Thinking about going to Chicago for the weekend?

[WHISTLERINMUSKOKA]

Is there anything of interest happening this coming weekend or next worth checking out?

Also whats a good value hotel? Must have a pool.


Thanks guys.

[Via Chicago]

anything of interest? a few inches of snow perhaps ;)

[BG918]

I may be heading up for a few days in March, does anyone know much about the Holiday Inn on the river downtown? It looks pretty nice with a pool, I've seen rooms for as low as $140 a night with nice views.

[brian_b]

I may be heading up for a few days in March, does anyone know much about the Holiday Inn on the river downtown? It looks pretty nice with a pool, I've seen rooms for as low as $140 a night with nice views.

Are you talking about the one above the Sun Times or are you talking about the one a block off the river down by the old post office?

The one above the Sun Times is in a good location and is very close to transit. Then again, the other one is also close to transit, with a subway stop on the other side of the parking lot.

[MayorOfChicago]

I think you guys should just move here

[minneapolis03]

The Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart is a great hotel. I stayed there last April with a couple of friends. The cool thing about it is that the hotel doesn't start until the 14th floor (or so), so every room in the place has AT LEAST a 14th floor view. The lobby is a hollowed out section of the interior of the building, and you can see all the way up to the roof, with all the rooms on the perimeter. The views are BREATHTAKING from any vantage point. Here are a few shots I took from our room, which faced to the north. Sorry about the slight blurriness; they were shot through a window, obviously. They go in order from looking due NE progressively to the WNW.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/minneapolitan/Chicago024.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/minneapolitan/Chicago029.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/minneapolitan/Chicago030.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/minneapolitan/Chicago031.jpg

[Steely Dan]

if you're really looking for something to do this weekend in chicago, you could help me move into my new place ;).

[Wheelingman04]

Those pictures are fabulous. Chicago gets better every day.

[BG918]

Thanks, I'm booking a room at the Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart. I can't wait to see all the new development in downtown Chicago, it's been so long since I've been (not counting the many stops at O'hare Airport)!

[MayorOfChicago]

I had oral surgery yesterday and am all jacked up on vicodin, i'm sorry you missed out :(

[BG918]

I got a room with a view (hopefully facing the north like yours minneapolis03) at the Holiday Inn, really looking forward to staying in the middle of downtown on the river. Can you walk down the river all the way to the lake? I plan on going to the famous museums by the lake, the Sears Tower, river boat cruise, Univ. of Chicago campus, of course Millenium Park, what else is interesting to see in the downtown area that many tourists miss?

[Via Chicago]

I got a room with a view (hopefully facing the north like yours minneapolis03) at the Holiday Inn, really looking forward to staying in the middle of downtown on the river. Can you walk down the river all the way to the lake? I plan on going to the famous museums by the lake, the Sears Tower, river boat cruise, Univ. of Chicago campus, of course Millenium Park, what else is interesting to see in the downtown area that many tourists miss?

unfortunately, i think you're out of luck on the river boat tours. they dont start running until spring.

[brian_b]

Can you walk down the river all the way to the lake?

Not on the Merchandise Mart side. You have two construction sites (300 N LaSalle and Trump Tower) in the way, plus Marina City doesn't have a river walk. You probably want to cross the river once you get to Wells St and then walk along Wacker Drive until you get to Michigan Ave, where you would head to the north side again and continue following the river. The river walk will take you all the way to the Chicago Spire site and you probably could even get underneath Lake Shore Drive into the DuSable Park site, instead I think you would want to just follow the river walk path and end up circling the Ogden Slip before ending up on Illinois St, with a clear path all the way to Navy Pier and the lakefront path.

If you stay on the south part of the river after Michigan Ave you'll end up with an opportunity to go down stairs to a path along the river, which will take you all the way to Monroe Harbor and the Lakefront path.

Either way, the lakefront path gives you about 18 miles of lakefront from which to choose your favorite spot. :banana:

[minneapolis03]

I got a room with a view (hopefully facing the north like yours minneapolis03) at the Holiday Inn, really looking forward to staying in the middle of downtown on the river.


You don't even have to face the north to have a great view...the view to the south is of the Chicago river, canyoned to the east by the Loop. There is a ballroom waiting area that allows public views of it if your room doesn't face south. I think I sat there for an hour one morning, just staring in awe at the city below. Seriously, you can't loose, no matter where they put you.

PS. Just my opinion, but the view from the JHC is MUCH better than the one from the Sears. And really, you can't tell the difference between a 94th floor view and a 108th. It's just too marginal. Plus, you get to ride in the fastest elevators in NA. They go so fast, that they count by 10's of floors. AACK!!

[spyguy]

unfortunately, i think you're out of luck on the river boat tours. they dont start running until spring.

