Going to Chicago end of this month ... need all tips!

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

My wife and are going to Chicago at the end of this month, and we'll have a couple of days to check out the city. This is one of our few trips that we're actually not going to Disney World. We fly into O'Hare on the 29th, have a conference in Rosemont on the 30th and 31st, are going to the Cubs game on the 1st and flying home on the 2nd. So we'll have half a day on Tuesday (afternoon/evening), half a day on Wednesday (morning/afternoon), Friday (going to the Cubs game this day) and part of Saturday (evening flight home) to tour the city. We're staying in Rosemont, so we won't have a car. So we'll have to take uBer or Lyft or public transportation everywhere.

Neither of us have ever been to Chicago. So I'm looking for all tips. Where to eat, where to visit, where not to go, where not to visit or where not to eat, lol. DW has said she wants pizza. Other than that, and the Cubs game on Friday, the 2nd, we have no plans outside of our conference. So please give me all your tips and tricks.

 

[RedHead0186]

Keep in mind that Rosemont isn't downtown Chicago. To get downtown, you can take the blue line (CTA-public transportation). It'll be probably about 30-40 minutes on the train to get to downtown. For when you go to the Cubs, you'd first have to take the blue line downtown, then transfer to the red line to get to Wrigley Field. It's doable, but it takes time. Also, if you're not super comfortable with public transit then you might not want to take it super late at night.

Uber/Lyft are pretty readily available, but they will be pricey, especially during peak times.

There's tons of pizza places, Lou Malnati's is my favorite, but Giordano's, Gino's East, and Pequod's are some other notable ones (and so many others). If the weather is nice, Navy Pier can be fun (and you get some pretty good skyline views). Otherwise, there's so much to see/do just walking around. Lincoln Park Zoo is also fun to see

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Yes, we knew Rosement and downtown were different. I've never ridden public transport outside of Disney busses, lol. So it will all be a new experience. I am a germophobe, and I'm not real keen on taking public transport, but it might be something we try. We haven't heard about the Navy Pier. Might try that out. But we have heard of Lou Malnatis, and that was on our try list. There was also some downtown steakhouse on the top floor of some building that DW mentioned wanting to try. But not sure we'll have that type of time or money.

Keep in mind that Rosemont isn't downtown Chicago. To get downtown, you can take the blue line (CTA-public transportation). It'll be probably about 30-40 minutes on the train to get to downtown. For when you go to the Cubs, you'd first have to take the blue line downtown, then transfer to the red line to get to Wrigley Field. It's doable, but it takes time. Also, if you're not super comfortable with public transit then you might not want to take it super late at night.

Uber/Lyft are pretty readily available, but they will be pricey, especially during peak times.

There's tons of pizza places, Lou Malnati's is my favorite, but Giordano's, Gino's East, and Pequod's are some other notable ones (and so many others). If the weather is nice, Navy Pier can be fun (and you get some pretty good skyline views). Otherwise, there's so much to see/do just walking around. Lincoln Park Zoo is also fun to see

 

[EACarlson]

Two ways to get downtown, you can get to the El just outside of O'Hare, or you can go north to Des Plaines and take the Metra Commuter train. From downtown you'll have to transfer to the Red line to get to Wrigley. Make sure you stop at a mom and pop shop for a dog or beef. And hopefully stick around Wrigleyville for a couple beers after they Fly the W.
Navy Pier is an amazing thing to see, as is Water Tower Place, about the only structure to survive the great Chicago fire. If it's a night game Friday, the Museum of Science and Industry is my favorite museum in the city. The German U-boat has to be seen.

 

[CoP Luv]

There is a Blue Line L stop in Rosemont. Very convenient to get downtown and to O'Hare. To get to Wrigley, you can take it all the way downtown and switch to the Red Line L or get off at the Blue Line Addison L Stop and take the Addison Bus East to the ballpark. Once you get off of the L, you will have to cross Addison Ave. to the bus stop. There will probably be a line of people in Cubs shirts waiting for the bus, or you can just ask. Everyone is pretty friendly going to a Cubs game. Uber to/from Rosemont can get costly, especially when compared to the L. It's never fun sitting in your car in traffic watching the L race past you.

As far as food, we love Portillo's around here. Fast Casual Quick Service in Disney-speak. Hot Dogs, Burgers, Beef Sandwiches, Cheese Fries, Eclair Cake, Portillo's Chocolate Cake. Yum and Yum. We like going to Eataly downtown. You can choose one of their restaurants, or go to the individual food counters for different things. It's been awhile, but I used to go to a restaurant called Volare that was very good. It's not far from Michigan Ave. toward Navy Pier if you head that way. Joe's Stone Crab is another favorite but pricey. I like Giordano's pizza better than Lou Malnati's. You will find multiple locations of each, even in Rosemont.

Free things: Millennium Park, Navy Pier (there may even be a free shuttle to get out there...it is a hike from the L, but you can see some great parks of the city).

The Architecture Tour is amazing if you have a nice day. I always want to do it again.

Have fun!

 

[comicguy]

My wife also has a conference in Chicago in a couple of weeks, her conference is in downtown Chicago.

