Visiting Chicago

[Platypus]

Here is what's showing at the museums right now:
http://www.msichicago.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Personally, I think the Museum of Science and Industry is much more interesting

You might want to get tickets ahead of time, I know that Tut for example at the Field Museum was selling out daily but that's sort of an exception.

 

[Uppsala9496]

For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

 

[BDawg]

Is the Museum of Contemporary Art the best art museum to see?

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

From what I've seen of the games this year, it seems like the 'better ball playing' is happening up north this year

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

From what I've seen of the games this year, it seems like the 'better ball playing' is happening up north this year

not really, cubs are in a terrible division, sox are in the best in baseball. Plus we won a world series before them so nothing else matters really

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: BDawg
Is the Museum of Contemporary Art the best art museum to see?

no...Art Institute of Chicago.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

From what I've seen of the games this year, it seems like the 'better ball playing' is happening up north this year

not really, cubs are in a terrible division, sox are in the best in baseball. Plus we won a world series before them so nothing else matters really

Oh and OP I did forget one thing. if you aren't from a baseball/sports town you are about to get slapped in the face with it. Please read the above for a very small sample

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

From what I've seen of the games this year, it seems like the 'better ball playing' is happening up north this year

not really, cubs are in a terrible division, sox are in the best in baseball. Plus we won a world series before them so nothing else matters really

I remember the night they won, I was in a bar. People looked up at the screens, shrugged, then went back to their drinks.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
For those of you ripping on Wrigley (I'm a diehard Sox fan), it really is not a bad stadium to visit if you are from out of town. The atmosphere there is very unique and something like that can't really be experienced anywhere else.
I prefer going to Sox games. I like the Cell better than Wrigley, but Wrigley does have a certain charm to it (idiot fans, more of a beer garden atmosphere than a ball game, etc.) that you should experience if you can.

i think i was the only one ripping . But yeah, if you wanna go to a large beer garden its fine, i just feel the actual baseball is better in the south

And since i edited my post above, i noticed all the "Gotham Police Dept." cars around here, its pretty cool

From what I've seen of the games this year, it seems like the 'better ball playing' is happening up north this year

not really, cubs are in a terrible division, sox are in the best in baseball. Plus we won a world series before them so nothing else matters really

I remember the night they won, I was in a bar. People looked up at the screens, shrugged, then went back to their drinks.

hah, yeah maybe at the billy goat or whatever the 100's of bars next to the stadium are called.

Oh and OP I did forget one thing. if you aren't from a baseball/sports town you are about to get slapped in the face with it. Please read the above for a very small sample

in chicago? no way

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: Platypus
Where are you staying/flying into?

We're getting our tickets / hotel this week. We'll be flying into wherever Delta will take us with miles.

Are both airports close to the city or is one way out in the boondocks?

then you'll be flying into O'Hare. you can take the blue line (El) to downtown for a buck 75 each, or pay a cab ~40 bones for the same trip.

If you want to do museuams, typical touristy stuff, the only transprotation you need to worry about is the Redline. it goes North/South, will get you to Wrigley and all the other junk on Michigan Ave. If you're around Tuesday, hit the Art Institute then, it's free. Most museums are free on Tuesdays.

Oh, little advice. If you want to go to the top of the Hancock building, don't pay for the observation deck. Just take the elevator up to the Signature Room. It's a restaraunt/bar above the obersvation deck. For the 10 dollars you pay for the deck, you can chill in the restaraunt with a Martini.

Absolutely take the river Architecture tour. you can buy tickets at Navy Pier. 20 dolla each.

It's worth it to see the Cubs. Commisky sucks, plus it's AL... There are indeed a lot of drunk fratkids at Cubs games, but they're mostly confined to the bleachers. Sox fans are just pissed that their club actually wins games yet still hemorrages money.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: ric1287
if you plan on going to a bar, then go to a cubs game. If you'd rather watch some baseball go to a sox game.

Part of the game is seeing the Cubs. Part of it is seeing Wrigley Field.

not really missing much if you don't go to wrigley. Its an old ass stadium thats falling apart. US Cellular is beutiful and the atmosphere is 1000x better

same cookie-cutter BS stadium that goes up anywhere these days. Wrigley is history. There are plenty of fans that go to the Cubs games to watch baseball.

Me: baseball fan. I prefer cubs b/c they're NL, but like both. In the end, they all pull for the Bears in the fall...for some odd reason...

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: daveymark

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: ric1287
if you plan on going to a bar, then go to a cubs game. If you'd rather watch some baseball go to a sox game.

