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So my wife loved Tom's idea of going to Chicago. We are trying to get tickets to see the Lion King while there. Since those tickets are going to run just about 200 bucks we are looking to find something else to do while there for a couple days that cost nothing or very close to it. We will probably be staying out of the downtown area since hotels are expensive in the city. What are some good and cheap attractions? anyone know? Because I know absolutely nothing about the city.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Having been to Chicago a few times only as a tourist -- I want to tell you I really loved just WALKING downtown. Downtown Chicago along the waterfront is so awesome. Walk through Millenium Park, see the new huge Buckingham fountian there, the artwork outside of the art museum, all the wonderful architecture.
Walk up and down Navy Pier (you don't have to buy anything -- the pier and all it's shops is fascinating by itself).
Goody Scrivner, who works downtown, took me to a great little hamburger place while I was downtown --Billy Goat's?? Goody - help me out with this. You know downtown better than anyone else I know.
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Any of the museums are awesome, and much cheaper than Lion King tickets. I think the Shedd Aquarium is the most expensive.
check out www.citypass.com to see what they have for chicago at the moment. Even if you don't buy their package deals, it gives you an idea on things to see.
Through City pass for $50 each you can see: •The Hancock Observatory • The Art Institute of Chicago • The Field Museum • Shedd Aquarium • Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum • Museum of Science and Industry
Any one of these attractions could take the better part of a day if you wished it to, or only a few hours depending on how in depth you wish to browse.
http://www.metrarail.com/ I'd reccommend a hotel or motel near a metra or CTA line so that it is easy to walk to the train to go into the city. From the Metra site you can click on "transit links" to get to all other Chicago public transportation sites.
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I found This Site in which some average guy posts photos of what you can see walking around the area I told you about. There's a great pic there of the fountain, etc.
AJ -- where exactly is that one artwork place that a group visited during KamaCon -- that had the water flowing out of that huge block?
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Go up the sears tower thats always fun. Get a shake at Jamba Juice! Theres one at the train station but I don't think your using a train. I live in a chicago suburb and go down their like twice a week. Drive out to schaumburg and see Medeival Times.
Posts: 832 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Penguin- We are thinking about staying out of town to save money. I hadn't even considered the train, but thta would be a good way to get to and from our hotel without havibng to drive into town and pay parking. What is a good place to stay that is close but not in downtown?
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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My advice is to go look at the Metra line map and look at the towns along it and search for hotels in your price range. I chose Skokie for Kama Con but there are others that would probably be more suitable for your needs I wouldn't go any farther out than their "yellow" fare zones, simply because it then starts taking a longer amount of time to get into the city. Anything around OHare airport is normally good too, because there is good direct access to the City from there and sometimes you can get good deals on rooms. But before you make a reservation definitely call and ask the hotel or motel how one would get into the city from their location.
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Don't go to Medieval Times. That'd be like visiting Paris and going to a steakhouse.
What do you and your wife enjoy doing? Are you fairly "hip?" Are you window shoppers? Are you into art, or music, or physical activity?
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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We are both very excited about the Lion King. I would love to see Romeo and Juliet while their because it is playing in the shakespear theater but she isn't interested in that. I've thought about the zoo. Our first two dates were at the zoo and we are both fans. We will definately be doing some shopping only because she is a shoppign freak and I woun't be able to stop her. We are not "hip" as far as all the weird crap that people consider to be hip. The artt museum would be cool as would a baseball game at Wrigley. I really think we are open and just want to explore the city. I just would like to have a few scheduled things so that we are entertained the entire time and can make a budget.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sears Tower Skydeck currently costs $11.95 per person and the lines have been insane. The last time we went (about 2 years ago) we waited over an hour in line for tickets, then another 20 minutes for the mandatory movie presentation that lasts about 15 minutes, and then finally to the elevator upstairs. Once you finally make it upstairs, though, the view can be breathtaking. And there's no limit to how long you can stay up there, at least not that I've run into. Oh, and now you can buy tickets online, which would save part of the wait... www.the-skydeck.com
CityPass is potentially a good idea if you're planning on being here for more than just a couple days or you really want to cram everything into a short time. It costs $49.50 per person, and gives you a single admission to each of 6 locations (no, Sears Tower is not on the list). There are links on the CityPass site to each of the 6 locations, so I won't post urls for each of the museums.
