Mid-October through November
2021
Trip to Chicago Windy City Oct.
Su-M-Tu-W-Th 17 18 19 20 21 Itinerary
Millennium Park- The BEAN,
public art, Lurie Garden, Ferris Wheel, Music Pavilion, Ice Rink, Crown
Fountain, Cloud Gate
The Loop- Downtown section of
Chicago defined by the loop of elevated train that encircles it.
Willis Tower- Stunning Chicago
view, 103rd-floor, glass deck, 1,353-feet down.
Navy Pier- 1995 Park on Lake
Michigan, with Ferris Wheel, rides, restaurants, exhibitions, entertainment,
shopping, dining, cruises and tour boats. Navy Pier has it all in a glorious
location.
Buckingham Fountain- a fine
landmark, Beaux-Arts-style landscape design, finely wrought bronze sculpture
fountain.
Graceland Cemetery- Historic
1860 garden cemetery and arboretum where history rests.
Lurie Garden- A beautiful
garden in Millennial Park.
North Avenue Beach- Here’s the
Chicago Beach, on Lake Michigan.
Chicago Riverwalk- 1.25-mile
Chicago River walk public art, murals, four-districts.
Crown Fountain- Millennium
Park people’s-spitting fountain!
Cloud Gate- The “Bean” in
Millennium Park.
Chinatown- Chicago’s
southside, everything Chinese neighborhood. Big on character, colors, sights,
sounds, and flavors, so go when hungry!
Wrigley Building- No chewing
gum now, just high-rent tenants but a beautiful Magnificent Mile, old building.
National League Baseball- Wrigley
Field- (1914)home of the Chicago Cubs, Ivy Wall, Tours. The Chicago Cubs play
at Wrigley field, i.e., the second-oldest Major League Baseball ballpark in the
nation, in the heart of Wrigleyville neighborhood.
American League Baseball- The
Chicago White Sox of the American League is the team that plays on the south
side of Chicago. It is played in the Guaranteed Rate Field in the Bridgeport
neighborhood.
Soldier Field (1924)- home
field of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Tours.
United Center- home to the
Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association.
Chicago French Market- Way
larger than the New Orleans counterpart, they have tons of vendors, with
dine-in, take-out, curbside, so come hungry!
Magnificent Mile- On Michigan
Avenue (13-blocks of exquisite everything), great, majestic Chicago experience.
Indulgence for every passion and every pocket.
Centennial Wheel- 200-foot
Navy Pier, Ferris wheel with great views.
Leaning Tower of Niles- Leaning
Tower of Niles is a 1934 half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Located in Niles, Illinois, north of Chicago.
Skydeck Chicago- Great views
way up on the Willis Tower.
Chicago Union Station-
Flagship rail station, still an iconic building and a marvel of modern
transportation for nearly a century. A must see for splendid architecture.
East end of Route 66- Chicago
to Santa Monica, California. It’s one of the most famous roads in the world and
is nicknamed the mother road, but you can only drive the remaining sections.
Tilt- Located on the 94th
floor of the John Hancock Center, 360 CHICAGO offers breathtaking views of
Chicago’s skyline, the lakefront, and four states. It’s the only place you can
enjoy Chicago’s highest thrill ride, TILT – a giant moving platform that
literally TILTs visitors over the edge of the building. See it, no do it!
Chicago Water Taxi- Chicago
Water Taxi is Chicago's premiere river transportation service with routes on
all three branches of the Chicago River.
DINING: City Market at Daley
Plaza. Green City Market at Lincoln Park. Horner Park Market at Irving Park. Magnificent
Mile dining+(Largest Starbucks). Ken Kee at Chinatown. Maggiano's Little Italy.