Part of the game is seeing the Cubs. Part of it is seeing Wrigley Field.

not really missing much if you don't go to wrigley. Its an old ass stadium thats falling apart. US Cellular is beutiful and the atmosphere is 1000x better

spoken like a true sox fan...

is it not true? Is wrigley not falling apart? Is it not full of drunken idiots and girls in pink cubs hats? Unless something changed since last week i doubt it.

you prefer the drunken white trash at Sox games? more there than there are frat kids at cubs games.

Game I went to a few years ago, about 4 fights broke out in the crowd....for no apparent reason. One of the hotdog vendors said it goes down like that most nights.
Sox also have the absolute worst broadcasters in the history of professional sports. Makes watching a Sox game on TV nearly impossible

 

[K1052]

Watch out for the Blue Line:

Blue Line riders hit the skids
Shuttle an 'irksome' alternative to many
Advertisement

By Ofelia Casillas
Tribune staff reporter

July 15, 2007

Travelers were flustered Saturday to discover the CTA Blue Line to and from O'Hare had been suspended for the weekend between the Western and Clark/Lake stations because of construction on the rail lines.

Frederick Woodbery, 23, traveled from Memphis to see a Cubs game and attend a music festival this weekend. Instead of the train, he had to board a bus and then figure out where it dropped him off downtown.

"It was a pretty big annoyance. It felt like forever from beginning to end," he said. "At first, I was concerned because I have no clue where I'm going."

Deteriorated wooden rail ties are being replaced with concrete rail ties, which will eliminate "slow zones" along the tracks between Grand and Division and restore normal train speed to 55 m.p.h., CTA officials said. Similar construction will be done from Grand/State to Clark/Division and from Armitage to Diversey on the Red Line. Work is expected to be completed on the Blue Line in September and by year's end on the Red Line.

For the next two months, Blue Line trains will operate on a single track between Grand and Division overnight and during some weekends. On weekends when there are no major festivals downtown, sections of the tracks will be shut down to allow for more work to be completed. During those weekends, supplemental bus service will be provided.

Bus shuttles will run between the stops from 11 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Monday. The shuttles will stop at the following Blue Line stations: Western, Damen, Division, Chicago, Grand and Clark/Lake.

Suspension of service between Western and Clark/Lake stations also will occur from 11 p.m. July 20 to 1 a.m. July 23 and from 11 p.m. Aug. 24 to 1 a.m. Aug. 27.

Service will be suspended between Western and Jackson from 11 p.m. Aug. 10 to 1 a.m. Aug. 13. Weeknights through Aug. 31, the trains will operate on single tracks between Grand and Division from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Bridget Welsh, 23, an executive assistant from Atlanta in Chicago for a conference, said she worried other people attending the conference would be late because of the detours.

"They are so crowded. We were face to face," she said of the bus ride from the Western stop. "Weekends are probably not the best time to shut down the train line."

Two first-time visitors to Chicago from Washington, D.C., were disappointed to have to deal with the bus.

"I could see how it could be annoying," said Dannel Dan, 26, a health policy analyst. "I don't think it's as welcoming as I would have liked."

His friend Adam Boltz, 23, a government contractor, said the trip also was time-consuming.

"It was irksome," Boltz said. While in town, he said, he and his friend "might consider not taking" the CTA.

Jason Reyna, 21, a flight attendant on Spirit Air who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, was taking the Blue Line for the first time Saturday feeling "a little concerned."

"As long as I can get to where I want to go, I'm OK," he said

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
I prefer the Art Museum (if you like art, it is an amazing place), Field museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. The Shedd (aquarium) is nice as well, but can get pretty crowded. Those are the 4 museums I take people to when they come to visit.

There are a ton of bars around Wrigley. You really can't go wrong with any of them (Murphy's, Sluggers, Goose Island, etc.).

Is the Field Museum the one in Ferris Beuler?

that's the Art Institue. You must go there when you come to Chicago. wander aroudn Millenium park afterwards (1 block south--cant' miss it)

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: ric1287
if you plan on going to a bar, then go to a cubs game. If you'd rather watch some baseball go to a sox game.

Part of the game is seeing the Cubs. Part of it is seeing Wrigley Field.

not really missing much if you don't go to wrigley. Its an old ass stadium thats falling apart. US Cellular is beutiful and the atmosphere is 1000x better

same cookie-cutter BS stadium that goes up anywhere these days. Wrigley is history. There are plenty of fans that go to the Cubs games to watch baseball.

