Hotel near Union Station

Hotel recommendation for hotel within walking distance

of Union station. Need to overnight between train routes

in Chicago. Just need a night of rest nothing fancy required !

Hotel near Union Station

Club Quarters, Central Loop

111 West Adams Street

(Next to the Rookery and near LaSalle)

Phone: (312) 214-6400

http://www.clubquarters.com/loc_chicago.aspx

Hotel near Union Station

Hotel Allegro in the loop or Howard Johnsons on North Lasalle.

Above hotel about 1/2 mile away... back up option for your consideration :

http://www.allegrochicago.com/

Hotel Allegro is about 3/4 mile away......... Taxi cabs are everywhere for easy transportation too.

Map Quest gives a really odd list of hotels (some I%26#39;m not even sure are hotels) but the closest that I recognize are the W City Center (.34 miles),Club Quarters on Adams and Hotel Allegro (.5 miles). The Howard Johnson on LaSalle is about 1 1/2 miles away according to Map Quest.

The Holiday Inn on Harrison is near the bus station, it%26#39;s always struck me as a little seedy, I wouldn%26#39;t walk there after dark being a single female, the others I would as long as it was earlier in the evening.

You might try bidding a night on Priceline, with the money you save on the hotel, you could easily pay for a cab :-) Of course, if you do, it%26#39;s non refundable and non cancellable.

W CITY CENTER is a good suggestion that matches the criteria of the poster. I was trying to think of that one. Hotwire.com is another option now that discounting was brought up. All good suggestions.

W City Center doesn%26#39;t fit the original poster%26#39;s request of ';nothing fancy required';. I would consider W sort of fancy. However, since the poster didn%26#39;t really say price, fancy to one person is subjective.

thanks for the tips , now I guess anything may seem fancy after 22 hours in an amtrak coach seat !

appreciate the advice

Differences in Club Quarters, Central Loop Rooms

We booked a standard room w/queen bed at the Club Quarters,Central Loop for a tremendous price of $71 at Orbitz. We noticed that a room with at least the same description of also offered for over double that price at around $161. Does anyone know the difference? Expedia may have given a clue when it offered a single room at Club Quarters with ';single or queen bed.'; Thanks.

Differences in Club Quarters, Central Loop Rooms

Here are the room specifics - www.clubquarters.com/nmAccomodations.aspx

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pete millers / evanston

how far out of downtown chicago is pete millers steakhouse in evanston? can you get there using public transportation? does the el go up there? how about catching a cab from the green mill to go up there? how much further away? thanks again.

pete millers / evanston

It is quite a way from downtown, but you can take public transportation there. Take the Red Line up to Howard and transfer to the Purple Line. Get off at Davis. Walk east on Davis to Sherman, then south on Sherman to Pete Miller%26#39;s.

pete millers / evanston

It%26#39;s about 11-12 miles from the Loop. You can take the Red Line or Number 147 bus to Howard and transfer to the Purple Line from there to Davis. Head 3 blocks east on Davis, then turn right.

If you%26#39;ll be at Green Mill, you can catch the Red Line at Lawrence.

There%26#39;s a trip planner function on the home page of www.transitchicago.com

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chicago cubs

We will be in Chicago the first week of May. I would love to take my family to see a Cubs game. For the game we are interested in attending, the tickets on line are very expensive. How hard is it to find tickets at the game?

chicago cubs

You will find people selling tickets outside of the ballpark on game days. The Cubs also release unsold tickets on game days. Check the box office first.

chicago cubs

Coming from an HUGE Cubs fan, I think it%26#39;s an experience you can%26#39;t afford to miss in Chicago. If I were you, I would check to see who they are playing first. As cubs tickets are always harder to get, it might be more difficult (and expensive) if they are playing a good team. If you can%26#39;t get tickets, I would recommend going to Wrigleyville anyway. The game day experience is worth seeing even if you dont go to the game. You cant go watch it a the Cubby Bear. Also, on off days they offer tours of the stadium (which is worth checking out). Enjoy your time in Chicago! The city is awesome in the summer!!!!!

Work trip with family along --Hotel advice for Blue line

Hello. My coworkers and I are headed to the city in June for a training trip. Our training venue is in Rosemont but with the families coming along, we%26#39;re thinking about getting a hotel downtown so that the families will be in the city if they chose to go out.

My question is, are there any nice hotels (under 209.00 a night) that are close to Clark and Lake? Or near any Blue line stop in that part of the city. We%26#39;re trying to keep the commute time down. And we don%26#39;t really want to stay in Rosemont and take the train into the city at night for dinner. I%26#39;m pushing strongly for a longer commute time so that we can enjoy the city.

I used to live in Chicago but I can%26#39;t remember the hotels in that part of town. I know there is a Holiday Inn across from the Merch Mart. The hotel does need to have a pool for the kiddies.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Work trip with family along --Hotel advice for Blue line

The Residence Inn on Dearborn would be a good option. It%26#39;s within walking distance to Clark/Lake on the blue line. marriott.com/hotels/鈥?/a>

Work trip with family along --Hotel advice for Blue line

Thanks for the suggestion. It definitely fits the requirement, if we can just get it to the price we%26#39;re allowed to spend.

How long would it take to get from the Clark/Lake station to the Cumberland stop? My memory says about 40 minutes but I%26#39;ve not ridden it since last year.

Thanks again!

Your memory is correct.

The Residence Inn on Dearborn shares a building with a Spring Hill Suites, be sure to check both properties.

There%26#39;s also a Homewood Suites at 40 E Grand. It would be a couple blocks farther from Clark/Lake, but also worth looking into.

In addition, there%26#39;s a Jewel Supermarket at State %26amp; Ohio, within 1-2 blocks north of both hotels. You%26#39;d be able to stock up on snacks for the little ones and store them in your room.

Thanks for the good advice. We%26#39;re now running into booked hotels everywhere we look, pool and price points aside. I need to find a convention map and see what%26#39;s going on at that time. I%26#39;d hate to be forced to go to Austin, which is our alternate training site option.

I%26#39;m always amazed at the lack of hotels in certain parts of the city. I appreciate your time and efforts. The Jewel information is good to know. I%26#39;m sure the kids are going to be happy!

Convention calendar - choosechicago.com/events/Pages/calendar.aspx

There we go....two massive conventions of 40,000 and 50,000 during the same week. We%26#39;ve found out that the alternate hotel in Rosemont is also booked.

Thanks for the info. It should be interesting to see what happens. I appreciate all the great information!

Trip Report: St. Patrick's Festival

Just returned from a wonderful weekend in Chicago for the St. Patrick%26#39;s Day festivities. Had an absolutely great time! Mom, Dad and three daughters (16, 14 and celebrating a 12th birthday).

Had the buffet lunch on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building. Spectacular views, really nice wait staff, very reasonably priced. Had a blast on the Chicago River as it was dyed green (a lot more fun than we expected - and we weren%26#39;t even drinking yet). The parade was a bit of a bore (lots of politicians, not enough bands or music). Had pizza at Lou Malnatis (can%26#39;t say enough about how good that was - thanks for the suggestions from forum posters). Drinks and a gyro at the South Loop Club (Balbo and State Streets) - very good, and a fun atmosphere. Stayed at the Best Western on the south end of Michigan Ave (a bit of a hike to downtown, but we enjoyed walking the Magnificent Mile for shopping anyway).

The city was very clean - we were quite impressed. Rush hour on Friday was really organized (plenty of police directing traffic, combined with good public transport). Can%26#39;t say enough nice things about our weekend. Thanks Chicago! We%26#39;ll be back!

downtown

Hi Everyone-

I am looking to visit Chicago for the weekend probably in April with one of my friends. We are both 30 yo. Thinking of staying downtown. Is that the best area to stay? We don%26#39;t mind travelling during the day to get to the sites but would prefer our hotel be by the nightlife. I read through past forums and am a little confused as to the best place to stay. Please help! Thanks!

downtown

The Magnificent Mile (Mag Mile) and River North areas are best from a tourist perspective. Both are downtown.

downtown

Mag Mile area definitely. The Loop is the business area. Try anything from - say 600 to 900 N. Michigan and 200 east to 100 west addresses on cross streets like Ontario, Ohio, Huron, Cedar, Oak, ... take a look at a map. Also the nightlife for 30 somethings would probably be the Rush and Division area (Viagra Triangle) It%26#39;s an easy walk from the N. Michigan hotels. Or an affordable cab ride if you lose your sense of direction.

Check out Hotel Sax. I am just outside of the City and stay down there when we go out drinking and dont want to drive back.

Great hotel, resonable prices and the location is perfect. If you get bored, you are connected to House of Blues and you are a quick cab from most of the major attractions.

The nightlife is everywhere, so you just got to figure out what kind of place you want to go to (club, blues bar, live music, pub, etc)-most bars are open until 4am, so dont head out to early-the bars start jumping after 11:30

Have fun!

Thank you so much for the information everyone. Good thing the bars are open late it always throws me when I travel places and they close at 1 or 2 since I%26#39;m used to 4 also here in NY! I think I%26#39;m going to check out the Hotel Sax as I have seen lots of good things about it on the forums

Current Travelzoo Hotel Deals

$99 - Hotel Burnham

$89 - Sheraton Chicago

$109 - Hotel Sax

$89 - Residence Inn

$99 - Hotel Allegro

http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/

www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Chicago

Current Travelzoo Hotel Deals

For those with families I have found dates at Springhill Suites for $99 this month which seems to be a good deal.

Current Travelzoo Hotel Deals

Oh how i wish those rates applied to the time we will be visitng!!

Thanks for these weekly updates.

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migrating existing portal

Renovated rooms

They actually just completed another renovation in the courtyard rooms that was completed early this year. ipod docking stations and flat screens. They would be great to reserve during the summer, since the outdoor pool is located in that section.

