Chicago - things to see
We're taking a quick getaway to the windy city next month, and we've never been. Wondering if any of the fine forum folks have suggestions on must see things to do, see, eat while we're there. We are staying in North Loop/Magnificent Mile area. Thank you!
Tracy 
skippy If the weather is nice, take a river boat architecture tour - near way to see the city.
Get a deep dish pizza from a good place. To me it's really not pizza, but awesome nonetheless.
D-ManPV Thanks, Skippy. I was hoping for actual recommendations from people who have visited. I can certainly Google things myself.
Navy Pier - It's a "boardwalk" type experience.
Wrigleyville - Fun neighborhood....maybe see a Cubs game if they are still in the playoffs when you are there.
The Loop - Another great neighborhood
Architectural River Tour - Very interesting tour.
Pizza - If you like deep dish, try Lou Malnati's or Pizzeria Due
Popcorn - Garrett Popcorn on the Mag Mile....awesome.
I love Chicago! Have fun!
Calico696 Tracy, here was my sole suggestion to a past first-timer to Chicago. There are probably a few other useful suggestions in this thread as well.
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/303067#t303344
If you're looking for deep-dish, I prefer Lou Malnatti's.
ianimal You know, the search feature of this forum leaves something to be desired. I specifically searched for "Chicago" yesterday and that thread did not come up. Maybe because it's too old? Anyway, thanks for the link!
Great start! Keep 'em coming!
I agree regarding the search feature.
I almost forgot the Billy Goat Tavern! No fries...chips!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1tFx5xKrSI
Best Breakfast place in the world is Sunny Side Up Café on Superior Street. OMG - the portions were huge and it was delicious. We ate here almost every morning. I cannot recommend it enough!
earlybird27 Bring your appetite, big servings in that town. Navy Pier is the tourist trap, not sure how active in October but used to do fireworks off the barge once a week. Like a boardwalk. Used to book certain hotels just to see the fireworks.
Pizza yech, steak yeah!!!!! Save your bucks and spend them on some quality beef. Like one of those places where they bring the raw cuts to you for your selection (and then put any ole steak on the Barbie :>) Ribs were excellent too. Sometimes hard to find a cut below 18 ozs, they love their food in this town!
Northside and The Loop for kidde/touristo bar district.
Museum of Contemporary Art and Art Institute just south of you; AI is jewelry, décor and neat things to buy.
The one I haven't tried, but it is on my list is Sears Tower, just south of you again. Different viewing possibilities but the trick is The Ledge. $23 and I am betting you can't do it. The ultimate height scare. Book ahead, might not be able to reserve in time.
The one I love to do with a friend is have a nice dinner somewhere I stumbled into on The Magnificent Mile after a good stimulating walk, usually at twilight but you may be dark at that time of year. And then a nice walk home amongst the lights and the people. Perhaps darker than Times Square but a nice walk, enough people to be safe, and good way to work off the fact you just ate too much :>)
Have fun, love the town, very clean but not sure if it's the high taxes or the wind :>)
strangerdanger 
Thank you Calico, I've been waiting for this.......
'Whatcha talkin bout Willis,'
Sears Tower still goggles so I hope the $23 is still right but may not be.
Used to travel to Chicago quite often for business - Palmer House was my favorite hotel, two good restaurants within walking distance on So Wabash were Exchequers for deep dish pizza (lots of other good stuff too) and Millers Pub for ribs and steak (need to get there early though). These are places locals go. Malnati's and Giordano's have good pizza but are big chains like Pizza Uno. There are many, repeat many great steakhouses - original Mortons, Mike Ditka's are just a few. The John Hancock tower (Big John) on Michigan has a fantastic observation deck - better than Sears Tower I think - Calico is right about name but Chicagoans will always refer to it as the Sears tower. Michigan Ave (north of the river) is certainly very glitzy but the older loop area is more interesting, navy pier is definitely a tourist trap. Best museum is the Museum Of Science and Industry.
ExTownieSo our first night in town is going to be my husband's birthday, and he wants a brewery/brew pub for dinner. Calico, I'm sure you have a recommendation in this avenue. I'm seeing a place called Gino's East so far that's downtown.
