So I'm going to Chicago...

[ostentatious]

The wife has a couple-day trip planned where we are going to fly to Chicago in September and she asked me if there is anything that I wanted to do/see.

One of the days is already crossed out as she wants to see a couple of the museums.

I'm from Darin Erstad's hometown but the Sox are out of town (he's not playing every day anymore and I kind of doubt he'd be playing if they were in town, but still), I think the Cubs are playing Houston or the Dodgers when we are there and the Bears don't have a game. But, long story short, as a Brewers fan I just don't know if I can bring myself to giving money to Cubs.

I feel kind of overwhelmed by the question...I would imagine Chicago has pretty much anything and everything to do.

Any suggestions on things that you 'have' to see when in the Windy City?

Thanks in advance.

 

[20questions]

If you have kids (and even if you don't), Shedd Aquarium is pretty cool. Navy Pier, for my taste, is overrated.

If you want vintage Chicago, the Billy Goat Tavern isn't bad, but just walking in there makes you want to shower. Rosebud on Rush is my choice for Italian. Jilly's on Rush St. is a great Sinatra bar. Off the top of my head at 1 a.m., that's all I've got.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

Hit Chez Luis for lunch. Tell them you need a table for three, and that you're Abe Froman.

But seriously, hit a Cubs game if you can. Even a Brewers fan can appreciate the atmosphere, save for the idiotic fans. ;D

 

[offwing28]

A little pricey, but we enjoyed this <a href="http://www.architecture.org/tour_view.aspx?TourID=8">architecture cruise</a>. An hour and a half on the river with an informative talk.

 

[ServeItUp]

Hit the Chez Paul and tell Mr. Fabulous hi.

Bacino's Pizza in Lincoln Park is my choice for the deep-dish stuff. Unreal. Shedd Aquarium is mandatory but I can give or take Adler Planetarium. Your wife is smart to budget a day for museums. That'll make the trip well worth it.

 

[Oz]

If you have kids (and even if you don't), Shedd Aquarium is pretty cool. Navy Pier, for my taste, is overrated.

If you want vintage Chicago, the Billy Goat Tavern isn't bad, but just walking in there makes you want to shower. Rosebud on Rush is my choice for Italian. Jilly's on Rush St. is a great Sinatra bar. Off the top of my head at 1 a.m., that's all I've got.

Never been in the aquarium, but I do know that if you want a picture of the Chicago skyline, that's the place to take it.

Re: Navy Pier, maybe, but I can never pass on the Farris wheel.

Good call on Rosebud on Rush St. The Sinatra bar I went to, though was called Frog Bar. A little pricey, but great place.

 

[ifilus]

Drive north for ninety minutes. Catch a game at Miller Park.

 

[CentralIllinoisan]

Drive south 120 minutes. Mow my grass.

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Drive north for ninety minutes. Catch a game at Miller Park.

Agreed, if you're not from the Midwest and this is one of your few times you can get to the area, you might as well drive or take Amtrak up there to see a game.

I'm sure your wife already has this down, but walk down the "Magnificent Mile." Good window shopping. I just hope she doesn't drag you in to too many shops.

As for deep dish, I grew up going to the Gino's East downtown, but I'm pretty sure it's changed locations a few times. I know at one point it was in the old "Planet Hollywood." Giordano's also makes a good pie. Can't go wrong with either.

 

[Firstime Caller]

I lived in Chicago for years. IMHO ...

Gino's East is the best place for deep dish pizza. D'Angostino's in Wrigleyville is a nice place for thin crust. I don't know what to say about the whole Brewers fan going to a Cubs game, but the atmosphere in and around the ballpark is nice. I'd recommend going.

Like someone else mentioned, your wife is smart to budget a day for museums. I do miss the Art Institute. That's the top one I'd recommend. Museum of Science and Industry is nice. So is the Field Museum. Shedd is nice for an aquarium. (I scuba dive, so I'm not that impressed by any aquariums anymore.) But whoever mentioned that the view of the skyline from the Shedd is good is right. Navy Pier is overrated. It's just like any festival style mall along the water in any city.

