We are planning a trip to chicago, il and are looking for suggestions of where to stay at and what to do. Also, what areas of the city are the most dangerous and where not to go. Any help would be great!
2006-06-20 10:26:08 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Chicago
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalSubChannelAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@0632548489.1150849220@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddidlggfmmcefecelldffhdffn.0&channelId=-9004&topChannelName=Residents
877 chicago offers summer packages.
It is better to stay downtown in the middle of all the action (especially if you're not driving).best shopping, food, sites, theaters, lakefront activities etc. If u are driving and/or want to save money then i suggest staying by either airport. both are safe areas and still would offer easy access to all the action!
Mayor Daley's Jumping Jack May-September
2006
Chicago Summer Neighborhood Festivals May-September
2006 Farmers Markets May-November
Bike Chicago 2006 May-September
8th Annual
Great Chicago Places and Spaces May 19-21
22nd Annual
Chicago Gospel Music Festival
(in Millennium Park) June 2-4
23rd Annual
Chicago Blues Festival June 8-11
26th Annual
Taste of Chicago June 30-July 9
16th Annual
Chicago Country Music Festival July 1-2
14th Annual
Race to the Taste July 2
7th Annual
Chicago Outdoor Film Festival July 18-Aug 29
(Tues. Only in Butler Field)
13th Annual
Mayor's Cup Youth Soccer Tournament July 22-23
49th Annual Venetian Night July 29
Tall Ships Chicago 2006 August 3-9
48th Annual
Chicago Air and Water Show August 19-20
18th Annual
Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival August 26-27
28th Annual
Chicago Jazz Festival August 31-September 3
10th Annual
Celtic Fest Chicago September 16-17
Chicagoween October
Chicago Book Festival October
10th Annual
Halloween Pumpkin Plaza October 13-31
Halloween Happening October 21
Daley Plaza Santa's House Nov. 23-Dec. 24
93rd Annual
Tree Lighting Ceremony November 24
Mayor Daley's 7th Annual
Holiday Sports Festival December 28-30
New Year's Eve Fireworks
at Buckingham Fountain December 31
Museums: A Guide to Chicago's Museums and their Free Days
Museum Campus
Museums and Cultural Attractions
Chicago's cultural institutions explore a variety of subjects including history, modern art, African-American culture, astronomy and natural history. Some museums offer free admission daily and others are free on designated days. If a museum charges admission on the day you choose to visit, be sure to inquire about student discounts.
Museum Information
(Dates subject to change. Call museums for more information.)
Always Free:
CenterSpace Gallery at Gallery 37
66 E. Randolph Street
312.744.8925
www.gallery37.org
Chicago ArchiCenter
224 S. Michigan Avenue
312.922.3432
www.architecture.org
Chicago Beaches and Parks
Various locations
312.742.PLAY (7529)
www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington Street
www.cityofchicago.org/
tourism/CulturalCenter/
Chicago Tourism Center
72 E. Randolph Street
312.744.6630
City Gallery at the Historic
Water Tower
806 N. Michigan Avenue
312.742.0808
www.cityofchicago.org/Tourism
/ThingsToDo/CityGallery/CityGa...
Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street
312.747.4300
www.chipublib.org
DePaul University Art Museum
2350 N. Kenmore
773.325.7506
http://museums.depaul.edu/artwebsite/...
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N. Central Park Avenue
312.746.5100
www.garfield-conservatory.org
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
756 N. Milwaukee Avenue
312.243.9088
http://outsider.art.org
Jane Addams Hull House
800 S. Halsted Street
312.413.5353
Lincoln Park Conservatory
2400 N. Stockton Drive
312.742.7736
Lincoln Park Zoo
2200 N. Cannon Drive
312.742.2000
www.lpzoo.com
Martin D'Arcy Museum of Art
6525 N. Sheridan Road
773.508.2679
http://darcy.luc.edu
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
1852 W. 19th Street
312.738.1503
www.mfachicago.org
Museum of Broadcast
Communications
78 E. Washington Street
312.629.6000
www.museum.tv
Museum of Contemporary
Photography
600 S. Michigan Avenue
312.663.5554
www.mocp.org
Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Avenue
312.595.PIER (7437)
www.navypier.com
Newberry Library
60 W. Walton Street
312.943.9090
www.newberry.org
The Oriental Institute Museum
1155 E. 58th Street
773.702.9520
www-oi.uchicago.edu
The Peace Museum
100 N. Central Park Avenue
773.638.6450
www.peacemuseum.org
The Renaissance Society of University of Chicago
5811 S. Ellis Avenue
Bergman Gallery, Cobb Hall 418
773.702.8670
The Smart Museum of Art
5550 S. Greenwood Avenue
773.702.0200
http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu...
The Smith Museum of Stained Glass
Navy Pier
700 E. Grand Avenue
312.791.6049
Special Free Days:
Mondays:
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.STAR (7827)
www.adlerplanetarium.org
September 15 - December 23
Chicago Historical Society
Clark Street at North Avenue
312.642.4600
www.chicagohistory.org
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.9410
www.fmnh.org
September 15 - December 23
Museum of Science and Industry
57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
773.684.1414
www.msichicago.org
September 15 - November 25, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
The Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lakeshore Drive
312.939.2438
www.sheddnet.org
October 6 - December 23
Tuesdays:
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.STAR (7827)
www.adlerplanetarium.org
September 15 - December 23
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Avenue
www.artic.edu
312.443.3600
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.9410
www.fmnh.org
September 15 - December 23
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N. Lakeshore Drive
312.642.6502
www.imss.org/html/frames
Museum of Contemporary Art
Tuesdays 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
220 E. Chicago Avenue
312.280.2660
www.mcachicago.org
Museum of Science and Industry
57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
773.684.1414
www.msichicago.org
September 15 - November 25, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
The Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lakeshore Drive
312.939.2438
www.sheddnet.org
October 6 - December 23
Swedish American Museum and Children's Museum of Immigration
5211 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773.728.8111
www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
Second Tuesday of every month
Wednesdays:
Clark House Museum
1827 S. Indiana Avenue
312.326.1480
www.cityofchicago.org/Cultural...
