Chicago Trip suggestions
- Thread starter CycloneRulzzz
- Start date
This is good for going back and forth to Wrigley Field from Schaumburg, but it may limit you about doing other things downtown. You may want to use it only one way and use CTA trains or Uber for the other trip.
I'm a big fan of CTA multi-day passes. Really cheap and gets you almost anywhere. No parking.
Don't take that bus to Wrigley. It will be standing room only, and it will be the most miserable hour and a half of your life. Twice as many people try to use it as there are seats. My daughter and friend (and a bunch of other people who were counting on that bus) nearly got left at Wrigley one night last year when one of the buses decided to leave half an hour early. The Pace attendant required a near riot before she could muster the strength to pick up her phone and call in for another bus.
Do yourself a favor. Take the Metra rail into the city, walk over to the Red Line, and take it up to Wrigley.
-Go to Portillos
-Since you're already at wrigley have a drink at the cubby bear or murphys. Murphys is actually an ISU Bar.
-Don't pay for sky deck at sears or Hancock. Go to the bar at the signature room in the Hancock building.
-If you're a smoker, a chewer, cigar guy, etc. bring that with. Chicago gouges on tobacco prices big time
-Taking a selfie in the reflection of the bean is for women. Avoid doing this.
-The Shed is cool
-2nd the architecture boat cruise.
-use uber/lyft, subway, or metra. CTA always has the potential to be the worst day of your life as a hobo drools in your mouth.
-Gino's for pizza. Deep dish is a must
-Since you're already at wrigley have a drink at the cubby bear or murphys. Murphys is actually an ISU Bar.
-Don't pay for sky deck at sears or Hancock. Go to the bar at the signature room in the Hancock building.
-If you're a smoker, a chewer, cigar guy, etc. bring that with. Chicago gouges on tobacco prices big time
-Taking a selfie in the reflection of the bean is for women. Avoid doing this.
-The Shed is cool
-2nd the architecture boat cruise.
-use uber/lyft, subway, or metra. CTA always has the potential to be the worst day of your life as a hobo drools in your mouth.
-Gino's for pizza. Deep dish is a must
So, Rulzzz, have you been to Chicago before? If not, you are almost certainly underestimating the traffic situation. Most people from Iowa, even Des Moines, get really frustrated by ordinary Chicago traffic. And Wrigley Field game day traffic and city streets makes it even worse. That is why I really like CTA city trains (or Metra suburban trains) and CTA buses (particularly express buses that use Lake Shore Drive) to get around.
Yes this is my first time, but we are staying with family who has lived near Chicago their entire lives so we aren't coming in blind. I don't think we will be doing any trips where we drive into the city ourselves. I think we will be relying on Chicago's mass transportation system.
There are people who live out in the suburbs for years and never go into the city. If your friends have made the trip to Wrigley Field and downtown and know what they are doing, then just trust their judgment. If not, then don't make any assumptions just on the basis of them living in Schaumburg.
Thought I'd rteport back on what I did and ate while in Chi-town. As stated my brother and I did Rockies - Cubs at Wrigley Friday. We did take the pace bus there. We got on the last bus leaving from Schaumburg. So we did stand and it was a decent trip but still worth the $4. It dropped off about 3-4 blocks from Wrigley and got to our seats within 20 minutes of game time.
Wrigley was everything I thought it would be and more and not just cause my team pulled out the win. Just a beautiful park that's full of history and great moments. Everyone needs to see a game there. We took the train back. Go on the red line to blue line. Where we are staying is near O'hare so we headed for that stop, but I notified family of that and got off at the stop before.
Friday night we did Lou Malnati's. OMG amazing deep dish pizza. Saturday we started of by stopping by the United Center because I wanted photo of the MJ statue. After that we went into the city. Had Gino's for lunch then did Hancock Observatory. Then we did a architectural boat tour on the river.
I wanted to get a few more photo's of some famous sites. Got the Chicago Theater with the vertical Chicago sign, and the Lions outside of the art institute. Went for a drive on lakeshore drive and saw Solider Field. Had supper at Portillo's.
It was a great trip and with only 2 days I just scratched the surface of Chicago. Thanks to all for the suggestions and tips.
Wrigley was everything I thought it would be and more and not just cause my team pulled out the win. Just a beautiful park that's full of history and great moments. Everyone needs to see a game there. We took the train back. Go on the red line to blue line. Where we are staying is near O'hare so we headed for that stop, but I notified family of that and got off at the stop before.
Friday night we did Lou Malnati's. OMG amazing deep dish pizza. Saturday we started of by stopping by the United Center because I wanted photo of the MJ statue. After that we went into the city. Had Gino's for lunch then did Hancock Observatory. Then we did a architectural boat tour on the river.
I wanted to get a few more photo's of some famous sites. Got the Chicago Theater with the vertical Chicago sign, and the Lions outside of the art institute. Went for a drive on lakeshore drive and saw Solider Field. Had supper at Portillo's.
It was a great trip and with only 2 days I just scratched the surface of Chicago. Thanks to all for the suggestions and tips.
Bumping this to say I just finished my second trip to Chicago. Didn't do anything downtown. I stayed with family in Elk Grove Village. I took a trip around the north suburbs to visit several houses and sites from John Hughes movies. Another day I went to Woodstock as I found out that was where Groundhog day was filmed. I just watched it on tv and it's even cooler seeing stuff in the movie that I saw in person.
As far as eating goes I did Portillo's twice, Lou's and Gino's East.
As far as eating goes I did Portillo's twice, Lou's and Gino's East.
I really liked the architectural boat tour. The field museum is great if you’re into dinosaur fossils. Sue the t-Rex is amazing to see. Of course deep dish pizza in Chicago is a must. Lou Malnati’s, Gino’s East, Giordano’s... they’re all delicious.
The Signature Room is a way better deal than the observation floor. It’s higher up and cheaper.
Soaking in the green grass and (generally) unspoiled ballpark views in Wrigley... you're well on your way. Enjoy a beer somewhere small in Wrigleyville before the game and soak in the pregame electricity.
Otherwise, I would second Giordano's and Billy Goat Tavern. Good Chicago fun.
Otherwise, I would second Giordano's and Billy Goat Tavern. Good Chicago fun.
My favorite thing in Chicago is the Marc Chagall Four Seasons Mosaic. It's free and on the way to anywhere.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Seasons_(Chagall)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Seasons_(Chagall)
Go in the earliest shuttle you possibly can. Summer traffic is impossible to predict.
The seadog (speed dog?) boat tour is more fun because it's the river like most but also speed on the lake.
Pizanno's and Pequods are maybe the best pizza and also the classic hole in the wall type place you're looking for.