Things to do in Chicago

[cliftonite]

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

Lol, vacay for me conf for her.

 

[PowerYoga]

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.

Don't go to taste of chicago, it's a stupid tourist trap that serves junky ass food for way over priced tickets.

1) walk around millenium park
2) Do the Chicago Architecture Foundation boat tour
3) The summer's nice: you can walk along lake shore in a trail on lake michigan or bike along it. I can't recommend the beaches though.
4) Sears or Hancock tower. Hancock is much smaller and less impressive but the view's still great.
5) Shedd aquarium is nice, so's the field museum.
6) You can kayak the river, there's a bunch of places that do it.

From Ohare to Downtown its about 45 minutes on the blue line. Do not recommend parking there and taking the blue line in, the commute sucks. Park in one of the neighborhoods, some places in lincoln park or lakeview should have some decent priced parking, or even west loop, then take the bus or subway into the downtown areas.

For Pizza I like Lou Malnatis. You should hit up a few restaurants while you're there too, I recommend girl and the goat in the west loop, or maude's liquor bar (also in the west loop area) if you want drinks.

 

[Midwayman]

Don't go to taste of chicago, it's a stupid tourist trap that serves junky ass food for way over priced tickets.

I wouldn't do it as a local either, but as a tourist it can be okay. Particularly if you go while there is music. But yes on overpriced.

 

[zinfamous]

1: perform ATOT search for "things to do in Chicago"
2: take advice from the approximately 238 threads created on this very topic.

 

[zinfamous]

Careful not to get shot

I highly doubt OP is going to be visiting the isolated neighborhoods south of ~70th street.

 

[alkemyst]

If you are really going to Chicago as opposed to Illinois, then not much hiking but rather nice walking options in the city. It's one of the largest cities in the country so whatever you two like to do, you can find an option there.

 

[Robert Munch]

1: perform ATOT search for "things to do in Chicago"
2: take advice from the approximately 238 threads created on this very topic.

I'm from Chicago and at times, have difficulty finding stuff to do or for out of towners. :S

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Lincoln Park Zoo
Hancock or Sears Tower
Catch a game at Wrigley (sit in the bleachers)
Hit Uno, Lou's or Giordano's for some pizza
Maybe hit The Taste (you and 200,000 of your closest friends having an overpriced picnic)
See who's playing at the smaller music venues (Metro, Park West, Avalon, Riviera, Legends, Kingston Mines, BLUES Chicago)
Walk the lakefront, (literally miles and miles of walking/jogging/bike paths)
Navy Pier
Field Museum
Shedd Aquarium
Art Institute

I could spend a week in Chicago and not do the same thing twice.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

im here...

lol Barrington Chicago? Two different planets. Tell Franz Mauser I said hello.

 

[preslove]

Rent a bike for the day. There's a trail separated from traffic all along the lake.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

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?

Ravinia up in Highland Park. Bring a picknick and enjoy great music outside in a gorgeous garden/park. You can bring alcohol too. Most bring wine, a picknick basket, a blanket or two, and maybe some fold up chairs, though all can be had in the park for those not wanting to fuss. Super romantic, I suggest surprising her with this. If you go, do bring Deep Woods Off!

The Chicago Botanic Gardens are also up that way in Northbrook. Great place to spend the day inside and out. just gorgeous!

 

[Brainonska511]

Museum of Science and Industry

If you do this, be sure to check out the park behind the MSI. It's actually the original from the 1892 Chicago World's Fair, designed by the same person who designed Central Park (Olmsted). I lived across the street from that building for a year and didn't discover that tidbit till after I left Chicago for good. Kind of kicking myself for never checking it out (I knew there was a garden, but didn't know the historical value).

Goose Island Brewery Pub was kind of fun up in the Lincoln Park area. Lincoln Park zoo is okay. Biking on the lakefront is good. Catch a baseball game. Museums (MSI, Art Institute of Chicago), shopping, Millenium Park, etc... lots of good restaurants.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

trololololol dont do that

Doesn't even know what tall building he ate in. I have to assume it was the Signature Room (the 95th) on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building.

 

[bguile]

You could try chicago botanic gardens maybe. Yea and taste of chicago. And catch some baseball.

 

[momeNt]

I highly doubt OP is going to be visiting the isolated neighborhoods south of ~70th street.

The only real good food you'll find in Chicago is some decent Mexican food from Neuvo Leon in Pilsen. Don't do any chain pizza, even Pequods. The only good pizza you'll find is out in the suburbs, the mafia and all their pizza moved out to near west suburbs once RICO laws came into effect. Try Bertolli's in River Forest, cash only, you can reach it pretty easily off the Blue line forest park exit.

 

[momeNt]

You could try chicago botanic gardens maybe. Yea and taste of chicago. And catch some baseball.

Yea don't watch any baseball unless it's to see the visiting team.

Skip taste of Chicago as well, the lack of deodorant is really offputting when you are trying to eat overpriced, and improperly cooked food.

 

[Brainonska511]

Yea don't watch any baseball unless it's to see the visiting team.

Skip taste of Chicago as well, the lack of deodorant is really offputting when you are trying to eat overpriced, and improperly cooked food.

I went to the Taste of Chicago once and it was mediocre. Extremely crowded and meh food. The time would have been better spent doing something else for the day (but I lived there at the time, so the loss of a day wasn't a big deal).

 

[K1052]

I went to the Taste of Chicago once and it was mediocre. Extremely crowded and meh food. The time would have been better spent doing something else for the day (but I lived there at the time, so the loss of a day wasn't a big deal).

The Taste has been a rip off for tourists and people from the burbs that don't know better. It actually might semi decent this year since they are having food trucks in for the first time which will greatly expand the quality and variety of the offerings.

 

[Vdubchaos]

When I went to Chicago, it felt like NY....the only difference was that there was WAY less people and it was 10x cleaner than the shithole NY.

Nice city. Def do the cruise!

 

[Brainonska511]

When I went to Chicago, it felt like NY....the only difference was that there was WAY less people and it was 10x cleaner than the shithole NY.

Nice city. Def do the cruise!

Yeah... fuck you too.

 

[unokitty]

What to do in Chicago?

 

[tboo]

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

LOL, so true.

 

[Rudee]

This has only been asked, and answered a few hundred times here. Chicago.. NYC as well.

 

[Imported]

Going there in October for a wedding so reading the stuff here is good. I've been a couple times already but we never really go to the museums and tours and such, but I'd like to this time. Already made reservations for Girl and the Goat and contemplating one for Alinea but not sure if I'll have time.

 

[OGOC]

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

Impossible since Chicago is very anti-gun and even has an assault weapons ban. So there should be zero shootings there.

When I went to Chicago, it felt like NY....the only difference was that there was WAY less people and it was 10x cleaner than the shithole NY.

Low standards are involved when Chicago is considered a nice place.