We were going to book it for july and the deal ran out........... anyone else know any deals for the Avenue?
Try Hotwire - 4* The Avenue
Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Tennis
www.betterbidding.com/index.php鈥?/a>
I will be staying at the Westin across from the Hancock, where is the best place to catch the Blue Line?
See the chicago transit website http://www.transitchicago.com/. You can use the trip planner on the right hand side and it%26#39;ll give you the best options to get where you want to go.
That said, the closest to your hotel will be the Clark/Lake station just south of the river on Lake Street between Clark Street and LaSalle Street. You could walk there from your hotel - maybe 15 minutes, or take a bus down Michigan and get off at Lake Street, then walk a few minutes west, or hop on the redline at the Chicago stop and transfer to the blue line at Jackson.
It%26#39;s a bit of a hike from Clark/Lake to your hotel. Take a cab from there. Clark/Lake has elevators from the train to street level.
But, for example, if you%26#39;re headed to the airport you might prefer to take a cab to the Chicago blue line station which isn%26#39;t a whole lot farther than the Clark/Lake stop and prevents backtracking and extra time on the train.
So, it depends on where you%26#39;re headed. But the trip planner function posted above is fantastic.
Hi,
I have a business meeting in Glenview (near Milwaukee ave and 294) and I am bringing my two 4 year olds and husband with me. Which city (and hotel) would you recommend staying in? I was thinking Evanston, only because I am familiar with it but really was hoping for a hotel closer to where I have to work. I have time between meetings where I was hoping to meet up with family so I didn%26#39;t want them to be 30+ minutes away if they could be 5 minutes away. Ideally looking for a hotel that is in a downtown area so kids and hubby could walk around, go to a parks, swim at hotel pool, go to lunch all without getting in a car (very important that hotel be within walking distance of things since they won%26#39;t have a car while I am at meetings). Any ideas of things for them to do would be helpful too!
Thanks!
Check rates at the Hampton Inn or Doubletree in Skokie. Both have free parking, a pool and plenty of nearby dining %26amp; shopping options.
Closer to work - Staybridge Suites in Glenview.
Forgot to include - http://www.cnscvb.com/
Great, thank you so much for the website! So I think we have decided to stay at the Wyndam Glenview Suites on Milwaukee Ave, it is right next to my work. Do you know if you can walk to the Grove Park across the street or do you have to drive to get in? Wasn%26#39;t sure if there were safe roads to walk along to get to the park. On the map it looks like it is across the street but I know maps can be decieving sometimes. Would the grove park and the Kohl Children%26#39;s museum be a fun way to spend 5 hours in the afternoon? Also, is the Chicago botanic garden a fun place to take preschoolers or would they be bored. It looks really neat but wasn%26#39;t sure. They like taking walks outside, looking at flowers etc鈥︹€? We are debating between doing that or going to the Milwaukee zoo the next day(we have to drive through milwaukee to get home). Lastly, where is downtown Glenview (cross streets) is this a good place to find a restaurant?
Thanks again for your reccomendations!
';Great, thank you so much for the website! So I think we have decided to stay at the Wyndam Glenview Suites on Milwaukee Ave, it is right next to my work. Do you know if you can walk to the Grove Park across the street or do you have to drive to get in? Wasn%26#39;t sure if there were safe roads to walk along to get to the park. On the map it looks like it is across the street but I know maps can be decieving sometimes. Would the grove park and the Kohl Children%26#39;s museum be a fun way to spend 5 hours in the afternoon? Also, is the Chicago botanic garden a fun place to take preschoolers or would they be bored. It looks really neat but wasn%26#39;t sure. They like taking walks outside, looking at flowers etc鈥︹€? We are debating between doing that or going to the Milwaukee zoo the next day(we have to drive through milwaukee to get home). Lastly, where is downtown Glenview (cross streets) is this a good place to find a restaurant?';
I%26#39;m fairly certain you can walk into Grove Park. Milwaukee Ave is a fairly busy street. But, it%26#39;s crossable. Kohl%26#39;s is wonderful along with Chicago Botanic. If your are going to Kohl%26#39;s, there are several dining options in the Glen - www.theglentowncenter.com
Use the corner of Waukegan Road and Glenview Road as a starting point for downtown Glenview.
';Great, thank you so much for the website! So I think we have decided to stay at the Wyndam Glenview Suites on Milwaukee Ave, it is right next to my work. Do you know if you can walk to the Grove Park across the street or do you have to drive to get in? Wasn%26#39;t sure if there were safe roads to walk along to get to the park. On the map it looks like it is across the street but I know maps can be decieving sometimes. Would the grove park and the Kohl Children%26#39;s museum be a fun way to spend 5 hours in the afternoon? Also, is the Chicago botanic garden a fun place to take preschoolers or would they be bored. It looks really neat but wasn%26#39;t sure. They like taking walks outside, looking at flowers etc鈥︹€? We are debating between doing that or going to the Milwaukee zoo the next day(we have to drive through milwaukee to get home). Lastly, where is downtown Glenview (cross streets) is this a good place to find a restaurant?';
I%26#39;m fairly certain you can walk into Grove Park. Milwaukee Ave is a fairly busy street. But, it%26#39;s crossable. Kohl%26#39;s is wonderful along with Chicago Botanic. If your are going to Kohl%26#39;s, there are several dining options in the Glen - www.theglentowncenter.com
Use the corner of Waukegan Road and Glenview Road as a starting point for downtown Glenview.
Before you book the Wyndham, check the Staybridge Suites (a Holiday Inn member) in Glenview, near Patriot Avenue and Willow Road. This is a little farther from your conference, but it has great access to a huge park, nature center, Kohl Children%26#39;s Museum, shops and restaurants, and the train to downtown.
The Wyndham is not a bad choice, but you cannot walk to much of anything. Milwaukee Avenue is very car-oriented.
Forgot to add, the Botanic Garden is a nice day out. Don%26#39;t miss the miniature train garden and the hilly area with waterfalls near the Japanese Garden.
FYI-The Grove isn%26#39;t a park, with swings. It is more like a nature preserve. Milwaukee is a very busy street and crossing could be dangerous. You could take a walk to the park by ABT,I always forget the name. There are also few restaurants you can walk to there.
I completely agree with the other poster who suggested Staybridge Suites. The price is probably less than Wyndham and it includes breakfast. I recently had several family members stay there and they really liked it. It is also a perfect location for a child. You can walk to Gallery Park(big open grassy space) or Little Bear Park. The Glen Town Center is in walking distance which has several restaurants and a few stores. You also have Kohl%26#39;s children%26#39;s museum.
If you have a car, I highly recommend keeping your reservation at the Wyndham. It%26#39;s a very nice property - I%26#39;ve stayed there multiple times with kids and always enjoyed it. As someone else mentioned, The Grove is not a playground, but there is a really lovely playground and water splash park at Glen Town Center - your 4 year olds will love it.
Would like to go see a funny show - Mainstage at Second City or at Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier they have Rob Blagojevich?
Is there an age restriction at Second City?
I would never pay to see a Blagojevich show. Just put on the news and you get to see his latest antics for free.
If you%26#39;re familiar with Illinois politics, then see the show at Shakespeare. Otherwise, stick to Second City - children under 10 will not be admitted.
Hi, we are travelling to Chicago from the UK for one night, then onto South Haven via Amtrak, proably getting off at Bangar. Does anybody have any experience of checking in baggage on Amtrak, and also what happens when retreaving baggage when getting off at destination? Also is Bangar our best option of station in order to get to South Haven?
Any help would be appreciated.
S
No experience with Amtrak. But South Haven is an easy/scenic drive from Chicago. Why not hire (rent) a car here and drive to South Haven?
I don%26#39;t know about the bag checking thing, but I would definitely do the train instead of sitting in traffic, especially depending on the time of day and construction. Banger is a short drive.
Enjoy South Haven! My family and I have had homes there for years.
Amtrak does not check baggage on this short of a trip - you just bring it on board with you and then carry it off yourself at your stop. Some bags will fit in overhead storage above your seat and larger bags are placed on the ends of each train car. If you are in a double-decker train car, there are racks on the fist level to leave your bags. Hope this helps!
We%26#39;re planning a family trip--kids ages 7 %26amp; 10--in late August and are trying to find a suite hotel with a good location. We%26#39;re looking at the Embassy Suites Downtown, Homewood Suites, Hilton Suites, and Omni (which is running a pretty good deal, including parking and food credit). Any feedback on any of those would be great!
All are nice properties. You can read reviews of each property in the Chicago Hotels section of this web site.
I%26#39;ve stayed at the Homewood Suites, and they were very nice. Location was also good, and the free breakfast was quite extensive. There was a full kitchen and living area, and I%26#39;m pretty sure there was also a pool in the hotel. I think it would be a great place to stay for a family.