Depending on the time of year, Navy Pier is a good place to go, and is a mandatory for my kids and I at least once a month. For us, the target is the Chicago Children's Museum, but I'm sure you and your wife wouldn't be interested in that... LOL. Lots of food, lots of little shops, a stained glass museum, carnival rides outside, fireworks at night.
DO NOT GO to Billy Goat's at Navy Pier. It's a recent franchise of the original and it's just not as good. Been there, done that. If you DO want to go to Billy Goat's (yes, the place that inspired the cheezborger cheezborger skit on SNL), then you want the one underground at Michigan and Hubbard. It's greasy, it's dingy, and it's loud (especially at lunchtime) but that's part of its appeal. The counter staff like to tell you what you want (always a dubbacheez)and bicker playfully with you if you object. And the walls are covered with photos and news clippings. I could spend hours in that place just reading the walls.
Another fun restaurant is Ed DeBevic's at Wells and Ontario. It's a 50's style diner, the wait staff is mostly in costumes and several have their "schticks".
Other excellent restaurants (not weird crazy fun ones) are China Grill at Michigan and South Water (next to the Hard Rock Hotel), Petterino's (steaks and similar) at Randolph and Dearborn, Catch 35 (seafood) at Wacker and Clark. Open Table is a web-based reservation site that many (but not all) area restaurants use, you should be able to get into it without registration to see what restaurants are available for the style of food you want. And if you do decide to register and use the site to make reservations, you earn points for dining out, which you can redeem for dining gift certificates. Several cities are covered, not just Chicago.
I can't help you on hotels downtown, other than to say that they aren't cheap. Pricewise, you're definitely better off staying in the suburbs and either driving or taking the train into the city.
Theater: Wow.... There's SO much here! Wicked is playing at the Ford Oriental, but the current run (which ends mid-June) is completely sold out. After the current run, they're bringing in a new cast, led by Ana Gasteyer (from SNL) for an open-ended engagement. I highly recommend this show if you can manage it. Lion King is also playing this summer at the Cadillac Palace, but it's also an expensive (and probably hard to get) set of tickets. Broadway In Chicago is one site you can use to search out shows, but that only covers a couple theaters. I'll see if I can find a better, more inclusive site for this.
I have to do some real work so I'll wrap up for now. If I think of more (and have time to post with these bosses driving me nuts), I'll pop back on. Oh, and I work at Michigan and South Water (across from the Hard Rock mentioned above) so if you're interested and your schedule permits, I'd love to meet you and your wife!
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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We actually have TWO. Lincoln Park is on the lakefront and is a free zoo. Unfortunately, there's been a recent spate of animal deaths that has got LPZ under a bit of a black cloud right now.
Brookfield Zoo is out in the suburbs a bit, right along the Burlington Northern train line. There is a fee to get in (i'll have to look up how much, I've been a member all my life so I don't pay at the gate - B'field is my hometown!!). This is one of my favorite places to go in the spring and fall so I should be shot for not even thinking of it. The dolphin show is a must-see (in my opinion it's better than the one at the Shedd). Actually, there's nothing at BZ that I don't recommend... except maybe the Kresge Play Zoo since that's all little-kid stuff.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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It's $8.00 admission. I have looked up that info already. I'm also a huge zoo fan. I grew up at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Depends on when you're planning on visiting. I highly recommend the totally free Chicago Blues Festival. It's scheduled to be held on June 9-12 this year.
