Visiting Chicago

[UnlimitedMatt]

Hello from the Colorado Chapter!

I will be taking the wife and kids (14 and 17 year old) in the family truckster on a road trip next month and will be visiting the greater Chicago area for a couple of days. I was hoping to get a few tourist questions answered by those who would know best.

1) Is the Hillside area a 'good side' of town? If not, where would you suggest to stay? We normally are a Holiday Inn Express family so any area that has one would be preferable.

2) If only in Chicago for a couple of days, what 'family friendly' tourist attractions would you suggest?

3) Most importantly, where can I get the best deep dish pizza?

Thanks in advance for any tips!
Matt

 

[Rev Den]

No. Hillside is not a "good" area.

Go a little farther West or North, or stay IN the city, do not stay near Midway airport. If you stay in the city you want "The Loop"
http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/chicago/chimm/hoteldetail

As far as what to see? You are kidding right?

the list is endless.....literally.

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions.html

2 things that the lids and you might like....

take a tour bus from Navy Pier, or even better:
http://www.wendellaboats.com/

Heck, you could chew up a whole day just wandering along Michigan Ave. and window shopping.

Check those links....if you gots questions let me know. If you want to check out possible hotel locations I can help with that also.

Rev

 

[Rev Den]

As far as pizza....that is kind of a toss up, almost anywhere is good. I am gonna go with Gino's
http://www.ginoseast.com/flash.html

BUT you will get different choices....

Rev

 

[962door]

The kids will probably love the museums and the aqarium, they are all pretty close and could be seen in a day or two.

 

[Rev Den]

The Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry (much more interesting then the Field) are both a FULL day.

You could do the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium could both be done in a full day.

Rev

 

[SAMSET]

one museum will take most of a day. rev is right tho everything you want is in Chicago. museums, zoos, parks, baseball, beaches, going up into the Willis or Handcock, navy pier, any and everything you want is here.

 

[altrocker1]

im going to get flamed for saying this, but chicago pizza isn't real pizza

but if you are going to get pizza, skip giradannos (not sure of the spelling) and do gino's...go to the original one though. the museums are pretty sweet. a ball game at wrigley is a MUST if you have never been. If you have the kids, the zoo is pretty neat, though I don't remember what the cost is. Navy Pier is pretty cool with the ferris wheel, but it kind of sucks when its really hot out. Its always cool to go to the top of the sears tower (though i cant remember what its called now)

Just stay in one of the western burbs or the northern burbs, drive in early and find an earlybird parking special where you can park all day...

stay away from that smelly basebally field on the southside...its really ugly and the team is bad anyway

 

[seanR]

Go to priceline.com pick Chicago Loop, name your own price choose a 4 star hotel.
You will get either the Hyatt on Wacker Drive, or the one at McCormick Place.
Don't pay more than $90.00 per night.
We have never paid ore than $75.00 per night, you will pay to park but you are downtown and you can just call for a cab to take you any where you want to go.
There is a free trolly that will take you to Navy Pier and Michigan Ave.
If you want pizza, the original pizzeria uno or across the street pizzeria Due or up on Superior Su Casa...
http://uno.know-where.com/pizzeria/cgi/selection?mapid=US&lang=en&design=default&country=&region_name=&region=&place=60606&x=29&y=11&mapx=&mapy=
For Breakfast, go to "EAT CHICAGO" on Hubbard street, the Bloody Mary's are the best.
For evening cocktails go to Kitty O'Shay's at the Hilton Towers across the street is Buddy Guy's Legends always a good band playing there.
If you are going to stay in Chicago, stay downtown!
Go to the Art Institute, the Field Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry, and the Aquarium.
Go to the top of the 'c0ck (The John Hancock building) and then on the bottom floor eat at http://www.lappetito.com/
Then go up north on Clark Street to http://www.chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/ it is across the street from the site of the famous "St. Valentine's day massacre"
Then go up to the 3700 block of North Wayne Ave. and take a dump on someones front porch!


I hope this help.

 

[emptypockets86]

im going to get flamed for saying this, but chicago pizza isn't real pizza

Them be fighting words!!!

Definitely check out to the Shedd. I've never grown tired of going there, even as an adult.

 

[SAMSET]

and make sure you also get some good Chicago style hot dogs. one of the best things we have.

i have not tried this place yet but heard it was awesome
http://www.superdawg.com/

 

[emptypockets86]

Johnnies in Elmwood Park has got some of the best dogs around. Don't ask for cheese or else. You've been warned... :twak:

 

[4wdParakeet]

My wife and I took a trip up there last fall. The best deal we got for attractions was the city pass. Cost us 75 bucks apeice but you get tickets for 5 attactions. Google city pass chicago and you should find it.


We loved Lou Malunetiis (sorry I can't remember how to spell it) It was so go we at there twice. And they ship across the country.


Parakeet

 

[4wdParakeet]

Also don't bother renting a car parking was in limited supply and outragously expensive. Get the public transport 3 day pass for 14bucks a person and use that to get around. Much more simple.

Parakeet

 

[Rev Den]

X2 on the Superdawg.

Do not ask for ketchup on ANY Chicago dog.

Rev

 

[altrocker1]

Do not ask for ketchup on ANY Chicago dog.

Rev

agreed on this!

i do like the chicago dog...a LOT. im a ny pizza fan, but chicago hotdog fan. i also dig the italian beef sandwiches. mmm...i could go for an italian beef and a chicago dog right now. extra onions

 

[jjchgo]

ive been in or around chicago my entire as far as pizza goes there is only one choice imo

http://www.pequodspizza.com/home.html

you can get good hotdogs all over the city. like others have said though, dont bother with katchup. i would recomend heading to jewtown near ICU and getting a poslish sausage w/ grilled onions or go to portillo's and get an italian beef.

like all the others have also said, head to the museum campus and check out museum or two. take the kids to navy peir.

i know what holiday inn your talking about in hillside and i wouldnt stay there. first off its not in the city and its next to a dump or something that smells like a dump. either go a few miles west to oak brook or go into the city propper.

 

[87manche]

buy the city pas fr the museum entranace. You willsave monies in the long run if you do more than 2 musuems.

http://www.citypass.com/chicago

 

[xjwisconsin]

If you are foodies, be sure to check out Greektown, or there is Chinatown as well. Lots of amazing restaraunts downtown. The Phoenix on archer has some killer dim sum. Also cafe Iberico downtown for cheap tapas and yummy sangria.

 

[Beezil]

ive been in or around chicago my entire as far as pizza goes there is only one choice imo

http://www.pequodspizza.com/home.html

.

agreed. carmelized crust.

jj, you'll like this one....should be renamed "shit that white out-of-state transplants living on the northside not originally from chicago would say" but you'll get the point.

Wait for the hotgdog scene.

Oh, and colorado boy, stay downtown.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofy5gNkKGOo

 

[REWSTER]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofy5gNkKGOo

I laughed at the Luna and empire parts.