What's happenin' in Chicago?

Question

Hey All!

I'm planning a quick weekend trip to Chicago next month, but I don't know what area is the best area to stay in. What area should I look into when I look for hotels? Any suggestions on clubs/hangouts also? I'm into Neo-soul, R&B, Reggae, and jazz (slightly).

Answer 1

There is so much to experience in Chicago, it’s difficult to know where to begin. You may want to start with an overview of the city. First, see the expanse of the Chicagoland area from 1,000 feet above at the John Hancock Observatory or the Sears Tower Skydeck. Next you can head over to Navy Pier to experience the Amazing Chicago Funhouse Maze, which takes you through a journey of Chicago landmarks and history. Also at Navy Pier, Time Escape is a 3-D motion simulation experience allowing you to travel through Chicago’s history, present and future. There are a variety of boat tours departing from Navy Pier and other city locations, as well as city bus tours, which point out significant landmarks and provide interesting information about Chicago and its history. See our tours section for more tour information and see our Navy Pier section for more exciting things to do while you’re there.the Museum Campus, near Soldier Field, is home to The Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium, two excellent museums. See our museums section for more information. Also located at Museum Campus is the Shedd Aquarium, which is the world's largest indoor aquarium with more than 8,000 aquatic animals representing more than 700 species from all parts of the world. You can take a water taxi between Museum Campus and Navy Pier.Two of the finest zoos in the country are located in the Chicago area and both are highly recommended. First, on the city’s north side is Lincoln Park Zoo. This free zoo is open every day of the year. While it is one of the oldest zoos in the country, it is also one of the most modern. Brookfield Zoo, located in Brookfield, Illinois, just west of Chicago, is situated on 216 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, featuring over 2,000 animals. No matter what time of year you visit Chicago, there is bound to be special events that you won’t want to miss. Many of the special events are held in the summer, but check our Events Calendar to see all that Chicago is offering during your stay. Just a few annual favorites -- the Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Air & Water Show and Venetian Night. navy pier.Index of Chicago Stuff - Places to Visit
Auditorium Theatre - Built in 1889, and was immediately acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and functional theatres in the world. Located downtown Chicago. Buckingham Memorial Fountain - One of Chicago's most popular attractions. The fountain, one of the largest in the world, is located at Columbus Drive (301 East) and Congress Parkway (500 South) in Grant Park. Located downtown Chicago. Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau - Chicago is a business center, with a diverse, powerhouse economy. It is also a tourism center, with world-renowned shopping, dining, museums, architecture, theater, music and more. For business. For pleasure. We're your kind of town.Chicago Blackhawks - NHL hockey Chicago style Chicago Bulls - Chicago's NBA team
Chicago Cubs - The National League Baseball team in Chicago
Chicago White Sox - The American League Baseball team in Chicago
Chicago Wolves - AHL hockey in Chicago's northwest suburbs.
Chicago Landmarks - Information on designated Chicago historical landmarks.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Rich in tradition. Innovative in vision. The CSO is a musical force in Chicago and around the world. Located downtown Chicago.
Chicago Trolley Co. & Chicago Double Decker Co. - Chicago Trolley and Double Decker customers have unlimited access to any of the designated stops on the route. The tour takes about an hour and forty-five minutes, but for those who would like to explore a bit of the city, there will be another Trolley or Double Decker along shortly to continue your tour and take you back to your starting point. Located downtown Chicago.
DuPage Children's Museum - The mission of the DuPage Children’s Museum is to stimulate curiosity, creativity, thinking and problem solving in young children through: self-directed, open-ended experiences - integration of the arts, science and math - the child-adult learning partnership. Located in the western suburbs of Chicago.
Lyric Opera of Chicago - Lyric Opera of Chicago is recognized internationally as one of the truly great opera companies of our time. Located downtown Chicago.
Navy Pier - Navy Pier offers endless entertainment and attractions to Chicagoans and their guests of all ages. One of the best places on the Chicago's lakefront to visit!
the Goodman Theatre - Chicago's oldest and largest theater. Features drama and musical performances. Located downtown Chicago.
The Morton Arboretum - The Arboretum is open 365 days a year! Excellent Living Collections consisting of more than 41,000 plants, representing 3,300 different types of plants from around the world, that provides research scientists, horticulturists, arborists, teachers, students, and homeowners with a wealth of information. Located in the western suburbs of Chicago.The Sears Tower Skydeck - The best view and best overview of Chicago. At 1,353 feet (412 meters), the Skydeck is the highest observatory in Chicago. Located downtown Chicago.Wendella Boat Tours - Chicago's most comprehensive boat tour. It's signature tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River includes a live narration featuring an overview of Chicago architecture and history. Located right on the Chicago River in downtown Chicago.MILLENNIUM PARK
Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Monroe Streets, Chicago, IL
While you're down on the lakefront, don't miss the newest addition to Chicago's long-standing tradition of public art--Millennium Park. Chicago has long been known for its public art--the Picasso statue in the late 1960s, the "Cows on Parade" in the summer of 1999, and now "Cloud Gate" and the Crown Fountain, which celebrates its first birthday in July.
The Crown Fountain, designed by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, is two 50-foot tall glass towers with a reflecting pool situated between them. Projected from within each tower is a face of a Chicagoan--up close and 50-feet tall! Water cascades from the top down the sides of each tower into the shallow reflecting pool below. At seemingly random intervals, the "Chicagoans" spit 50-foot streams of water at each other while visitors frolic and splash in the water. It reminds me of those long, hot, muggy Chicago summer days when I was a child and the neighborhood teenagers would open a fire hydrant so everyone could cool off--until the fire department came to turn them off. sears tower. museams. downtown.Buckingham Fountain
Grant Park, Congress Pkwy. and Columbus Drive
312/742-7529
Centennial Fountain
300 E. McClurg Ct., at Chicago River
312/751-6635
Chicago Board of Trade
141 W. Jackson Blvd.
312/435-3500
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 am-2 pm. Free admission.
Chicago Board Options Exchange
400 S. LaSalle St.
312/786-5600
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
30 S. Wacker Dr.
312/930-8249
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:30 am-3:15 pm. Free admission.
Chicago Stock Exchange
440 S. LaSalle St.
312/663-2980
Cuneo Museum & Gardens
1350 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills
847/362-3042
Daley Civic Center
Washington and Dearborn Sts.
312/346-3278
Picasso Sculpture
ESPN Zone
43 E. Ohio St.
The Hancock Observatory
875 N. Michigan Ave.
888/875-VIEW
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph St.
312/814-6660
New Maxwell Street Market
Sundays Only
Canal and Roosevelt Sts.
312/922-3100
Merrill C. Meigs Field
15th Street at Lakefront near Adler Planetarium
773/465-0388
The National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
(at Columbus Hospital) 2520 N. Lakeview
773/388-7338
Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave.
312/595-PIER
outside Chicago call 800/595-PIER
Robie House - Frank Lloyd Wright
Architectural Landmark.
5757 S. Woodlawn St.
708/848-1976
DisneyQuest
55 E. Ohio St.
818/526-4242
Donley's Wild West Town
Rt 20 and South Union Rd., Union
815/923-8000.
Empress Casino Hammond
825 Empress Dr., Hammond, IN
888/4-EMPRESS
Empress Casino Joliet
2300 Empress Dr., Joliet
888/4-EMPRESS
Enchanted Castle Restaurant & Entertainment Complex
1103 S. Main St., Lombard
630/953-7860.
ESPN Zone
43 E. Ohio St.
Fox River Games
1891 N. Farnsworth Ave., Aurora
630/585-5651
Majestic Star Casino
One Buffington Harbor Dr., Gary, IN
888/2B-LUCKY
Six Flags Great America
I-94 at 132 East (Grand Ave.), Gurnee
847/249-1776
USA Rainbo
4836 N. Clark St.
773/271-5668
WhirlyBall
1880 W. Fullerton Ave.
800/894-4759
880 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard
630/932-4800
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
312/922-STAR
TDD/TT: 312/322-0995
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave.
312/443-3600
Chicago Architecture Foundation
224 S. Michigan Ave., Recorded Tour Information
312/922-TOUR
Chicago Children's Museum
Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave., 312/527-1000
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St., 312/744-6630
Chicago Historical Society
Clark St. at North Ave.
312/642-4600
Chicago Public Library
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State St.
312/747-4300
DuSable Museum
740 E. 56th Pl.
773/947-0600
The Field Museum
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr.
312/922-9410
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park
708/848-1976
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
1852 W. 19th St.
312/738-1503
Museum of Broadcast
Communications
Chicago Cultural Center
Michigan Ave. at Washington St.
312/629-6000
Museum of Contemporary Art
220 E. Chicago Ave.
312/280-2660
Museum of Science and Industry
57th St. at Lake Shore Dr.
773/684-1414
outside of Chicago 1/800-GOTOMSI
Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.
General Information
312/939-2438
Ticketmaster: 312/559-0200
Brookfield Zoo
8400 W. 31st St., Brookfield
708/485-2200
Lincoln Park Zoo
Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Pkwy.
312/742-2000
Medival times, rainforest cafe. visit http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/... for great restaurents and night clubs...
chinatown, greektown. in summer we have taste of chicago, it's so cool