Regarding searches, I will use google instead and sometimes can better find what I'm looking for. Search for:
site:hackettstownlife.com chicago
The key is to make sure there's no space after the colon...
justintime Lived there 10 yrs. Personal recs... skip the river tour and do a walking architecture tour, hit millenium park (bean, fountain, pritzker) and grant park (buckingham ftn) and skip navy pier, skip willis and visit the bar/resturant at the top of the hancock for free (make sure to visit the restroom), have some deep dish and a hot beef sandwich, take the el to Wrigley and walk around. el is a great way to see the city.
personal fav museum is the art institute.
have fun.
stm9 
ChicagoRocks Disappointed by Ditka's, not by Morton's. Malnati's is alright but a local guy took us to some dive way off to the west of the Mile. Only a local would know and I just don't have a name for you. Ask around but you can do better than those places for pizza. Le Colonial North Rush for a splurge. Phenomenal Vietnamese/French fusion, fried string beans are a must. But bring your wallet. When I was there the brew pub was Goose Island. But I think one of the mega breweries bought it and closed the brew pub. Today I think it's Lagunitas.
GC Believe it or not, I don't recall going to any breweries or craft brew pubs while there. I do remember going to the beer garden at Navy Pier and going to a lot of different bars. Nothing that really stood out though.
PREDATOR Former Chicagoan here.
As mentioned above - skip Ditka's. Not worth it - overpriced steak you can get anywhere.
If you like museums, check out the Art Institute, it's good.
Boat tours, as also recommended, are great ways to learn a little more about the city.
Italian Beef is something you really have to try - it's phenomenal. Been looking for good Italian Beef the last two years living here and haven't found it. The best beef place is pretty contentious, but I like Jay's in Wicker Park and Carm's by UIC.
There are a LOT of breweries if you're a drinker.
Millennium and Grant are good places to spend an afternoon.
Depending on when you're there you'll find a lot of Oktoberfest events (a lot of Churches and neighborhoods have their own)
It's an easy city for walking, even outside of the loop.
The L is decent enough and buses can get you anywhere.
KingCoriander Lincoln Park Zoo, a great FREE zoo!
American Girl Doll store
The Water Front in Lincoln Park
The Bean and MilleniIum Park ...
just to name a few!
Iris 
H-town Mama Molly's Cupcakes on North Clark Street - best cupcakes in Chicago. Get the Ron Bennington cupcake: chocolate cupcake filled with peanut butter/chocolate ganache frosting with butterscotch crumble on top.
Also check out Rotofugi if you're into vinyl animation toys/art.
ASfromBklyn I am a foodie. Google "Rick Bayless". American chef and culinary master of Mexican food. Chicago is his home.
Adam Thank you all for the continued recommendations. Adam, I have heard of Bayless and I know of some of his restaurants.
So far I talked the hubs into brunch at the Signature Room at the 95th (John Hancock building) for our anniversary. :)
We just got back from Chicago last night. We had a nice time. Way too much to do in three days and we lost all of Saturday due to record breaking rainfall. It rained for 18 straight hours and even flooded the river walk. I really liked the city except the tricky streets that sometimes go over and sometimes go under the others and don't go through. We walked a ton, rode bikes all over, and took a segway tour yesterday when the weather was gorgeous.
For the sake of comparison, we tried Lou Malnati's and Giordano's for lunch yesterday and Sunday. Overall impression was: I'm not a fan of the deep dish. Between the two, Giordano's was better. Malnati's was bland bland bland. We got personal size, so not sure if there is some improvement with a larger pie??
We went to the aquarium, the planetarium and the Field museum. Didn't make it inside the Art Institute or the Science and Industry museum. Got to the top of the Willis (Sears) Tower, saw the Buckingham Fountain (thankfully, since yesterday they shut it off for the season) and the bean (Cloud Gate). Didn't make it to Navy Pier, but could see it from our hotel room.
We tried Do-Rite doughnuts and picked up some Garrett's popcorn. Is the caramel supposed to taste burnt? We had two unremarkable dinners at noisy sports bar type places with blaring music and the Cubs on the 10,000 tvs. Mostly because we were too tired and hungry to venture very far.
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in River North. Very nice hotel we got for a steal on Hotwire.
Fun trip. Will definitely return.
Oh, and we cancelled brunch at the Hancock. The weather was too overcast on Sunday morning to make it worthwhile for the views.
Thanks... Just printed reader's digest version for upcoming trip. Thanks folks....
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