Just a question to all ye Chicago Dopers out there (or other Dopers who know about Chicago), I will be over there in February next year and I was just wondering if any of ye could advice on what to do when we get there - we are staying a week. I know it will be very cold so the activities may be very limited so I would appreciate your suggestions. Also is there any place within a 100 miles or so radius that would be worth a visit?
This should have been put in MIPSIMS - moderators can ye move it please?
If you are visiting the city proper, there are the museums downtown - Field Museum of Natural History, Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium all right next to each other. If you have any interest at all in architecture you might want a downtown tour of that - Chicago not only has some amazingly tall buildings (3-5 out of the world’s 10 tallest, depending on how you measure) but some other important architectural milestones as well.
But aside from that - what sort of things do you enjoy doing? There is a lot to see and do within 100 miles of the Big City - jazz clubs, blues clubs, casinos, lots of little museums, horse-n-carriage rides (might be too cold for that in February, unless you hit a thaw), live theater, art district, shopping…
I always bring visitors to the Signature Room on the 96th floor of the John Hancock building - you can choose to dine or just drink (being from Ireland and all :D). It’s pretty expensive though.
The Chicago Historical Society has a good permanent collection and usually has an interesting exhibit running. The Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park is a lot of fun. There are two zoos, the Lincoln Park Zoo on the north side and Brookfield Zoo in the western suburbs (my favorite) although February might not be the best time to visit a zoo.
Also here is a recent thread with more off-the-beaten-path suggestions.
Have fun!
Go down to the south side Irish bars and lord it over all of the folks wearing cable knit sweaters. My Grandfather was the stereotypical storytelling, good natured, alcoholic firemen from south side of Chicago and through his stories and from my own experiences I have deduced the existence of a hierarchy among Irish Americans that depends on how “Irish” you are. Status is garnered by such the how many generations ago your ancestors left the old sod to come to America, the number of living relatives you have across the waters, whether your sweater was produced in Ireland or is a cheap Ecuadorian knock off, how often you get to Ireland, etc. I find it amusing, but then, I wouldn’t tease the southsiders about it as they would probably want to fight about it.
My grandfather used to laugh about the “wide backs”, i.e. hardworking emigrants, teasing the “narrow backs”, the oh-so-lazy first generation Americans.
If you are around in March, go the south side Chicago St. Patrick’s day parade for a good time.
cj
Shop on Michigan Avenue or Oak Street, have a world-class homebrew at the Goose Island Brewery on the north side. Check out Navy Pier for cheesy tourist stuff, Rush Street for nightlife, a Blackhawks game for hockey, any of a zillion great blues bars. Get a car and drive north on Clark Street from downtown - you’ll pass through every ethnic neighborhood you can imagine. And don’t forget PIZZA - Uno’s, Due’s, Gino’s East, My Pi, others too numerous to mention…Timmy
All the above. Also, go to FADO, a pseudo-Irish pub on Grand Ave. Have a good laugh.
I almost forgot one of my favorite things. A trip at twilight on Lake Shore Drive. See if you can get someone else to do the driving, and just gawk at the lakefront and the buildings. One of the world’s greatest drives, IMHO.
Since you mentioned within a range - if your interests run towards the natural, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is pretty impressive - even in seasons other than summer. And easily accessible by train.
You realize, of course - February in Chi is pretty predictably horrid in terms of cold, wind, snow, etc. Hope you get lucky.
You probably shouldn’t plan on a bunch of road trips. Even the corn and bean fields are less majestic in winter.
I’d get a book on Chicago architecture. Something on the history of the skyscraper. With something about Burnham, Adler, Sullivan, Wright, Mies. There are significant buildings just about everywhere you turn.
Yeah, I second the architecture and Lake Shore Drive, but there are beautiful old buildings all over the city.
Also, if you’re into art, hit some of the galleries, not just the museums. There are a number of galleries clumped in a few areas, so if you’re here on the first or second Friday, you can probably hit a number of show openings and see some great work while getting hammered for free.
