing. Stop is only about three blocks west of the museum. Metra would also get you to Field a little easier, and the MSI stop would get you to Robie House.

Also another vote for the Thorne Rooms at AIC. Route 66's start is right across the street too, as you wait for it to open.