The Omni is a lovely upscale hotel. I%26#39;ve stayed there before and will be staying there again in a few weeks. Just keep in mind that the rooms don%26#39;t have refrigerators %26amp; microwaves like most suite hotels.
The Omni is the nicest and parking can add lot to your bill so I would go with it if the price is at all close. The one drawback is the noise. I live across the street from the Omni and Michigan Ave can be very loud. Ambulances at all hours go by several times a night. The Embassy Suites closer to Navy Pier can sometimes be very resonable and is pretty nice although parking can be expensive. It is walking distance to Navy Pier and Michigan Ave.
I agree with the Embassy Suites near Navy Pier. Walk to the lakefront and Michigan Ave., plus the evening managers reception and a decent breakfast. Parking anywhere downtown is expensive and is just something you have to budget for.
Is there anywhere FUN to go for dinner in this area? We are a group of hockey parents and kids looking for something with a bit of flare. We don%26#39;t really know anything about the area.
Thanks.
thepromenadebolingbrook.com/go/…
This looks like a great spot to keep the everyone happy!
Do you know where the closest %26#39;main street%26#39; shopping would be?
Thanks for your help.
Kelly, On an earlier post, I noticed that you wanted to avoid chain restaurants. Out here in the suburbs, it’s mostly chains!
If you are looking for something different, you might want to try BD Mongolian Barbeque in Bolingbrook; if you have never been to one of these places, you load up your bowl with raw meat and lots of vegetables, and the chefs prepare it for you on a giant grill as you watch. Kids seem to really enjoy it. http://www.gomongo.com/
Another suggestion is Home Run Inn Pizza (also in Bolingbrook). It’s a local chain, and one of my favorites for pizza.
Are your hockey games at Seven Bridges? If so, Suparossa in Woodridge is an excellent Italian restaurant that is nearby.
http://www.suparossawoodridge.com/
I would check out downtown Naperville, IL for shopping. They have many national chains and local botiques (plus great dining options) in a walking downtown setting.
Great information - thank you!
Is there an italian festival sometime this summer in chicago?
Festa Pasta Vino - I don%26#39;t think the 2009 date is posted. Last year it was in June.
Also - explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/eve…
Hi,
I live in New Mexico, and would like to get a gift certificate to a nice restaurant in Evanston, IL as a thank-you present for an elderly lady who was my 1st grade teacher at Noyes Elementary School many years ago.
I%26#39;d like to find a beautiful, stylish place with wonderful food that will offer her and a friend a special night out while not being too stuffy or snotty (a bit chi-chi is OK as long as they%26#39;ll treat her very well). She%26#39;s 82 and doesn%26#39;t get around like she used to, so it has to be right in Evanston-proper, with good parking. Any suggestions and descriptions would be most appreciated.
(And for anyone else who had a great teacher whom they still remember with fondness, do give a call or write. It will make your day to hear how happy he or she is that you remembered.)
Thanks for your help, nabq
Jilly%26#39;s Cafe, or Campagnola are nice Evanston sites. Parking is generally a bit of a problem in Evanston, but she can ask where to park when she makes her reservations (Jilly%26#39;s has an arrangement with the tire place nearby.)
A hidden gem in downtown Skokie, the next town, is Papillon. It is on a side street with sufficient parking. It%26#39;s a tiny French place where the owner does all the cooking.
See metromix.com for details; Pappillon was just reviewed on WTTW%26#39;s show, Check Please.
Oceanique
http://www.oceanique.com/
Seafood, VERY GOOD. Favorite in Evanston
Va Pensiero (no website..)
Best Italian IMO in Evanston
Campagnola
http://www.campagnolarestaurant.com/
Italian, not as good as Va Pensiero, but less stuffy.
Narra
http://www.narrarestaurant.com/
American, good steaks and seafood...
Jacky%26#39;s Bistro
http://www.jackysbistro.com/
Good french restaurant, great food/atmos
I second Papillon, although it%26#39;s been a couple of years since eating there, and changes seemed to be in the works.
Papillion was just on ';Check Please';, it%26#39;s goingto be a mad house there for the next couple of months.
Wow, thank you! There are such great people on TripAdvisor. From reading your postings, I guess I%26#39;m leaning toward Oceanique or Papillon (I%26#39;ll keep in mind the heads-up about Papillon being packed). Va Pensiero sounds good, too. I have until Nov 22 or so to decide, so I%26#39;ll be sure to check back in here periodically until then to see if any further suggestions or comments are posted. Thanks again, nabq
Trio is the only 5-star restaurant right in Evanston. It is definitely a once in a lifetime experience. It may be a little spendier than anticipated. It is about 1/2 a block from the city%26#39;s only major retirement home on Hinman, so if that%26#39;s where she lives, then it may be about as close as you can get.
http://www.dineme.com/restaurant-Trio-15.html
Less formal environments would include Davis Street Fish Market (across the street from the retirement home on Hinman).
Trio has closed. There is a new restaurant called Quince opening soon in that space. If she lives at the North Shore, it would certainly be very close by.
I%26#39;m inviting 10 professional women to dinner in Evanston. Jacky%26#39;s place and Pappillon still a good choice? the guest will be from E, Skokie, Willmette, etc..
What type(s) of cuisine/budget do you have in mind?
$40 per person. Doesn%26#39;t have to be fancy or upscale but someplace that would be worth going out on a Wednesday night for a dinner. Also I want to pick another place for Thursday night between Naperville (where I%26#39;ll be during the day) and Evanston (where I have more guests) What areas would you recommend?
I prefer local owned restaurants, not chains.
Can you recommend a website(s) where I can look up a good listing of things happening in Chicago and the suburbs later this month?
special events, road races, talks, special museum events, etc..seems like I always find out after I arrive at a city what%26#39;s going on.
www.explorechicago.org
www.enjoyillinois.com
Most suburbs have their own web site.
Time Out has a nice festival guide
chicago.timeout.com/section/summer-festivals
Also try www.metromix.com
While in town you can pick up a copy of the Reader which is free or a copy of Time Out in print.
I%26#39;m doing some business in Evanston, Naperville and Chicago and then going to a concert in Tinley Park. I was going to stay at a hotel in Oak Brook to avoid the downtown parking and congestion. I%26#39;ll be in and out of the hotel a lot and don%26#39;t want to deal with valet.
Is Oak Brook a nice part of town?
I want a Hilton Garden or Hampton Inn and will have a car. I%26#39;ll be out early in the morning and probably won%26#39;t end my day until late at night.
Any information would be helpful.
Oak Brook is probably a decent choice. It has easy highway access and is not too far from the train to downtown. Nothing would be convenient to both Evanston and Naperville. The only other choice would be the O%26#39;Hare area, 30-45 minutes from Evanston and about the same to Naperville. Some airport hotels do charge for parking.
Use hotels.com or similar site and search for properties in Rosemont, IL. Easy expressway access and sort of central to all of your locations.
Oak Brook is a wealthy suburb. Most of the hotels are clustered around the Oak Brook Mall, home of some upscale shopping. I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about safety.
Thanks, I was starting to think that the only nice parts were north of chicago but sounds like Oak Brook is a nice middle of the road location.
If I do a dinner in Oak Brook would the folks who work in Evanston, Naperville and Chicago avoid it? Is there heavy traffic from any of those directions?
The trip between Oak Brook and Naperville isn%26#39;t bad. In the evening, traffic is heavier going westbound (from Chicago). It should be OK going from Naperville to Oak Brook, but it could be heavy going from Chicago to Oak Brook. Not really sure about the trip from Evanston.
It%26#39;s a 25 mile drive from Evanston to Oakbrook. About an hour-ish drive during the evening rush hour.
Hi there. I am possibly coming for a Girl%26#39;s trip late in August or September. There will only be 2 or 3 girls for this trip. Where is the closest B%26amp;B, Inn, or hotel to the Main St shops? We are coming for shopping, dining, and maybe a visit to the Winery. Not wanting to spend too much on lodging, but really want a good location. Thank you for your help.
Galena is a wonderful place for a girlfriends get-a-way. You may want to contact the new official Galena Welcome Center for their help or go to the new Galena website www.visitgalena.org
Hope this helps
Closest hotel would be Desota Hotel. Any other questions let us know. Have a great trip.
$99 - Swissotel
$129-$159 - Omni
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/
www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Chicago
Thank you! I booked the Omni. What restaurants would you recc around that area? We like everything from casual to fine dining.
I just sent you a PM.
$223 - Ritz Carlton
hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/578552
I am considering moving from Muncie Indiana to Peoria and would like to get some info. I am wondering about the safest areas to move to. I have looked at some rental listings online and some of the areas that would be affordable for me were listed as N. University, Plank Rd., Terrace View and Lake %26amp; Knoxville area and am wondering about these areas. Also wondering about the schools, specifically elementary and high schools, which are the best ones? How is the employment situation? From what I have read online so far where I live is half the size of Peoria but our unemployment rates is double that of Peoria. Anyone that can help me I would greatly appreciate it!