Answer 2

You should check out Lincoln Park. There is a couple of Days Inns and a Best Western in Lakeview that is good too. They will be cheaper than staying in the more touristy area and will better suit the places you want to go.
Lot's of Blues clubs. Check out Blues Chicago, the Blue Note or Kingston Mines. Also, you should see who's playing at the Metro or The Vic. Might be someone you like. Also, the Uptown or Riviera might have concerts. Some smaller venues for music are the Beat Kitchen, the Map Room, Schubas and Alive One. Really, there are a ton of places and these just come to mind.
Best place to find out what is going on www.metromix.com. It's pretty easy to find what you are looking for on specific dates.

Answer 3

As far as where to stay, you have to do a little search for that yourself. It depends on what places you want to be near, how far you want to be from downtown, etc., how much you want to pay a night. If money is no object, stay on Michigan Ave. By the music you describe, the best clubs for you are The Funky Buddah (http://www.funkybuddha.com/), Rednofive (http://www.rednofive.com/redno.html), Soundbar (http://www.sound-bar.com/), the Wild Hare (http://wildharereggae.com/), Ohm nightclub (http://www.ohmnightlife.com/) and the Smartbar (http://www.smartbarchicago.com/). There are a ton of bars in the Wicker Park ara that feature neo-soul, R&B, dance music. And it might be good to check out the Metromix website (http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/barsandclubs/). You can just select the type of music you want to hear and it will give you a list of places.