Anxiety said:

I was hoping you'd have some kinda inside connection
Like, they'd take me to a backroom that would lead to the Bog of Eternal Stench or something

superspaceboy said:

why should I avoid the Sears Tower
I was kinda excited to take pictures from up there

2the9s said:

thekidsgirl said:

Because you can get that view without 1) waiting in line 2) paying for a ride to the top. I think you can go to the Bar at the John Hancock and get the same view honestly. Actually you can go up any of the miriad of skyscrapers and get that view. I have done it and it was a big let down...you are almost too high up.

superspaceboy said:

I didn't know you had to pay for that
well I'm sure that most any of the buildings there are taller than any I've been in

The list so far includes...

Dusty groove
Reckless
'Belmont-Clark area'
Art Institute/Museum of Modern Art
Aquarium
Field Museum
Piper's Alley
Zoo
Museum of Science and Industry
(Maybe...but probably not) Sears Tower
Tommy Gunn's Garage
Berlin Night Club
Clark Street
North Avenue Beach
The Twisted Spoke
downtown Chicago
Garrett's popcorn (State Street)
Lincoln Park
Lake Michigan
Gino's (for pizza!)
taking pics of the architecture in general


...I hope some of these places are close to each other

thekidsgirl said:

Hi. Everything I listed is all downtown Chicago.

Stymie said:

Great!! I think thats the main area we're gonna be in
so it will be good to walk from place to place
...hopefully everyone will get up early enough for us to get breakfast at Army & Lou's
thanks Stymie

thekidsgirl said:

Just FYI, there is no Museum of Modern Art in Chicago, it's the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The MCA is two blocks south of the John Hancock building. Lake Michigan is about two blocks east of the MCA/John Hancock.
This area is generally referred to as Magnificent Mile. I have been to both the Sears Tower & John Hancock. I recommend the Hancock because it is right on Lake Michigan and you get better views of Lake Shore Drive, the lake, and the city. The Sears Tower is in the West Loop and you can't see as much, imo. Plus if you go to the Signature Lounge at the Hancock, you can just order a drink instead of paying to go to the observation deck.

Berlin Night Club and Reckless Records are in the Belmont/Clark vicinity, but not near Mag Mile.

The Shedd Aquarium, Field Musuem are near each other, and Lake Michigan. They are south of downtown Chicago (aka The Loop). The Museum of Science and Industry is far from everything else you have listed. It's on the South Side, I think around 57th Street...

The Art Institute is downtown (near the Adams/Wabash stop on the El).

The Lincoln Park Zoo is inside Lincoln Park.

Also, the subway is above ground a lot of places and is also call the 'L'/El (short for Elevated). In downtown Chicago, it goes in a loop, hence downtown is referred to as The Loop.


If you don't mind walking a lot, what you could do is go down to the Shedd, Field or even start at the Art Institute/Millenium Park, then walk north up the bike path right next to the lake. You can walk up over the Chicago RIver to Chicago Ave, then over to the MCA/John Hancock. THen walk up to North Avenue Beach, then next is Lincoln Park, which is a few blocks from Clark Street. FOllow Clark Street up to Fullerton and you'll start hitting some wrecka stows. You can continue up Clark all the way to Belmont--Berlin Night club is a few blocks west (near Sheffield Ave), and if you turn east, you'll run into Boystown/Halsted Ave, and Reckless is over there somewhere (maybe on Broadway).

That would be a long, long walk, but doable.

DevotedPuppy said:

Thanks for this!! Im gonna copy it and print it out cause theres no way I'd remember all this

Last year when I was there, my friensd and I walked to go eat at an Italian restaurant called, "Leona's." My friend pointed to a restaurant/cantina/bar-type place and said it's owned by "Booger" from Revenge of the Nerds. Does anyone know what the place is called?

superspaceboy said:

oh no!

Moonstar319 said:

lazycrockett said:

Well, I just went cuz I had had their chicken soup before.

Moonstar319 said:

That place is called Trader Vic's and I love it. Great drinks and good cheap food. And they have karaoke every night.

be sure to hit the library.
[Edited 6/25/08 19:00pm]

Stymie said:

Thank-you! Next time I head that way, I want to check it out.

I'll be seeing Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and the Pride parade this weekend. Too bad about no Prince night!

You're picking one heck of a weekend to visit the Windy City. There's always a lot to see anytime, but you have the Gay Pride parade this weekend, the Taste of Chicago begins this weekend (that's why Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder are playing concerts - they're part of the entertainment), and if you are a baseball fan, you have the Cubs-White Sox crosstown series on the South side.

As for Navy Pier, that's where they steer all of the visitors to the city, but the people posting here are right; it's way too mall-like and overpriced. If you want the real Chi-Town experience, you have to do like the locals do.

superspaceboy said:

LOL! yeah, we went here yesterday...It wasn't my choice, but hey it wasn;t that bad hahaha

took a 'speed boat' ride, and checked out the stained glass window museum

in case anybody wants to know...I'm still here & I'll give a review of the windy city when I get back to B-more on the 6th

peace out fam!

thekidsgirl said:

what r u & yor peps doing 4 the holiday b/4 u head back?

So I'm back to good ole Baltimore, and I must say that Chicago was fantastic!!

Such a cool city!

I love Lake Front Drive and the beach and all the people on bicycles
The Field Museum was fuggin HUGE and cooool
Navy Pier was nice, and I really enjoyed my overpriced speedboat ride

I really loved the whoole area...though I wish I could have seen more
but some of the ppl I went with were being lame-o-rific

It was a great trip though, and honestly, a part of me really didn't want to come home, but oh well, this is life.

I might be going back in August with a slightly different group of people, so hopefully I'll get to hit up some more places in the city

This thread makes me wanna go back to Chicago! there's so much more that I wanna see and do.

thekidsgirl said:

Did u try a hogie? maxwell street polish?

Chicago is by far the nicest place in the Midwest. By far.

AlexdeParis said:

I'd venture say one of the greatest cities in the world. It's a world city.