We are visiting Chicago area for our first time 18/19th August, probably staying at The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center as I%26#39;ve found a great deal on Hotwire!
I realise this is a suburb so a little way out but we will have a rental car to get us out %26amp; about!
We arrive in to Midway early evening on the 18th so will probably just have dinner %26amp; enjoy the hotel facilities that night.
We will then travel into Downtown for the day on the 19th so what should we not miss?
My husband %26amp; son are going to a soccer match at Toyota Park that evening so we will have to be back in time for that, it starts 8pm %26amp; I understand its a 30 minute drive from The Westin Lombard?
Thanks for any useful advice on what to see/do whilst Downtown!
Sally
2 Nights in Chicago..hows best to spend our time?
www.explorechicago.org is a good site to do some research. The Visiting Chicago section on this web site also has information.
Keep in mind that you are doing quite a bit of commuting during your brief visit here. Did you check Hotwire rates for downtown? Also consider Priceline as an option.
Parking downtown (if you%26#39;re planning to drive) is very expensive. That could wipe out your potential savings by staying in Lombard. BTW - the Westin in Lombard is a nice property.
2 Nights in Chicago..hows best to spend our time?
Thanks for your reply!
We may even get the Metrotrain(?) to Downtown, we will see!
I have in fact now booked through Hotwire.I prefer that to Priceline as it allows child bookings whereas Priceline is only 2 adults!
I hope I%26#39;ve bagged a great deal..The lombard Westin for $165.93 for the 2 nights!!
Downtown came out much more for only 3 star hotels.
Here in the UK there%26#39;s no way we%26#39;d get such a good hotel for that kind of money!
So now we just need to decide what we need to do when we visit downtown for the day?!
Hi Salmalcolm!
Parking downtown is expensive but probably only $20-30 for the day so you are definitely saving money by staying out in the burbs. Keep in mind traffic can be awful driving to/from downtown, even on Saturdays so don%26#39;t forget to leave enough time for traffic if you decide to drive. If the metro train is close to your hotel it can be a good option too.
As for what to do, if it%26#39;s nice out I would definitely reccomend a river/lake cruise. I love the architechtural river cruise.
You could go to the top of sears tower (now willis tower I think) and/or Hancock tower. Though if your son is with you, maybe Sears tower is better becuase it has a large observation deck whereas the Hancock tower has a lounge up top and there seem to be less kids.
Also, a walk along the magnificent mile (Michigan Avenue) is nice to see even if you don%26#39;t shop. It also crosses the river, so if you don%26#39;t take a river cruise you could at least go see the pretty riverwalk they%26#39;ve done up here.
Don%26#39;t know how old your kid is but there is the ferris wheel at navy pier. A lot of people think Navy Pier is a tourist trap but perhaps with a kid he would enjoy it.
You%26#39;ve definitely got to have some chicago pizza (giordano%26#39;s, uno%26#39;s, lou malnati%26#39;s) or a chicago style hot dog.
Enjoy your trip!
Sally, Luv2Travel gave some great suggestions for one day in the city. Try to include Millennium Park in your plans too.
Do you feel comfortable driving in the U.S., let alone a big city? I don’t especially like to drive in the city myself, especially on a weekday. I think your hotel has a shuttle, so maybe they could take you to the train station, or you could drive yourself. The Lombard and Downers Grove stations are both about 3.5 miles from the Westin. If you can get up early, the express trains from Downers Grove can get you to the city in less than a half hour. Otherwise, it is about one hour each way. A one-way ticket is $4.30 on weekdays. You would also need to pay to park near the train station.
By the way, there are a lot of restaurant choices near the Westin. We really like P. F. Chang’s – it’s a chain, but it is very good.
It%26#39;s a tough call, taking the train versus driving in. It may depend on when you wake up in the morning. If you%26#39;ll be waking up early and can catch the express train to and from downtown, you would have a less stressful day. The Ogilvie train station a fifteen minute walk from Sears (Willis) Tower, which is probably something on your son%26#39;s ';must do'; list (the skydeck doesn%26#39;t open until 10 AM, however!)
From the river near the Sears Tower, there is a water taxi that will take you to either North Michigan Avenue or Navy Pier. You could walk (or taxi) back to the train station, taking in the sights and stopping for an early dinner. If you are back in Lombard, picking up your car, by 7 PM you should be fine.
http://metrarail.com/Sched/cnw_w/cnw_w.shtml
http://www.shorelinesightseeing.com/taxis.php
http://www.theskydeck.com/
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