Although February is not, on average, the coldest month in Chicago, it’s darn close and seems to have the most unpleasant weather, IMHO. That said, State St and the environs have some great shopping, many interesting hairstyles at the clubs on the northside, best pizza in the world, great blues at Buddy Guy’s Legends, among the many other top notch blues clubs, the improving Bulls at the United Center, top notch concerts at The Park West, the Rosemont Theatre, the All State Arena, the United Center, the UIC Pavillion, etc., etc. NCAA division I College Basketball at DePaul, Loyola and UIC. Ice Skating (“Skate on State”) on State St. Minor League Hockey at the All State Arena.
The Chicago International Auto Show every February at Mc Cormick Place (not to be missed if you have even a small space in your heart for the cars, trucks and vans of today and the concepts of the vehicles for the next few years to come) Virtually every make of car sold in the US (that’s a lot) shows their wares at the Chicago Auto Show. It’s a madhouse on the weekends. Merely a coup d’état on the weekend evenings.
And when the sight of all the plastic paddies at Fadó or on the South Side, head to Gunther Murphys, 1638 W. Belmont just W of Ashland for the bestt of Guinness in Chicago - good craic all round.
There’s the Art Institue, The Field Museum, The Adler Planetarium, so many cool things.
re: the weather, as the song says, “the wind goes right through you, it’s no place for the old…” Bring heavy jumpers and plan on picking up a down jacket (you can get them really cheap at Eddie Bauer)
Of course now that thats’ said it will be 15º C the whole time you’re here:)
My dad was born and raised in County Limerick, and said he never really got used to Chicago’s cold. I’d get a hotel room in a really tall building, and enjoy the beauty of Chicago from behind a double-paned window.
Or go drinking.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far and <b>h.sapiens</b> thanks for the link!
I think I will be skipping the Irish pubs as I have enough of them back home so I would prefer to try something different.
I know the weather will be freezing as well, and I would not be used to that cold so keep the indoor activities coming or even ice-skating rinks or places like that!
OK a few more things while I think about it -
Is there any shopping places that you recommend - somewhere that has every kind of shops and a place that you would spend all day there!
We won’t have access to car so we will be using public transport, so anywhere that is accessible by public transport we need.
Also some places to eat - Mr Freckles likes his food hot’n’spicey so could anyone recommend any nice restaurants - or places with unusual themes?
And one quick question about accommodation - would it be better to ring a place then book on the internet - would I get a better deal? And where would be the best location - somewhere central - but where would be a good area?
Sure, if you want to be around other tourists and suburbanites. Or freshly-turned 21’s. Gah. Rush Street. Flashbacks! Aw, who am I kidding? Mother’s was fun when I was barely legal.
Anyway, shopping – you can spend a day shopping downtown on State Street (decorations should be up soon) and the 900 N Michigan shops. There are a couple of malls on Michigan, plus all the swanky Bendel and Gucci shops. Fun to look at, at least.
Hot and spicy food. Are we talking, like, Thai, or barbecue? There are several outstanding Thai restaurants up north (by me) – Thai Room on Western, Always Thai on Irving Park, and (closer to downtown) Thai Lagoon on North Avenue. Incidentally, what’s left of Wicker Park on North Avenue and Damen has some nice and unusual shops, so that’s worth a look.
Best location for a hotel is downtown. If you stay by an airport, everything’s pretty accessible by train but after a long day of sightseeing and whatnot you don’t want to ride a train for 30-45 minutes to get to the hotel.
For shopping, if you’re staying Downtown, Water Tower Place on North Michigan Avenue is a seven (?) story shopping center, which is nice because it’s all indoors. North Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile) is nice in a mostly upscale, window-shopping way, State Street is a little more varied, and is home to the famous original Marshall Field’s store and the historic Chicago Theater.
Thanks for all the info so far - but just one more question - I was looking up hotels and there is another option - a condo. The prices for the condo seem reasonable and I was just wondering what these are. Are they kind of like a hostel and would ye recommend it?
Even if you don’t want to go to the Adler Planetarium, drive out there for a great view of the city. There is a webcam on the roof where you could get a preview of the view, but it isn’t working right now.