Renovated rooms

I assume you%26#39;re referring to Pheasant Run Resort.

Park and Fly Suggestions

I am in need of a suggestion for a Park and Fly hotel that%26#39;s reasonably priced near O%26#39;Hare for an early flight out the next morning. Any good suggestions? Priceline? Hotwire?

Thanks in advance!

Park and Fly Suggestions

Priceline and Hotwire won%26#39;t give you park and fly rates. Please search for park and fly on this forum. The topic%26#39;s been covered. Also - www.parksleepfly.com

Which hotels would you avoid near Grant Park

Coming to Chicago in August for a race and need to stay near Grant Park. Have been hit or miss for us in the past. Best Western was definitely a miss. Hampton Inn Majestic Theater was a hit (but no rooms available) Hotel 71 was also a hit. We don%26#39;t know anything about some of the other places like Palmer House, etc. Which ones would you avoid? We just need a clean, decent hotel that isn%26#39;t $300+ a night.

Thanks.

Which hotels would you avoid near Grant Park

Avoid the Congress Plaza. The Palmer House is a nice property. Read hotel reviews in the Chicago Hotels section of this web site.

Which hotels would you avoid near Grant Park

the Burnham on State and Washington is nice but the rooms are on the smaller side.

The W downtown also has rooms that are small.

Both are nice, it just depends on what you are looking for and how much time you will actually be in your room.

As long as you avoid the Congress Hotel, you should be fine.

When I read the topic title, the first thing that came to my head was the Congress Plaza. Whenever you are having a bad day, you should go read some of the reviews for this place. Good comedic relief...

I meant to add to the above lists of good hotels, that the Blackstone gets good reviews here.

El train Aragon to loop

I%26#39;m planning a trip to Chicago that includes a show at the Aragon ballroom. The hotel (Hotel Allegro) I%26#39;m considering is near city hall in the loop. As I%26#39;m planning on going to the show alone, is this route safe via EL train in the late evening for a female? If not, which would be a better area to stay in? TIA

El train Aragon to loop

You will take the CTA red line train north (towards Howard) to Lawrence. The Aragon is next to the train station. www.transitchicago.com for public transit details If you%26#39;re here for several days, a CTA visitor pass might come in handy.

From your hotel, walk east to State St and turn left to Lake St to catch the red line. Your hotel is in a safe area. As in any other major city, common sense prevails.

El train Aragon to loop

You%26#39;ll be riding the Red Line. The Loop area (where Hotel Allegro) is the business district, so it does clear out a bit in the evening. Something in the Mag Mile area may be a touch better (i.e. near the Grand or Chicago stops), but you should be fine at the Allegro.

All that said, the area right around the Aragon can be a touch sketchy. However, the train stops right by the theatre; again, you have to assume you won%26#39;t be the only one leaving the show so you%26#39;ll be fine.

Just keep your wits about you and take the obvious precautions as w/ any big city.

Hotel Allegro vs Burnham

I have booked the Hotel Allegro for May 22-25 on Travelzoo. Today I noticed The Hotel Burnham is available for the same rate. I can cancel the Allego without cost. Which of the two would be most recommended by those who have stayed there? Is one location better than the other?

Hotel Allegro vs Burnham

The Allegro is in the theater district of the loop. The area tend to get a little quiet in the evening as it%26#39;s mostly office buildings. IMO, Hotel Burnham is the better choice.

Hotel Allegro vs Burnham

I agree with Mark. The Burnham is a better choice. It%26#39;s kitty corner from Macy%26#39;s on State (formerly Marshall Field%26#39;s), which is the second largest Department Store in the world behind Harrods in London. The building itself is extremely historic and very cool. It%26#39;s closer to Michigan Avenue and all touristy attractions. Although, neither would be a bad stay. Enjoy your trip to Chicago!

For me it would depend on which room type you are considering for each. The standard rooms at the Burnham are teeny tiny. But I agree with the other posters that the location of the Burnham is better. The Allegro just completed a $40 M renovation, so all the rooms are new and fresh. The Burnham is a historic building (first skyscraper in Chicago) with better views from the rooms. I would say its a personal choice and you probably can%26#39;t go wrong with either.

Whatever you decide, make sure you sign up for the Kimpton InTouch program for a few extra perks like setting your room preferences. If you have already made your reservation, just call the hotel directly and they can apply this to your reservation. They really try to accommodate their loyal customers.

Thank you for your help. I did decide to book The Burnham. I think the location will work a little better for us.

We are coming for our 4th Bike The Drive. I have used Travelzoo a number of times with great results. The deals are great, and many times you can cancel right up to the day before you arrive. Thanks again for the information.

One last concern, is there still construction going on around The Burnham, or has that wrapped up?

Sorry to tag on another question. Is The Hotel Burnham waking distance to the Art Institute and the Cadillac Palace Theatre? Thanks!

Sorry: ';walking'; distance :-)

The Palace is about 4 blocks west of the Burnham and the Art Institute is 5 blocks SE.

desperate advice picking up

Romantic/ luxury hotel recommendations, please!

Husband %26amp; I will be in town for our anniversary, and we want to choose a great hotel, probably w/ a spa on site. We%26#39;d like to be in the center of the action: clubs, shopping, restaurants. There are so many choices....Thinking Miracle Mile area or N of river? Guidance appreciated. Thanks!!

Romantic/ luxury hotel recommendations, please!

www.trumpchicagohotel.com/

www.peninsula.com/Chicago.aspx www.fourseasons.com/chicagofs

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o'hare to dearborne street.

Hi, whay is the recommended way to get from o%26#39;hare to chicago city center ,ther are 4 of us and dont know if we should get a taxi from the airport or bus/train. thanks.

o'hare to dearborne street.

If you%26#39;re arriving before 8 or 9 pm, I%26#39;d say the train is the way to go. If all of you plus your luggage could fit into one taxi, it would be around $50-$60.

The Blue Line Subway will run $2.25 each and take about 45-60 minutes. During the morning or evening rush periods, the train will be much faster than a cab.

If you%26#39;re heading to the Spring Hill Suites or Residence Inn on Dearborn, you can exit at Clark %26amp; Lake. The station has elevators %26amp; escalators and those hotels are about 4 blocks north. If the weather is bad, you can catch a cab for only a few dollars.

If it%26#39;s later, the shuttle may be faster. Check www.airportexpress.com for info. I believe the last shuttle leaves O%26#39;Hare at 11:30 pm. For three or more people, their rate is $14 each plus $1 tax.

o'hare to dearborne street.

Where on Dearborn are you trying to go? The Blue Line train will take you from O%26#39;Hare directly to Dearborn st. in the loop.

We are staying i the residence inn,we arrive about 1 pm on the 12 may , we have heard the train is the way to go. thanks

Take the blue line to Clark/Lake. You can walk from there to your hotel on Dearborn.

Just from an English perspective , we recently stayed at the Residence Inn on North Dearborn and used Swifttaxi who were superb to pick us up from O%26#39;Hare.We each had two bags each as we were coming to do lots of shopping and it was lovely to be driven straight to the hotel.By the way the hotel was fab.Enjoy.

Hi, how much did you pay and did you book your taxi before you flew out.Are ther many bars/cafes/restuarants near the hotel. thanks

The Residence Inn is in the River North Neighborhood. There are literally dozens of bars and restaurants within a few blocks. You can check www.metromix.com for possibilities and search by cuisine, price or neighborhood. You can also find which places will have entertainment or other events around the city.

Hi, there were 6 in our party and we had two vans because of all our luggage for $95 plus tip. You can email for a quote to service@swifttaxi.com. We were looked after by John who was so friendly. We are going back in the summer and will definately use him again.

With regards restaurants clubs etc there are so many close by Harry Careys , Ruth%26#39;s Chris ,Sullivans, Bin 36 (restaurants) Andy%26#39;s Jazz Club , House of Blues, Howl at the Moon, Dick%26#39;s last resort music venues all just outside the hotel.We were really amazed at how close everything was.Don%26#39;t forget you get free breakfast and social hour Mon - Thurs beer and wine and snacks. Really helpful with the pound so low.Would really recommend The Cheesecake Factory which is theme restaurant but food is great and huge portions enough to share. If you like shopping we had some great bargains at Filene%26#39;s basement on the magnificent mile.Please ask if there is anything else can help with.

best horse and carriage ride

I would like to take my husband and kids on a horse and carriage ride while we are visiting chicago 12-15through12-17. I think it would be very nice to do in the evening with all the christmas decorations through town. Could you please tell me which ones you feel are the best and their web site. thank you, julie

best horse and carriage ride

www.noblehorsechicago,com located at Michigan and Pearson

www.antiquecoach-carriage.com located at Michigan and Huron

best horse and carriage ride

I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;ve ever bothered with making reservations for a carriage ride. Normally, there is only a short line. I agree that taking it at night and seeing the Christmas lights at night is the way to go.

I%26#39;ve done both listed here, they have nice carriages with happy horses and drivers. You just walk up to a carriage for the ride, there will be plenty of availability. If you want to surprise the family, you can make reservations to have the carriage pick you up at a specific time/place, it only costs about $10 extra and makes a memorable moment. Maybe a pick up at the hotel to ride around then drop you at your dinner or after dinner pick up. Check with the hotel and see if you can get an apple or carrot so your 12 year old can give to the horse.

To surprise my husband for our 5 anniversary, I reserved a carriage to pick us up at the restaurant after dinner. It was perfect because while we were finishing our meal, he said the only thing our evening needed was a carriage ride and...voila!...it was waiting for him at the door.

Don%26#39;t use Chicago Horse and Carriage! I made a reservation with them as part of my engagement plans. They failed to show up, made us miss our dinner reservations, and really ruined the plans for the night. On top of it all, they refuse to give a refund... take your business elsewhere!

