My wife and I will be coming to Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend for a short getaway without the kids.
I managed to get a phenomenal rate at the Blackstone ($75 a night, with upgrade to club level due to my rewards membership) so plan to stay there, recognizing that it is not quite in the prime tourist area. Not having been to Chicago in some years, I was hoping to get some advice on this forum (and apologize in advance if I%26#39;m raising some tired old questions).
Is the hotel within walking distance to ';Magnificent Mile'; shopping, or is that a little too far? Also, are there any can%26#39;t-miss but reasonably priced restaurants in that area of the Loop (or reasonably close)?
On the topic of dinner suggestions, I%26#39;ve been researching steakhouses other than the national chains such as Capital Grille that are fun and offer something a little different from the typical while being a little more friendly than the higher end places (say, below $40 a steak; thanks to the plunging Canadian dollar, this has become a far more expensive indulgence). Wildfire and Kinzie Chophouse seem to fit the bill, although opinions vary widely (not surprising for a city known for its steaks). Any views or alternatives to suggest?
Also, I plan to buy some wine while there to bring home. Usually, I like to go to World Market when possible due to their great prices and selection, but it looks like the closest location might be a little out of the way. Any other discount wine shops in the area worth checking out, perferably within walking distance?
Finally, having read many of the posts about taking the train from O%26#39;Hare, it appears that is a preferable option depending on time of day. For a flight arriving at O%26#39;hare at 3 pm on a Friday, is it safe to assume that traffic heading downtown would favor the L? What about on Monday morning for a 9:30 am flight (unless Memorial Day would mean less traffic, in which case perhaps a shuttle or cab would be better to catch the early flight)?
Many thanks in advance for the suggestions.
Renaissance Blackstone--Questions and Suggestions?
Actually, in the Blackstone is a fabulous restaurant: Mercat--upscale spanish tapas with all kinds of great wine by the glass. I love it there. Regarding steaks: I like both Wildfire and Kinzie Chophouse. Gibson%26#39;s is also very popular and the quintessential old Chicago Steak House is probably Gene % Georgetti%26#39;s on Franklin Street. In the south loop, near your hotel (1 mile away or so) there are two big wine emporium%26#39;s--Binny%26#39;s and Sam%26#39;s. I think Sam%26#39;s may be closer to your hotel but I personally think Binny%26#39;s has better pricing. But it depends on the wine you are purchasing. Taking the blue line back and forth is going to save you alot of money. However, I feel your pain with the early morning...but cabbing or shuttling to Ohare is unpredictable...I have missed many flights thinking traffic would be light. At least the blue line is predictable. (Just under an hour from most loop stops).
Renaissance Blackstone--Questions and Suggestions?
Nice score on your hotel. You are staying on south Michigan Ave. The Mag Mile area is north of the Chicago River. IMO, too far to walk. You%26#39;re better off taking a CTA bus. www.themagnificentmile.com
Steakhouses have been covered quite extensively on this forum. Please search for previous posts. All are good.
Wine shop:
Sam%26#39;s - 50 E Roosevelt Rd. - http://www.samswine.com
Binny%26#39;s - 213 W. Grand Ave. - http://www.binnys.com/
Neither are within walking distance to your hotel.
The ';L'; is your best bet from/to O%26#39;Hare. However, Memorial Day traffic should be pretty easy. A cab will run around $45ish
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