Things we are doing together:
Navy Pier
Taking the hop on hop off bus tour (we do this in each city that her conference changes to each year)
Cubs Game
Architectiual boat tour
Tour Chicago Chinatown and possibly Shedd Aquarium
The Bean
Pizza!!
She can do these because we arrive a full day before and scheduled an extra day at the end, plus she usually has 1 evening where there is not something scheduled

Things I am doing on my own:
Lincoln Park Zoo
Medival Torture Museum
Chicago History Museum
Museum of Science and Industry
Field Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Possible afternoon guided food tour
Possible bus mobster tour
Plus whatever else happens to strike my fancy when I am there that I might find out about!

 

[RedHead0186]

The Architecture Tour is amazing if you have a nice day. I always want to do it again.

Have fun!

OMG, how did I forget the architecture tour?! Yes do one of the architecture river cruises, they're great! They also do fireworks cruises for the Navy Pier fireworks.

 

[Communicore1991]

I want to echo the other peoples' recommendations to take an Architecture River Tour if you have time! I'm sure many people are reading this thinking it's lame and they're not into architecture. But believe me, I'm not into that type of stuff at all and I had a really great time! I had another friend who just went to Chicago with her friends and she too told me how much she enjoyed the tour.

There's something about being on the Chicago River lazily cruising along it while being given a tour of Chicago from a different vantage point that makes the tour money and time well spent!

 

[Psychodisney]

As a germaphobe, I would recommend taking the Metra downtown but take the CTA 9 (the el) for the Cub game.
Definitely do the architecture tour. IMO, you can skip Navy Pier as it is primarily a tourist trap. I'd visit Millenium park over Navy Pier.

 

[Suger Mag]

do you Tiki?

Chicago has a very nice Tiki bar... food is tasty too....

Three Dots and a Dash

https://www.threedotschicago.com/

 

[hardcorestitch]

My wife and are going to Chicago at the end of this month, and we'll have a couple of days to check out the city. This is one of our few trips that we're actually not going to Disney World. We fly into O'Hare on the 29th, have a conference in Rosemont on the 30th and 31st, are going to the Cubs game on the 1st and flying home on the 2nd. So we'll have half a day on Tuesday (afternoon/evening), half a day on Wednesday (morning/afternoon), Friday (going to the Cubs game this day) and part of Saturday (evening flight home) to tour the city. We're staying in Rosemont, so we won't have a car. So we'll have to take uBer or Lyft or public transportation everywhere.

Neither of us have ever been to Chicago. So I'm looking for all tips. Where to eat, where to visit, where not to go, where not to visit or where not to eat, lol. DW has said she wants pizza. Other than that, and the Cubs game on Friday, the 2nd, we have no plans outside of our conference. So please give me all your tips and tricks.

For the pizza, I would consider Lou Malnati’s. Their pizza is so deep! It looks so tantalizing…

 

[PRomano]

Are you a Costco member? We bought the city pass for Chicago online when we went last year. It was worth it. The bus tour, architecture tour and the Field museum were our must dos. And eat deep dish pizza of course!

 

[yeahdisney]

I wish to do the tall ship tour.

 

[team bradfield]

Lou Malnaties is the best, Portillas for Dogs. Architect tour, water tower place, Brookfield zoo, museums, so much to do, we live 1.5 hours from the city, love day trips

 

[EACarlson]

Gino's for pizza. Anywhere but Portillo's for dogs and beef. I love Portillo's, but you can get that anywhere in the suburbs to as far away as Minneapolis. I always prefer the small mom and pop hot dog stands.

 

[team bradfield]

Every M & P I've been too includes the fries wrapped up with the dog, forgot how good that is! But I stand with LM pizza, had a LM a block from my business

 

[DVCjj]

OMG, how did I forget the architecture tour?! Yes do one of the architecture river cruises, they're great! They also do fireworks cruises for the Navy Pier fireworks.

Grew up in Chgo and live in the burbs.
Architecture river cruise is absolutely wonderful on a nice day.
Noticed Navy Pier wasn't on your list and worth a trip.
As was said, Portillos is all over the burbs.
So is Lou Malnati (best salad in the universe).
DEFINITELY go on a Seadog Lakefront Speedboat Tour
Leaves from Navy Pier. Love it.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Just an FYI -- Lollapalooza in Grant Park is from the 31st through the 3rd, so that area will be pretty crazy.

You've gotten some great advice. You don't have much time in the city, so just decide what you want to accomplish and take note for a next vacation.

 

[LilyWDW]

Gino's for pizza. Anywhere but Portillo's for dogs and beef. I love Portillo's, but you can get that anywhere in the suburbs to as far away as Minneapolis. I always prefer the small mom and pop hot dog stands.

YES! While I do like Portillo's, there are SO MANY better places for dogs and beef. Portillo's is like middle of the road. Try Clark Street Dog or Al's Beef for examples.

And for pizza, I am a Pequad's girl for deep dish and Nancy's or Rosati's for Tavern Style.

Obviously this is for the North Side because that is where I live.

Now I want Clark Street Dogs...

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Thanks everyone for the tips.

We have some Portillos here in DFW, plus we're not too big on hot dogs. So we'll pass on Portillos. But we have decided to make Lou Malnatis a stop as do the architecture tour.

Not sure what we're doing after we land on Tuesday, but we'll have a few hours. So may stay in Rosemont. Our plans are to spend a half day in the city on Wednesday as our event in Rosemont starts at 4. So we'll get up that morning, take the train in, do what we can then leave mid afternoon to make it back to Rosemont by 4.

We're going to the Cubs game (a 1 p.m. start) on Friday, so we'll have some time in the city that day. Planning on going to Wrigleyville before the game, but we're not sure we're doing after the game.