Me: baseball fan. I prefer cubs b/c they're NL, but like both. In the end, they all pull for the Bears in the fall...for some odd reason...

but what is it a history of? Shitty teams that haven't won anything? And you havent been to cellular recently i suppose if you think its "cookie cutter". But once they sell the team, wrigley will get trashed hopefully

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Platypus
Here is what's showing at the museums right now:
http://www.msichicago.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Personally, I think the Museum of Science and Industry is much more interesting

You might want to get tickets ahead of time, I know that Tut for example at the Field Museum was selling out daily but that's sort of an exception.

Science and Industry is out of the way. You'd have to cab it to get there. It's better for kids, IMO. Unless you're one of those older kids who likes train sets...

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: BDawg
Is the Museum of Contemporary Art the best art museum to see?

lord no. Art Institute is internationally renowned. If you go to one museum , that is always the one you should see.

I wonder how many people that live in Chicago actually know of the MCA, let alone know where it is... (I work next door to it, actually...)

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: Platypus
Here is what's showing at the museums right now:
http://www.msichicago.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Personally, I think the Museum of Science and Industry is much more interesting

You might want to get tickets ahead of time, I know that Tut for example at the Field Museum was selling out daily but that's sort of an exception.

Science and Industry is out of the way. You'd have to cab it to get there. It's better for kids, IMO. Unless you're one of those older kids who likes train sets...

I like train sets :|

Nah, the exhibits are always more interesting to me.. the last time I was at the Field Museum it was like a history of jewelery.. FASCINATING.

S&I rules \m/

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: ric1287
if you plan on going to a bar, then go to a cubs game. If you'd rather watch some baseball go to a sox game.

Part of the game is seeing the Cubs. Part of it is seeing Wrigley Field.

not really missing much if you don't go to wrigley. Its an old ass stadium thats falling apart. US Cellular is beutiful and the atmosphere is 1000x better

same cookie-cutter BS stadium that goes up anywhere these days. Wrigley is history. There are plenty of fans that go to the Cubs games to watch baseball.

Me: baseball fan. I prefer cubs b/c they're NL, but like both. In the end, they all pull for the Bears in the fall...for some odd reason...

but what is it a history of? Shitty teams that haven't won anything? And you havent been to cellular recently i suppose if you think its "cookie cutter". But once they sell the team, wrigley will get trashed hopefully

It was cookie cutter the day it opened. In fact, it's the prime example of all those that lambast modern stadium construction for the trend of "fabricated nuance." It's clean, but it's boring. Baseball should be seen in filth

The whole point of going to a baseball game live is to watch the game, and everything else around you. It's "a day." Not like other sports. And I love baseball, but the game is too damn slow to sit in rapt attention for 2 1/2-3 hours as some pitcher throws to check a runner on 1st.

please...

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: Platypus
Here is what's showing at the museums right now:
http://www.msichicago.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Personally, I think the Museum of Science and Industry is much more interesting

You might want to get tickets ahead of time, I know that Tut for example at the Field Museum was selling out daily but that's sort of an exception.

Science and Industry is out of the way. You'd have to cab it to get there. It's better for kids, IMO. Unless you're one of those older kids who likes train sets...

I like train sets :|

Nah, the exhibits are always more interesting to me.. the last time I was at the Field Museum it was like a history of jewelery.. FASCINATING.

S&I rules \m/

agreed, it's way better than the field museum.

 

[BDawg]

Trains are cool, but Field Museum has Sue... I at least knew that.

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: BDawg
Trains are cool, but Field Museum has Sue... I at least knew that.

It's not that cool in person.

Check out those links, there are some awesome things happening at both museums right now. I'd actually like to check out that Darwin exhibit at the Field.. maybe they have something on platypuses

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: Platypus
Here is what's showing at the museums right now:
http://www.msichicago.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Personally, I think the Museum of Science and Industry is much more interesting

You might want to get tickets ahead of time, I know that Tut for example at the Field Museum was selling out daily but that's sort of an exception.

Science and Industry is out of the way. You'd have to cab it to get there. It's better for kids, IMO. Unless you're one of those older kids who likes train sets...

or take the bus.

 

[Modular]

Originally posted by: zinfamous


Science and Industry is out of the way. You'd have to cab it to get there. It's better for kids, IMO. Unless you're one of those older kids who likes train sets...

If you do decide to visit the Museum and Science and Industry, please do yourself a favor and take a cab. Do NOT use public transportation. The red line/bus rides that take you there will be the scariest moments of your life..

Unless you're a 40 poppin' sidewayz B-ball cap kinda guy..