One weekend in Chicago isn’t enough to explore the food, culture, and history of this city but here are 10 Reasons to go to Chicago.
Find Your Favorite Deep Dish Pizza
Nothing compares to Chicago Deep Dish. We tried two places Lou Malnati's and Pizza Due. Lou Malnati is a local chain in Chicago open in 1971. Pizzeria Due is a Chicago institution that opened in 1943. What to order? From, Lou Malnati order the Deep Dish Malnati Chicago Classic made with lots of cheese, sausage, and tomato sauce. At Pizzeria Due we tried the Spinach Pizza and added Grilled Chicken. Both places have the same pizza sizes, an individual that serves 1, a mall serves 2, medium serves 3, and a large serves 4. What to expect? No reservations are taken. When you get to the restaurant put your name down then the hostess will ask you if you would like to order your pizza now since it takes 40 minutes to make. Love the pizza so much? Both places have nationwide shipping. Personally, our favorite was Pizza Due we loved the crust!
Grab a Drink at the Signature Lounge
Hancock tower is one of the iconic buildings in Chicago. There are two ways to see the view at the top, buying tickets to the observation or drinking at The Signature Lounge. We chose the drink at the lounge because it's practically the same view as the observation tower but you get to drink. The signature restaurant/ lounge is upscale dining with contemporary American cuisine and an amazing bar scene. What to expect? Get to the lounge right before sunset to enjoy the view day and night. There could be a line but don’t expect to wait too long especially if you get there early. What to order? They serve cocktails, beer, and wine. Our favorite drink to enjoy is a glass of wine. We didn’t try it but there are light appetizers available while you drink. Before you leave don’t forget to head to the bathroom it’s the prettiest bathroom I have been in!
Cruise Down the River on the Chicago Architecture Tour
The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a tour of the architectural highlights of the Chicago skyline. The Chicago Architecture Foundations has been conducting this tour for the last 25 years. This 90-minute tour is led by trained docent volunteers who share history and stories about more than 50 popular Chicago buildings. Kids 3 and under don’t need a ticket but the tour is recommended for children 12 and over. The tour is available from May through the first week of November, the winter months are too cold for tours. What to expect? Get tickets online because tickets sell out quickly. Arrive 15 minutes before your tour time. Bring a jacket it could get old out on the water. Small snacks and refreshments are sold on the boat too if you get hungry.
Take a Selfie at the Bean
Located in Millennium Park is Cloud Gatefor . This art structure was sculpted by Sir Anish Kapoor and it literary a giant bean. Cloud Gate is the most notable and instagrammable place in Chicago. Visiting Cloud Gate is free. How much time to spend there? use this as a stop 10-20 minutes to admire the bean and to take the best picture. What to expect? There is always a crowd there so it might take a while to get the perfect picture. Come at night when there are fewer people and to see the view of the bean and the city. Or come early in the morning, like 6 am before the crowds come to get a picture without the crowds in the background.
Appreciate Art at the Chicago Art Institute
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. There are a ton of famous paintings like the farm couple with the pitchfork or the picture of Sunday afternoon in the park. They also have a fantastic selection of Monet and Dega paintings. How much time to spend? At least a couple of hours browsing to all the art exhibits, if you have small kids, 1-2 hours is probably enough time to see the main exhibits. What to expect? The art institute is open every day from 10:30 p.m. to 5pm. Lines could get long on weekends so try to get there early. Tickets are available online.
Visit Lincoln Park Zoo- FREE Zoo!
The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest Zoos in America, founded in 1868. They have penguins, zebras, and lions in this free zoo. The zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm, hours could vary by season so check the website before going. What to expect? Parking is available, rates vary seasonally. Food is also available at several restaurants in the park.
Take a Ghost Tour
Chicago is full of stories of ghosts and gangsters. When we travel we love to support Chicago Walking Tours Free Tours by Foot a licensed tour group where you pay what you like. Tours are run by people who love to teach and talk about history. We swear, ask them anything they’ll know the history and if they don’t, they’ll be sure to email you the answer when they found out. They also have great recommendations for local restaurants and bars at the end of your tour. We used this company for a couple of tours: The Lincoln Park and Gangster Tour and the Chicago Ghost Tour. Both tours are walking tours so expect to walk about 1.5-2 miles, also where you started the tour isn’t where you will end up but the tour guide can give directions to the nearest train. How much? Tours are free, with no upfront fees, just tip your tour guide what you think the tour is worth, just a suggestion we tipped $10-20 per person.
Go Brew Hopping
There is a handful of breweries in the city, not all close together but Uber distance away. It was our last day in Chicago and we wanted to hit a couple of breweries before our flight so we only got to try two breweries Piece Brewery and Pizzeria and Goose Island Brewery. Piece Brewery is located in Wicker Park and specializes in New Haven, thin-crust pizza, and beer. When we went, the pizza smelled amazing but we were too full from lunch definitely next time we’ll try the pizza. Their brewery is the most award-winning brewery in Chicago for its lagers and ales. We ordered a taster to sample a couple of the beers, all were so tasty. The second place is Goose Island opened in 1988 it’s one of Chicago's most notable beers. There are many locations of gastropubs around Chicago that sell food and drinks. We ordered the taster there also to try a couple of their famous beers.
Take a Bike Tour of Chicago
On a beautiful spring day, the best way to explore Chicago is by bike. Chicago is a fairly flat city, so it’s an easy ride through the city. We used Bobby’s Bike Tour Company which offers numerous Bike and walking tours. We choose the Lakefront Neighborhood Bike Tour with stops at the Gold Coast, and a Lincoln Park, and then ride through the Chicago Lakefront. How much time? Expect around a 3-hour tour with 1 bathroom break at Lincoln Park Zoo. What to expect? Chicago is a fairly city so the bike around the city is easy. Bobby's Bike tour provides water, a bike, and helmet. What to wear? Tennis shoes and loose-fitting clothing. They do offer a small pouch on the bike to store wallets, keys, etc.
Cocktails at Aviary
One of the hottest cocktail lounges in the city is The Aviary. The Aviary is from the group that brought Chicago’s Michelin star restaurant Alinea and like their sister restaurant, the cocktail menu is unique and highly innovative. The Aviary is a 22-seat speakeasy with a rotating cocktail menu depending on the season and the year, food is also served at this place. What to order? Anything on the cocktail menu, base it on your favorite alcohol spirit. What to expect? Reservations are highly recommended. You’ll have to book on the website and provide a prepayment per person, which will actually cover one drink each. We suggest booking around 2 weeks in advance. Walk-in could be available, if you are lucky, like really lucky, but you’ll have to get there right when it opens for a table. Dress code, casual nothing too formal.
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