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Sign in with FacebookLatest Chicago hotel reviews
Pro
The people, food, architecture, arts & entertainment
Con
Cold in the winter months, pockets of bad areas
In a nutshell
Big City with the heart of a small town.
86 Reviews Walking along Michigan Avenue you can see Water Tower Plaza - a huge shopping mall that has a Disney store and other stores. "Filenes Bargain Basement" is supposed to be discount name-brands. You will see the Old Water Tower that is one of only two buildings to have survived the great Chicago...
Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower)
107 Reviews The Sears tower was so much fun! The only thing we were having problems with were the hundreds of other people bumping you or walking in front of you as you are taking a picture. They have these glass window boxes where you can walk out on them and look down (Super Scary) and everytime you step in...
4 Reviews and 524 Opinions The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago is an absolutely wonderful hotel! Every detail is thought through and...
Hotel Monaco Chicago - a Kimpton Boutique Hotel
4 Reviews and 1068 Opinions Had a great time at the Monaco. We've stayed at the SF version and it was pretty much the same...
29 Reviews It is said that back in 1943 Ike Sewell of Pizzeria Uno invented the Chicago style deep dish pizza. Today Pizzeria Uno still is a great place and the pizzas are indeed of excellent taste. Lots of toppings, cheese and tomato sauce and a tasty crust. Because of the thick toppings even a smaller pizza...
7 Reviews This is something like what you would see out of "Happy Days." An old style diner, Ed's has burgers to modern dishes at a casual atmosphere. The waitstaff are fun and the food is good. A good place for families.
114 Reviews Classic Northside Chicago Irish Tavern, close to DePaul University, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville. The building dates to 1890 and retains many interesting features of its time. Handsome bar and a decent pubfood menu. Bills itself as a "Michigan State" Bar, so if you are a Spartan fan this is the...
26 Reviews "[Buddy] Guy's earthy soul and gutsy acoustic performances make any latter-day "unplugged" record sound clean cut by comparison." – Guitar Player Any music fan has to hit at least on Blues club in Chicago. For the most amazing live music in the city, Buddy Guy's is the place to go! Bands such and...
CTA (city trains & buses, the EL)
97 Reviews Visitors to Chicago may find it convenient to use the el or buses to get around, especially if they are traveling to and from the airports or going outside of the city center frequently. You can purchase a Chicago Card or a transit card which makes each ride $2.25 on the train, $2 on the bus. The...
23 Reviews We are currently on vacation in Chicago and using the free trolley with no problems other than finding an actual map! Here is our gift to you: http://www.navypier.com/visit_us/pdf/Trolley_Route_Map12.pdf Enjoy!
Magnificent Mile/Michigan Avenue
46 Reviews North Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, is one of the world's best shopping destinations, rivaling US streets like 5th Ave. in New York and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Shopping centers such as Water Tower Place and 900 N. Michigan offer hundreds of stores, along with plenty of other stores...
17 Reviews I do not find anything especially unique or interesting about Water Tower Place. It's a big mall, that is about it. I would have you go to State and Washington for the 'original' department store (now a Macys)...Marshall Fields...This is truly one of the orginal dept stores in the country. There is...
17 Reviews My husband can't adequately explain to me why he wanted to do the Polar Bear Plunge, it's just one of those things that he felt like he needed to do. So after years of talking about it, he finally did one, the entire way down he kept saying "why am I doing this?" "it's really cold out there" and...
Common Sense Advice / Sketchy Neighborhoods
50 Reviews I've lived in Chicago for most of my life and know the city well. Down town area is fairly safe but watch out for groups of teenagers as they have been jumping and mugging people the last few years. Put your IPhone away in transit stops. If someone comes up to you and starts to talk to you at a bus...
17 Reviews I was stopped on a street by a guy who offered to shine my shoes. His friend walked away by about 15 feet, but stayed close by. I turned down the shine, but the man insisted he wanted to show me his skills and would do it for free. I tried to politely decline, but the next thing I know, he's already...