Indygal - If you%26#39;re looking within the city of Peoria vs. outlying communities, then I would recommend you look in the north Peoria area. Several new rental developments have been built over the past couple of years. If you move to that area it would put you in the Richwoods H.S. area, or further north you would be in the Dunlap H.S. area. As for the employement situation, it may be half of your unemployment rate in Muncie, but it%26#39;s still not good here. As you probably know our largest employer is Caterpillar and they have laid off thousands of workers over the past 6 months. If you work in the medical field, then there may be more opportunities since there is a large medical field here.
Thank you for replying! Just curious, but are the people there friendly? Where I am the people arent very friendly at all and most are just downright rude.
In July I am taking my parents to a wedding in Missouri. I need a clean motel between Springfield Il and Bloomington iL . I would like a restaurant (Not fast food)near by.
Thanks
Our 40 year old son and his girl friend, my wife and I all love to cook. We will be spending a week in Chicago at the end of June and would like to know if there is a restaurant or other facility that features a cooking class with hands on prepartion with the meal to follow. Thanks in advance for any suggestions! Hawkeyes
The Chopping Block. http://www.thechoppingblock.net/
Sur la table also has cooking classes at the Walton Street store (just off Michigan Ave.). Go to their website and check the calendar for classes. They are fun and quite varied.
a tavola (Italian) on W. Chicago. Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. by reservation only - $50 pp (not including tax, tip and wine). The chef helps you prepare a 4-course meal, which you then enjoy. Take a look at the website for details.
Now, if you were looking for classes on artisan cheeses, wines, beer, etc. without the hands-on prep, Pastoral: Artisan Cheese, Bread %26amp; Wine has them at both of their locations (original on N. Broadway in Boystown and the second location in the Loop).
You should be aware that the Taste of Chicago will be running when you are here. Cooking demonstrations by some of the better chefs in Chicago are held all day long at the Dominick%26#39;s Cooking Corner over by Buckingham Fountain. Emeril Lagasse will be appearing on the first day at 4 p.m. (June 26). They also give out free cookbooks containing some of the recipes done during the course of the Taste.
Thanks for all of the information! This is a very helpful forum and is much appreciated!
I am planning a trip to Chicago in June. One part of my itinerary calls for getting from Shedd Aquarium to Chinatown in a weekday mid afternoon. If I walk, will that be safe? Approximately how long will it take? After dinner in Chinatown, at about 7:30, I would like to walk to the Wendella%26#39;s water taxi dock at the Ping Tom Park near 18th St. to catch the water taxi back to Michigan Avenue. Is that safe? A 20 minutes walk? Thanks.
It has gotten a lot better, but you still have to pass through a bad patch on state street. I lived down there for a few years, and it is not a nice or interesting walk. I would take a cab or the red line...for real.
It will be safe to walk from the Acquarium to Chinatown. But it%26#39;s a little far and not the most interesting walk. I%26#39;d say 30-45 minutes depending on your pace. However, the water taxi from Chinatown does not run during the week, only on saturdays in the summer. So that will not be an option for you. Chinatown has a red line stop--take that back up north to where you would like to go--if you want north michigan ave past the river, get off at Grand or Chicago.
Walking to Ping Tom Park is fine, I don%26#39;t imagine it%26#39;s more than 10 or 15 minutes from the center of Chinatown. But I just looked at the schedule and it doesn%26#39;t appear to run that late and it also doesn%26#39;t run on weekdays.
I don%26#39;t know that I%26#39;d walk to Chinatown from the Shedd, I have some friends that claim that they%26#39;ve done it but there%26#39;s a stretch in there that%26#39;s not so nice.
I don%26#39;t know if this helps you but Shoreline has a water taxi that runs from the museum campus to Union Station, I think that%26#39;s a more interesting ride as you get to see the Lake and the River. From there you could catch the el down to Chinatown, you%26#39;d have to take a different line to connect to the red line el though. The Shoreline runs from 10-6 every day after Memorial Day.
http://www.shorelinesightseeing.com/taxis.php
For anyone else that%26#39;s looking at this, Shoreline is running free boat rides during commuting hours from May 1 -May 15
I would walk to the Roosevelt Red Line stop to get to Chinatown, it may be somewhat safe to walk the whole thing, however, it is not the best area, and there will be less people around.
I see how fast the posts move through the forums here, so I will be posting this a few times over the summer. I got into the Chicago Marathon (Oct 11, 2009), however, here is my problem. I will need an extremely cheap place to stay (think a step above sleeping in the bus station, lol)...I have never been to Chicago but I really wanted to run this marathon. I see the marathon begins near Grant Park. Basically, what I%26#39;m looking for (and I know I%26#39;m taking a huge risk asking people I know nothing about) is a floor to sleep on for that Saturday night (10-10-09), as I plan to travel from Duluth on Saturday, sleep over, run the marathon on Sunday, and head home after because I have to be back for work on Monday (i.e. you%26#39;d hardly know I was there).
Does anyone know about the marathon, or anyone running it who lives or is staying close to the starting line? My other option is to take the Megabus from here which leaves here at 10pm and arrives in Chicago at 6am; the only problem with that is someone would have to pick up my race packet the day before and meet me there (you can have someone pick up your race packet for you; they just have to have your permission while they%26#39;re handing them out at the race expo). If someone who would be at the Expo would be willing to pick mine up (and we would have to be able to see each other before the race, etc.) that would be great...hope this makes sense!
Get back to me if this might work for you, I%26#39;m trying to plan this as early as possible.
hichicago.org/chicago-hostel-reservations.sh鈥?/a>
Check out the hostel. It looks to be $33 for Oct 10-11. Can%26#39;t beat that price and it is close to the start of the marathon
You might want to join couchsurfers where people let you sleep on their couch and then I guess you allow people to sleep on yours if they pass through town.
http://www.couchsurfing.org/
or, another cheap downtown hotel is The Toyko. Rooms are around $50. I have seen the rooms, and while sparse, the would be better than the bus station.
I searched the forum and couldn%26#39;t find anything. We are going June 27-July 2. My kids are 6 and 10, well travelled and well behaved. We went last year near the same time and stayed at the Palmer house. We had lots to do during the day (Love the Taste) but had trouble filling in the evenings. I will be bidding on priceline and hope to get the Hyatt. What are some good thing to do in the evening? Last year we spent one night at the Navy Pier. The kids would like to go to a kid friendly club to listen to music. Is there such a thing??
You didn%26#39;t mention what kind of music but Jazz Showcase welcomes well behaved children, and the sunday afternoon set is kind of ';family oriented'; where kids are free. Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth has concerts and if you wanted to just go to a regular Chicago Symphony Orchestra--children are welcome here too. Also, here is a link for alot of other kid oriented activities--some music oriented, some not. www.chicagotraveler.com/kids-things-to-do.htm
The Children%26#39;s Museum and Art Institute are open Thursday evenings, but this doesn%26#39;t seem to work with your dates.
The music at the Taste goes on til about 9:00. There are free concerts, usually Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, in Millennium Park%26#39;s Pritzker pavillion, which would be close to your hotel. Check the Cultural Center and the Mayor%26#39;s Office of Special Events for more family friendly festivals and organized events.
http://www.explorechicago.org
Just taking a walk out for an ice cream cone, or a walk along the river would be fun. Something that always worked for my kids at that age was an early dinner followed by an hour in the swimming pool. Puts them right to sleep!
Mary Poppins will still be going on if you think they%26#39;d enjoy that!
Blondie will be performing at Lincoln Park Zoo on the 27th! You%26#39;ll just be getting in that day...but the LP Zoo concerts are family friendly!
Fun spot - http://www.comedysportzchicago.com/
http://www.chicagokids.com/places/
FYI, I think Blondie performed in 2008 at the Zoo. This year the 27th is a Saturday.
ahhh... I shouldn%26#39;t have assumed LP updated their concert site! Didn%26#39;t even occur to me to check the year! Regardless, there may be someone different that weekend and it%26#39;s family friendly!
So glad you are visiting us again!
I%26#39;m going to post a few options for your. I hope that you don%26#39;t mind that I mention a few which might have a target audience a little younger than your children or for stays different than yours for others who just read these posts.
Kid-friendly activities:
1) Navy Pier%26#39;s offerings:
Cirque Shanghai will be performing again this year.
The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, winner of the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony award, gives offerings specifically geared towards a younger audience. They will be performing Aladdin. Also to note: There will be a theatrical spectacle performed on the waters of Lake Michigan August 21-22, off the east end of Navy Pier. See their website for further details of these productions.
You have the various cruises from which to choose.
The Chicago Children%26#39;s Museum is located there (for the time being).
Navy Pier has special exhibits and activities throughout the course of the summer geared towards families.