Unfortunately, I have to be out of town this year during the Blues Fest.
Anyway, I'd check this site for festivals, etc. when planning your trip.
Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Get cheap seats and go to a Cubs game. From there, it's an easy train ride to everywhere. Or, you can eat at one of the bar/grills outside the stadiums after the game. It's a must for anyone who likes baseball, or grass, or being outside.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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OK here is the plan. I am going to book hotel and Lion King tickets as soon as a speak with my wife and get the OK. I plan on going up Friday June 17th, I need to find a hotel near the rail way that is in the southern part of the city (we are coming form Ohio) We will be seeing the lion King on Saturday the 18th. They had tickets available for both shows yesterday and hopefully still will today when I order. We'll stay the night saturday get up and check out sunday and come home. So I need to find a way to keep us entertained friday afternoon and night and saturday afternoon. By the way what suburbs are nice in the southern part of the city? Looking for safe and clean with a few resturaunts. Thanks.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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h, and I already checked. The cubs are out of town. I'm gonna check about the whitesocks but that just isn't the same. Unless they are hosting the tribe that day...
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sorry beatnix, Tom D or Goody will have to help you with lodging, since I'm a Nortwest Suburb snob. You have to be a lot more careful about where you pick on the south side of the city but there are areas that are very nice, but some areas, like just north of Midway are totally projects and ghetto.
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I said south just because it is as soon as I hit town but I'm willing to travel a bit farther if their are nicer areas. I'm really just interested in finding a nice area. I know nothing about Chicago and would be very upset to book a room at a crap hole. So any Suburb names you can throw my way would be good as well.
By the way, your taxes really suck. Holy crap are their a bunch of them and city fees and just wow. Apparently you've got to be loaded to live in that town.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I don't know south very well, the 'burbs that I do know there are not places you really want to be.
I'm assuming that you're driving... Head out west into western Cook or DuPage County. There are several nice and not too expensive hotels in Oak Brook and surrounding areas because of the businesses nearby. I went to hotels.com, started with a Chicago search and then refined to "search by proximity" using Brookfield Zoo as a landmark. I'd recommend the LaQuinta Inn in Oak Brook or the Clubhouse Inn in Westmont if you want to go with standalone or small chains. There's also the big chains present if you prefer. (full disclosure: yes I'm slightly biased LOL, I grew up in Brookfield and now live in Westmont)
Oh, and the WhiteSux are at home that weekend, playing the Dodgeballs... nope, I don't like baseball =)
And congrats on getting Lion King tickets!!!!
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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The last time I was in Chicago all we did was the Art Museum and spent several hours at Marshall Fields, shopping. It was right before Christmas in 01 for the Van Gogh Exhibit. That was absolutely perfect, we rode the South Shore in from South Bend, nice day. I loved the Lincoln Park Zoo when I went, but I was like 8, so it might not have been as amazing as I thought.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I didn't get them. I've been calling my wife all morning to make sure we could get a babysitter. I asked her to call her mom last night then this morning and then this afternoon. She finally called her about 10 minutes ago. Everything is good for the kids, I jump on line to check for ticket and... their all gone! I'm so ticked off. Oh, well. Now we have more money to go sight seeing I guess. But I am really angry at myself. Yesterday I was on the phone with the box office. She had two seats third row center and I turned them down because My wife hadn't made a definate decision yet and I didn't want to get stuck with tickets. CRAP!!! now I'm stuck with out.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Goody - I'm looking at the Holiday Inn at Elmhurst. Close to the zoo and only a block or so from the metro station. I'm thinking we can stay and spend two days exploring the city ride into downtown in the morning and out at night. Do you have any comments about Elmhurst? City homepage seems to make it out to be a fairly decent place.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Elmhurst is also a nice town, quiet, not as much to do in town itself but since you're only a half hour to the Loop, that's not a big deal. And it's about equidistant to Brookfield and the zoo as Westmont is, I'd say 15-20 minutes. I haven't looked to see exactly where the Holiday Inn is at.