Chicago trip advice

Hello board members,

My wife and I are scheduled to go to Chicago in May and we have a few days to tour downtown and take in the museums and city sites.

We were thinking of staying in Harvey at the Comfort Inn %26amp; Suites Harvey鈥? Comfort Suites Harvey鈥?or Econo Lodge Harvey and then taking subway into city. The subway stop at Homewood looks like it is an okay area.

Problem is I don%26#39;t know too much about the Chicago area. Good and bad areas.

Can I get advice on taking subway, crime, bad neighbours, good areas, parking at subway and so forth?

Any help would be great.

Chicago trip advice

I%26#39;m not the one to answer all of your questions, but as a midwesterner who is terrified of big cities but who loves Chicago and travels there 4 or 5 times a year, I can say that 97% of the time I%26#39;ve felt perfectly safe using public transporation in Chicago.

The few times I haven%26#39;t was when we got routed to the South side late at night due to construction and when we%26#39;ve run into a few weirdos here and there (also usually late at night). The train system is pretty easy to figure out and while the buses are intimidating at first, the CTA website%26#39;s trip planner even makes that pretty easy.

Ask a lot of questions here and I%26#39;m sure any area you come up with people will gladly give you the pluses and minuses.

Chicago trip advice

As previously noted, you do not want to stay in Harvey. Take a look at the Chicago Overview section on this web site. Also check out www.explorechicago.org and www.metromix.com

A car is not necessary here. Parking is very expensive. Public transit here is abundant. www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. If you must have a car - www.millenniumgarages.com/Source/Home.aspx - has reasonable parking rates.

Keep an eye for hotel deals here - http://hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/

Thank you so far. Looked up the reviews on hotels I listed and realized it was not the right area. Will check out the links recommended.

My wife is to attend an event at the University of Chicago on the weekend we are there.

When she is there I plan to visit the Museum of Science right there.

We were thinking of buying the Chicago Pass which it says you can buy at your first museum visit and is something like $59 and gets you into the big places.

Which is better? Sears tower or the Hancock building is it?

IMO, Hancock is better than Sears. It%26#39;s better located from a tourist standpoint. Allow at least a 1/2 day to visit the MSI.

FYI - you should do the math and add up admission prices to figure out if the Chicago Pass is a good value for your visit.

Marriott Chicago O%26#39;Hare. We might end up flying into the city as it may be about the same as driving and having to pay for parking. Flying from Detroit. We can get a cheap flight.

Marriott is steps away from the Cumberland EL station.

How does Chicago%26#39;s fare system work for visitors? Is it pay per use? Looked it up on Chicago transit website but not sure. Have traveled on Baltimore and Washington subways.

Subway from this hotel to downtown and then where we are going (University of Chicago and the Science Museum).

How long would it take on subway to go from Science Museum to O%26#39;Hare?

You want to fly into Midway airport for the U of Chicago. There are private buses that serve the campus and airport and take about a half hour. O%26#39;Hare would be roughly two hours on public transportation.

There are very few places to stay near the U of C. See the University%26#39;s website for places that may have a discount. Most people stay downtown; south of the river works best for public transportation. You can take the Metra Electric line or the CTA bus or Red Line train to campus.

';How does Chicago%26#39;s fare system work for visitors? Is it pay per use? Looked it up on Chicago transit website but not sure. Have traveled on Baltimore and Washington subways.';

The fare system is not distance based, like DC. It%26#39;s a flat fare system. You pay per ride. You get free transfers between connecting train lines. You pay for a transfer between a train and a bus. A CTA visitor pass might be a good value for your visit. Details at www.transitchicago.com. The site also explains how the fare system works.

Unless you%26#39;re spending the entire weekend at the U of C, it doesn%26#39;t really matter which airport you fly into. Stay downtown and commute to U of C for the event she is attending. Book something cancellable now and keep checking Priceline, etc. for lower rates. Hopefully you are not coming during the Restaurant Show, in which case you will have trouble booking anything in the city. The show is May 16-19. The Marriott is indeed steps from the Blue Line, but it%26#39;s about a forty-minute ride into downtown and then you still have to get to the U of C, which is on the south side.

Londonwesty,

Have you tried getting a hotel via hotwire or priceline? I know they鈥檙e not very popular in Canada but you can get a really well located place for a great price using those sites. I will be in Chicago for a week in April/May and booked the downtown Intercontinental for $120US/night plus taxes. With tax that%26#39;s about $175CDN/night (gone are the days of parity) but its still a good price as this hotel is very well located. If that seems too pricey you can always try for a three star hotel on Priceline/Hotwire, which are much cheaper. Staying far away from the city really kills a trip.

Also if you can get to Toronto, last week flights for May from Toronto to Chicago on Porter Airlines were $225CDN/person round trip taxes/fees included. I鈥檓 not sure if the promo is still running but you should check it out.

Road Trip from Chicago to Miami

I am going on a three week driving tour from Chicago to Miami and I%26#39;m looking for some information on what would be good to see on the way. My basic structure is Chicago to Nashville and Memphis, followed by Mephis to New Orleans taking in the Missippi River. We then hope to go from New Orleans to Miami. I%26#39;m lookimg for tips on sights to see, cheap car rental and any other relevant information.

What name should I give my dog

The James or Conrad or W Lakeshore

Three fun and not afraid to spend money gals heading to Chicago for a few nights. Should we stay at the James, Conrad or W Lakshore? We want a trendy boutique hotel where there will be good cocktails and stylish people.

Please help, they all three look cool!

The James or Conrad or W Lakeshore

I%26#39;ve stayed at the Conrad and loved it, but it%26#39;s not really a boutique hotel. It%26#39;s also stylish and modern, but not really edgy and chic. It was quiet there, and the bar was small, too. A good hotel for romance, but perhaps not for a girls weekend. Just my two cents.

Just based on what I have seen and read, the James might be your best bet. It is very chic and cool, and I believe it%26#39;s more of a boutique type of place.

I don%26#39;t think you can go wrong with either of your three choices.

The James or Conrad or W Lakeshore

The James will fit the bill.

The W is a bit more isolated than the other two. You%26#39;d be about 4 blocks east of the concentration of shops and restaurants along Michigan Avenue whereas the Conrad overlooks the Mag Mile and The James is one block west of Michigan.

Thank you all for your responses, the James it is!!

That was my top choice so I am happy to see that you all agree!

If I am too late, sorry. The Sofitel would fill this bill too. We%26#39;ve stayed at the James twice and really liked it (see my review), but Sofitel and Le Bar (the house bar) have a slight edge, IMO, in hipster chic. Locals will deride it for its Viagra Triangle location (Gold Coast) but we have greatly enjoyed our four stays at the Sofitel - including our 10th wedding anniversary.

Good luck!

Davooda

The James is the best for you--they have a really nice bar scene: chic, trendy people drinking martini%26#39;s, or appletini%26#39;s or whatever the martini du jour is.....

If you only had one full day ...

and two late afternoon/evenings - what would you do/see?

My husband and I are travelling to Chicago on April 7 for 2 nights (we are staying at the Sofitel Ohare); we plan on heading downtown as soon as we check in and drop our luggage (approx. 3:00 p.m.); will be spending all day on the 8th downtown. We are then flying to Toronto in the morning of the 9th and will be back in Chicago for one more afternoon and night on the 14th - our flight home leaves at 3:30 on the 15th (so could head downtown again for say 3 hours. I know this sounds like a milk run, but this was unavoidable.

Anyway, what would be on your ';must do/see'; list? We love walking; shopping; all sports; all types of food (hot dogs to foie gras). I have tried for 3 days to get tickets to Oprah ... no luck yet. I really wanted to do the Chicago Food Planet Food Tour, but they don%26#39;t start up their tours until the week after we leave - we will however go to The Spice House that was on one of the tours. The Art Institute of Chicago is on the list as is the Magnificent Mile and the Sears Tower. Is Millennium Park and Navy Pier worth visiting given the time of year we are visiting? I wouldn%26#39;t mind going to the Zoo, but not husband%26#39;s cup of tea.

Restaurants on my list: Blackbird; Hot Doug%26#39;s; Moto; Tre Kronor; Avec. Any suggestions? This is probably a very contentious issue, but where is the best pizza place?

We will be purchasing transit passes - by the looks of it we can cover a lot of territory with your transit system.

I appreciate any information or suggestions you can offer.

Thanking you in advance.

L

If you only had one full day ...

';Must sees'; are different for everyone. Check www.explorechicago.org, www.chicagoreader.com and www.metromix.com for ideas. The Visiting Chicago section on this web site has lots of information.

Please search for pizza on this forum. The topic%26#39;s been covered way too much. There isn%26#39;t bad pizza downtown.

Be prepared for a line at Hot Doug%26#39;s. Allow for commuting time. Skip Navy Pier. Hit the Hancock Observatory in place of Sears (soon to be Willis)Tower.

Free online dining reservations - www.opentable.com.

www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. There%26#39;s a trip planner on the home page.

If you only had one full day ...

The Spice House in Old Town right? I tell ya, I love that store. Can%26#39;t wait to go back there when I am over in July, to stock up!

If you are headed there anyway, Old Town is a nice place to wonder about. And just up from the Spice House is another cool store that sells different vinegars and oils. There is also a nice chocolate store near by as well.

Millenium Park is well worth a visit any time of year. It%26#39;s a fabulous park.

Shedd Aquarium is excellent as well. And you get some really great views of the skyline from where the Aquarium and Planetarium is.