/ClarkeHouse/ClarkeHouse
Glessner House Museum
1800 S. Prairie Avenue
312.326.1480
www.glessnerhouse.org
Thursdays:
Chicago Children's Museum
700 E. Grand Avenue
312.527.1000
www.chichildrensmuseum.org
5-8 p.m.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Drive
773.755.5100
www.naturemuseum.org
Fridays:
Spertus Museum
618 S. Michigan Avenue
312.322.1747
www.spertus.edu/
Sundays:
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 E. 56th Place
773.947.0600
www.dusablemuseum.org
2006-06-20 13:30:49 · answer #1 · answered by sickntyred 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, we travel there on business and the obvious answer is what is your intent and where are the things you want to do.
If you want to do the shopping and museum trip, there's a great deal of downtown accommodations ... in a variety of price ranges. 877 Chicago has some great deals. And, if you want to get a good deal on meals, restaurant.com is handy. If you have something to do in the suburbs, then you'll want to stay close to it. Even at non-peak hours, there isn't enough highway and too many tolls.
Now, I know you're trying to politely ask about tough neighborhoods. While some of the African American and Hispanic areas on the South side could be rough, stay aware no matter where you are going. Don't look like an aimless tourist ... walk with confidence and purpose.
2006-06-20 10:36:19 · answer #2 · answered by Dee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having lived and done house calls as a nurse in Chicago I can certainly tell you to stay NORTH of Addison St. actually just about NORTH of anywhere. If you find yourself around California and Grand area for example, FLOOR IT! LOCK YOUR DOORS! I ran into some rough areas around Kedzie, etc. If you stay in the Irving Park/Portage Park area on the Northwest side you're in fairly good territory as I lived in the 3800 block of N. Kilbourn for 14 years. We still had graffiti and things stolen even with an alarm system. I carried Mace all the time, I am SO happy to be back home in Kentucky nearer to civilization. I hated Chicago with a passion. The only thing I miss are the museums and snow. Good luck. Why would anyone PLAN a trip to Chicago? I'd rather have a root canal!
2006-06-20 17:36:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, now that the chickensh*ts have spoken...Look chicago is like any other bit city. It has "dangerous" sections everywhere. People get robbed or worse on Michigan Avenue. The yuppie filled Lincoln Park has had more than it's share of murders, rapes and assaults. Sure some areas are more dangerous that others. Some far west side areas are pretty dicey and some near and far south sides can be dangerous. But for that matter, there are spots on the northwest side not occupied by African Americans and Latinos that are not to be walked through at night. Heck, there was a shooting that resulted in a death RIGHT OUTSIDE WRIGLEY FIELD AFTER A GAME!
And I've been to London a few times... good old cultured London, and had to be warned about hanging out near the Tower of London at night because that's where the muggers were.
That being said, since you are going to be a tourist here, you're probably not going to get to any of those areas anyway. The city doesn't really put tourist attractions there so there's no reason for you to go. You'll probably be staying near the downtown or north Loop area anyway. They are relatively safe, but as I said this is a big city and crime isn't confined to one area. Just be alert (as someone else said), be aware of your surroundings and don't do stupid tourist things like carry your purse on your shoulder while staring up at the tall buildings, count money right there on the street, put all of your important stuff in a fanny pack, wander around the city without familiarizing yourself with a map and transit route guide.
As for what to do, other people have given you plenty of good suggestions.
Oh and to the woman from Kentucky and its "civilization": Been there. There are plenty of parts of Kentucky where stopping and hanging out isn't advisable and bad things happen.
2006-06-21 06:13:49 · answer #4 · answered by bodinibold 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Almost any downtown hotel would be great. If you stay nearer to Michigan Ave. more things are within walking distance. Plus an added benefit is the free trolley that runs along that area. There are signs posted and if you ask the drivers they have a pamphlet that shows you the routes. A few go right by the train station. Take advantage of them. Parking is expensive. Some areas are worse than others but always be aware of your surroundings and not go it alone. Good lUck and have fun there is so much to do and see.
2006-06-20 15:56:08 · answer #5 · answered by catsplayyy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I most of the activities are in the downtown area, so although it is expensive I suggest staying there. The South side(where I am from) and the west side are some of the areas that can be rough. However, there are some nice places to go in these areas as well, and its not all bad.
Check out the CTA websites...they have some of the more popular attractions as well as how to get there featured! The CTA maps and brochures are always very helpful!!!
2006-06-20 17:31:35 · answer #6 · answered by mzstorm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
state street or michigan aveue are the most fun i think and you can find good hotels at any price around there.
the south side is tougher
2006-06-20 17:09:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
u should stay in my back yard
and stay away from the bathroom (it is a hole in the ground)lol
go see the white sox
(if u can get tickets)
2006-06-21 10:21:35 · answer #8 · answered by zsaneib 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds really interested
2016-07-27 02:57:27 · answer #9 · answered by Melody 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stay on downtown, or the surburbs
2006-06-22 12:56:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