And there is live music at various points throughout the day, including the areas around open-air Bud Light stage (the Beer Garden) in the evening.
2) Theatre (live and movie):
The Emerald City Theatre Company is one of the premier children%26#39;s theatre troupes in the city.
Redmoon Theatre specializes in large-scale, spectacle-type productions which includes machinery, puppetry, live actors, and a lot of imagination. They will be hosting the 2009 Chicago Children%26#39;s Humanities Festival at the end of this month.
The Lookingglass Theatre Company gives performances at the Water Tower Water Works on N. Michigan Avenue. This year they are performing ';The Arabian Nights'; beginning May 20.
You may have heard about ';Public Enemies';, the new Johnny Depp movie (Michael Mann, director) of John Dillinger coming out this summer. Portions of it were shot at historic Biograph Theatre on N. Lincoln (as well as other locations around town) - behind which, of course, is where Mr. Dillinger met his maker - after attending the movies! The Victory Gardens Theater, recipient of the Regional Tony Theatre Award, owns the theatre - which recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation - and performs there.
The Chicago Outdoor Film Festival starts July 14 and runs through the end of August.
There is a live-performance theatre venue located at Fullerton and Lake Shore Drive, cleverly called the Theater on the Lake. Each year, they offer reprises of some of the leading city%26#39;s theatre groups productions, including children theatre. Very reasonably priced tickets quickly are sold out.
In the past, several museums have had live music performed during various evenings (Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago History Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, etc.) - although I%26#39;m not sure how these will be affected by the current economy. You could check their various websites to see if anything will be available from whichever institution interests you.
3) Music:
In addition to the above-mentioned, the Old Town School of Folk Music is very family-friendly. In fact, you might consider making a day of it and visiting the Lincoln Square neighborhood. If you wish, you could set up a free Chicago Greeter to show you around the neighborhood during the day and continue into the evening entertainment afterwards.
Of course, the Taste has entertainment stages running throughout the day and into the evening, although I%26#39;d expect a record turnout this year, despite the fact that there will be fewer food kiosks.
Check the City of Chicago%26#39;s website for information on other neighborhood festivals and events happening around town when you are here.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion has concerts and other entertainment options throughout the summer months.
5) Sports and Outdoor Activities:
Upon occasion, the Cubs and Sox are known to play ball at night.
Bobby%26#39;s Bike Hike has their City Lights at Night tour.
Have fun!
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I have applied for a chicago greeter-the kids wanted one on history. I changed my days up a bit and booked June 26-June 30. We land at 10:20 on the 26 and we don%26#39;t leave until 8:45 at night on the 30th-lots of time to explore. Staying at the Hyatt so we will be very central. We are definelty doing the Lincoln Park Zoo (we%26#39;ve never done this before) The kids want to explore the art gallery too. Oh yes American girl is on the schedule.
Is there much to do in Chinatown?? The kids thought it would be neat-Do they have an open market?
My kids are 6 and 10 but not typical kids- they love history and museums. We%26#39;ve already done the Field museum, Science and the aquarium in the past
';Is there much to do in Chinatown?? The kids thought it would be neat-Do they have an open market?';
Chicago%26#39;s Chinatown is not as big as some other cities but I enjoy going there on a weekend to have dim sum for lunch, poke through the junk shops, grab a couple of egg tarts at one of the many bakeries. It%26#39;s very easy and quick to get there from downtown, 10-15 minutes on the red line el and get off at the Chinatown stop. There%26#39;s not an outside market unless some festival is going on that weekend but plenty of grocery stores with live fish/shellfish and unusual foods and bunches of gift type stores. I would recommend going on a weekend day when Chinatown is bustling with people, I%26#39;ve been there before on a weekday and it was a lot less lively.
';My kids are 6 and 10 but not typical kids- they love history and museums. We%26#39;ve already done the Field museum, Science and the aquarium in the past';
Have you been to the Chicago History Museum? There%26#39;s a lovely Chic Chicago exhibit going on if you or your daughter is interested in fashion, there are displays on most of the important events in Chicago history and I think it%26#39;s a very kid friendly museum. I believe Monday is their free day.
I%26#39;ve been looking around. I changed my travel times friday June 26 to June 30. WE got a club level room at the Hyatt so we are excited about this. I got a greeter for Saterday. I plan to do chicago museum and lincoln zoo on monday (free day for the museum) then move on to the beach.We enjoyed going to the taste during the day as there are lots of things to do in the sports zone and the kids zone-it just gets so busy at night
Hello,
I will be visiting Chicago with my son to look at U of Chicago and Northwestern. We%26#39;d like to stay in downtown Chicago rather than Evanston, someplace where we can walk to restaurants, shops, museums, etc. We won%26#39;t rent a car.
What%26#39;s the best neighborhood to consider? Hotwire has some great deals on 4-star hotels but they don%26#39;t name them - just give the neighborhood such as the Loop, Miracle Mile, etc.
Any recommendations? Also what should we see in our brief time (2.5 days) there? And how extensive is public transportation? Can we get to Northwestern via public transport?
Thanks!
During the morning and afternoon rush you can take the Purple Line express up to or back from Northwestern. During other times of day you can take the Red Line to the end (Howard) and then transfer to the Purple Line.
Check the CTA website. Take the Purple Line express if you can, it will save you a good 15 minutes at it skips all Red Line stops after Belmont.
Mag Mile and River North are best areas downtown from a tourist perspective. www.betterbidding.com for Hotwire %26amp; Priceline bidding tips. You can match the amenities to the hotel list to figure out the property.
www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. There%26#39;s a trip planner function on the home page.
Here%26#39;s some info on CTA service to NU:
northwestern.edu/uservices/鈥ta.html
An alternative to the Red Line to Howard would be the Number 147 bus. It heads north on Michigan Ave, then runs express along Lake Shore Drive to the Edgewater neighborhood and ends at Howard. The ride is very scenic through Lincoln Park and quicker than the Red Line. At Howard, take the Purple Line to Davis or Foster Street in Evanston. (Note: The 147 bus runs along Foster Ave in Chicago, Foster St is in Evanston.)
To reach U of Chicago from The Loop, catch the Number 6 bus southbound on State Street to 57th Street. Cross under the train tracks and continue west about six blocks.
You can purchase visitor passes online at the CTA site or at the airport rail stations. A 3-day pass will allow unlimited rides on all trains and buses for $14.
Stay in the Loop near Michigan Avenue or State Street- most of the public transportation to the U of Chicago originates there. See the university%26#39;s website for your transportation options - there are several. Also, from the Loop, you can catch the Purple Line express during rush hours and take that all the way to Evanston. Northwestern is a short walk from the Noyes stop. Check www.transitchicago.com for the hours of operation. If the Purple Line is not running express, it%26#39;s easy enough to take the Red Line between the loop and Howard Street and transfer at Howard, but it takes about 20 minutes longer.
Thanks for the recommendations. Looking forward to it.
Any suggestions for things to do? Do most U of C students live on campus? What%26#39;s the neighborhood where they would most likely live/hang out? Is that Hyde Park? Anything to do or see there?
Definitely take the time to see Hyde Park. Besides the campus itself, the major attractions include the Museum of Science and Industry, Smart Museum, DuSable Museum, Oriental Institute, Court Theatre, FL Wright%26#39;s Robie House, some fabulous bookstores, etc. See:
http://www.uchicago.edu/community/ and follow the Hyde Park links.
We are travelling to the Chicago area from Toronto, Ontario for about a week to do the tourist thing.
No offense intended, but we have been told that there are some areas of Chicago that we might not want to stay in.
My research seems to indicate that either Naperville or Downers Grove would be ok. Am I right?
They would be a good central point for our anticipated trips to the aquarium, zoo, botanical gardens, lincoln memorial, etc.
We prefer a suburb over the downtown area. Cheers!
While the area you%26#39;re referring to is fine, it might not be best from a tourist standpoint considering what you want to see here.
The Chicago Botanical Gardens are in Glencoe, a northern suburb. The Shedd Aquarium and the Lincoln Park Zoo are downtown and just north of downtown.
However, the Morton Arboretum is in Lisle, which is near Naperville/Downers Grove. Also, the Brookfield Zoo is in the general area.
The Abraham Lincoln Museum is in Springfield, IL. It%26#39;s about a 3 hour drive.
If you%26#39;ll have a car and plan on seeing all of these, you%26#39;ll have a bit of driving to do.
You might want to consider staying in a northern suburb such as Evanston, Northbrook, Deerfield, or Highland Park. From there, Metra trains will get you into Chicago. Metrarail.com for details. Metra trains will also get you downtown from Naperville/Downers Grove.