Sears Tower or John Hancock Building
15 Reviews Getting up there is not all too cheap. And before you get on the elevator, they force you to pose for a picture with a fake background. On your way out, they try to sell you that picture for nearly $30. Then they force you to pass through a long hall of gift shops instead of walking straight out....
24 Reviews The Navy Pier is a long concrete pier that extends into Lake Michigan. Along the pier are a number of restaurants and embarkation points for some of the lake cruises. There are also some carnival style attractions: a ferris wheel, miniature golf course, etc. All of this sounds okay, but the pier is...
Architecture & Public Art (outdoor)
78 Reviews If you're in the University of Chicago area, have a look at this massive concrete sculpture (it was originally supposed to be carved in granite). It dates from 1915, sculptor Lorado Taft (whose workshop was nearby) and was intended to commemorate the first 100 years of peace between the US and the...
47 Reviews We 1st visited Beverly probably around 20 years ago when we used to go out to Maple Tree Inn when it was located in Chicago on Western, we would drive down Longwood and gape at the beautiful mansions up on the ridge before heading to dinner. Once a year we would participate in the History/Mystery...
BASEBALL - Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field
41 Reviews If you're a baseball fan you don't need much convincing about this: If you're in Chicago during the summer, go see the Cubs play a day game at Wrigley Field. The last ballpark to install nighttime lighting, most home Cubs games are still played during the day. Despite that, the Cubs fans still turn...
48 Reviews Chicago's OLD TOWN is a neighbourhood bounded by the Ogden Ave. right-of-way on the Northwest, Larrabee Street on the west, Clyburn Avenue on the southwest, Division Street on the South and Clark street on the east and northeast. Old Town is an historic neighbourhood, site of many of Chicago's...
History, Architecture, & Landmarks
104 Reviews Named after real estate developer Donald Trump TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER is a skyscraper in downtown Chicago. The 98-story structure reaches a height of 1,389 feet (423 meters) including its spire. It is built next to the main brance of the Chicago River, with a view of the entry to Lake...
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The quintessential American city, Chicago offers world-class culture with zero attitude. You'll see Chicago at its best if you visit during the summer or fall. Summer offers a nonstop selection...
I'm having fun in my hometown of Chicago. Summer is my favorite time of the year in Chicago, the city really comes to life from Memorial Day until Labor Day with a multitude of festivals every...
Captivating City of "The Big Shoulders": Chicago
"I have struck a city--a real city. And they call it Chicago. The other places do not count." Rudyard Kipling I recently took this photograph (July, 2006) on a beautiful day in the city when my...
Chicago is a great city in so many ways - and the locals will be glad to share with you many ways to make your stay in their metropolis memorable! Why else do you suppose that it's called "The Windy...
A Chicago institution closed its doors. It's the family-owned Berghoff Restaurant [see my restaurant tips] -- parts will remain open, but the old main dining room will be used for private...
Chicago - My Favorite City in the United States!
My connection with Chicago goes back to February 1994 when I visited there for the first time. Though a much too long story to mention here, I became best friends with a wonderful grandmother named......
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Comments (4)
If you are planning to come to Chicago let me know and I'll help you put together a personal agenda based upon your interest.
Lollapalooza tickets are on sale, the lineup will be available April 9th. August 2-4, 2013 www.lollapalooza.com
Is this where we are supposed to post things like the CTA rate hike that is scheduled for January 2013? Or the new block of tickets that is going on sale for the very popular "Book of Mormon"?
Only 1 editor per city?
Not necessarily....feel free to message me regarding the program if you like
Let me know if you are coming to Chicago! I've given several personal tours to other VTers when they have landed in our town. If I'm available I can give you a personal guided tour also.
Non commercial and just a VT member in good standing :)
riorich55 -That sound fine to me and the sort of useful information I would have hoped/expected to find here!