I never got a chance to do it, but I always heard that the architecture cruises were cool. You should at least see the Magnificent Mile and along the river there for the architecture (and the window shopping.)

Lincoln Park (the park) and the neighborhood are also nice.

A couple of other eats places ... Moody's for hamburgers and Superdawg for hot dogs.

 

[Ace]

Architecture cruise is fun. The art institute is great and next to new millennium park, so that's a plus.

 

[Mira]

I second the suggestion to Millennium Park. It's a must-see. Also, if it's a clear day, going to the top of the Sears Tower is one of my favorite things to do.

There are so many good places to eat on the low-end and high-end. Cafe Spiaggia is amazing, as is La Frontera, Sushisamba Rio and Cafe Ba-ba-ree-ba on Halstead (near Steppenwolf Theater). That whole neighborhood by Halstead near Armitage is a great place to wander, shop or find a nice place for drinks.

If you have a daughter, you might want to check out American Girl Place.

 

[Barsuk]

The Field Museum is my favorite, but you can get a pass that gets you into all of the museums for a reasonable price.

Someone said earlier that Navy Pier is overrated, but it's a pretty cool place for the fam, especially at night. They often have fireworks over the water, and riding the Ferris wheel at night is really cool.

And even though you're a Brewers fan, if you haven't been to Wrigley, you have to go.

 

[Mira]

Miller Park is a great stadium to see a game, if you're a Brewers fan, it's worth the side trip. I love Wrigley, but Miller Park is awesome. (fan girl talking, here).

 

[Armchair_QB]

If you see Larry Rothschild kick him in the balls for me.

 

[Gutter]

Hit the Italian Village for some great Italian food ... try the seafood ravioli.

 

[20questions]

Fireworks end Labor Day weekend, he's going in September. That's why I didn't mention it. We took the cruise out on Lake Michigan and watched the fireworks from the water. One of the most enjoyable things we did all weekend. Not sure if they'll be running the architecture cruise that late in the fall, but you can check. I've also heard very good things about it.

Funny, I enjoyed the Museum of Science and Industry, too, but didn't mention it because I figured it was fairly nerdy. We got something called a CityPass I think that included Field, S&I, Shedd Aquarium, Hancock Tower and the planetarium, all for basically the price of admission to Shedd & Field. Well, WELL worth it. And if you're staying downtown, there's one or two bus lines that take you right to the front steps of the museums/aquariums. Definitely check the bus schedules. And if you do the Science & Industry museum, they have a pretty cool CSI setup this summer. Where basically you have to solve the murder. We weren't able to do it because the little guy would've been bored, but it looked very cool. Although, again, it may only be there until Labor Day. Not sure.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

Drive south 120 minutes. Mow my grass.

Tell 'em they get to meet Murphy, then sucker 'em into mowing. /homer simpson loud whisper voice.

 

[imjustagirl2]

Shedd. Shedd. Shedd. I'm an aquarium freak. Shedd.

Other than that, shop and eat. Don't plan too much.

 

[dawgpounddiehard]

Not sure how much touristy stuff you want to do... but put me in the group that thinks Navy Pier is overrated... wow... so not necessary.

If you're into shopping, walk up and down Michigan Ave... (Three story Crate&Barrel is my personal favorite.) While on Michigan, by the Wrigley building take a trip underneath to Rush St. and have a beer and burger and Billy Goat. While the novelty of the SNL skit still rings, it's still a great place for a cold beer, great burger and relaxing atmosphere.

If you're thinking Rosebuds... I dunno, I though it was overrated. Maggiano's on N. Clark street... while its a chain that can be found across the country, that location has it all, atmosphere, great food and great music. Take if from an Italian boy who hates chain restaurants... good stuff.

Find a blues bar, go have drinks at the Drake, have a pie at Giordanos, go shopping at the Water Tower or hit up the Field Museum.

Still, my favorite time killer is the Art Institute (Not he museum of modern art... it's freaky). I would go to the AI just lose myself for a few hours growing up. Great place. Oh, the collection of knight's armor is really cool.

No matter what you do, it'll be a blast. ****, man, it's Chicago. **** I miss that place sometimes.