I%26#39;d recommend the Northbrook area. The Northbrook area is in the upscale North suburbs, and there are some attractions, such as the Chicago Botanic Gardens (which are in the nearby suburb of Glencoe, despite the name) nearby. The area also has a nice selection of restaurants and shopping, as well as some very pretty downtowns (Lake Forest and Highland Park are two very nice towns, for example.) Additionally, there are two different Metra (commuter train) lines that run nearby.
However, and this is with all suburbs, I hope that you are driving, as it is difficult to get around in the burbs without a car. For example, there%26#39;s two Metra lines that run near/through the North burbs, but they%26#39;re not walkable from the majority of the area%26#39;s hotels. Same goes with Oak Brook/Downers Grove/Naperville.
The Oak Brook/Downers Grove/Naperville areas are great, but I personally would also highly recommend Northbrook.
If you provide dates of travel, I%26#39;d be happy to suggest hotel options in either area. Hotwire and Priceline are two different discount services you could use to get cheaper lodging in either area, as nice 3* and 4* hotels in the burbs are usually very reasonable on either service.
Safety-wise you%26#39;ll have no problems in Naperville or Downers Grove. They%26#39;re both pretty well-off suburbs. I don%26#39;t know about the trains in Downers Grove, but you can get express Metra trains into the city from Naperville if you want to avoid traffic and parking.
Thanks to everyone for their advice.
Yes, we are driving in from Canada so we%26#39;ll have a car and my husband drives for a living and unlike me, doesn%26#39;t mind driving in large cities.
I will definitely look into the other northern suburbs you have all suggested. Chicago definitely offers a lot of tourist opportunities and we have never been to Illinois.
Thanks again.
Do you still recommend Northbrook? I%26#39;m going to be in town 4 nights with business in Evanston, Naperville, Chicago and a concert in Tinley Park. I was going to stay in Oak Brook. I%26#39;ll be in and out and don%26#39;t want valet. I%26#39;ll be getting back late at night so I want it to be safe and not fancy. Hampton Inn or Hilton Garden Inn would be ideal.
As noted in your other post - the O%26#39;hare area would be best.
I%26#39;m a little confused as to whether you%26#39;re planning to go to Springfield to see the Lincoln museum, which botanical garden, what else you want to see? I know you said you prefer the suburbs over the city, but downtown Chicago and the area around the zoo, for example are perfectly safe, and I wonder if you might, for the sake of saving time, spend a couple of days staying downtown, then doing an overnight to Springfield, so you can see the museum, the memorial, Lincoln%26#39;s home, perhaps New Salem State park, and then returning to the suburbs to see the botanic gardens, etc? If you stay in either the Oak Brook area or Northbrook, you will spend an hour getting into town each day and still have to deal with parking. Just a thought.
Chicago is a huge city with long rush hours. The metro area is gigantic. Your plan is going to give you a wonderful tour of the many expressways of Chicago. I would reconsider staying in the city.
I am travelling to New York and Chicago in a few days, but I won%26#39;t ask the usual ';Should I cancel my trip?';question. But since the CDC has shown a great increase in swine flu cases in Illinois in the last few days, I was just wondering:
Has everyday life in Chicago been affected, even in little things? Are people taking special measures over it?
Is someone reccomending to saty away from people gatherings? Are schools closing?
Sorry, too many questions, but I just wanted to know from locals how big concern is in there?
The swine flu was in the news a lot last week, but not so much in the last few days. I know there were a few schools closed in the area, but I think all of them are back now. There seems to be some concern with what will happen next fall, at the start of the next flu season.
At one school in our town, the children were instructed to wash their hands first thing in the morning, and again before lunch, and the laptops are all cleaned with wipes before using. At the other schools, I think it鈥檚 business as usual.
Other than a few school closings there hasn%26#39;t been much. I can say that it hasn%26#39;t affected my day to day life one bit. No one is wearing masks on the train or avoiding crowds or staying home or anything.
Hi,
My girls are 10 and 7. I want to spend a couple of days with them at the American Girl Doll Store before my oldest gets too big. Any suggestions? I don%26#39;t want to spend a TON of money, but I%26#39;m open to ideas. Any good packages? What are the nicest (cleanest and safest) hotels? I have no idea where to even start.
Thanks in advance.
My friends from Taiwan and I booked 2 rooms at Holiday Inn Hotel %26amp; Suites, Chicago Downtown, 506 W. HARRISON, Chicago, Il. USA for 6 nights in August 2009 through www.hotel-board.com. We paid immediately. We got the reply email which we can access to a voucher. The online status of ';my booking'; in hotel-board.com read: Confirmed.
However, few days later, there was an agent emailed my friend in Taiwan and said vaguely that the hotel we booked has a wrong address. We emailed them and requested a clearer answer. He replied again that what our change would be or if we would like a refund. We answered them firmly that we did not want change or refund, we want the hotel rooms because it is close to our Conference site.We checked the site, our booking status has changed to ';Amendment Processing [?]';!!! So we emailed them again that if they made mistake, they should discuss/negotiate with us. If they made a mistake and booked the wrong hotel for us, they could switch to Sheraton Chicago Hotel %26amp; Towers, Chicago at 301 EAST NORTH WATER STREET because this hotel has the same price range and not too far from our Conference site. But we asked them to reply us to discuss first. We haven%26#39;t heard from them for 3 days since then.
Please kindly give us advice as what to do. We have reviewed TripAdvisor.com and found so many negative comments about hotel-board.com which is too late for us. We also found so many charges that hotel-board.com is a fraud and so many people didn%26#39;t get the refund after several months. Many peole complained in Tripadvisor.com that hotel-board.com didn%26#39;t reply their emails nor answered their phone calls. There is ONE comment that ';hotel-board.com is legitimate and has office in UK and Canada';. Of course we can notice the 2 numbers in their website too. But if they are legitimate, please do as what they advertised.
We don%26#39;t know what to do. We are students and we can not afford paying twice for the travel to our Conference in Chicago in August, which is a prerequisite during our course of study. We don%26#39;t want to change anything. We just want the hotel we booked. If they made mistake, they MUST contact us and explained, and proposed an alternative which is acceptbale to us. Otherwise, they MUST refund us in full as we DID NOT request a cancel, it is rather THEIR OWN FAULT.
We have informed our bank of the possible fraudulent. Should we report the case with our crime investigation bureau? In Taiwan, it is enough evidence to charge such an action. We would be much grateful if anyone out there has an advice as what to do for us. And if the so-called hotel-board.com outta there see this forum, please kindly contact us as well. Thank you very much for all of your attention.
I don%26#39;t know anything about this agency but it sure sounds like a scam. If it is a scam, they don%26#39;t ';have'; to do anything - only a legitimate agency would feel the need to be helpful. The first thing I would do is call or e-mail the hotel directly to see if you have a room booked. I would also request a refund from the agency and book the room myself, either directly with the hotel you want or with another hotel - if you have trouble, come back here with your dates and people will try to help you. There are many deals out there either directly through hotels or through sites that are legitimate. Book something that is cancellable and then keep looking for better deals. There is no need to go through an agency like the one you describe. Definitely talk to your investigative agency. Be prepared, however, for the possibility that you have lost your money. This time, come to Tripadvisor before you book, not after - there are some great people here that will be happy to help you. Also, I don%26#39;t know where your conference is, but the Holiday Inn and the Sheraton are not close together, so they can%26#39;t both be close to your conference site.
That address is correct. Try calling the hotel.
Dear Warriorjan: Thank you very much for your advice. It is really bad if we lost the money. We鈥檝e already spent an equivalence of 3-year tuition fee to attend the conference. We don鈥檛 know if we still have money to pay for hotels again. The site is Hyatt Regency. We we call them first thing on Monday. Then we will ask for refund if no answer or no solution whatsoever. Then we will report to the Police Department. Then we will report the case to our newspapers and media. It now does not make any sense to us that hotel-board.com were a fake and still out there fishing innocent and na茂ve people. There must be someone some authority taking some sorts of actions asap.
Dear eBobIllinois: The hotel address is correct. It was the one we found on hotel-board.com which we thought close to our Conference site at Hyatt Regency (we checked google map). We did email the hotel. However, no reply after a week. I think there are some other Holiday Inn and Suite in Chicago (west area and O鈥檋are area). Hence the downtown Holiday Inn and Suite that we booked and paid for didn鈥檛 have our reservation yet. Is it true that hotels in Chicago do not reply to clients who do not have reservation with the hotels? Should we call the Holiday Inn and Suites and blame them? I don鈥檛 think so. Thanks a lot anyway.
If you paid with a credit card - contact them. They should be able to reverse the charge.
I think whether the hotel responds to an e-mail depends on the hotel, not whether it is in Chicago or somewhere else. Some are better at customer service than others. I would send an e-mail and then follow-up with a phone call. I would definitely cancel whatever you booked through this fishy-sounding agency and book it on your own, if possible. Keep copies of all correspondence, and never book with anything other than a credit card. Contact the credit card company as well. There are many scams out there and they are extremely difficult to police, as people running them could be anywhere in the world. The Holiday Inn is not that close to the Hyatt Regency, if you have a chance to change to the Sheraton you would be much closer to the Hyatt.
