OT-Things to do in Chicago?

[Tony Sade]

I'm going to be in Chicago on business for a week, mid-month, and am looking for things to do (woodworking related and not) in whatever spare time I can muster. I like to eat well, so good restaurant recommendations would also be welcome. I won't have a car, so my travel will be limited to P.T., and I'll be staying downtown. Any suggestions? Thanks, folks. :)

[Wes Bischel]

Tony,
It's been a while since I lived there so some things may have changed. I'm not sure where you are going to be located, so I'll hit the more popular areas.

As far as restaurants, a week will not be long enough to cover them all. ;-)

Pizza: A must have while you're in town.
Ginos East - downtown has new owners - near O'Hare the original owners have a restaurant
Uno or Due (sp?)
Lou Manalti's

Burghoff's - good German food
Lawry's - prime rib etc.
Parthenon - Greek food in Greektown
Hackney's - great burgers and onion rings (bricks) I think they are in printer's row area

As far as WW related things - can't think of any off hand. I didn't get into WW until I left the city.
For other things to do, North Michigan Ave. has a lot of neat things - there are a few nice furniture stores along the magnificent mile (as well as shopping too)not your run of the mill stuff I always liked going to the observation deck on the Handcock bldg. better than the Sears tower which is farther south. The Water Tower is there (a tourist info site is in the building across the street) and as you head south along Michigan ave. to the river, the Wrigley building and Tribune tower are there. There is a nice river tour that takes about an hour - great for a nice day. If you headed north, there is Oak st beach - too early in the year yet. A little west and your in old town - lots of cafe's and neat little shops.

Farther south on Michigan is Grant park which gives a great view of the city and the lake. The Art Museum is there and if you head west and hit State st you'll find the Carson Perrie Scott bldg and Marshall Field's both architecturally significant buildings. (and more shopping :rolleyes: ). Plus the el running overhead defines the "loop" - the business district of the city (at least at one time)

The Field museum, Shedd aquarium and Adler planeterium are all along the lakefront. I think most were built for the Columbian exposition and the 1933 world's fair.

The Museum of Science and Industry is fun, but it is at fair ride south - I guess there are buses, but I never took one down.

OK now I'm just rambling. I'm sure you'll find something to do. Hopefully someone else can tune you into some WW sites.

Wes

[Ken Garlock]

I second all of Wes' recommendations.

Burghoff is a must. They make their own beer as I recall. The last time I was there, several years back, the waiters were all male.

Billy Goat Tavern is a "tourist site." It is located under the Wrigley building on a little alley running off N. Rush street. As I understand, the owner of the tavern and his goat were refused admission to a Cubs game, and he cursed the Cubs, hence there long loosing streak. Believe it if you want :confused: It looks like your old neighborhood tavern, and just anybody who is anybody has been there at some time as witnessed by the signed pictures on the wall.

[Dan Mages]

I live outside Chicago and I wholly declare, SCREW THE BILLYGOAT!! :D If you want to see a fine ballpark, make your way uptown on the red line to see Wrigley Field. They offer tours of the park for a reasonable fee. If you are lucky, you might even be able to buy tickets for a game. The ivy should be in bloom by then.

I think you will like the Museum of Science and Industry. It is not the best part of town, so take a bus down there. I'm not sure if they still have it there, but they had some tools in the Main Street USA exibit.

If you want a good walk, Grant park is the place to go. It does give a beautiful view of the skyline.

If you do go up the Sears tower, there is something interesting for you to check out. If you go to the side facing the lake and look down, you will see a large statue of the greek goddess of the harvest (I think) on top of the Chicago Board of Trade. When they build the building, they did not give the statue a face because they thought that nobody would ever get up that high to see it.

Pizzaria Uno or Duos are good places to get a good deep dish pizza, but my favorite is Lou Malnatis. Everybody thought that this Irish guy was crazy for opening an Italian resteraunt in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, but he had the last laugh. It is quite a place to go to. All though you cannot eat there, you can visit the original McDonalds on Manheim out by O'Hare.

I'll think of more stuff and post them later.

Dan

[Ken Garlock]

I live outside Chicago and I wholly declare, SCREW THE BILLYGOAT!! :D If you want to see a fine ballpark, make your way uptown on the red line to see Wrigley Field.
Dan

Gee Dan, I'm glad you don't have a strong opinion on the Billy Goat :D I have only been there once or twice after a class I was taking at IBM next door.

Remember, this is the year of the Cubs :) :)