Giordano's Pizza on the Loop. GT Fish & Oyster. Don Pepe Mexican. Joy Yee’s
Noodle Shop. Delhi Darbar Kabab House. The Wiener’s Circle. Manny’s
Deli. Gibson’s Steak House. Wildberry Pancakes. Parson’s Chicken and Fish. Navy
Pier Shops and Restaurants. Chicago Q. Orig Pancake House. Sunny Side Up. Yolk
Marina City. Eggy’s Diner. West Egg Café. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Pinkberry
Ice Cream. Cameron’s Ice Cream & burgers. Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy.
Black Dog Gelato. Resi's Bierstube, Pita Heaven Greek.
Chicago River Architecture
Tour- Several great guided river cruises.
Saturday 10-16 Drive to 2323
172nd St Lansing IL Holiday Inn Exp.
Sunday 10-17 Drive to Hampton
Inn 68 E. Wacker Pl N Loop Michigan Ave Chicago
Hampton Inn N Loop 68 E.
Wacker Place Chicago, Illinois 60601
312-419-9014 Confirmation
#86113116
Took the Chicago Architecture
River Tour
Monday 10-18 Chicago Tour
Did the Hop-on Hop-off HOHO
Big Bus Tour
Tuesday 10-19 Chicago Tour
Parks Day
Wednesday 10-20 Chicago Tour
Museum Day
Thursday 10-21 Drive home
Summary Notes- Traveling to
Chicago, we took the slower, scenic route; IN-46 to Bloomington, and took US
231 at Spencer. Then US 52 at W. Lafayette to US 41, traveling to our hotel at Lansing,
IL. On Saturday, we continued US 41 to Chicago. We drove around Chicago until
our hotel check-in around 2pm. Next, we took the Chicago River Architecture
cruise that went into the night. An awesome experience. Each day, we had a
planned itinerary, and followed that, excepting some plan changes. For example,
our ethnic restaurant plans were changed due to crowded restaurants and lines. Another
plan change was the Art Museum was closed and we ad to change that plan. We
parked our car, for the entire visit, and used public transportation. We took
buses, UBER, cabs, the Red Line, the “L”, and guided tours. We had perfect Fall
weather and the entire visit was wonderful. Using the public transportation, we
were able to save time and energy by minimizing our walking.
On our return trip, we took
the faster freeways. The freeways are not free, as we spent $9.90 at three
toll-gates. The Chicago Freeway System requires credit card.
General observations:
We were amazed at how Chicago
has grown and developed since our last (1974) visit. The city is so diversified
in all respects and offers a totally enjoyable experience. We did discover that
in the “canyons” and under the streets, cell service can fail. By canyons, we
refer to the lofty buildings lining the streets, and under the streets, refers
to Chicago’s three layer, stacked streets along the river south. On departing
our parking garage, we discovered that we were on the lowest level and had to
navigate back up to the surface street, a challenge for greenhorns. Having said
this, the cell phone app is a great tool for planning and navigating your
visit-days. At your fingertips, it’s a perfect tool to move around in an
economical fashion, maximizing your time and money. Visitors can get just about
anywhere in the city by combining various modes of transport, including the
"L" train, CTA buses, taxis, rideshares, bicycle stations and
walking. To visit Chicago's suburbs, the Metra Rail connects downtown with the
72 Chicagoland communities.
“Choose Chicago” says:
Come discover Chicago’s famed
restaurants, renowned museums, stunning waterfront, groundbreaking music,
award-winning theatres, over 300 parks and green spaces, iconic architecture
designed by legendary architects — all within 77 vibrant, ethnically diverse
neighborhoods that are the heart and soul of Chicago. These are just some of the
reasons why Condé Nast Traveler ranked Chicago the #1 on their list of Best
Large Cities in the U.S. for three years in a row.
Chicago is a city with
world-class culture — we’re home to comedy star-maker The Second City;
electrified blues; championship sports teams; one of the most inclusive LGBTQ+
communities in the country; one of the largest collection of Impressionist and
Post-impressionist art outside the Louvre, housed within the Art Institute of
Chicago, one of the top five museums on the planet (TripAdvisor); the largest
collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the world; the largest science
and industry museum in the Western Hemisphere — and that’s just the beginning.
