GREAT OUTCOME FROM OUR TRIP....Chicago things to see......your input please

[livetogarden]

My family will be visiting there soon. We already plan a day at the botanical gardens and have seen the usual tourist favorites like Sears Tower, museums, Navy Pier, etc. Any new ideas????? Favorite restaurants?
Thanks,
Cath

[LeeAnne151]

I've never been but I see a lot of good food on TV. I love Chicago style pizza. There is a lot of it in Phoenix. Sadly none here, at least none that I think is good.

There is some bar that has a goat for a mascot that I think was the inspiration for the Saturday Night Live sketch with Jon Belushi and the cheeseburgers.

[karen J]

Have you seen Navy Pier since the renovation? It has changed for the better. You can take a high speed skyline tour out on Lake Michigan (it's fun!), or a leisurely architectural tour where they bring you down the river and explain all the buildings. Haven't done that one but I hear it's very good. (trivia note: a couple years ago, the bus driver from the Dave Matthew's band dumped the "potty" facilities of their bus over a bridge, and the poor folks taking the architectural tour got a little surprise. Bring an umbrella? ) Museum of Science and Industry and the Field museum are both very good if you haven't done that before. State Street & Miracle Mile are fun.
Good restaurants (Rick Bayless has a couple). It's been awhile since we've been downtown, but there are some good hotels and great restaurants.
When are you going? If you want I can do some backyard research. The papers are always full of things to do.
Last time I was there, they were completely renovating the Botanic Gardens. I don't know where they are in the renovation (I'm almost sure they are near completion), but it's beautiful either way.
Blue Man Group?

Do you want any Out-of-Chicago ideas? Will you have a car or be using public trans?

Our house?  I'ts not exactly Hearst mansion.   Seriously, we're about 38 miles from the city so it would be a drive, but you're more than welcome. Free food! 

Illinois Beach state park is beautiful, and there are some beautiful tumbled rock "souvenirs" that can be had by the bucketful.

[ponderer]

My DD lives in Chicago. Agree with all of the above mentioned. Also the Brookfield Zoo or Lincoln Park Zoo, the aquarium is fun too.
Have a Fun Trip!  it is a GREAT city!

Mary

[karen J]

Oh yeah! Forgot about that- Brookfield Zoo and Shedd aquarium. We try and get to the zoo at least once a year. They have a nice dolphin show, beautiful cats, giraffes, monkey house... lots to see. We've never been able to see it all in one day, but then we do have young children. There is also a resident Peacock who is free to roam.
Very cool. The chipmunks are very bold, and hang around the eating areas. 

If you want day trips, there are some terrific state parks. Volo Bog, Moraine Hills state park, and more. We've got a ton of fantastic forest preserves as well, if you prefer walking in the woods. Oh and there are a ton of lakes, streams, rivers... lots of water recreation opportunities.


 

[Johns]

If you go to navy pier in a car, take $$, since the last time I was there, it took $30 just to park.

As far as places too eat:  CP&OG  (Chicago pizza and Oven Grinder Co.)  See the website here: http://www.chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/menu.htm  The wait can be several hours, but worth it and you absolutely must have the pizza pot pie.  While waiting, you can sit outside on a staircase and the owner will sell you wine while you wait.  Don't worry, he will take you in order of arrival.

[LeeAnne151]

I've seen that pizza pot pie on Food Network. Thought it looked wonderful.

Billy Goat Tavern
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Goat_Tavern

[livetogarden]

Thanks for the tips everyone. We ate pizza at Giordano's.....yum!!! Went to the Navy Pier (took a cab, Johns), MAJOR shopping with my 25 year old daughter (the kid never wears out when it comes to shopping) and visited The Chicago Botanic Gardens.....awesome!!!, the Conservatory at Garfield Park....even more awesome!!, Shedd Aquarium, and other things, had a blast!!!
Our son was attending a certification seminar for personal trainers so the other 3 of us did things during the day and he joined us in the afternoon. It was a nice trip, good times with our 'kids', 25 and 19, gotta grab times together while we can at their ages which is why all 4 of us went.
Karen...you're too much!! Thanks for the offer to come to your place. Had we been there longer I would have made plans in advance and maybe you and I could have met.
The great outcome from this weekend is that when our son, Quinn, got back to work when he got home the manager of 24 Hour Fitness (where he works as a desk check-in clerk right now) told him as soon as he passes the test for this certification that he attended he will start him as a personal trainer. Quinn is only 19 and was the youngest person attending this seminar, the next closest in age was 26. The kid can blow you away with the knowledge he has pertaining to this field. The manager said he will train him personally and line up some clients for him because he's impressed with what he has done already at such a young age and will start him at $14 hour with a promise of a $3 hour raise in 2 months.
This poor kid was teased so badly in high school because he was thin, which is why he got interested in working out. Now he is probably the kid who has done the most for himself in such a short time and earning good money because of it.
Cath

[Esther]

Sounds like you had a good time. And Congratulations on the achievements of your kids.

[livetogarden]

Thank you, Esther. Both of our kids, like nearly every teen, about drove us nuts at times and we wondered if they really had functioning brain cells. So to see them both focusing in on and entering the field they have such a great interest in is such a welcoming sight. They are actually becoming mature minded and we actually lived through it. 
Cath