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Off to the windy city next week. Tips and must sees.

Colywobbles

Colywobbles

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Well I’m off to Chicago for a week as the wife running the Marathon while me and Gabe do something Fun.
I did consider a Stern factory tour but don’t think the famalam would appreciate it and guessing it’s quite a trip out of the way.

Gabe really wanted to do a day at six flags as the LA one was awesome but again it would have to be the day after the marathon and a very early start.
Has anyone used public transport or rented a car for 1 day as we normally just metro around any it’s we visit.
Chicago pizza and beef sandwiches are on the menu but is any specific places for these or much of a muchness? Big desert fans too if anyone can point us in the direction.
Hopefully we will see Ice Hockey game but the football tickets are around $700 a piece so that’s out.
One crazy last one is there a place I may pick up a topper or two bar the stern factory.

Thx Col
 
A stern factory tour would be top of my list col , also sears tower is good not called that now but you know where I mean. They have a fantastic public park area where that chrome fish bulb sculpture thing is and they do some cool river cruises too
 
There is a cool boat tour that goes down the river and then out on to the lake, that was awesome!

And a really good aquarium that is well worth a visit!
 
Colywobbles said:
Big desert fans too if anyone can point us in the direction.
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Head West / South West 🌵 😁

Badlands of South Dakota probably your closest.

Or stay in Chicago and get some atomic cake 🍰 👌

About 30 years since I visited Chicago as part of a coast to coast trip. Loved it , saw The Smashing Pumpkins do their legendary album release show in Tower records at midnight . I think it was the first place I saw and played a DE Jurassic Park, in a McDonalds or similar iirc .
After Chicago I took the train all the way down to New Orleans. Good times.

Have a great trip.
 
Some recommendations for you to think about mate.

https://giordanos.com/ for Pizza

https://www.portillos.com for Chicago style hot dogs and beef/sausage sandwich

I’d rent a car to get about outside of the city…

Navy Pier and Millennium Park are well worth a visit (take time to see the Bean)

The Rosebud for great American Italian food

If you like steak - go to any of the rated steak houses - pricey but tough to find steak any better in my opinion.

Also try:
www.adlerplanetarium.org

Home - Adler Planetarium

Chicago's Adler Planetarium is America's first planetarium and a premiere resource for inspiring the next generation of space explorers.
www.adlerplanetarium.org www.adlerplanetarium.org

Home - Chicago History Museum

home.chicagohistory.org home.chicagohistory.org

Walk along the lake… and visit the lights at Lincoln Park Zoo (if they’re on this time of year?)

Have a great time Col - some very happy times were had by me in Chicago. Lived there 7 years - but a very long time ago now.
 
I've not spent time in Chicago but have flown into there to go to Racine (couple of hours north of Chicago) many times. All I can recommend is not bothering to leave the city for the rural Midwest; all the small towns are carbon copies of each other, and all crap in my experience, and there is nothing to see in the great expanse of mainly-flat farmland between them. If you get bored with Chicago for a day or two, then Milwaukee is quite nice though.
 
Definitely agree with the Pizza and Sausage recommendations (and most of the others)
https://giordanos.com/ for Pizza
https://www.portillos.com for Chicago style hot dogs and beef/sausage sandwich

The Willis/Sears tower is well worth doing and I did an Architecture focussed riverboat tour, which was very good.
The Subway system is very good and easiest way to get to and from the Airport.
A bit south of the centre, is the Science and Industry Museum. It is excellent and well worth paying extra to go on the WW2 Captured, German Submarine
And with help from Google, you can spot plenty of locations from the Blues Brothers and many John Hughes films!

And if you can't make the Sterb factory visit there are a frw beercades - this one is pretty central (and good) - https://www.hqrivernorth.com/
 
The bar at the top of the Hancock Tower at night. The view, the illuminated grid pattern, is breathtaking. This is maybe the second tallest building in the city.

Definitely the Ice Hockey. You don't need to buy "good seats". For all US sports, prices vary hugely according to where you sit. It's an indoor arena so you are never far from the action. Try to watch a Canadian team as the anthems at the beginning is an experience in itself.

There is some stunning architecture in Chicago, so some kind of tour.

Pizza, as mentioned. It's a very different deep-dish style

 
Colywobbles said:
Well I’m off to Chicago for a week as the wife running the Marathon while me and Gabe do something Fun.
I did consider a Stern factory tour but don’t think the famalam would appreciate it and guessing it’s quite a trip out of the way.

Gabe really wanted to do a day at six flags as the LA one was awesome but again it would have to be the day after the marathon and a very early start.
Has anyone used public transport or rented a car for 1 day as we normally just metro around any it’s we visit.
Chicago pizza and beef sandwiches are on the menu but is any specific places for these or much of a muchness? Big desert fans too if anyone can point us in the direction.
Hopefully we will see Ice Hockey game but the football tickets are around $700 a piece so that’s out.
One crazy last one is there a place I may pick up a topper or two bar the stern factory.

Thx Col
Click to expand...

Pretty close timing for pinball expo, shame you couldn't extend the trip alittle
 
I have been to the NBA but never got to see the Chicago Bulls. I have never seen a sports intro that compares to their 90s one. To be in that stadium back then must have been one hell of an experience .....

 
American sports are on a different level, so I would try and watch something. Are the Bears at home that weekend?

Good thing is there, genuine ticket touts still exist, so heading to the stadium before the game is a good idea to get cheap tickets.
 
We bought ice Hockey tickets for Friday Night which were about £40 each but wondering if it’s worth a dodge to the ground to see what the touts are asking as we couldn’t find any under $500 each 😧
 
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crsedgar said:
Blimey I just watched that on You Tube the other night, much kudos Sarge.
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Cheers , yeah they are doing or have done a pop up recreation of it I believe . - I recently watched the orig footage hoping to spot myself but we were quite far back . I recall people clambering up on the record and CD racks to get a better view 😁

We only found out last minute it was happening - pre internet remember - and were lucky to get in as there was a massive queue , we basically turned on the charm , saying we had come all the way from England , chatting to some guys nearer the front and they let us join their group 🙌

Loved their first couple of records and Siamese Dream still hits the spot now. Shame Billy turned into a bit of a prat 😆
My friend though just saw them in San Francisco and was very positive about the show . I only saw them once more , in Cambridge late 1993.
 
She on struck diet while me and Gabe put a stone on each already 😂

Hockey was Mind blowing 🤩
Went to see Chicago Fire last night (soccer) they know how to put a show on for sure. 👌
Fit Portillo’s, ice cream factory, the bean, tilt tower, goddess cake place.
Lots
More on agenda gonna
See about car hire for 6 flags tomorrow 🤞

Making memories 😊
 
Colywobbles said:
She on struck diet while me and Gabe put a stone on each already 😂

Hockey was Mind blowing 🤩
Went to see Chicago Fire last night (soccer) they know how to put a show on for sure. 👌
Fit Portillo’s, ice cream factory, the bean, tilt tower, goddess cake place.
Lots
More on agenda gonna
See about car hire for 6 flags tomorrow 🤞

Making memories 😊
Click to expand...
NHL is bonkers isn't it, we've seen a few at MSG including playoffs, clueless to what's going on but it's amazing
 
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