Our city is home to Tony
Award-winning theatres, and Paste Magazine praises Chicago theatre as “one of
the most thriving theatre scenes on the planet.” Condé Nast Traveler calls
Chicago the “best restaurant city in America.” Bon Appétit magazine agrees,
saying Chicago is “America’s most exciting city to eat in right now.” Plus, with
25 Michelin-starred restaurants and dozens of Bib Gourmand recipients, you’re
sure to find a spot for every budget and taste.
Big city culture isn’t the
only thing you’ll find here. You’ll also enjoy outdoor escapes and urban
adventure, with the stunning city skyline as your backdrop. Go kayaking along
the award-winning Riverwalk or venture to the Chicago Architecture Center and
board the top architecture cruise in Chicago. Cycle the 18-mile Lakefront
Trail, dotted with harbors, beaches, restaurants and bars. Or spend the day at
Navy Pier, one of the city’s top attractions, and board a cruise ship to set
sail on Lake Michigan.
You only have to venture to
the Millennium Park Campus to see city and nature side by side, and find the
true spirit of Chicago — summer-long free music festivals and outdoor film
screenings beneath the soaring steel canopy of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion;
Instagram-worthy public art installations like Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate
(aka The Bean); stretches of swaying prairie grasses and native plantings at
Lurie Garden; climbing walls, ice skating ribbons, and fantastical playground
landscapes at Maggie Daley Park; performing arts on the stage of the Harris
Theater; free exhibitions, tours, and live music at the Chicago Cultural Center;
and the world-class Art Institute of Chicago beckoning with major art
exhibitions throughout the year.
In Chicago, it’s all about
vacationing your way — and feeling right at home while you do.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
On a day-out, we visited in
Indianapolis, for a cool, crisp day around the city. We began with a morning
hike at the White River State Park, on the West Fork of historic White River, where
it flows through downtown Indianapolis. Next, we had lunch at the ILLINOIS
STREET FOOD EMPORIUM, a quaint neighborhood café. After lunch, we toured the “LUME”
exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Returning home, we couldn’t
pass-up a stop at COSTCO to get some goodies that are only found at COSTCO.
White River State Park, an
urban, cultural State Park, is an extraordinary park in the heart of downtown
Indianapolis, offering 250 acres of vibrant green spaces, waterways, trails,
and attractions. Park Org. says; “The Park boasts world-class attractions and
destinations that offer distinctive experiences for every visitor. Enhancing
the health and well-being of visitors is the mission of WRSP by providing
cultural, entertainment, and recreational benefits to millions of Indiana
citizens and visitors from all over the world.”
We have enjoyed river-walks
around the country, as most river-towns have an improved river-walk. Like us,
people seem to be drawn to rivers and enjoy strolling along the banks to enjoy
nature and observe the flora and fauna. Indianapolis has an exceptional
river-park which includes all sorts of venues, including the Zoo, Museums,
IMAX, Stadium, Amphitheatre, Trails, and the NCAA Hall of Champions. This park
could literally be the center of an Indianapolis vacation!
Lunch at the Illinois Street
Food Emporium, is a real Butler University neighborhood treat, with deli
classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh so good!
At the Indianapolis Museum of
Art, Newfields visitors can experience the work of Dutch master painter Vincent
van Gogh in a whole new way, where “THE LUME” exhibit brings digital technology
and art together. The multi-sensory program must be experienced to appreciate
the immersive encounter unlike anything you’ll find in a traditional museum. It
was incredible!
Shopping COSTCO, we found all
the special items that we had planned for, as well as some that were an impulse
buy. COSTCO is just far enough away from home so that we save-up a list just
for COSTCO. We’ve been a member of COSTCO and Sam’s Club for many years and
have shopped them all around the US. It’s nice to have them always close by!
