What should I see in Chicago?

Question

I'm planning a trip for February. Any suggestions on places to go, things to see, or restaurants to eat at?

Answer 1

AVOID the museum of Science and Industry, unless you have kids.

The Art Museum -- Good hot dogs, GREAT art.

Millenium Park - New park in Chicago. Went past it's schedule, way over it's budget, but it's an awesome addition to the city & well worth it.

The Field Museum of Natural History -- It'd take 2 days to see everything there. The world's largest T-Rex, Sue -- her bones are there.

Brookfield Zoo -- one of the biggest Zoo's in the country. Not sure if they're open in Feb. It's really too bad you can't go to Chicago during the summer.

Shedd Aquarium -- It's an aquarium. Lot's of fish & stuff.

If you're a little wild, just cruise around Clark & Belmont on a Saturday night.

Answer 2

I go to Chicago almost weekly. If you like museums there is a lot. The main ones are the Museum of Science and Industry, The Field Museum (it has a great evolution exhibit), The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Planetarium. Navy pier is also fun, it has the IMAX and some shopping. If you really like shopping you cannot miss Michigan Ave. it is full of designer and other well-known stores. It is also the place for fun restaurants like Rain forest Cafe, Hardrock Cafe, Weber grill, and many others. For Chicago style pizza, I suggest Lou Malnati's. (I don't know if i spelled that right) Also, go to the top of a tall building and look at the skyline, it's the best at night when all the lights of the buildings stand out like stars.

Answer 3

Recommended Places in Chicago, IL:

Restaurants:
1.Walnut Room, (The)
2.Chicago Chop House
3.Wildfire
4.Gene and Georgetti's
5.Home Run Inn Pizza
6.Bice Ristorante
7.Joe's Stone Crab
8.Greek Islands
9.Harold's Chicken Shack
10.Mia Francesca
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Attractions

1.Art Institute of Chicago (The)
2.Museum of Science and Industry
3.John G. Shedd Aquarium & Oceanarium
4.Field Museum (The)
5.Millenium Park
6.Oprah Winfrey Show (The)
7.Sears Tower Skydeck
8.Taste of Chicago
9.Water Tower Place
10.Buckingham Fountain

Answer 4

someone gave her a thumbs down, but Queen DIva reallly said it all.

However, I wanted to mention Michigan Ave shopping, Water Tower Place, Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, see Blue Man Group, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Pizzeria Uno or Gino's East for Chicago pizza.
If you like art, The Art Institute in on Michigan Ave. If you have or know a little girl, have lunch or tea at the American GIrl Place before or after window shopping there. It's magical!
Finally, see if you can get last minute tickets to Oprah.
I've lived in the Chicago 'burbs all my life. I avoid downtown, but like to visit on occasion.
Have fun! It's been very mild here, but I am sure it won't last.
Check the weather b/4 you come - because don't forget it's the Windy City. :)

Answer 5

A good website for local Chicago stuff to do is metromix.com. It will have even weekend events listed and restaurant ratings.

That said, I suggest skiping the Sears tower and see the John Hancock building instead. It has a restaurant at the 95th story and a bar on the 96th (the observatory is on the 94th.) Go to the bar and have a drink and see a great view.

If the wheather is good, shoping on the magnificant mile is fun. Water Tower or Navy Pier is good for inside shopping.

Museums, the Art Institue and the Field Museum are excellent. I'm not a big fan of the Museum of Science and Industry. But the Planetarium and Shedd aquirium are o.k.
In Oak Park, ther are many Frank Llody Wright House and his home and studio. If you like architecure, one of the tours downtown is also good.
Green Dolphin is good for Jazz. But name a style of music or a type of food and you can find it in Chicago. House of Blues has a gospel brunch, which I hear is good. (But House of Blues like the Hard Rock cafe is a chain, I perfer indigenous places like Buddy Guy's Legends for blues.)

Greektown has a number of good Greek resturants, I like Greek Islands. Little Italy has a number of great Italian restaurants. I like Tuscany's or Rosebud for fancy eating, Leona's for casual fair. (The are a couple Tuscany's or Leona's in the city.) Some people like Maggiano's, but I find it kind of bland. Pizza is a matter of debate, some perfer Pizzaria Uno, others Gino's, some Giodanno's, and still others like Edwardo's. All are good.

For very expensive food, (expecially on someone else's dime) Charlie Trotter's (French) is considered the best restuarant in town by many. Though some like Tru, which is more contemporary American. I, for a very special occasions, like Everest, which is French. It is near the opera house if you wanted to se an opera. All are expensive, though Everest does have a pre-opera three course dinner which is less expensive. (You don't have to go o the opera to get the rate.)
For a slightly cheeper fair (but still somewhat pricy) the cook of Everest also has a restuarant called Brassiere Joe.
I don't like steak, but ther are many good steak places also.
If you like Thai, some people would suggest Arun's, a 12 couse pricy Thai restuarant. But a chef from there started his own restuarant north of Oak Park called Amarind's. The food is excellent and very affordable, the same as any sit down restuarant.

We have a number of muscials and theaters. There is a shakespeare group that plays at Navy Pier. Second City usualy has a spoof playing also. (I don't know if it is running.) Second City comedy is also good to see.
The Chicago Symphonic Orchestra is also wonderful, as is the Lyric opera.

Well,anyway, I hope you have a fun trip in Chicago.

p.s. The above is my opinion based on my experiences. I believe queen Diva above must like it too, as she cut and pasted my post onto her post.

Answer 6

You should check out the Untouchables Tour. It is a Chicago mob tour...kinda cheesy but pretty interesting and fun, learn about all the big mob bosses and the Valentine's Day Massacre...also takes you through parts if Chicago you would probably never see otherwise. I'm not sure of the website off-hand, but if you search the internet you will find it pretty fast. Also, book tickets in advance because the tour is pretty popular!

Answer 7

There are alot of museums worth visiting, Michigan avenue is wonderful for shopping, Navy Pier, but it will probably be to cold to visit that. Water Tower Place, Sears Tower. Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, the sights are endless, You need to go when its warm, so much to do and see. Especially around the 4th of July, the Taste Of Chicago mmmm good :)

Answer 8

A lot of people told you already what to do but just to copy them I have been to chicago a ton in my lifetime and I go almost weekly. You have to go down michigan avenue. Museums= Field Museum. You have to go to the shedd aquarium if you like fish. The planetarium if you like space. Also you should just walk down the streets (during the day) and look at the shops. Go shopping at watertower place. You should go and see buckingham fountain it is a nice fountain and of course the new millenium park which includes the "bean" ( A giant mirror like sculpture in the form of a beam) Also you should take pictures for Navy Pier and of course just walk up and down the pier. You can get some great pictures of chicago near millenium park. You should see the Sears tower and UIC and you should also see Hancock building. Restraunts, are on pretty much every corner. You got everything from quiznos in downtown to great chinese places in china town, great cooking in greek town, and, of course you can not forget chicagos famous deep dish pizza! preferable giordanos.

Answer 9

Ooh I live there!!! Well you wanna see the Buckanham Fountain (check spelling), Navy Pier, Sears Tower, Eat at the Taste of Chicago and we got alot of malls and plazas. You might want to go to my school, Lane Tech its the biggest High School in the country. Besides that check out Soldier Field to see the Bears in the playoff and the place downtown I forgot where the bears play. Have fun!!!

Answer 10

Navy Pier, Sears Tower, and a must eat is original Chicago Pizza