Instead of Sears Tower, go to John Hancock where the views are better. Blackbird and Avec are right next store to each other so if you want to try different neighborhoods, just go to one. I choose BB. I like Moto but would lose Hot Doug%26#39;s. If you want to buy spices, go to spice house and have a lunch or dinner at Bistrot Margot, across the street. Millenium Park is wonderful and Navy Pier is great. It has all kinds of kiosk%26#39;s with things for sale and a food court. There is an Omnimax and alot of restaurants like Forest Gump%26#39;s shrimp house. So it%26#39;s kind of touristy but still it%26#39;s amazing to be out on the water and there are boats there docked and the views of the city from Navy Pier are just great. Also, Riva%26#39;s is a nice restaurant on the pier that I take lunch whenever I am there.

Thank you all for the suggestions - much appreciated.

lip cream

Road Trip from Chicago to Miami

I am going on a three week driving tour from Chicago to Miami and I%26#39;m looking for some information on what would be good to see on the way. My basic structure is Chicago to Nashville and Memphis, followed by Mephis to New Orleans taking in the Missippi River. We then hope to go from New Orleans to Miami. I%26#39;m lookimg for tips on sights to see, cheap car rental and any other relevant information. I%26#39;m also looking to get an idea of lenght of journey between locations and how many days to spend in each place to get the most out of the three weeks.

Road Trip from Chicago to Miami

Keep in mind that you%26#39;ll be paying a surcharge for your car rental because it is a one-way rental. Make sure you shop around on www.kayak.com or similar sites and compare rates. You don%26#39;t need a car while you%26#39;re in Chicago. Plan on picking up the car when you%26#39;re ready to hit the road.

Use Mapquest or Google Maps to see distances between cities. How much time to spend in each city is up to you. It depends on your particular interests in each city.

Road Trip from Chicago to Miami

You could go Chicago-St. Louis to see the city and arch, then cut over to Nashville - looks like about another 2 hourse of driving. Check the St. Louis destination to see if that would interest you.

If you like horse racing you could stop in Louiville, the home of the Kentucky Derby, instead of St. Louis. Again, check those boards for more info.

Also, north of Nashville in Kentucky is Mammoth Cave, a good old-fashioned American tourist attraction for almost 200 years. http://www.nps.gov/maca/ It%26#39;s maybe half an hour off the interstate.

If after Memphis you are following the Mississippi River instead of interstate 55, you could stop in some of the historic river towns including Vicksburg, Natchez, and Baton Rouge. We saw them years ago on a cruise. In fact, you could even consider cruising or steamboating part of the way - I really don%26#39;t know what might be available whenever you are planning on going, or how the car rental would fit in, though. Just an idea!

Definitely visit Mammoth Cave; you can reserve tour times in advance.

Try to travel a bit on the Natchez Trace Parkway:

http://www.nps.gov/natr/

Many possible US Civil War sites to see along the way if that%26#39;s of any interest.

House of Blues - All Ages?

We will be in Chicago with our 16 year old son and are interested in attending a concert at the House of Blues while we are there. Nothing on their website about age limits. Does anyone know how to find that out? The concert, if it makes a difference, is The Avett Brothers.

Thanks!

House of Blues - All Ages?

The show is 17+ - www.houseofblues.com/tickets/eventdetail.php…

House of Blues - All Ages?

Thank you...did not see the 17+...was on the Avett Bros. website, so they did not have that. What a bummer, as he will be almost 17, but not technically 17. I wonder what kind of ID they require if with parents....anyone know? I will try calling them again...a real person on their voice mail would be helpful (aaggh!)

Follow up infor: Finally got a live person at HOB. Sadly, only 17+ with a valid driver%26#39;s license, and it does not make any difference if they are with a parent. We are disappointed...my son and I love the Avett Brothers and they are not going to be in Seattle for this tour....Very different from Seattle where dinner blues/jazz venues (e.g.The Triple Door) are usually all ages. Sigh.

Be sure to visit Jamie at her name's sake wine store

We spent an hour sampling a very good cabernet and chatting with Jamie at her wine store. She has a small bar in the back where you may enjoy a friendly conversation over a glass or two or three or more of your favorite grape nectar. We had a great time and will definitely stop by on our next visit!

Thanks Jamie!

Jason and Michelle (the Happy Family Creations people)

Be sure to visit Jamie at her name's sake wine store

Jamies Wine Bar is a great place to go for couples or girlfriends. She is a lot of fun and we always recommend her to our guests.

You will really have a fun time.

Be sure to visit Jamie at her name's sake wine store

I agree that Jamie%26#39;s is a fantastic place. It has a bar without it being a bar scene. Jamie makes everyone feel welcomed and her variety of wines is fantastic. Maybe I shouldn%26#39;t recommend it so highly to ensure a seat at the bar the next time I visit.

email hosting

Next weekend!

I%26#39;ll be in chicago next weekend. I was thinking of staying at the Conrad but wasn%26#39;t sure if there was any other hotels around that price range that were in a better location. Also we have never been to chicago before so where are the best places to eat?

Next weekend!

There are 100s of restaurants here to choose from. Please read the reviews and do dining searches at www.chicagoreader.com and www.metromix.com. You can search by cuisine, budget, location etc.

The Conrad is in a good location from a tourist standpoint. Read reviews in the Chicago Hotels section of this web site.

www.explorechicago.org is a good site to help decide what to do here. www.transitchicago.com for public transit information.

Chicago hotel for 6 people

I am heading to Chicago in June and am trying to make this a reasonably priced trip. Does anyone have recommendations of any hotel rooms in downtown Chicago/Magnificent Mile that would hold 6 people (3 couples)? I looked into an Embassy Suites with 1 king bed and 1 pull-out sofa. I think we%26#39;d be all right with that, a few people wouldn%26#39;t mind sleeping on the floor for a few hours. We%26#39;re interested in the breakfast and manager%26#39;s reception at the Embassy. I know the Embassy charges for any ';extra'; people over 2 per room, so if we ';snuck'; extras in, would they still be allowed at the manager%26#39;s reception or is there some type of wristband or something? Any other recommendations? I%26#39;ve come to realize that parking fees are outrageous in Chicago - $45 per night at the Embassy...

Chicago hotel for 6 people

There are no hotels which would allow six adults in one room. In addition to the simple logistics of space and one bathroom for six people, there are fire and safety issues. The exact dates of your visit will dictate the hotel rates as you may be competing with a large convention or event for rooms.

It%26#39;s interesting that you%26#39;re not concerned about the people you%26#39;ve ';snuck'; into your room, but you%26#39;re worried that you won%26#39;t be able to compound what your stealing from the hotel by allowing them to eat free at the receptions.

Since most rooms are stocked with linens and supplies for four people, at most, what will the others do for towels, pillows, sheets, etc.? Don%26#39;t you think housekeeping and hotel security will begin to get suspicious if you call down daily for extra towels and they see all these people heading into and out of one room?

In addition, do you have a plan if the hotel discovers the people you%26#39;ve ';snuck'; into your room and evicts you for violating the rental terms you signed at check-in or adds hefty charges to your credit card?

Chicago hotel for 6 people

Embassy Suites offers some rooms w/ 2 Doubles and the Sofabed. Not sure if they%26#39;ll book 6 there. The Residence Inn Mag Mile has 2-room suites w/ King/Queen %26amp; Sofabed that will book 6.

Search this forum for lower priced parking alternatives.

IMO, you%26#39;re better off looking for 2+ rooms at a promo rate as posted elsewhere. Change your dates if you%26#39;re overlapping a big convention. Hit a diner for breakfast and BYO to host your own reception.

Check choicehotels.com for a new Comfort Suites opening around April 2nd on Michigan Avenue. They have a 2 BR Suite, one BR with a king, one with a queen, and a sofa with frig and microwave. There may be only one suite like this. Breakfast is also included. Cost would be reasonable split between 3 couples. Also, check out the deals on TravelZoo.com. You may do better with everyone in their own room at the Hyatt that is including breakfast for 2, or others listed.

Do the people that get ';snuck in'; to your hotel that sleep on the floor have to pay? Or are the 2 other couples who get beds paying?

The hospitality industry is loosing money left and right. More people than I care to know are being laid off.

If you ';snuck'; extra people into the ';freebies';, you are already pushing a hard economy. If you thought about it, so did others. Perhaps soon it would be too much, and either the ';freebies'; would go away, or they would be greatly curtailed.

Plus I could not imagine sleeping 6 people in one room (even a suite), unless I was on spring break in college.

You can try and rent a condo/house in the downtown Gold coast area. Check out the website:

www.vrbo.com

It%26#39;s a site where people rent out there condos/flats for weekends, weeks, or even months. There are a lot of 3 bedroom places. I used it for my family for my wedding weekend and it worked perfectly!!

6 British Lads, in Chicago for 5 nights, can we have fun?

Thinking of a trip to the US over Easter. Is Chicago suitable for a group of guys who want some good nightlife in a nice city? Is there anything to do in the day of any note such as going to the horse racing? Is there a student culture in Chicago?

Hopefully somebody can help and if you think Chicago isn%26#39;t a good idea for us then is there anywhere you could recommend in the area of the country (apart from boston)...

Many thanks, Ross

6 British Lads, in Chicago for 5 nights, can we have fun?

Yes, there%26#39;s plenty of things to do here. www.explorechicago.org and www.metromix.com are good places to do some research. The Visiting Chicago section of this web site has lots of information. There are several colleges here as well.

Nearby horse racing - http://www.maywoodpark.com/

http://www.hawthorneracecourse.com/

6 British Lads, in Chicago for 5 nights, can we have fun?

Defintely consider Chicago! There is tons of nightlife, culture, and GREAT dining. Chicago is famous for being one of the greatest (if not the greatest, I know NY people would argue with me) for food in the US. If you are looking for Horses, you could take the Metra out to Arlington Park for the day (a short 40 min ride). Not sure what kind of nightlife you are looking for, but we do have it all. You mentioned student culture and I think Lincoln Park would be the best for that in Chicago. But there are also the bars in Viagra triangle, which could also fit that bill. If you specify I could help you a little more..

