Things to do in Chicago

boy_wonder

will be there for 10days at end of May or early June. Spent summer there a few years ago but wasn't very adventurous apart from the pubs. This time will be a family holiday and want to have things to do planned/booked in adavance. Any ideas ?? Apart from the obvious like the cubs, white sox, museums etc. Thanks in advance

Gandhi

There is an architecture tour along the river that was really good. Just show up early to get a good seat. It was mentioned in an earlier thread about Chicago in Rec -> Travel/Holidays.

boy_wonder

oh yeah have done that on that speed boat thingy from navy pier. thanks for the thought!!

Kinkade

I live in Chicago. There's a lot to see and do that time of year. The weather should be cooperative. As was said earlier, a river tour is a great idea. Lots of bars & restaurants and such to try. Let me know where exactly are you staying and I can fill you in on the happenings around your hotel.

boy_wonder

I'm staying in a condo on east huron st, not too far from the john hancock. Recommendations of good restaurants and pubs downtown would be great!!

Pink Bunny

If you like comedy, visit Second City Comedy Club. http://www.secondcity.com/?id=theatres/chicago
The "main stage" is your best bet, but the smaller theatre can have some great acts as well. You can buy your tickets on the Internet in advance or try your luck buying them that day for a reduced price at the Visitor's Center.

optiplexgx270

There is a restaurant on the 97th of the John Hancock free in unlike the observation floor (on th 95th or 96th). Food is alright, not pricy either and the views well what can i say excellent esp. on a good day.

White Sox man dodgy area very easy to stray into the wrong area. Was looking for a place near it and asked some cops for directions and they said we didnt want to go there, had to beg almost for the directions, needless to say got lost, threatened, taunted etc. and were the only white ppl to be seen for 50mins, ended up on Dr. Martin Luthur King Jr. Drive felt safe one we got there too. Basically be careful round there. When the relations found out they said the ppl must have thought either we were stupid or "packing heat"

There are also casino boats on the lake some nights good fun if thats your thing.

Pink Bunny

optiplexgx270 brings up a good point. Once the museums and shops start to close and you see the crowds start to leave that's your clue to leave as well. I was there a couple of years ago and we made the mistake of staying too late in an out of the way place after the other tourists had left and the area we were in changed dramatically after the galleries etc. had closed. We couldn't even get a taxi to stop for us.
Scary.
.

boy_wonder

Thanks for the help people.

BUT

I lived in Chicago for a bit but and did all the student stuff therefore i know all the freebies, john hancock etc. Since then ive moved up in the world and have more money so not relying on the 5 packets of noodles for a dollar. Been to the white sox 3 times and bars in area (no trouble).

Looking for nice restaurants.

Thanks

rugbug86

restaurants -

chicago chop house - yummy steak
mccormick & schmick - if you like fish
pizzeria uno - apparantly the nicest pizza in the world
tempo - nicest brekkie, worth the queue. also open 24 hours so perfect for those 4am munchies...
smith and wollenski have a restaurant there, haven't been myself but the one in new york is yum. (steakhouse,expensive)
went to mortons aswell, but IMO chop house is nicer
bubba gumps at navy pier is nice aswell

things to do -

go to the science museam, its brill
shopping? hire a car and go to Aurora Premium outlets, good shopping
navy pier is a must - all big and shiny...
random shopping on michegan avenue

don't know of any bars cos i'm only 19, but there was a club on the same street as the chop house, it was PACKED and the music sounded good from the outside. can't remember the name of it, but i think it was on the corner of state street and whatever street it is that the chop house is on. (one perpendicular to michegan avenue, with the big funky mcdonalds in the middle of it.)

i love chicago.

CountryWise

Hey Kinkade!!! i gotta ask if you got your username form the bar???
spent many a drunken night there

Kinkade

Nope, that's my real last name. Although you and I could have shared a pint at Kinkade's once before. I've been there many times, often getting in for free once they see my name on my drivers license LOL.

Optiplex, the Signature Room is the restaurant located in teh John Hancock building and is, in fact, on the 95th floor. The observation decks are on the 93rd and 94th floors.

Boy Wonder, You are staying in an area called 'Near North'. It's kinda pricey up there but very nice. I'm up there a lot.

One of my favorite restaurants called Cafe' Iberco. It's a Spanish Tappas bar and they serve some of the best Sangria in the city. The food is fantastic and very reasonably priced. If you are planning on going there for dinner you have to get there early, say around 4:30 to get in line for a table. While you're in line you can drink at the bar or stand outside and take in the atmosphere.

Another great restaurant is Harry Carry's restaurant in the Loop. It's an Itallian steak house. Fantastic food and an even more fabulous bar. Along the same lines of famous people's ressies are Ditka's Chop House in Near North, Chelli's (Named after famed hockey player Chris Chellois) is a great place for chili, and I forget the name of Michael Jordan's restaurant. There are TONS of sports bars that serve fantastic food, like The Cubbie Bear which is located in the Wrigleyville part of Chicago, That's a cab ride away but worth the $10.00 fee. If you go during a Cubs game all the bars in the area will be jam packed with Cubs Fans who are usually pretty smashed. Lots of hott chicks around up there.

If you're looking to go to a more subdued bar and meet some really cool people (girls) than you will want to go out to Lincoln Park (Lincoln Park Trixies), Wrigleyville (Baseball sluts), or stay in Near North (lots of Asians). If you head in to the West Loop area (near Hard Rock Cafe') there will be nothing but young high school punk ass kids and tourists.

If you are thinking about going to Second City Comedy Club, please let me know. I know the owner and can easily score "On the list" tickets. This gets you close tot he stage and sometimes back stage passes if someone famous has an appearance. Another good show to go to is Blue Man Group at the Briar Street Theater (in Old Town). I have been a few times and it's really cool. A bit cerebral, but fun none the less.

As you mentioned before, you took the speedboat ride on Lake Michigan. It's called the Sea Dogg. The boat tour Gandhi was referring to actually takes you the opposite direction and you travel up and down the Chicago River. You can catch these boat tours at many of the drawbridges of the river. The easiest access is at the Michigan Avenue bridge. It's a fantastic tour lasting about 90 minutes and you learn a LOT about the city.

There's a bar in the West Loop called Excalibur. A few locals hang out there and a lot of tourists go there as well. It's kind of a sports bar, but the top level is a separate room with separate admission. I forget the name of the room but it's a very well nown haunted house. Back in the 1800's, the building now known as Excalubur was used as a temporary morgue when a ferry sank in the Chicago River, killing hundreds of people. Most of the victims were housed at Excalibur where they were pronounced dead. Many of their ghosts still haunt the building. It's in many ghost books.

Another treally cool area to go to is called Old Town. There's a ton of blues bars in that area.

There's so much more to tell. If you'd like to talk about it more, or want to run ideas through me, feel free to Email me at chris46319@yahoo.com . I'd be happy to answer any questions or even take you out for a pint or three LOL.