This is the third installment for my Chicago recap. Parts one and two can be found clicking on the links. Originally this was going to be the final post, but I need to break this into two posts too.
In this post, I will talk about specific things and places I went. There is no particular order to this and is based mainly off memory. I take a lot of pictures and use that mainly to help me remember things, so I will start off with attractions and then food.
Riverwalk – If you’re into running (or even going for a walk), this is an awesome way to walk along the Chicago river and check out the architecture. It might not seem like a large stretch, but it also links to the Lakefront trail, so I was able to get a six-mile run in on the day I was flying out. The Riverwalk is also where you need to go to access most of the boat cruises which is a perfect segue to the next topic…
Architecture/River Cruise – from the NPR article I linked to in the previous post, one of the best ways to see the architecture is from a boat and my friend recommended Wendella and I am glad I went with them. I took the 75-minute cruise which covers both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Both show Chicago’s amazing skyline, but the river gives you the buildings up close and the lake enables you to take some panoramic shots. This reminds me a lot of the Locks cruise I took in May in Seattle because you do have to go through a lock when going from River to Lake and vice versa. There are many companies that offer the boat tours, but Wendella gets my seal of approval.
French market – When I was going through places to go, I was mapping things out and came across this market. Reminds me a little bit like Reading Terminal in Philadelphia but smaller. I actually came here really early, so a bunch of places were still setting up when I got there, and some were closed. If I could re-do, I would probably have come here on Friday in the afternoon instead of Saturday morning. It is also linked to a train station so easy to spot.
Wrigley Field – The Cubs and White Sox were both in Chicago when I was there, but I was afraid I would be burnt out from two baseball games in a row, so I chose The Friendly Confines. Glad I did because this stadium was amazing. I had a seat in the 400 level that still had an awesome view and the neighborhood around it (Wrigleyville) was pretty cool also. In hindsight, if I got here early, I would have probably found a bite to eat. There is a lot this stadium has to offer inside and outside. If you are a baseball fan, you know this is a must visit.
360 Chicago – Funny story about observation decks, when visiting cities with famous ones, I always prefer a second tier one (Seattle, NYC, Chicago). When I arrived, it said the wait was up to 2 hours, but the wait was close to about 40 minutes. I am glad I stayed because the views were amazing. I got to the top right after sunset where there is still some light but about to be night, so I felt I got the perfect time. They also have this thing called TILT which was scary, but fun except I didn’t know where to put my feet. I went early the next morning when there was no line and not too crowded. The Sun and Stars package is always the way to go if you have time, but if you had to choose an observation deck, choose this one because…
Willis Tower Skydeck – This one SUCKED! A lot of the floor is blocked off by queues and one whole wall is blocked off by their ledge. What is worse about this place is how bad the staff is here. They were not friendly and don’t even tell you which line to go into for the ledge. I ended up spending 15 minutes in the wrong line and wanted me to go to the longer line. I went on the day when it was a heat wave, so it was pretty muggy outside, so views were hindered. However, I am sure in a clearer day (like the one I did at 360), views would have been better, but this was not worth it.
Magnificent Mile – This is a stretch of Michigan Avenue that runs north of the DuSable Bridge to about East Lake Shore Dr. It is loaded with a lot of shops, the John Hancock Building (where 360 is located), and along it you get the water tower building. I really enjoyed walking this street, but unfortunately, I needed to find a store and I missed the end of the Magnificent Mile where I could have seen one of the best views of Chicago (I realized this from the back of an Uber ride). In general, there is a lot to do alongside Michigan Avenue on both sides of the DuSable Bridge.
Millennium Park/Grant Park – I am going to group both of these parks together because they are near each other, but they both have different attractions. In Millennium Park, there is Pritzker Pavilion where you can catch the Symphony in the Park, a fountain at the entrance, and its’ biggest attraction…Cloud Gate (aka the Bean). Grant Park I experienced mainly during my race but did check out Buckingham Fountain which was really nice and at nighttime it lights up different colors. There are also different attractions along the park leading up to the Art Institute. This is a definite must do in Chicago.
Field Museum – This is a natural history museum located alongside Lake Michigan, it is also near the Shedd Aquarium and Soldier Field. They had a lot of cool exhibits here, common with a lot of natural history museums. I did like their collections of plants and rocks. I went here during a busy time in a heatwave, so I really cannot give this place an honest assessment. I did feel I saw most of the place but did not spend a good chunk of time at the exhibits. With that being said, this building is really nice and super accessible by bus.
Shedd Aquarium – To be honest, I initially had no plans to go here, but my close friends who have gone to Chicago have told me this is a must go. They were right. They have a lot of fish exhibits as well as penguins, dolphins, beluga whales and so on. I spent about an hour here and saw almost everything they had to offer. One of the best decisions I made was going back to the tanks where they have the beluga whales and dolphins because it gave me a chance to see both. I missed the otters initially because they were cleaning the tank, so when I went back, I got to see the otters. Once you are done with the Aquarium, you can walk along the Lakefront trail around the Adler Planetarium (did not go) and Soldier Field.
Second City – Chicago has a rich comedy history and the Second City has started the careers of many prominent comics. My cousin recommended doing a show, so I chose the best of Second City show which was by a touring company and it was pretty funny. My favorite bits were the improvs. This was a good way to relax and enjoy a pretty reasonably priced show. The location of this theatre was in the Old Town neighborhood that I found to be really chill and nice.
Souvenirs – I found souvenirs to be a little pricy downtown, but I ended up going to Chinatown and finding reasonably priced ones. This applies to a lot of cities, especially Toronto.
Last Places I will mention – When I travel, and I see a local Fleet Feet, I always visit and send pictures to people who work at the one I usually go to. I ended up going to ones in South Loop and Old Town. Both were nice and thanks to having a Fleet Feet account, I got my RunCHI hat for free. The last place I will mention is CIBC Theatre where Hamilton was playing. It was a nice theatre but very small. Lacked some organization, but the production was the best one I have seen and strongly recommend going before it ends in January.
This was a lot I know, but thanks for sticking around. Hope you enjoyed!
If there are duplicate photos, I apologize.
One last post…the food.
Running with Suitcases 