FYI - Arlington Park does not open until May 1.

“But there are also the bars in Viagra triangle, which could also fit that bill.”

For those not familiar with the name, most likely anyone not from Chicago, here is a definition/location of the Viagra triangle.

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php…

Here are names of some spots that might appeal to you:

Bull and Bear @ Wells and Hubbard

http://www.bullbearbar.com/

Rockit Bar on Hubbard near Dearborn

http://www.rockitbarandgrill.com/

English on LaSalle Street

http://www.englishchicago.com/

Schuba%26#39;s at Southport + Fullerton

http://www.schubas.com/

Wrigley Field

outoftheballpark.com/featuredcities_chicago_…

www.pubclub.com/chicago/wrigleyville.htm

chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Going-Out/

chicagoreader.com

www.pubclub.com/chicago/wrigleyville.htm

FYI Schuba%26#39;s is Belmont and Southport.

Yes you can have a blast...but if you are here for 5 nights...then you have to go to different parts of the city that AREN%26#39;T downtown. Hop in a cab, or ask at the desk of the hotel, and find out how to get to the ';southport bars'; or ';wrigleyville bars'; or ';lincoln ave bars'; or bucktown bars';.

You will be guaranteed to have fun in any of these areas. Each area has at least 10 bars to choose from with many different styles.

Go Explore!!

lip cream

O'Hare to Michigan Avenue

HI there,

We are staying at the Radisson O%26#39;Hare-Des Plaines on 3/20 and 3/21. We are planning on coming into the city (Michigan Ave area) each day, probably until early evening, 8-9 p.m. Since there are 6 of us we were planning on driving in each day and parking. We were estimating 25-35 per day to park. Are there other options (train/cab) that would work better and be more cost effective?

Thanks so much!

O'Hare to Michigan Avenue

';Reasonable'; parking - www.millenniumgarages.com/Source/Home.aspx

Also:

The Sterling Self-Park Garage

(located between Clark and LaSalle on Kinzie)

312.341.3463

$24 per day

In by 7 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $14

In by 9 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $18 per day

After 3 p.m. and weekends - $6

It%26#39;s a couple of dollars higher than listed. Still a good deal.

If you want to take the train in - CTA blue line to Clark/Lake. It%26#39;s a short cab ride to Michigan Ave from there. www.transitchicago.com for public transit details.

O'Hare to Michigan Avenue

If you are cramming in 6 to a car...then just drive. If 2 cars...then the train is the cheapest. And, depending on the traffic...could even be the fastest. You take the blue line from O%26#39;hare, get out at at State/Lake or Clark/Lake and walk (no cab needed) Just ask anyone on the street where Michigan Ave is...you%26#39;ll be there in 5 minutes!

Hotel Felix or Hard Rock?

Husband and I are headed to Chicago for our anniversary in July. Which hotel is more modern/trendy/fun? Which is in a better, central location? (we%26#39;re in our early 30%26#39;s)

Hotel Felix or Hard Rock?

Felix still is an unknown entity. Photos look nice, but used to be a transiant hotel, Hotel Wacker, so not sure how much was spent on the non-decor issues.

Also check out The James, Sofitel, Avenue, dana

Hotel Felix or Hard Rock?

Mrs. Davooda and I are very fond of Sofitel in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Not only is this a modern, chic hotel property, Le Bar (the hotel bar) is a cool scene and the neighborhood lends itself to nice walks, shopping and, since you%26#39;re going in July, Oak Street Beach is a short stroll east to the lakefront. If you%26#39;re into eclectic live music, Underground Wonderbar is in close proximity and it%26#39;s always fun to windowshop the Bentley/Ferrari dealership down the street.

I don%26#39;t know you%26#39;re budget, but we%26#39;ve stayed at Sofitel for as little as $135/night. We popped for a suite for our 10th anniversary in August 2008 and were quite happy with the room and the view.

We also had an excellent experience at The James two years ago. This River North hotel is hip and cool and the neighborhood is home to many restaurants, clubs, and shopping...and there%26#39;s a Trader Joe%26#39;s right across the street for convenient breakfast food.

Hope this helps!

Davooda

advice around girls

Family of 5 - CTA Pass or Taxi???

We are a family of five (kids are 8,15 %26amp; 17) that will be in Chicago for 3 days. We don%26#39;t plan on doing much outside of the downtown area (staying at Springhill Suites) so would it make more sense to buy a 3-day CTA pass for each of us or just use taxis when needed? What would the average cab fare be for a 1-2 mile ride for the five of us vs. bus or train fare?

Thanks for you help!

Family of 5 - CTA Pass or Taxi???

Get yourselves CTA passes. If you use a bus or train more than twice per day, you%26#39;re ahead of the game. Unless you get a minivan taxi, I don%26#39;t think you can fit five in a sedan. Cab fare is $2.25 when you get in + $1 for the second passenger and $.50 for each additional passenger. It%26#39;s about $.20 for each block.

Family of 5 - CTA Pass or Taxi???

Keep in mind that if you are going to the usual tourist spots, you can generally walk to almost all the main spots as your children aren%26#39;t real young. And also, to jump on a bus or el is the same price whether you are going one block or 10 miles. It%26#39;s the way it is. So, if you are going 6 blocks, that is about $2 a person for the public transit. I personally would walk but if a walk can%26#39;t happen, I would take a door to door taxi. The 8 year old can be compressed or sit on a lap.

I am in on the taxi thing too, if you have a few people and you only do it once or twice a day. I think it is often cheaper or the same price as the L unless you are going all the way across the city. It is also a lot faster, and generally less gross.

The taxi driver may ask that four of you sit in the back seat. Depending on your size, this may be doable but it isn%26#39;t comfortable. I don%26#39;t think you need to act as though you are all joined at the hip. Certainly the older teens can do things on his or her own that the youngest one can%26#39;t, such as walk back to the hotel from the museum campus. You may want to plan out your days and get CTA passes only if it seems appropriate.

Thanks for all of your advice! It appears that it will come out pretty much the same either way we go. But...I still have a few more questions. Is it always pretty easy to catch a cab in the downtown area? How ';rough'; of a ride is it on the El? I%26#39;ve recently had major back surgery and still have to be a little cautious.

Thanks!

The El may not be a good choice after back surgery. The seats are hard, and it stops and starts with a jerk (not a lot of bumps, though.) Since you are arriving from Indiana and staying near north, though, you probably would be using buses or cabs much more than the El train. Only buses or cabs go to the museum campus and Navy Pier, for example.

';Is it always pretty easy to catch a cab in the downtown area?';

Yes. You won%26#39;t have any problems catching a cab downtown.

My family of 5 is going to Chicago in April for a week. We just figured that we couldn%26#39;t all get in one taxi and we don%26#39;t want to split up.

I have been looking at the 7 day pass and also just buying a transit card and loading $$ on it. We will mostly be going to museums and other major tourist spots.

I read that children ages 8-11 get a reduced fare. And, that you can use 1 transit card for up to 7 people. When you swipe the card how does it know if you are eligible for a reduced fare? Or, do I buy a separate card for my 11 year old?

';I read that children ages 8-11 get a reduced fare. And, that you can use 1 transit card for up to 7 people. When you swipe the card how does it know if you are eligible for a reduced fare? Or, do I buy a separate card for my 11 year old?';

Your 11-year-old will have a separate card. I am not sure where you would buy it, though. It might be available from the regular transit card machines. I searched around online trying to figure it out, but information is lacking. I would call CTA at 1-888-968-7282 to find out for sure.

How can 4 people sit in the back of a cab? Wouldn%26#39;t there only be 3 seat belts? I can%26#39;t imagine anyone riding in a cab without a seat belt.

Nice Hotel near Peninsula on a Budget

I am going to be attending a wedding in May at the Peninsula - but my budget doesn%26#39;t constitute the $400 per night to stay there, and I might have to stay 2 nights. Can anyone offer alternative suggestions that may be like right next door to it? I don%26#39;t want to be too far away, as cab rides can eat up alot of the difference. I nice hotel next door/across the street, around the block would work for me to save a few hunder bucks!

Nice Hotel near Peninsula on a Budget

Try the Affinia. Not too far away, maybe 2 blocks to the east...

Nice Hotel near Peninsula on a Budget

within a block

Allerton, Affinia, Avenue, Omni

two-three

Wyndham, Fairfield by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott

If you%26#39;re not too picky, you might want to try Hotwire or Priceline.

The Afinia is on www.travel-ticker.com for $99. on weekends. I have stayed there, and it is an very nice hotel. Should work out great for yoy.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Mark - thank you for the info about travel ticker. I love to scour travel websites, but have never heard of that one before. Thank you, I am saving it in my favorites!

You are welcome. I thank Dave148 for that one. We will also be in Chicago in May, but staying at The Burnham.

Avenue Hotel - what's the real story?

I%26#39;ve got a room reserved at the Avenue Hotel. The hotel website makes the hotel look like a sleek, boutique hotel. Some of the photos on the review page on TA make it look like a 1980s Holiday Inn (the one with the scary mint green shower curtain and public restroom toilet is the worst!). I know that most hotels put their best face forward on the website and show the best of the best but there seems to be a huge contrast. What%26#39;s the real story? Sleek city hotel or cheap roadside motel? Please let me know if you%26#39;ve stayed there. If it%26#39;s motel-y, I plan to cancel my reservation.

Thanks for your help!

Avenue Hotel - what's the real story?

100+ reviews here - 鈥ripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d105271鈥?/a>

Avenue Hotel - what's the real story?

It used to be the Radisson and was renovated/remodeled before being turned into the Avenue.

