Things to do in Chicago

[cliftonite]

GF & I are going to Chicago for 4 days and wanted some recommendations on things to do. We have been there a few years ago and did the sears tower/michigan mile/touristy things downtown. Are there nature things to do? Like hiking trails?

 

[Krazy4Real]

Pics of gf?

 

[spacelord]

Natural History Museum and Museum of Science and Industry if you like museums.
Shedd Aquarium..

There may be sidewalks along much of the lakeshore.

There are dunes in Indiana.. an hour or more away along the South shore of Lake Michigan.

 

[mistercrabby]

Do a Segue tour downtown. Really fun!
Take an architecture cruise on the river. A great way to see chicago from a different perspective, learn a lot about the city and see how many signature buildings are built.
There are fast boats that do lake cruises for an hour or two.
You can visit the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum and Adler planetarium are located together near Soldier Field on the souther edge of downtowm. Passes for one or all.
Navy Pier is always fun to visit even if you've been there before.
Botanical Gardens
Night basball game at Wriggley field with dinner before and drinks after is a riot!
Walk the parks- Millenium is cool. Grant park has a lot of walkiing.
That's what i can think off the top. Have fun!!

 

[Mixolydian]

im here...

 

[Sheep]

Of the various architecture tours, the best one I've done is the Chicago architectural foundation one. Also the Hancock observatory, while not being as tall as the Sears Tower, has a much more impressive view IMO.

If you're looking for something off the beaten path, try the Wicker Park food tour. It's a great tour of the neighborhood with a lot of information on the history of the area with stops at maybe a half dozen local restaurants all of which have awesome food samples.

 

[Doppel]

Shoot somebody, that's what most people In Chicago do in the summer.

 

[boochi]

Shoot somebody, that's what most people In Chicago do in the summer.

+1

 

[debian0001]

Eat Pequod's Pizza.

 

[TechBoyJK]

garretts popcorn

 

[cliftonite]

How bad is the traffic from Ohare into & out of the city? Ohare seems to be the closest area where they have free parking.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

^ maps.google.com walking directions

 

[glenn1]

Shedd Aquarium is good but not up to the level of Monterey Aquarium or National Aquarium in Baltimore.

OP, depending on when you're visiting you should definitely hit Fiesta Boricua

 

[cubby1223]

Eat Pequod's Pizza.

It's usually Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, or Uno's. But if one goes the less franchisey-route, I would highly recommend Piece Brewery & Pizzeria (though Pequod's is good too).


Everyone goes to see Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain. Is the giant eyeball still up somewhere in the city?

 

[mistercrabby]

Shoot somebody, that's what most people In Chicago do in the summer.

+2

 

[cubby1223]

Wildberry is a very good breakfast place just north of Grant Park.

Play some whirlyball.

Visit the original Playboy Mansion.

I don't know, I travel elsewhere to go on vacation

 

[Orsorum]

Second the popcorn suggestion.

 

[brianmanahan]

do what i did:

1. eat at the restaurant at the top of the sears tower. decent food, little overpriced.
2. get a terrible stomach ache from the food
3. walk around chicago for the rest of the afternoon getting sicker and sicker, admiring the freezing temperatures compounded by 30 mph winds
4. go to little china at supper time and kneel over a dingy chinese restaurant toilet for 30 minutes, so close to throwing up yet unable to pull the trigger
5. finally decide to go back to your hotel
6. enter the subway station and climatically blow chucks in a chicago subway gutter like a drunk hobo
7. get on the train, immediately witness a thug steal a girls backpack containing her macbook right off her shoulder, escape the train and run away down the tracks
8. get back to your hotel and vow to never visit chicago again

 

[rsutoratosu]

zoo is good.. twin anchor bar has good ribs.. try the weber bbq place

 

[TallBill]

do what i did:

1. eat at the restaurant at the top of the sears tower. decent food, little overpriced.
2. get a terrible stomach ache from the food
3. walk around chicago for the rest of the afternoon getting sicker and sicker, admiring the freezing temperatures compounded by 30 mph winds
4. go to little china at supper time and kneel over a dingy chinese restaurant toilet for 30 minutes, so close to throwing up yet unable to pull the trigger
5. finally decide to go back to your hotel
6. enter the subway station and climatically blow chucks in a chicago subway gutter like a drunk hobo
7. get on the train, immediately witness a thug steal a girls backpack containing her macbook right off her shoulder, escape the train and run away down the tracks
8. get back to your hotel and vow to never visit chicago again

trololololol dont do that

 

[brianmanahan]

trololololol dont do that

well on the plus side, it was extremely memorable

 

[Angry Irishman]

I always think of this for something to do in CHicago.....Go to the museum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbkRmGUGSEU

 

[Sinsear]

Careful not to get shot

 

[randomrogue]

Spend 1 of your days at the bean just making funny faces. Maybe 2 days if you need it. If you get lucky and it's really windy then there's a lot of fun to be had walking along the waterfront with an umbrella. On day 4 you can enjoy the food and museums.

 

[Midwayman]

When are you going? Taste of Chicago is on soon. Also nature around Chicago? Not so much. If you want to drive, starved rock about 1.5hrs south of the city is okay. Kettle moraine park across the border in wisconsin is another okay area.