3 days in Chicago – our travel tips and recommendations for the ‘Windy City’
Did you know that Chicago got its nickname ‘Windy City’ not because of its fierce winds but because of its full-of-hot-air politicians? Neither did we. 🙂 (As a side note: If you’d like to find out more about Chicago’s infamous politicians and how they managed to woo the organiser’s of the 1893 World’s Fair into hosting this event in Chicago -> read more here.)
But back to the city itself: Chicago has a population of about 2.7 million and is situated on the south west part of Lake Michigan, a picturesque lake twice the size of Maryland (and one of the five Great Lakes in North America).
We were able to visit this wonderful city in June for 3 days and here are our tips and highlights for you.
Sightseeing highlights in Chicago
Chicago is a true architectural gem and hence well-known among architects and architecture enthusiasts alike. Taking a boat trip on the Chicago River and strolling along Riverwalk are definitely must-dos while you are in the city.
Riverwalk and a boat trip on the Chicago River
The Chicago River, which is directly connected to Lake Michigan, flows through a large part of the city center and thereby offers great views of architectural highlights. Taking advantage of this, the city of Chicago has made the smart move of building beautiful pedestrian paths right next to the water. We recommend taking a stroll along the Riverwalk both at day and at night to take in the beautiful buildings and skyscrapers towering on either side of the river.
If you are interested in a boat tour you will find plenty of options to choose from. We decided to go with Wendella Boats as their tours explore both Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Tickets for a 90-minute ride cost 35 $ per person – a price that was fine with us as our guide was entertaining and informative in equal measures. Therefore: a clear recommendation from us.
Millennium Park
It is not surprising that Millennium Park has become the number one tourist attraction in the Midwest given that it features four major artistic highlights: the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Cloud Gate, the Crown Fountain, and the Lurie Garden.
Cloud Gate – the Bean
The Cloud Gate, also known as ‘The Bean’, is a sculpture that probably everyone has seen at some point in movies or pictures – its distinctive shape is quite hard to forget (alien egg, anyone?). The bean is made of a reflective surface which definitely makes for some interesting photos. Plus, you can walk beneath it – this causes very entertaining optical illusions which reminded us of a typical house of mirrors. Definitely worth a visit at night as well.
Crown Fountain
Just a mere 100m away is the Crown Fountain which offers a great way to cool off on hot days. It features 2 rectangular blocks that look similar to Lego bricks. Projected onto these two blocks are videos of random people – children and adults – giving off the image that water is pouring out of their mouths. The artists/architects behind these attractions certainly knew how to catch everyone’s attention. 🙂
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Also nearby is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Serving as the centerpiece of Millennium Park, it hosts a wide range of free concerts and film screenings during the summer, other events (click here for the program) are held all year round. The building was designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry. We were lucky enough to catch a screening of the Chicago-inspired cult film Blues Brothers at this impressive bandshell.
Navy Pier and the Centennial Wheel
Given the Wheel’s proximity to the Millennium Park (~1km / 0.6 mi distance), it is definitely a must-see while touring the city center. If you get hungry during your walk you will find plenty of restaurants and food vendors along the pier to choose from. Just a few steps away from the Navy Pier’s main entrance is the Crystal Garden, a one-acre botanic garden that holds over 80 live palm trees. It is the perfect place to cool off and enjoy the views of the lakefront. Admission is free, make sure to check it out.
Buckingham Fountain – remember Married with children?
And the most important thing of all: most of you probably know the 80s and 90s hit TV show ‘Married with Children’. In case you are a big fan of Al Bundy and his dysfunctional family, then you will be happy to know that the Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park is the fountain that is shown in the opening credits of this show – we hope it will bring back fond memories for you.
Rooftop bars in Chicago
If you love delicious cocktails and skyline sights, then Chicago is the place to be. According to locals, the London House is supposed to have an amazing rooftop bar with spectacular views of the city. While we didn’t make it there, we went to the Signature Room located on the 95th floor of the Hancock Tower – and we loved it. No entrance fee and even though we didn’t have reservation, we still got a nice spot right next to the window. We were very lucky that day: we got to witness a very colorful and vibrant sunset – all while sipping a great cocktail.