Some of those pics are from years ago. The pics on their website are accurate www.avenuehotelchicago.com

Oh, and the European toilets, for better or worse, are still there, but that is the only thing left that I saw.

First Time in Chicago, Easter Weekend

My husband and I are visiting over Easter weekend. This will be our very first time in Chicago (driving from Toledo) and I will be 8 1/2 months pregnant. Our friends are affectionately calling this a ';babymoon';.........We are staying at the Hotel Sax. We will be arriving early Friday afternoon and leaving Easter Sunday in the afternoon. We would love some suggestions of places to go and things to see. We are parking our car and leaving it so if it includes places outside of walking areas, please include mode of transportation. We have navigated Boston and San Francisco so we are good with public transportation but any tips would be great..........

First Time in Chicago, Easter Weekend

www.explorechicago.org - www.chicagoreader.com - www.metromix.com are good resources to see what to do here. The Visiting Chicago section of this web site has a lot of information. Please cruise through previous posts in this forum. Similar questions have been posted.

www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. There%26#39;s a trip planner function on the home page. A CTA visitor pass might be a good idea for your visit.

First Time in Chicago, Easter Weekend

There is so much to see and do. It really depends on what your interests are.

There are tons of museums, parks, restaurants, architecturally-significant buildings, live theatre music venues, etc.

A good reference is the chicago reader, a free paper that has almost all events for the week as well as listings for restaurants by ethnic category or location, museums with current exhibits, what have you. You can see it online at chicagoreader.com or pick one up on the street when you are here.

If you want to go to a play, hottix is a good place to get discounted tickets but you can usually only get them a day prior to the show so if it%26#39;s something you really want to see, you might want to get tickets in advance.

What makes chicago very unique is the neighborhoods and local flavor. I think many tourists miss this as they spend most of their time in shops along michigan ave. For example, go to argyle st on the north side (easy el ride) for some authentic southeast asian food and stop in a small grocery store and see and smell stuff you%26#39;d never seen/smelled before, unless of course you%26#39;ve been to southeast asia. ';maxwell st.'; market is kinda cool but is more sterile and kinda touristy than what it formerly was but it%26#39;s basically a big open,air market on sundays where you can get good food, music, hubcaps and junk and can be fun. it%26#39;s different anyway.

Go to millenium park because it%26#39;s cool. Eat a lot because there are lots of good restaurants. Ride the el around the loop, it%26#39;s a cheap way to get a tour of the city. walk along the lakefront, it%26#39;s pretty. you can take a taxi or tour along the river, kinda nice. architecture tour is more interesting.

congrats on the baby.

lip cream

restaurant near division station

Hi all, I%26#39;ll be staying at the two urns and was wondering if there%26#39;s any good restaurant near division station, it%26#39;s my first time in chicago but on the first evening I didn%26#39;t want to stray too far from the B%26amp;B.

restaurant near division station

www.miraisushi.com

www.crustorganic.com/

http://www.thesmokedaddy.com/

http://www.milkandhoneycafe.com/

http://www.superyummy.com/

www.adobogrill.com/wickerpark/index.aspx

www.chicagoreader.com has an excellent dining search tool. Use Wicker Park as your search area.

restaurant near division station

Head south down Milwaukee Ave a few blocks to a cool little spot called Corosh. It%26#39;s all wood floors, big wooden bar, good burgers and caesar salads, etc. The folks at the Two Urns will tell you how to get there.

thank you for the tips, now the only problem I%26#39;ll have will be with the weather, Wednesday, Thursday and morning friday, mostly rain so I guess it%26#39;ll be mostly museums and FL Wright house in Oak Park.

web hosting domains

historic floors at the Burnham Hotel

Has anyone stayed on the historic floors at the Burnham? We%26#39;ve already booked a regular room but have been offered the chance to stay in a room on one of the historic floors - are they really that much cooler? I am a big history buff which is why I picked this hotel to begin with. Any info helps.

historic floors at the Burnham Hotel

Not sure exactly what the difference is but I noticed when we walked through that on some of the floors they kept the original frosted glass office doors as the room doors.

I know that doesn%26#39;t help too much but hopefully someone will come along with better info...

Hotwire hotel identification help

4-star hotel in Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville

On the map, it shows three hotel locations for this listing. Though it%26#39;s hard to read the exact streets (those location dots are big and vague) dots are in these areas:

1) Chicago Ave and Michigan Ave

2)State/Monroe ish (The Palmer House?)

3) Michigan Ave between Wacker and Lake

The amenities include Nonsmoking, Fitness Center, Pool, restaurant, Business center, and high speed internet.

Does anyone have a guess as to what these hotels are?

Thanks!

Hotwire hotel identification help

I might add that my travel dates are from June 15th to June 20th.

Hotwire hotel identification help

Sheraton Chicago

www.betterbidding.com/index.php鈥?/a>

Thanks. I checked out the website but was confused by hotwire%26#39;s map, and the three different locations.

I appreciate your time.

Michigan between Wacker and Lake could be the Hyatt (although it%26#39;s actual address is on Wacker) or the Hard Rock Hotel which is actually on Michigan.

Chicago Ave/Michigan--there aren%26#39;t any RIGHT ON THAT CORNER although the closest one would be the Park Hyatt.

State and Monroe would most likely be Palmer House. It%26#39;s on Hotwire alot.

Is the Palmer House considered a 4-star in Hotwire? It was renovated recently. I know its star rating has changed over the years. Is it 4.5 now? It was 3.5 once?

Thanks!

4* Palmer House Hilton (previously 4*, then 3.5*)

Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

(Pool not shown for awhile)

www.betterbidding.com/index.php鈥?/a>

Those three numbered dots on the hotwire map aren%26#39;t hotels. They only show you a big, general area on the map indicating possible hotel location. The numbered dots represent:

1) Water Tower

2) Cultural Center

3) Motorola

There%26#39;s no way at hotwire itself to narrow a hotel%26#39;s location down further than the geometric area outlined in color on the map. The lists at better bidding can help you hone in more closely, though it is, of course, always possible for hotel classifications to change or new hotels to be added to hotwire%26#39;s database, meaning the lists at better bidding are no guarantee.

Thanks for the recent posts. I know it%26#39;s not a guarantee but I am of course looking for the most info possible! The betterbidding web site is great, but I wasn%26#39;t sure if it was updated regularly... the original thread goes back to 2005.

Yes, the betterbidding.com hotel lists are updated regularly as star ratings/amenities change and hotels are added.

Breakfast/Brunch spot near Water Tower/NW Mem Hosp?

We%26#39;ll be in Chicago next week and will be meeting my mom for breakfast/brunch near NW Memorial Hospital or near the Water Tower (I think they%26#39;re close). Any suggestions for a funky %26amp; delicious place for breakfast/brunch on a weekday?

Breakfast/Brunch spot near Water Tower/NW Mem Hosp?

West Egg Cafe

620 N Fairbanks Ct

(312) 280-8366

www.tempocafechicago.com

Original Pancake House

22. E. Bellevue Pl.

312-642-7917

You can read reviews and do dining searches at www.chicagoreader.com

Breakfast/Brunch spot near Water Tower/NW Mem Hosp?

Thank you - we will definitely check out West Egg (we have an original pancake house near us too - love their pancakes but would like to try something different in Chicag). Thanks again!

In the Bloomingdales building, across from the John Hancock, near the Water Tower is a nice brunch/breakfast/lunch place called the Oak Tree. It%26#39;s a cool spot--request a window seat--nice views of Michigan Ave, the Hancock, etc.

Omni Chicago direct e-mail adddress?

Does anyone know the direct e-mail address of Omni Hotel Chicago (Michigan Ave) as I have e-mailed the main Omni reservations twice but they have failed to reply.

Omni Chicago direct e-mail adddress?

Try ahayden@omnihotels.com

While that is the concierge, if you have a reservations questions, he will forward it to them

Omni Chicago direct e-mail adddress?

Thank you - much appreciated.

[Req] Hotel Recommendations Chicago

Hi All,

I’m planning a trip to Chicago for next October. I’m looking for a decent hotel which best fits the below criteria. Before I google it, I’d like to ask for recommendations from people with experience of staying in Chicago/Chain hotels.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks In Advance for all responses

Time: 5 days in Oct 09

Room for one person En-Suite

€80 to €100 per night

Conveniently located near public transport (thinking of access to O’Hare Airport)

Located in a respectable neighbourhood

Rooms with good soundproofing

Not a hostel.

[Req] Hotel Recommendations Chicago

Please read the reviews in the Chicago Hotels section of this web site. Hotel rates here run all over the place. Chicago is a convention city. If your dates do not fall during a convention, you should be able to find some good deals. Your hotel budget should be OK.

Hotels convenient to the CTA blue line include: Hotel Allegro, Palmer House Hilton, Hotel Burnham, Hotel Monaco, Hampton Inn Majestic. The neighborhood is fine.

lip cream

database

Changed my mind!

So I had wrote on this board early this week saying I was thinking of staying at the conrad but there prices went up and I decided to stay at the intercontinental. Was that a bad choice? Will I regret it? Or is the intercontinental good? Also was wondering if we should park our car somewhere and take a taxi to most places? Since we would have to pay for parking at each stop.

Changed my mind!

BritandMike-

The Intercontinental is not a bad choice at all. It is probably more centrally located than the conrad, as it is on Michigan Ave. I%26#39;m assuming that you are driving from Ohio to Chicago. I would park your car at the hotel, you might have in and out privleges. But, frankly it%26#39;s not worth it to drive downtown....parking is scarce and it%26#39;s a pain in the butt if you dont know where you are going. SInce you are going to be on Mich Ave, you would be able to walk to most anything. If you provide specifics I would be able to give you more details. Enjoy your stay!

ChicagoGirl147

Changed my mind!

