Chicago, Chicago, will it be my kind of town?..!!

melanzana

Hi all,

Giving myself an early retirement present of a trip to Chicago.

My sister was there three years ago and raved about it. She can't remember too much now though except the Golden Mile and a trip on the lake. Too much vino at the time I think!

Anyway, has anyone been, and if so, what would you recommend?

Very flexi budget, staying near the Mile, five days, and thank you!

callum9999

I didn't do anything particularly exciting and this suggestion is rather obvious, but walking Lake Michigan was nice. Millennium park hosts free concerts in the summer and is also worth a look (you can get great photos in the bean sculpture).

Backbiter

Fabulous city. Spent a few days there in August and I can highly recommend it. Mid-summer was lovely, with great beaches and a very pleasant water temperature. We did a river/ lake cruise, which was excellent, and we also did the Hancock Tower, which has the Tilt, and fantastic views. We rode on the L, went to Millennium Park and saw the 'bean', which is pretty impressive.
As it was the baseball season, we also went to Wrigley Field, which is a wonderful place to watch the sport, although the Cubs aren't up to much. We didn't manage to fit in a Blues club, but they're supposed to be worth a visit. The Pier is enormous with loads of shops and restaurants and other attractions, but it's nothing special.
I gather the museums are excellent but we didn't fit them in either.
It really has got a lot going for it, with some pretty stupendous buildings.

cubegame

On a recent road trip to Texas, we got chatting to a guy who came from Chicago.

We told him all the trips we'd done to the US and how we were running out of places to go.

On mentioning the idea of going to Chicago and the Great Lakes he said " Why on earth would you go to Chicago?".

I have been to the airport twice though and that isn't too nice.

VestanPance

Chicago is one of my favourite cities to visit.

The Golden Mile isn't particularly interesting unless you are a keen shopper. Although towards the end of it the Hancock Tower is well worth a visit and provides fantastic views of the city. On my last visit I stayed in an apartment just off the Golden Mile which was convenient for transport and had a lot of places to eat and drink surrounding it.

The Science Museum is absolutely second to none and is a must see. In fact Chicago has a very well respected art school and a lot of small, galleries, so if that is your thing you can quiet easily lose a day or two wandering these with the odd coffee stop in-between.

The city also provides some excellent restaurants. There are some high end eateries worth checking out, or even live like a local and try the local favourites such as hot dogs (the city is famous for these) and Italian beef sandwiches, which are impossible to eat non-messy but taste wonderful.

There are frequent boat trips on the river and lake, which can be fun. If you like sports or just the thought of a different day out then an afternoon or evening watching the Cubs play baseball at Wrigley Field or the Bears play American Football at Soldier Field is well worth a shot.

I'd avoid the pier to be honest. It's basically an over priced tourist trap. It's a fantastic city and one you should have a great time in.

melanzana

cubegame wrote: »

On a recent road trip to Texas, we got chatting to a guy who came from Chicago.

We told him all the trips we'd done to the US and how we were running out of places to go.

On mentioning the idea of going to Chicago and the Great Lakes he said " Why on earth would you go to Chicago?".

I have been to the airport twice though and that isn't too nice.

Airports aren't the nicest of places as a general rule!

martindow

You need to check the climate to decide when to go. According to Wkipedia autumn is the pleasantest time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Chicago

It's freezing in the winter and can be hot and humid in the summer.

Voyager2002

My memories of Chicago (in 1986):

The Science Museum was interesting, but about fifty years out of date!

Lots of places to hear really good live jazz.

By chance I met some really friendly and interesting local people.

richardw

It's a classic great American City and very likeable, but a bit too chilly in winter though.

callum9999

cubegame wrote: »

On a recent road trip to Texas, we got chatting to a guy who came from Chicago.

We told him all the trips we'd done to the US and how we were running out of places to go.

On mentioning the idea of going to Chicago and the Great Lakes he said " Why on earth would you go to Chicago?".

I have been to the airport twice though and that isn't too nice.

People often say that about their home town. Particularly when, like Chicago, there is no specific major draw.

Despite not having a stand-out attraction, it's a really nice city and I can't see how anyone wouldn't enjoy some time there.

melanzana

Thank you all for your advice and guidance.

I am not going until early May next year, even though I know the area I want to stay in!

So hoping the weather will be not too hot, not too cold.

Thanks again, plenty to do and see, sounds great!