I’m planning a trip to Chicago for sometime in late April, and I was wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions on things to see and do while I’m there.
I’ve been to Chicago a couple of times - the last time I stayed near the DePaul University campus and checked out a few blues clubs nearby (the names escape me at the moment). I’ve also been as far north as the Northwestern campus and as far south as the University of Chicago, with stops along the way (especialy near Wrigley field) coutesy of the El. So I know a bit about where some things are and how to get around Chicago.
Can anyone suggest some sights/attractions to check out other than the above already mentioned? The Navy Pier? I’m not much into checking out places EVERYONE goes to - I like to check out sights and do things that are a little off the beaten path. I’m particularly interested in clubs that play blues any good Cajun food restaurants (I remember going to a good Cajun food resturant somewhere downtown the first time I visited Chicago). I’d also like suggestions on any noteable books stores in and around the downtown area.
The navy pier has a cool ferris wheel and carousel (cheap enough), and that was about it (well for me and my GF - it otherwise seemed like one big flea market/mall).
We had excellent Indian food (on a Sunday, all else was closed) in a resturant on the West side of Clark Ave., a few blocks North of Blues Chicago [the act that night we thought was ‘OK’, but the place was too darn crowded - maybe it was the Annex or something].
For the geek in you, stop by the Museum of Science and Industry - quite an enjoyable day.
I second Graceland. I live up by there (you can reach it from the Sheridan stop on the Red line, just north of the Wrigley field stop at Addison) and it’s one of the most interesting collections of dead people you can imagine.
Wait. That sound really wrong.
Anyway, it has some of the most interesting monuments in the USA. For instance, there is the founder of the Federal League of baseball, who is buried under a concrete basebell with the names of the founding teams chiseled into it. Marshall Field is buried there in one of the most beautiful crypts you could imagine. Pullman is buried under a 1-ton slab of concrete so disgruntled railroad workers couldn’t get at his body. You can’t go wrong there.
Stop off at Comiskey and catch a game (sit in the lower decks, though; the upper decks are insanely steep). You’ll thank yourself for catching a playoff contender.
Neo on Clark south of Fullerton. Go in on a Saturday night at about 11 PM. Dress gothy or in a nice dark suit with dark shirt, and get yourself a drink. Enjoy the best electronica music you could ask for, and I don’t even like electronica. Very good and friendly place, that doesn’t have the “you’re not goth, get out” feel. That, and depending on your gender, has some of the best man and woman watching in the city :).
Grab lunch at Famous Dave’s on Clark south of Chicago Ave. It’s a chain (out of Minnesota of all places), but has some of the best damn barbeque in the city. Just ask for a table set back from the stage. The blues musicians can be pretty loud.
Stop in at the Art Institute (free on Tuesdays) and catch the Thorne Rooms. They are miniture rooms exquisitely and minutely decorated and detailed. There is no missing this - it is a must-see once in your lifetime. Also check out the Impressionist collection annd, of course, see “Sunday on the Island of La Grand Jatte.” Stand in front of it. Hum some music from “Sunday in the Park with George.” Trust me, someone will start humming with you.
Myopic is the best bookstore in the city IMHO. It’s on Milwaukee in Wicker Park. Just a couple of blocks from the Damen stop on the Blue Line. I’ll also post more when I feel more alive and not so damn sick.
Well I dunno bout books but a pretty good Cajun restaurant is Heaven on Seven. Its in the 600 N. Michigan Theater dealie. Second floor. There’s another Heaven on Seven somewhere else too but I forgot where.
I think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is getting a bigger release before April but if not, you still might be able to catch that too. Seeing as how its only in a few cities and only a few theaters within those cities. Pipers Alley (Lincoln Park area) and McClurg Court (downtown) are where you can find that currently but probably somewhere else (or nowhere) by April.
Shopping in that downtown is pretty good too and aside from the “fashionable boutiques” and crap you can actually get stuff at reasonable prices. Non-Cajun food can’t be beat either. Depending on how much you’re willing to spend you can really expand your food eating horizons.
If you’re on the El, take the Red Line to Belmont on a Saturday evening/night. Great shops (Ragstock, woo hoo!), restaurants, and Boys Town if you want to experience Chicago’s version of the Castro.
Not sure how the weather will be in April, but if it’s nice there are “cruises” out onto the Lake, which offer breathtaking views of the downtown skyline. I’m a native, and I’ve always wanted to do this, never found the time.
Also, haven’t been there in many years, but the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum (of Natural History), located near Soldier Field.
If you are in the Loop around lunch time, check out the commodities trading floor at the Chicago Board of Trade. They have a free public viewing area on the 5th floor where you can look down on the mayhem in the corn and soya pits. The best time to go is just before the Ag market closes which IIRC is at 1.15 pm. when all hell braeks lose, so aim for 1pm. When I was working there for a month I would often go just for the last 10 minutes - very entertaining. They also had a video presentation explaining what goes on but I did not see it. Everything closes when the market does so don’t turn up late. Also note that the viewing area is not well signposted so ask at the lobby desk.