Dear Warriorjan: Definitely a good advice. Thank you. We will call them Monday morning UK time, then we will call the Canadian office by its Monday morning time too. We%26#39;ve already sent hotel-board.com emails asking clearly what we want. Of course, I am still hoping that hotel-board.com is just a bad-service company! Hope that they will react by the time we call them. Well, we might be too stupid to think so. We kept everything because my friend in Taiwan had to printout everything as evidence to obtain her US visa.
Dear Dave148: My friend did inform the bank who issue the credit card. However, the bank reply was negative to us. The bank did contact my friend immediately the time she keyed her card number for payment online. It checked whether it was her payment as it was over her regular payment amount. My friend did pay the bank afterward. Perhaps, I will ask the bank once again to see if they really can reverse the chard as you suggested. Do you have specific experience in such a situation where a bank has the authority to reverse the charge from credit card its customer used? Thanks
Any reservation you make, make sure you understand the cancellation policy. I myself prefer to pay extra and have a cancellable reservation, as opposed to a cheaper rate where all the money is prepaid but not cancellable. If you do not get what you paid for, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company and the company charging you will have to prove that you did receive the services they charged you for. You can receive much good advice on this forum as to hotel booking sites if you prefer to go that route, I know that people have mentioned travelzoo, expedia, orbitz, hotwire, etc. Again, make sure you are clear about the cancellation policy, and if you%26#39;re spending that much money, consider travel insurance.
I may be missing something here since this was brought up but if you paid by credit card and didn%26#39;t get the service you bought, the credit card will call this hotelboard and fight to get your room or a credit. The credit card company, such as Visa or MasterCard won%26#39;t just make you responsible for fraud. My credit card company would be my first stop before the police, interpol or FBI or CNN.
Dear ALL: Thank you for you advice. I will try everything you suggested and keep you posted.
I am Mark Derritz, Customer Service Manager at Hotel-Board.com . Our company is an online travel agency serving tens of thousands of travelers every year since 2004. We have registered offices in UK and Canada.
I think I can shed some light on the case in this forum thread. Our client made a booking to a hotel in Chicago from our company. While we
were confirming the booking with the hotel, it turned out that the booking was actually sent to another hotel of the same hotel chain and
we notified our client. We offered a full refund or a new booking to the desired hotel with that hotel%26#39;s own rates (in this case higher). This is what any other travel agency would do. A full refund order is in effect as of yesterday.
As a final note, although it is very easy to comment on Hotel-Board.com with words like fraud, scam, dodgy, and etc.; it is impossible to stay in business for 5 years if these were true.
Hi,
My girls are 10 and 7. I want to spend a couple of days with them at the American Girl Doll Store before my oldest gets too big. Any suggestions? I don%26#39;t want to spend a TON of money, but I%26#39;m open to ideas. Any good packages? What are the nicest (cleanest and safest) hotels? I have no idea where to even start.
Thanks in advance.
I know many hotels offer American Girl packages but some are pretty price. I found this one at the Four Points Sheraton which is a great location and a fairly reasonable price (depending on your dates, of course.)
fourpointschicago.com/american_girl_package.鈥?/a>
Thanks so much! Our dates are flexible. I';ll look into it right away.
Try the Swissotel or Omni deal here - http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/
Hi,
Any places around Wrigley to store a piece of luggage during the game?
thanks.
None that I am aware of. You may strike up a deal with a bartender at one of the bars around Wrigley, but if you can avoid bringing it I would. The area around Wrigley on game day is a blast but I can%26#39;t imagine trying to get through the crowds lugging a suitcase.
You are not allowed to take large items into Wrigley, so they have a check room. They must be inspected prior to checking and I%26#39;m not sure if there%26#39;s a charge. You could call for details.
Hi, trying to hit a 1:40pm cubs game on sunday July 26th and I have a flight out of midway at 6:40pm. Is this doable--even if I leave a bit early from the game?
How%26#39;s the best way to get to the airport from the field?
Thanks!
It should be doable. Take the Red Line down to Roosevelt and transfer to the Orange Line to Midway there. The trick is to leave before everyone else does so that you aren%26#39;t having to wait to get into the Addison station or you could walk a few blocks north to the Sheridan station and catch the Red Line there.
How much luggage will you have? The Els are extrememly crowded for Cubs game. Both to the game and on the way back. You are going to annoy a lot of people if you have lots of luggage. If you do, leave early to the game and leave early from the game.
I wouldn%26#39;t let annoying other people rule what I do. Everyone is annoyed all the time anyway for a variety of reasons. But I don%26#39;t think you can bring your luggage in Wrigley so you must not have any or it%26#39;s being stored somewhere else. But if you want to be at Midway about 5:30, you should leave Wrigley at 4:30 and you will be fine. The red line will be a bit crowded for a few stops but will empty out once you get to the loop.
We are coming in to town for Thursdays game %26amp; looking for somewhere with some energy Friday night for dinner...with kids. Great food, great atmosphere. The kids are around 10 years old.
Any suggestions for lodging?
Thanks - we don%26#39;t have tickets yet, but were hoping to find four from a %26#39;scalper%26#39;
Stay downtown. This is a good deal - hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/579643
You can get to Wrigley Field from downtown on the CTA red line train. www.transitchicago.com for details.
There are literally 100s of restaurants here to choose from. www.chicagoreader.com has a great dining search tool. Read reviews and search by area, cuisine, budget etc.
There is a nice Hilton Garden Inn at State and Grand which is where a Red Line stop is located. Some good eats close including Rock Bottom Brewery, ESPN Zone, and some deep dish pizza joints. The bars around Wrigley are a lot of fun for adults before and after games but IMO not so much for kids. Very loud, very crowded. Be careful with scalpers. Check the Cubs website first and the Wrigley box office on game day.
if you are looking for a more kid friendly place before or after the game, would suggest you checkout the southport area (Southport street for 2 or 3 blocks north and south of Addison). it is only about 5 blocks from Clark/addison and is more kid ready for your family.
I am staying at the Palmer House Hilton this weekend and need a recommendation for breakfast/brunch on Sunday. No overpriced meal or long lines. Prefer to make a reservation. Buffet is nice but not required. Don%26#39;t need to break the bank but want a nice meal. Please help!
';Overpriced'; is relative - not knowing what your budget is, I would suggest you start with www.opentable.com and see where reservations are available. We are going for lunch at the Park Grill (at Millenium Park.) We did this 2 years ago and it was lovely. I highly recommend it. It%26#39;s not a buffet - just order off the menu which I found to be quite reasonable given the venue.
Looks like Park Grill is booked solid. Here%26#39;s a list of restaurants with Mother%26#39;s Day offerings:
www.opentable.com/promo.aspx…
I must say, if we didn%26#39;t have our Park Grill reservations, I%26#39;d be tempted by Rivers:
http://www.riversrestaurant.com/default.php
…metromix.com/restaurants/…content
Andies in Andersonville has a good sunday brunch.
In addition to the suggestions here, the concierge at the Palmer House will have a list and most likely menus of Mother%26#39;s Day options
My husband and I stayed in Hannibal, Mo. a few years back and loved it. We are coming to Illinois at the end of the month and will have a few extra days on our own. We%26#39;d like to spend that time at a different small town along the Illinois side of the river. Any suggestions?
I am connecting through O´Hare and have about 4 hours between flights. This won´t be long enough to go Downtown so I was wondering if there was anything closeby to visit, or an outlet centre which can be got to via train within 30 minutes.
Sorry, no outlet malls nearby. In Rosemont, just outside of ORD is - http://www.target.com/ - you%26#39;ll need to take a taxi each way.
My wife and I (40%26#39;s) are meeting our children (20%26#39;s) in Chicago for a weekend getaway at the end of June. Are we better off flying into Midway or O%26#39;Hare? What part of the city should we stay? We will have a car since my wife and I are driving, but my kids are flying in. I do not feel a need to drive around Chicago, but will if that is best. Generally when we go away to a different city for a weekend like this we use public transportation or cabs; but I am comfortable driving in cities.
It doesn%26#39;t matter which airport you fly into, they are both equal distance from downtown. Let the airline be your guide. Most tourists stay in the North Michigan or River North area. Some tourists stay in the loop. Others stay east of Michigan near Millenium Park. Others like the south loop. Then you have some that like more of the neighborhoods and stay in Lincoln Park, Wicker Park or Lakeview. So it depends on what your interests are and budget is.
Midway Airport is closer to downtown, but both are accessible by public transit with the Blue Line going to O%26#39;Hare and the Orange Line to Midway. Actually, there is ongoing weekend construction and closures on the Blue Line, so I would favor Midway for a trip like this.