The two hotels are directly across the street from each other. If you must drive, consider which is more important, convenience or saving money, as hotel parking is very expensive (based on the of the recent reviews, some people did not know how expensive parking in Chicago is (shame for not reading TA or calling the hotel)

The parking gurus can give you options, even parkiong out in the burbs abd taking the train in, as once you are here, you will not need a car, and most likley not many taxis and most is walkable or use our excellent transporation system.

If you want to use the pool, you will love the Intercontinental. Google it to see what I mean.

Nearby ';reasonable'; parking - www.millenniumgarages.com/Source/Home.aspx

BritandMike-

I agree with Dave that parking at the Millenium Garages is your best option. As parking at the hotel is VERY expensive. But parking in the suburbs and taking the train downtown, maybe more hastle than worth than the money you would save.

Chicagogirl147

Where to eat? A bunch of 13-year old girls and moms...

We are taking a trip in May to Chicago to celebrate a bunch of 13th birthdays. there are 15 of us total..I am trying to figure out where to eat and try to get reservations. Any suggestions? we are staying at the River North Spring Hill Suites.

Where to eat? A bunch of 13-year old girls and moms...

Grand Lux Cafe

www.grandluxcafe.com

600 N Michigan Ave

(773) 276-2500

Ed Debevic%26#39;s

640 N Wells St

(312) 664-1707

You can read reviews and do dining searches at www.chicagoreader.com

Where to eat? A bunch of 13-year old girls and moms...

I second the vote for Ed Debevics. My 12 and 14 year olds love it, I love it-fun! Eat at Ed%26#39;s!!! Don%26#39;t think they take reservations however.

Ed Debivic%26#39;s and Grand Lux are excellent choices, but also consider high tea at the Drake Hotel. It%26#39;s very girly, and they do take reservations.

Ed Debevics is lots of fun, went there once when my son was feeling grumpy and he left there in a better mood than everyone! Gran Lux is good also, but it is just a standard restaurant no extra fun stuff!

Chicago shopping

HI there , planning a 3 day trip in april.

wondering is there anywhere like chinatown in nyc that i can pick up cheap knock off handbags.

also any suggestions on any dressy clothes shops for women

Chicago shopping

Our Chinatown is not like the one in NYC. www.themagnificentmile.com/shopping.cfm

Chicago shopping

Our Chinatown is not like New York%26#39;s in size but on a smaller scale--you%26#39;ll get some of the knock off%26#39;s, etc that you would see in NYC, but on a much smaller scale. Have lunch there one day and walk around. The red line subway takes you right there. We have stores all over that have dressy clothes for women. From Macy%26#39;s to Nicole Miller to Barney%26#39;s to Maria Pinto (Michelle Obama%26#39;s designer). There is also a place called the Daisy Shop that has dressy dresses on consignment.

There are also shops at Wilson and Clark that have knock offs- they only take cash (like in NYC). You can get there by taking the clark bus from the loop north to Wilson. The shops are on boths sides of one block. So definitely not at all like NY.

For dressy clothes shops- Michigan Ave will have almost any store you can imagine! Armitage and Halsted also have great shops if you want to see another neighborhood!

There is nothing in Chicago that compares to chinatown in nyc as far as cheap knock off handbags. Don%26#39;t expect someone to lead you down the street, thru the alley, into a backroom for handbags like NYC......... : )

Hotels around McCormick Place West

I%26#39;m attending a conference next month at McCormick Place West, and I%26#39;m trying to find a hotel within walking distance (15 minutes or so) to the convention site. I searched in previous posts and discovered that when it comes to lodging, not much is in this area. However, the most recent post I could find was from last year鈥ust wondering if any new hotels have gone up in this area? Although a shuttle service is provided from the host hotel to McCormick Place, I鈥檇 rather not rely on a schedule when it comes to transportation鈥ny suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hotels around McCormick Place West

The four parts of McCormick Place and the Hyatt are all one large, connected complex.

There are no other hotels within walking distance to the center and the only restaurant I recall that%26#39;s nearby is McDonald%26#39;s.

You%26#39;re really much better off staying at one of the downtown hotels and using the shuttle. If the host hotel isn%26#39;t to your liking, you could stay at another hotel a block or two away and walk back there to catch the shuttle to McCormick.

Hotels around McCormick Place West

Thank you鈥hat鈥檚 what I鈥檓 thinking about doing. I stayed with Homewood Suites last year and really liked it, so I鈥檒l probably do the same again and just walk the few blocks to pick up the shuttle. I appreciate your quick response鈥est regards!

The only hotel is the Hyatt McCormick Place. It is right at McCormick Place.

There are a number of dining options in McCormick Place besides the McDonald%26#39;s, but in my opinion they are all overpriced. If your host hotel is downtown, I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about the shuttle schedule since public transit to/from McCormick Place is available. There is a Metra Station in McCormick Place itself or you could take the #21 bus out to Chinatown and catch the Red Line from there. On the other hand, you could stay at McCormick Place and use these public transit options to escape convention center restaurant blandness and prices.

Believe I%26#39;m at the same convention - I chose to stay in mag mile area of Michigan ave and catch the red line to/from mccormick. Still a little walking required to from stations, but much more to do.

You can also buy a CTA pass and catch a bus on Mich ave directly to Mccormick place.

Is China Town redline stop to McCormik place walkable??

There may be a flaw in my plan

It%26#39;s about a 30 minute walk.

From a safety perspective, you%26#39;re better off taking a cab.

What%26#39;s you thoughts on catching the metra electric line at randolph to Mccormick place?

Metra Electric to McCormick Place is a good idea.

I am not so sure I%26#39;d want to walk from the Chinatown station all the way to McCormick Place. I usually take the #21 bus if I%26#39;m taking public transit to McCormick.

The Metra might be a good option since there is a station directly under McCormick Place. During the week it runs pretty frequently. On weekends, it doesn%26#39;t run as frequently and you would have to pay attention to the schedule to avoid being stuck waiting for an hour.

Advise for Girls Weekend

4 of us want to go to the windy city for my friend%26#39;s bachelorette party. I have been to Chicago a bunch of times and usually stay on the Miracle Mile (Drake, Westin, Omni) but it has been over 5 years since I last went. I would love some hotel suggestions that are in the $300/night or less range and any ideas on where we could go for a night of debauchery.

Advise for Girls Weekend

If the dates work for you, this is a good deal - hotels.travelzoo.com/chicago-hotels/549528

Advise for Girls Weekend

Hi, JaXprat. Plenty of trouble to get into in Chicago! My suggestion is start at Elm Street Liquors on the corner of State St. and Elm St. It has a lounge type feel with great DJs. Then right next door is the Hangee Uppe. They have 2 levels with the upstairs being hip hop/dance music and downstairs being 80%26#39;s and 90%26#39;s music. My girlfriends and I have never NOT had fun there. Plus they are open until 4am. If you get bored (which you won%26#39;t) there are about a zillion other bars in a 2 block radius. I live a couple blocks away. I won%26#39;t be much help on hotels, but feel free to message me if you have questions about the area. Have fun!

A couple of fun restaurants with sort of shows going on would be either Carnivale which has Brazilian type girls dancing thru every now and then or Alhambra with a Moroccon theme and some belly dancing- A nice way to get some food with a theme in your tummy before you get down to the serious partying, and There are plenty of frosty libations to go along with as well.

What comes in a duvet set

lip cream

Marriott Mag Mile vs Residence Inn & other Trip questions

I%26#39;m going to bring my mother in law and two daughters for a 3 night girls trip next week. Our ages go from 70 to the girls at 15 and 8 so trying to please all ages. Travel Zoo has had some good $99 deals and two that I grabbed are the Marriott Mag Mile and the Residence Inn Mag Mile at Walton Place. I%26#39;m leaning towards the Residence Inn as it has the breakfast each morning and a bit more room. We usually stay more in River North area but when we do that it is to be near shopping. Any comments on these choices ? I also saw a new Travel Zoo deal for $99 at the Hyatt on Wacker.

On this trip we would like to hit Field Science Muesum, Natural History Museum, Adler Planetarium. I also promised a stop (short) at American Girl store for the 8 yr old. Not sure about Navy Pier as it has never done much for me. Thinking maybe going to top of Hancock as well.

For dinners thinking Ed Debevic and either Lou Malnati%26#39;s or Gino%26#39;s for pizza one night. Any places within walking distance of the Residence Inn.

Oldest daughter really wanted to go see Mary Poppins as well but trying to go budget. Might still consider.

Just wondering if anyone has any other ideas that they may like or what I should plan each day. None of them have been to Chicago before so want to make it enjoyable for them. It%26#39;s my 7th or 8th trip there but haven%26#39;t done any museums there myself except the art museum so am looking forward to it myself.

Thanks!!!

Marriott Mag Mile vs Residence Inn %26amp; other Trip questions

Oops- reread my note and I meant Field Museum and the Science Museum.

Marriott Mag Mile vs Residence Inn %26amp; other Trip questions

Residence Inn on Walton is the better choice for your group. It%26#39;s a nice property, on a nice block very close to the lakefront. Plus, you can%26#39;t beat a free breakfast. I think Marriott Mag Mile is very busy and harder to keep track of everyone. Just to clear things up, it%26#39;s the Museum of Science of Industry and the Natural History Museum is the Field Museum. And while you are at the Field and Planetarium, the Acquarium is right there too and it really is quite nice--the have a lovely auditorium that has the fish show (like a dolphin show but more educational) and they have feedings in their giant tank that you can watch.

Keep in mind that you%26#39;ll need at least a 1/2 day for the Museum of Science and Industry. Also, it%26#39;s 7 miles south of downtown. Its%26#39; accessible from downtown via CTA bus.