Hear Music on Rush north of Chicago. Great chain of oddball music stores. I’ve picked up a lot of stuff there that I ordinarily wouldn’t, and you don;t have to deal with the overly loud music blaring at Reckless Records or Dr. Wax.
Two taverns to try out:
John Barleycorn on Lincoln a couple of blocks south of Fullerton, by Children’s Memorial Hospital. Take the Red Line to Fullerton, then walk east to Lincoln. Go south on Lincoln and it will be on the left hand side. Some of the best bar food you can imagine (go for the fish and chips), and a great drink selection (my wife recommends a Snakebite, a combination of Harp and Cider). The real reason, though, is the place itself. Used to be a speakeasy, then renovated in the 70’s by a Dutch businessman who had one of the most amazing collections of ship art and model ships you’ll ever see put on the walls. An extremely comfortable and fun place. Do no, I repeat, do NOT go to the new branch on Clark. It’s the yuppie version, or as my wife calls it, “Barleyscam.”
The other place is a British bar called The Red Lion, and Lincoln north of Fullerton. Go north on Lincoln from Fullerton and it’s about a block up on the left, past the 3 Penny Cinema (note the Biograph Theatre across the street - the alley on the south side of the theater is where Dillinger was shot by the FBI). Run by British immigrants and impeccably decorated, it’s the best place to get a Newcastle in the city. Interestingly, a lot of the clientele are Irish immigrants.
If you contact the architectural society (exact name escapes me) they have several cool options. Chicago is a fantastic town for architecture. You need to get signed up for these in advance, but they have everything from walking tours to a boat tour along the river. I hope they’re up and running in April.
A few blocks north of the Art Institute, there is a smaller and clearly less-well-funded museum of design. It’s a fun little place; if you’re an art/design/architecture fan, it’s worth a stop.
Also not a bad option: buying a ticket for the trolley tours. They go from place to place, multiple stops, narrated by the driver. It’s terribly touristy, but it’s a quick-and-dirty way to see and hear about a lot of Chicago landmarks. For that reason it’s not a bad buy if you’ve got the time to kill.
I’ve always liked Greektown for dinner. It’s a little less hectic than the other areas, and it’s fun to just stroll up and down the street reading menus until you find the restaurant you’d like to grace with your presence. Good food values, too.
My family went Postal in Chicago this summer. Well we were there for the NALC convention. Some other things to do is take a mobster tour the one we went on and liked were The Untouchables. Also going to the top of the John Handcock Building is good. There is a DisneyQuest in Chicago, and The Onion has free distrubition boxes on the street.
Cranky is right; if you can, by all means take in a River cruise. (NOT chichi-hokey at all, btw. Just a great way to take in some fascinating archtitecture.) Costs about $20, but book ahead! Unless there’s a cancellation you won’t have a prayer of getting same-day tickets.
Ike is, as always, distinctly warped but correct. Check out the boneyard.
Don’t know about cajun, but I love Reza’s (persian food) on N. Clark, I think. Spring for very late lunch; not croweded, prices reasonable and food to die for. After I get through grazing on the feta/olive/etc. appetizer it’s munch and savor the entree with the absolute most fantastic rice/lemon/lima bean/something sidedish…there’s a grilled lamb dish, and a grilled shrimp thingy that could steal your heart. Never tried it during “prime” hours, but other times it’s a great blend of sophistication and ethnic cosy. (Oh, god, this makes me so hungry…!)
The Field Museum. Always. Ever. And there are a coupla kickass “organization” stores in the Loop that are wonderful. Check out the Chicago Symphony store, and the Preservation Soc. store. Great, offbeat stuff.
Foodwise…Have a hot dog. Just about any hole in the wall restaurant/lunch counter will do. Chicago-style comes smothered in about a dozen different toppings, many of which are actually vegetables after a fashion, and it’s delicious.
Also, have an Italian beef sandwich, preferably with garnish. Not quite as widespread as the hot dog, but close.
And then there’s pizza…the deep-dish stuff rocks; don’t trust your local chain Uno’s, which tends to be very different from the real thing.
Yes, you may have to fast for a week afterwards, but it will have ben worth it.
Jazz rather than blues, and don’t even know if it’s still open but the Back Door was good. (Hole in the wall, hard to find–in the Loop off of Rush, I think–smoky, no frills and music to lift and break your heart.) I’ll see if I can track it down.
Don’t forget to check the online listings of our host, the Chicago Reader.
The Oriental Institute at the U. of Chicago on the South Side is an excellent collection of Egyptian and Assyrian objects. Re-opened last year after completion of first part of renovations.
The Martin D’Arcy Museum at Loyola U. is a small collection of very nice medieval and Renaissance art. It’s in the main library on the north side campus (near the Sheridan El stop). Usually admission is free. Hours can be irregular, call first. From the library, walk along the lake shore towards the Madonna della Strada chapel. This area was used in an opening scene of the movie Flatliners.
Good burgers: Muskies near the Belmont El or on Lincoln Ave. Cheddar burgers are very good. Recommended by MikeG and me
I’ve spent a few hours at Red Lion and John Barleycorn. Both great. Burgers and chili are also good at Barleycorn. I was there the day they were brought in the model ships.
Re Navy Pier: to me it’s like a permanent county fair.