If you are going to be staying in the city, a rental car will be more of a burden than a help. Get 3-day CTA passes at the airport and you should be covered transit-wise for the duration of your visit.
As a Chicago native, think that either airport is fine. Just a slightly longer walk to public transportation from Midway than ORD. The EL is very easy to navigate so between that and taxis once you park your car...you can leave it. Beleive that there are some good deals on hotels at the moment.... club quarters might be worth checking out. one right by the river on Wacker that usually caters to business travelers so likely a good deal on the weekend.
for up to date recommendations on happenings...check out metromix.com ( locals rely on that)
www.explorechicago.org to see what%26#39;s going on here during your visit.
www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. You can get CTA visitor passes as the airport train stations. As noted - a car is not needed here. Parking%26#39;s very expensive.
IMO - the loop area tends to get a little quiet in the evenings as it%26#39;s mostly office buildings. Mag Mile or River North areas are best from a tourist perspective. Check for hotel deals here - http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/
Thank you for all the help. I%26#39;m looking forward to seeing the Windy City. Is it still called that?
Yep.
But not because of the weather. :-)
I%26#39;m working on my itinerary for a trip to Chicago which includes Memorial Day. I%26#39;ve been getting great tips from this forum. I have one question though - would all the shops on the Magnificent Mile (including malls like Water Tower Place) be open on Memorial Day and, if so, would they be open normal Monday hours or would it be shorter hours (like Sunday hours).
Thanks
The shops on the Mag Mile will probably be open Sunday-type hours for Memorial Day (i.e. 10 or 11 to 6). I know the Public Transportation (especially our train system, METRA) runs on a Sunday Schedule for holidays like Memorial Day.
Is the EL the best bet from O%26#39;Hare to Downtown Chicago area. Still considered safe on weekends?
xx
Same question from Downtown/North River area to Wrigley
Many thanks
The L is fine on the weekends. If you%26#39;re going to Wrigley, and it%26#39;s a game day, it will be bustling.
Generally the L is safe at any time. At odd hours (some lines run all night) it may be more secure to be in the front car, where the motorman is.
At non-rush hours a taxi from O%26#39;Hare to downtown will be faster (and less hassle), but you can%26#39;t beat the $2.25 per person that the L costs.
Thanks -- so you think a taxi would be faster say mid-morning Friday and mid afternoon Sunday to/from airport? I was considering EL only due to traffic
The El is relatively safe during the weekend times...if time is a factor it takes about 45 minutes from O%26#39;Hare to downtown...and as the previous poster said its only $2.25. A cab would probably cost you around $40-50 from downtown.
As far as El vs cab on the times you mentioned, the Kennedy (which is the expressway that runs through downtown out to O%26#39;Hare) can be crowded during those times...Friday afternoon is when people are coming into the city and Sunday night/Monday morning are when they are heading out...your preference on what mode of transportation to take.
Actually the outbound Kennedy, which is the highway from downtown to the airport, can be really crowded even during the middle of the day on Sunday. I am often amazed as I%26#39;m driving home from my church, which is in the west Loop, at how backed up the Kennedy can be.
One thing to keep in mind is that there is weekend construction on the Blue Line, resulting in closures.
www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx…
THe thing about the Kennedy is it%26#39;s crowdedness is unpredictable. Of course, during rush hour it%26#39;s a mess and in the rain at any time it%26#39;s a parking lot. But like a previous poster alluded to, at unexpected times it gets very busy. I had an early morning flight at 6:00 am which meant I was on the Kennedy at 5:00 am and it was bumper to bumper out to Ohare. So I would certainly take the train, at least it%26#39;s predictable.
Thanks so much for all your advice---very much appreciated
We will be visiting Chicago to take my son to visit Columbia, which is in the South Loop. From what I%26#39;ve read, it sounds like we would want to stay at a hotel closer to either the Magnificent Mile or River North area and take public transportation to visit the school just because it looks like there%26#39;s more to do in those areas. So far the best prices I%26#39;ve gotten are for either the Westin River North or the Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. Does anyone have any input as to which of these two is better as far as location, amenities, cleanliness, etc? We want to be in a location that%26#39;s close to the sites, shopping and restaurants. Also, about how long would it take to get from these areas to the college by subway? I can%26#39;t book a hotel on Priceline or Hotwire because there will be more than two people in the room and they won%26#39;t guarantee you%26#39;ll have two beds. I%26#39;ve gotten a rate of $179 at the Westin and $149 at the Marriott. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Both are good choices--and they are relativley close to each other but probably the Westin is a bit of a nicer property but I would still choose the Marriott in your case as the bus right outside the door will take you down to Columbia in about 10 minutes. Also, the Marriott is next door to Nordstroms shopping area, Kenneth Cole and not far from all the other North Michigan Water Tower shopping. Westin has less shopping right in the vicinity but a little more clubs and restaurants.
There%26#39;s a trip planner at the home page of www.transitchicago.com
Check for hotel deals here - http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/
www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Chicago
Hi all,
I am planning a two leg trip - fly to Chicago for a weekend, then take a train to St. Louis to visit family/friends.
I am thinking of flying to Chicago on a Friday morning and leaving Sunday or Monday.
1. It will be in mid-September - what is the weather like at that time?
2. What is a decent, centrally located hotel to stay at? I am legally blind and will be using public transportation (or the ADA para transit service).
3. What are some good trips/tours. I like boat tours, guided bus tours, historical areas, etc.
any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Al
For tours, start with the Chicago Architecture Foundation: www.architecture.org
I think I would recommend staying in the Loop (downtown) for easy access to the tours and museums. You might like a small hotel in a historic building, like the Burnham or Silversmith. Both have excellent access to transportation, although most of what you have planned is within walking distance or a short cab ride.
Hi all -
I will be in the city from 5/22-5/24 (2 nights). Since I am not staying 3 nights, I am unable to get the discount offered through the Omni or Swissotel. Any other ideas for decent deals? I want to stay near Michigan/Navy Pier/Millenium Park, if possible. There are two of us traveling.
Also, any suggestions on day cruises...maybe one that cruises for 2-4 hours...with lunch or snacks...and cocktails? Is there a reputable link I could review?
Thanks so much!!
There are some good options for you on Hotwire, including the Avenue and the Allegro hotel, both around $100/night. Check betterbidding.com for bidding strategies/tips.
Cruise information - http://www.navypier.com/things2do/boats.html
I have to admit - a bit nervous about the whole bidding thing since you never know where you will end up! Maybe I should give it a try. I am still comparing prices on hotels...last time, I was at the Affinia...I think I would like to be a bit closer to Millenium Park and Navy Pier this time.
I wonder if anyone has PERSONAL recommendations on the cruises. I see there are some fireworks cruises...has anyone ever been and is it worth it? But, we also thought it might be cool to just spend a couple of hours on the water during the day, especially if the weather is nice.
www.wendellaboats.com
Thanks, Dave!
What about one that has cocktails?
Just want to relax and kick back!
Sorry - no experience.
My husband and I are going to Chicago for the first time for 3 nights over Memorial Day weekend.
We%26#39;re staying at the Park Hyatt along the Magnificent Mile. I wanted to get some feedback on our loose plan for the trip, and see if there is anything that is a ';must see'; that I should add.
Just a note about the restaurant options--we live in a food city (New Orleans) and go out to ';fine dining'; places regularly for work, so for this trip we%26#39;re looking to go more Chicago-style with less fancy places.
Restaurants:
1. Giordanos for famous deep dish pizza
2. La Scarola, Rosebud on Rush, or Rosebud on Taylor for traditional Italian (which one is better?)
3. Grand Lux Cafe for a possible lunch option during shopping
4. Harry Caray%26#39;s: I thought it would be fun to go here on Memorial Day evening as the Cubs are at home that night
5. Gold Coast dogs: famous Chicago style hot dogs
6. Bistro 110 for a lunch or dinner
7. NoMi at Park Hyatt: our deal through Virtuoso comes with one free lunch at NoMi Gardens or Lounge, so this we will definitely do.
8. NoMi breakfast (this is also included in our Virtuoso deal...how is the breakfast?)
Activities:
1. Fields Museum (special pirate exhibit during our trip)
2. Sears Tower skydeck
3. Watertower/Magnificent Mile shopping
4. Navy Pier (Evening fireworks/architecture combo river cruise)
5. Sunday night free outdoor jazz concert at Pritzker Pavillion at Millenium Park
Please let me know if I%26#39;m missing anything. Thanks!
I like La Scarola much better than Rosebud. Grand Lux is okay, don%26#39;t kill yourself to get there. I prefer Kiki%26#39;s Bistro to Bistro 110. NoMi is amazing at breakfast, lunch or dinner. I would go to John Hancock deck over Sears Tower deck. As long as you are at the Field Museum, go across the street to the Shedd Aquarium as well. And if you like Pirates, you will like the diamonds and gems as well as the Ancient Egypt exhibit.