You could take some kind of walking tour though

http://www.architecture.org/tours.aspx

[BG918]

Jeez, there are so many different tours! I definitely want to do one of the arch. tours because I'm an architecture student but which one? Any Chicagoans know which walking tour would be the best, one that really highlights the buildings downtown? I want to check out the neighborhoods too but I'll have my friend who lives in Lincoln Park show me around those. I'm driving up from Oklahoma, how easy is it to just drive around the city? I plan on walking around the hotel or taking the train but I want to do some driving too, to places like Evanston, the Robie house, and maybe Milwaukee.

[Via Chicago]

Jeez, there are so many different tours! I definitely want to do one of the arch. tours because I'm an architecture student but which one? Any Chicagoans know which walking tour would be the best, one that really highlights the buildings downtown? I want to check out the neighborhoods too but I'll have my friend who lives in Lincoln Park show me around those. I'm driving up from Oklahoma, how easy is it to just drive around the city? I plan on walking around the hotel or taking the train but I want to do some driving too, to places like Evanston, the Robie house, and maybe Milwaukee.

navigating chicago is pretty easy for a large city. everything is on a grid, so its relatively simple to find your way around if you know your cross street and an address. and just remember that the lake is always east ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Street_System

if you're going to be in oak park for the robie house, also make sure to check out his home/studio, as well as unity temple.

also, you can take the El to both oak park and evanston.

[spyguy]

Jeez, there are so many different tours! I definitely want to do one of the arch. tours because I'm an architecture student but which one? Any Chicagoans know which walking tour would be the best, one that really highlights the buildings downtown?

You can narrow it down if you know what day(s) you'll be here.

[BG918]

March 17th-22nd. Saint Patrick's Day in Chicago! :cheers:

[Steely Dan]

if you're going to be in oak park for the robie house, also make sure to check out his home/studio, as well as unity temple.


just for clarification, robie house is in hyde park, not oak park. if you're really into FLW/prairie school architecture, a visit to both places is recommended. if you're not hardcore about it, skip robie and just check out oak park as it has the largest concentration of this style anywhere in the world.

[ChiArchie]

I plan on walking around the hotel or taking the train but I want to do some driving too, to places like Evanston, the Robie house, and maybe Milwaukee.

Drive? Geez why drive when you can take the Metra to Evanston and Amtrak or MegaBus to Milwaukee (if you're lucky you can get a $1 fare to Milwaukee on MegaBus).

The only advantage to driving up to Evanston is driving Lake Shore Drive north to Sheridan. That hugs the lake and you get great views of the shore and city. However the Metra takes you through the older manufacturing districts and some great neighborhoods most tourist don't see.

But I have to admit that the drive north and south on Lake Shore is great. It's not PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) but close for the Midwest.

[Via Chicago]

just for clarification, robie house is in hyde park, not oak park. if you're really into FLW/prairie school architecture, a visit to both places is recommended. if you're not hardcore about it, skip robie and just check out oak park as it has the largest concentration of this style anywhere in the world.

aahh, my bad. i knew that, duh.:rolleyes:

[BG918]

We're planning on making the drive to Milwaukee and Madison after a few days in Chicago, I've always wanted to make that drive along the lake. Otherwise we'll walk if the weather is nice or take the train. Anyone ever been to the Signature Room at the top of the Hancock tower? Someone told me we should go and that it's expensive but worth it because of the view alone during dinner.

[Via Chicago]

We're planning on making the drive to Milwaukee and Madison after a few days in Chicago, I've always wanted to make that drive along the lake. Otherwise we'll walk if the weather is nice or take the train. Anyone ever been to the Signature Room at the top of the Hancock tower? Someone told me we should go and that it's expensive but worth it because of the view alone during dinner.

if you dont feel like plopping down a huge chunk of change for dinner, you can still go to the bar/lounge (which is 1 floor up on the 96th and overlooks the restaurant). its free to go up there, you dont need to be dressed up, and you can sit there as long as you want looking out the window. yea, a drink is like 8 or 9 bucks, but you can milk it and take in the views. theres also the "official" observatory, which i think is the 94th floor, but as long as you dont have kids with you i see no reason why i would pay the 10 bucks to go there rather than the bar. the views are the same, if not better (since the lights are dimmed at night in the bar/restaurant, plus you can sit down at a table)

http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/euler/378c70cf.JPG

[Steely Dan]

We're planning on making the drive to Milwaukee and Madison after a few days in Chicago, I've always wanted to make that drive along the lake.

if you're taking the expressway up there (I-94), you will see very little of the lake. the expressway runs anywhere from 5-10 miles inland from lake michigan and hence offers no views of the water. if you want to follow the shore line along surface streets, it can be done, but it will be 3 times longer and you will probably get lost at some point.