Oh!!!! If you go to Brookfield Zoo, park in the SOUTH lot entrance! They tell everyone to park in the North becuase it's bigger, but that lot also costs more for parking (they charge members too at that lot, where South is free for members). To get to the South lot, stay on First Avenue (instead of taking the Golfview cutoff) past 31st Street to Riverside-Brookfield HS, I'm blanking on the street name there. Turn right at the light immediately past the school, and go to the first stop sign. Turn right there, and you'll head straight to the gates. You pay your entry fee at the parking gates when you go to the South lot, rather than paying for parking at the parking gates and then paying entry at another booth when you go to the North lot. From there you can either head left or right. My preference is right, around to the front of the zoo (which puts you basically on the east side of the same plaza that the North lot entry puts you in) at the Discovery Center.
Yes I spend a lot of time at the Zoo that I can direct you to the best parking from a computer at my office....
[edit: Oh man, they figured out that the members all go to the south lot... they've flipped the parking fees for us!]
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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I'm so freaking pumped. I just remembered that as a teacher I am a member of the OEA and NEA and as so I get discounts to tons of crap all over the country. Just printed a coupon for 50% off regular rack rates in Elmhurst for the hotel!!!
Thanks for the info Goody.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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As to cheap suburbs I'm not sure because I live in one but the hotels out in the suburbs are fairly normal prices if you stay in like a holiday Inn. Don't know if thats what your going for though.. The train is only five dollars per person for the weekend I think. Atleast thats what it was the last time I used it but that was a couple of months ago. Lately I've been driving in for my work. Not sure when your going but the first couple of weeks in June are graduation weeks so a lot of hotels will be booked so watch out.
Posts: 832 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Ya know, I just realized something... this is the same weekend as Carrie's Goodbye Party. Yup, there's nothing to do in Chicago, you need to finish the trek to Madison LOL <ducking since I don't think beatnix's wife would appreciate that!>
And yes, Metra does still have the weekend fares at $5 per person all weekend long, but not valid on Fridays.
However, although the Holiday Inn is very close to the Metra station, and the Zoo is very close to the Metra station, they're on two different lines. So to take Metra from the hotel to the zoo, you'd have to ride all the way downtown, transfer to another train (and I think the Elmhurst line goes to the other downtown station, too) and then ride out to Hollywood from the Loop. So I hope that you weren't planning on riding the train to get to the zoo, you'd be on trains for about 2 hours each way.
Oh, and Orange, where do you live and work? Obviously Chicago area someplace... Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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How about the Morton Arboretum, or Cantigny if you are thinking about the 'burbs. I love the Museum of the First Army Division at Cantigny!
Definately eat well! Try rick Bayless' restaurant Frontera Grill or a Charlie Trotter restaurant! If you want meat eat at Sal & Carvao a Brazillian BBQ restaurant. It is FABULOUS!!! 14 different types of grilled meat-all you can eat for about $40 a head.
Posts: 514 | Registered: May 2005
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check out their website to see the menu. Like I mentioned above, its about $40 per person, plus tip and drinks, but it certainly is worth it for a great meal and a night away from the kids.
Posts: 514 | Registered: May 2005
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Yep, it looks like a winner... now to decide if I should go solo and savor or find a partner in crime.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Go with someone! It was fun to talk with my wife about the different tastes and compare which ones we liked.
Posts: 514 | Registered: May 2005
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When I lived outside Chicago going into the city actually saved me money. I was always entertained by just walking around and looking at stuff. Everyone's given you really good suggestions as far as things to do. One of the things that I liked to do was to go up to Wriggleyville and just find a place to go dancing or to catch a stand up act. You could see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. http://www.neofuturists.org/
However just spending a day walking around and seeing all the stuff is an excellent idea. And a cheap work out. Posts: 872 | Registered: Mar 2002
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