Really good question! Many opinions of course. Do not miss the lakefront. Take the architectural cruise for sure up the Chicago River. Art Museum. As far as Chicago kind of restaurants, Mexican for sure...not your typical Mexican of Tex-Mex. Try for instance Adobo Grill, Frontera Grill, maybe Salpicon, or 50 others, see Chicagoreader.com or Chicago Magazine or Metromix. Brunch on Sat or Sunday at numerous places. Yes deep dish pizza.Go to Devon Street for Indian or Pakistani or try an Ethiopian. Many good Irish bars. Oh yes, don%26#39;t forget Billy Goat Tavern. Good authentic Italian is hard to find here....our favorite it Trattoria Riccardo, others say Merlo, ....
ZB
IMO - Portillo%26#39;s is the better dog if you%26#39;re downtown.
100 W. Ontario
312-587-8910
You might want to consider Bistro 110 for brunch. As previously noted, Grand Lux Cafe is not a ';must'; for dining.
Check out www.explorechicago.org for ideas. www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. A CTA visitor pass might come in handy for your visit.
Let me preface this by saying that I would suggest leaving downtown and checking out the neighborhoods of Chicago. I do not feel that downtown is representative of how amazing Chicago actually is!
Pizza: I would suggest Pizzeria Uno%26#39;s over Giordano%26#39;s. It is a short walking distance from the Park Hyatt.
Rosebud on Taylor is amazing and in the heart of Little Italy. It is a short cab ride from your hotel, though.
Skip Grand Luxe Cafe. It is overpriced and the food is mediocre.
Gold Coast Dogs is okay .. a chain restaurant. If you are willing to leave downtown - check out Hot Doug%26#39;s. It is a little bit away from downtown and there will be a guaranteed line at the restaurant but it is worth it!
If you want to be at a restaurant/bar during a Cubs game, take the El to Addison %26amp; watch it from across the street from the field. It is a lively neighborhood and plenty of food/drink options.
The concerts in the park are so much fun! They are open air %26amp; you can bring your own food. Don%26#39;t forget a blanket!
I think that Navy Pier is a tad bit overrated.
I live in Chicago and love, love, love it! It is such a fantastic city!
Grand Lux is fine, but I agree with others that it is not a must. My wife and I absolutely loved Quartino (at the corner of State and Ontario). Very good food, cheap wine, and awesome gelato.
Also, Nookie%26#39;s is one of the best breakfasts I%26#39;ve ever had, but you can%26#39;t walk there from downtown. Perhaps you could couple it with a trip over to Lincoln Park, though.
Giordano%26#39;s is great for pizza. I also love Uno and Lou Malnati%26#39;s.
You should think about doing the Hancock Tower skydeck. It%26#39;s a little bit better location than Sears. Plus, you can go up to the 96th Floor Bar (no admission price, but you%26#39;ll need to buy a drink I think). Great views from the bar at night!
Harry Caray%26#39;s supposedly has good steaks. You might want to sit down for a steak while you%26#39;re in town, as Chicago is known as a steak town. Gibsons is a very happening place to eat, and the steak is excellent.
Check out the bars on Rush St, perhaps, if you%26#39;re looking for nightlife. Our favorite is a small bar called Jilly%26#39;s where they play Sinatra-style music all night.
Have a great trip!
Another vote to skip Grand Luxe (it%26#39;s overpriced and teeming with tourists). I think Coco Pazzo Cafe is a lovely place to have a casual (but delicious) Italian lunch downtown. It%26#39;s right off Michigan Ave. Quartino is a great option, too, as is A Mano. Check out yelp.com and metromix.com for reviews.
For a fun breakfast spot downtown, try the West Egg or Original Pancake House.
As another poster mentioned, I would skip the Sears Tower skydeck in favor of the Hancock Building%26#39;s Signature Lounge. It%26#39;s on the 95th floor and has amazing views. Instead of paying admission for the observatory that%26#39;s a few floors higher, you can enjoy a cocktail for around the same price ($12ish).
I also second Portillo%26#39;s for hot dogs. While there you could also try an Italian beef sandwich (another local specialty).
Try to set aside half a day to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo. It has some truly amazing exhibits, especially the Ape gallery and African journey. If you%26#39;re on the Mag Mile, it%26#39;s just one short bus ride (around 10 minutes) north along the lake to the zoo. Best of all, it%26#39;s free so if the weather is good when you%26#39;re in town be sure to check it out!
http://www.lpzoo.com/info/index.php
If you%26#39;re feeling adventurous and like to bike, check into renting bicycles and doing Bike the Drive on May 24th. Lake Shore Drive is open to bikes only from 6am to 10am. It%26#39;s a great way to see the lakefront! (30 mile loop, or you can do half for 15 miles. I like the north loop; coming south on LSD and seeing the city is so cool.)
I also like Pizzeria Uno over Giordano%26#39;s but both are GREAT.
I love Wrigleyville during a Cub%26#39;s game, but be aware that the El will be packed.
Everything on your list looks great. For lunches, if the weather is great, grab something to go and eat in one of the parks or along the lake front somewhere.
I also love visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo and nearby Conservatory. Both are free so you can wander in and out.
Public transportation in Chicago is easy. Cabs are abundant as are buses and the el/subway. So as another poster said, see some of the neighborhoods.
Have fun!
WOW TravelGirlLouisiana, you%26#39;ve basically planned out %26amp; given me great options for my trip! :) Thanks! And Thank You to all that left feedback all the information is great!
This may be too detailed a question for the forum, but I wanted to ask nonetheless. The Davoodas scored a Deluxe One-bedroom suite cityview at the Trump for Memorial Day weekend for a remarkable price (probably our once chance to stay at the Trump!) and I%26#39;ve consulted the hotel website%26#39;s floorplan for each room type:
trumpchicagohotel.com/Accommodations/interac鈥?/a>
I am wondering if room numbers ';02,'; ';22,'; and ';26'; are considered ';Deluxe One-bedroom suite cityview'; rooms? It would seem that ';26'; has a river view, but I%26#39;m not sure of the orientation of the layout...
Any inside info would be appreciate - we%26#39;re excited about the stay!
Thanks,
Davooda
Yes they are indeed, the 26 has a bit of a riverview but really not much.
We also found a great deal for that weekend. Curious about what room we will end up in! A little scared that it will be sub-par. Please suspend my fears.
Tealie - your room type should be included in the itinerary the Trump staff emailed to you upon payment. Ours indicates ';Deluxe King Suite City'; which is a Deluxe King Suite with a City View. On the floorplan webpage:
trumpchicagohotel.com/Accommodations/interac鈥?/a>
These rooms are numbered ';02'; and ';22'; and maybe ';26,'; but I doubt it because ';26'; has a slight view of the river according to previous post and, in my experience, if a hotel can charge more for a view - even if slight - it will! Riverview suites were $100 more per night - not that important to us.
The standard ';deluxe'; king rooms are the smaller spaces on the floorplan - and it appears as if there is only one two-bedrooms suite per floor. There is also what looks like one 900-sq ft ';Studio King'; room per floor as well, on the river side.
I am hoping that the lights from the IBM PLaza immediatly next door (on the cityview side) won%26#39;t be an issue. Apparently, one of the condo owners in the building has complained because the upper 10 floors are occupied by Jenner and Block - a multi-national law firm that operates 24/7 and they never turn off the lights!
Hope you enjoy the stay!
Davooda
What about the spa rooms? They seem to be lacking the kitchen not that it is that big of a deal.
I have not yet stayed at the Trump but my perception is that the Spa rooms are much smaller and, accordingly, less expensive.
I do recall someone mentioning a stay in a Spa room in a previous thread about th Trump, so you might want to key in ';Trump Spa Room'; in the search window while visiting the Chicago forum.
Having been in the lobby, one of the regular cityview rooms and Sixteen earlier this week, I think we are both going to be happy with the Trump. It looks really great and the staff I met were all highly professional.
Davooda
For anyone else looking to stay at the Trump for a remarkable price, check this out:
hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/578118
For whatever reason, I don%26#39;t see the link for this on the usual Travelzoo Chicago hotels page; I can only find it on the Top 20 email I got yesterday. We decided to cancel our stay at the Omni and try out the Trump Int%26#39;l - a bit more expensive but seems more upscale and worth an indulgence.
I didn%26#39;t get the impression that Spa rooms were smaller; they are just decorated a little differently (in ';soft earth tones';) and on an adjacent floor to the spa:
trumpchicagohotel.com/Accommodations/spa_gue鈥?/a>
Thank you for that info. We had booked two nights at the Trump for Memorial Day weekend. We called and gave them the ';travelzoo'; code and they lowered our rate from $276 a night to $199. You just saved us around $160. Thanks again.
You%26#39;re very welcome. We are staying there tonight and I will report back with a review.