If you’d like to enjoy scenic views of Chicago minus the alcoholic beverages, you could check out the Skydeck at Willis Tower located on the 103rd floor. You might have seen the ‘Ledge’ before, a glass balcony that extends out 4.3 feet from the Skydeck – it is definitely not for the faint of the heart. 🙂
Blues live experience in Chicago
Any music lovers amongst you? Then you should definitely head to one of the many great blues bars that Chicago has to offer. Home to the Chicago blues, this musical genre is alive and kicking in this city. Selecting one bar won’t be easy as there are just way too many choices, but we decided to go with the ‘Blue Bar’ and were not disappointed – great atmosphere and a superb band.
Please be aware that most blues bars are relatively small – we recommend arriving half an hour before the concert starts to secure a good spot.
Food, weather, public transport and other tips for Chicago
Food and Pizza in Chicago
Food-wise, Chicago is famous for its deep dish pizzas. As we love pizza (who doesn’t, right?), we definitely had to try that cheesy feast during our stay. But we’ll be honest: we weren’t exactly swept off our feet. The ‘regular’ pizza we had at Giardano’s on Randolph (close to Millenium Park) was much more delicious and tasty.
Need a sugar fix after your meal? We know just the perfect place for you: Stan’s Donuts. Personally, I don’t think I have ever eaten a better donut. Originally from LA, Stan’s Donuts is so super popular these days that they have 7 locations across the city. Fingers crossed for a store in Europe. 🙂
As for value of money, Chicago is quite close to Vienna; you will get a decent lunch for about 8-12 $ at most restaurants. Meanwhile, a bottle of water costs about 2 $ – while the cost of that will add up after a few days, it is better than drinking tap water as we were informed by our local friends (unless, of course, it is filtered).
Lake Michigan and Chicago beaches
Another thing we really liked about Chicago is that all of its beaches on Lake Michigan are publicly accessible and offer many great spots for BBQing. The lake it itself is quite chilly (we guess around 18-20°C), but therefore a great place to cool off if temperatures are soaring.
Here is a little hint for a cool spot close to Promontory Point.
For the sport enthusiasts amongst you: unfortunately it’s the off-season in June for basketball and football. However, you can catch a baseball game if you are interested in this sport.
Chicago’s public transport (CTA Chicago Transit Authority) is very well developed and you can get around the city quite fast by bus or metro. The ‘L’ train (above ground, elevated train) runs quite often, but only within the inner districts. While in Chicago, you should definitely get on the ‘L’ train for an inner city round trip as you will pass many sightseeing spots and places that have been the backdrop for many famous movies (e.g. Blues Brothers).
Tickets cost 2 $ for a ride (no changes included). While you can rent city bikes for 8 $ a day, you have to bear in mind that the bike needs to be returned to a docking station every 30 minutes – otherwise you will be charged extra (unfortunately).
Taxis are slightly more expensive than Uber or Lyft, so ideally download both apps before heading to Chicago. If you are from overseas we recommend getting a US mobile plan as you won’t find wifi spots as easily as in cities like New York. Head over to T-Mobile USA if you are interested in a US SIM card – they have a 30 $ offer which includes 2GB data (valid for 3 weeks).
In terms of shopping, Chicago has a lot to offer for everyone; if you head over to ‘Magnificent Mile’ you will find yourself on the longest shopping street in the US.
Weather-wise June was really, really hot and humid with temperatures around 35 °C. If you would like to avoid heat waves like that, then May and September are probably the best months for your trip.
So, this was with our travel guide to the Windy City. We hope you enjoyed it almost as much as we enjoyed our trip to Chicago 🙂 If you would like to see more photos of our trip, head over to our Flickr or Instagram #tothehinterland