The TravelZoo deal for the Hyatt on Wacker, although it includes breakfast for 2, it is nonrefundable (in the fine print).

THe Hyatt on Wacker is too business oriented and not the best choice over all

I cancelled the Marriott Mag Mile option. Still sniffing around to make sure there isn%26#39;t any better option. There is Courtyard on Hubbard for $79. I stayed there but it was 10 years or so ago so really can%26#39;t remember how close it was to Michigan and other attractions. While it%26#39;s cheaper still leaning to keep the Res Inn with the extra space it offers.

Would anyone choose this Courtyard over Res Inn ?

Courtyard is close to Michigan Ave. $79 is a great deal.

Dave, What do you think about the Blackstone at $99 ? Would that put us in walking distance of the museums ? The Courtyard deal at $79 is good but imagine we would still need to cab or bus to museums?

I%26#39;m torn because the Blackstone looks great but Res Inn like the extra space for winding down in the evenings. Courtyard I remember from my stay had very small rooms and can%26#39;t remember what it was close to.

We only need one swoop on Michigan to hit shopping area and that brief American Girl stop. Otherwise the only shopping I wanted was to hit Macys and Nordstrom Rack on State.

For $20 more, I%26#39;d pop for the Blackstone. You%26#39;re closer to museums. Easy access up north to AGP and shopping on State.

Great ! Now I just need to remember which website I saw the $99 Blackstone deal on last night and hope it%26#39;s still there.

Chicago downtown-Embassy or Homewood?

Hi, good reviews for both Chicago downtown Embassy Suites %26amp; Homewood Suites. We%26#39;re staying with kids, mainly for museums and aquarium visits; so nightlife out of the question.

Have stayed in both in other cities, not a lot different, both Hilton properties.

Can anyone offer pros or cons to either?

Off-site parking, walking distance?

Thanks all for your 2 cents!

(Or whatever 2 cents is worth in this economy.)

Chicago downtown-Embassy or Homewood?

You didn%26#39;t specify which ES. Assuming it%26#39;s the one on State, location-wise it%26#39;s a wash. Assuming the prices are close, I%26#39;d take the Embassy Suites.

Reasonable parking nearby:

The Sterling Self-Park Garage

(located between Clark and LaSalle on Kinzie)

312.341.3463

$24 per day

In by 7 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $14

In by 9 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $18 per day

After 3 p.m. and weekends - $6

It%26#39;s a couple of dollars higher than listed. Still a good deal.

Chicago downtown-Embassy or Homewood?

Just an added note to Dave%26#39;s info...

Will you be there during the week? as Homewood has a small meal in the evenings on Mon thru Thurs, which may save some money. ES has a managers cocktail reception, which does (as you know) have snacks and sodas for the kids.

I%26#39;ve stayed at both ES%26#39;s~ Lakefront @ 511 N. Columbus Dr. %26amp; downtown @ 600 N. State Street %26amp; both were very nice and accommodating. We always like to find a grocery store for ';extras'; and both have one near by. There%26#39;s a Bockwinkles near the Lakefront one and a Jewel-Osco by the State Street one.

HAPPY TRAVELS!!

ES has the cocktails PLUS a full breakfast buffet the next day, including cooked to order omelettes. Easy choice for me!

Thanks all.

We%26#39;re going next wk. ES on State is location being compared.

Do I interpret correctly that ES mgr%26#39;s reception has cocktails(more than beer/wine) and snacks, where Homewood has food a little more substantial, but only beer/wine?

Surprised that HS is ranked far higher than ES, yet both have great reviews.

Either have the better pool?

Any off-site parking with in/out privileges?

Or just better to take public transport to museums?

No parking garage in/out privileges here. Public transit is best to get around. www.transitchicago.com for public transit information.

Nearby reasonable parking:

The Sterling Self-Park Garage

(located between Clark and LaSalle on Kinzie)

312.341.3463

$24 per day

In by 7 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $14

In by 9 a.m. out by 7 p.m. - $18 per day

After 3 p.m. and weekends - $6

It%26#39;s a couple of dollars higher than listed. Still a good deal.

We%26#39;ve stayed at the HS, and E Lakeshore; the HS and E Downtown are very close to eachother. The E has the clear edge on breakfast but the HS has that full kitchen if you want to do any meals in suite. The E%26#39;s normally do have a cocktail reception with snacks. The HS evening weekday meal normally consists of one casual entree such as Swedish meatballs, baked potato bar, orange chicken, etc., plus salad and rolls.

Are you driving into the city? If not, there%26#39;s no reason to have a car if you%26#39;ll be visiting the tourist sights and musuems. The CTA subway/L trains will bring you directly from either airport to the city center and to all the museums.

You can purchase visitor passes that allow unlimited rides on all CTA trains and buses for a 24-hour period. A 1-day pass is $5.75 and a 3-day is $14. You can purchase them online or at the airports.

Vending machines at the stations sell the 3-day and 7-day cards. Check the CTA site for where you can buy the 1-day cards. I know they%26#39;re available on the lower level of the O%26#39;Hare Hilton-between T2 and the CTA station. There used to be stores at Midway that sold them, but it%26#39;s been a while since I%26#39;ve been there.

Last July I stayed at the Homewood Suites on the advice provide by someone on TA. Great suggestion…HS was clean, conveniently located and the hotel staff was very friendly and accommodating…can’t comment on parking, as I did not have a car. IMO, no cons at all.

My room was spacious with a decent, well equipped kitchen (utensils, plates, glasses, silverware, etc.) dishwasher, fridge, microwave and kitchen table/chairs...very, very clean!!! There are places in walking distance to pick up groceries if you feel like cooking a few meals yourself.

My room felt like a small one bedroom apartment with an eat-in kitchen...TV in both the bedroom %26amp; living room; great if you and the kids want to watch different shows...very spacious. The hotel has a nice pool and small workout room. They provide a “complementary” breakfast and “dinner” and snacks, with beer, wine and soda in the evening. Personally, I would not rely on the food for dinner, what with all the great places to eat in Chicago. However, if you are on a budget, or just don’t feel like going out after a long day of sightseeing, you can make do with what is offered. Take-out cartons are available if you want to bring food/snacks, drinks or ice cream up to your room instead of eating in the dinning room. I’m returning to Chicago next month for a week and will probably stay with HS again. Hope this information helps…enjoy Chicago…it’s an awesome city!

I finally booked a non-refundable rate at HS for $129 for Wed/Thurs and $109 for Fri nite. ES rates went up a lot so must have gotten busier.

Thx for all the input!

Couple of Hours Drive?

What is within a couple of hours drive from Chicago? I am visiting Chicago and would like to see another city too.

Couple of Hours Drive?

http://www.milwaukee.org/

Couple of Hours Drive?

Springfield, Illinois, is about 3 hours away, but well worth it if you are a fan of Abraham Lincoln. The new Lincoln Presidential Museum is wonderful and not at all stuffy.

There is also the New Buffalo area on the Michigan/Indiana border right along Lake Michigan, as well as the Lake Geneva area just over the Wisconsin border. Not cities but resort areas. Might be nice if you%26#39;%26#39;re coming when it%26#39;s warm out.

Gary, Indiana. Jackson 5 were from there.

Route 66, the mother road starts in Chicago, and you can drive a bit of the atart of the rout, stopping at a few of the landmarks along the way...

http://www.historic66.com/

www.historic66.com/illinois/det-il1.html

I would not consider going to Gary, as the previous poster mentioned. It is rather run down and not the safest of neighborhoods for visitors.

ANother fun thing is a minor league ball game depending on when you are here.

In the western suburbs are both the Schaumburg Flyers and the Kane County Cougars. Way less expensive and more intimate than a major league game.

www.flyersbaseball.com

www.kccougars.com

Like the other poster, I would recommend Milwaukee. It is only 90 min drive and there is much to do. It is the closest bigger type city with plenty of attractions.

- Go on the Miller brewery tour or go on one from Sprecher or a Lake Front Brewery tour.

- Harley Davidson museum.

- Get a drink from the Safe House.

- See a play or go to a musem.

- Shop in the Old Third Ward.

There is plenty to do on the drive up as well. there are a million outlet malls and there is a Jelly Belly outlet store and mini tour.

Indiana Dunes is about 1 hour east of downtown Chicago and has beautiful wooded hiking, swimming in Lake Michigan, a gorgeous beach with sand dunes, and your typical outdoor activities.

Also east of Chicago is the Lighthouse Outlet Mall in Michigan City, IN. It has great shopping in an open-air mall. You can get there from downtown Chicago on the South Shore train - its an electric train and an interesting ride through the south suburbs %26amp; NW Indiana. Easy day trip from downtown.

You could also drive 2-3 hours north to Wisconsin Dells for interesting scenery and lots of tourist traps (duck boats, museums, cheese shops, etc.)

Though a nice enough city, Milwaukee is in many ways a smaller version of Chicago - so if you%26#39;ve seen and liked Chicago, Milwaukee will probably seem a disappointment. In ths Summer months, though, Milwaukee hosts scores of very nice festivals at a special, permanent festival grounds on the lakefront and some of them are lots of fun to visit.

For nature lovers, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore park can be an especially pleasant place to visit. Michigan City is on the way, and you could stop there, visit the casino, have a meal in town, visit the outlet mall, etc. I like the city - Michigan City, and the Dunes also.

Kenosha, Wisconsin,a shorter drive than Milwaukee, can be enjoyable for many, too. And, along the way is the Illinois Beach State Park.

I visited Whiting, Indiana (almost on the Illinois/Indiana state border line) for a pierogi fest a couple of years ago and was so very pleasantly surprised by the architecture in the center of the town that I%26#39;ve been meaning to return during non-fest times to appreciate it more.

Just some suggestions/thoughts of mine without spending too much time thinking about the question.