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| *Travel Tips>>>Chicago Travel Tips |
Need help planning trip to Chicago/Oakbrook, IL area? |
Travel Info I will be staying in the Oakbrook area for a few nights. Do you have any suggestions of what hotel to stay, attractions, shopping and dinning spots?? *please keep in mind we do have a limited budget. Thanks for your help!! Travel Tips I live in the far western suburbs of Chicago. My wife and I have done that same thing and Chicago is a great city to explore this way. Here are my suggestions for a romantic weekend -- I'll give you more suggestions than you could possibly actually do. HAVE A GREAT TIME ENJOYING THE FOOD: You have to go get some Chicago food -- at one of the great restaurants. One thing that people associate with Chicago is great food. My suggestion would be to try either (1) Magnum's or (2) Morton's for steak (expensive); (3) Giordano's or (4) Uno's Pizza (cheap), (5) Maggianno's for Italian (moderate). RIVER CRUISE: You can take the (6) Chicago River Cruise part of one evening. It has an archetectural tour that goes down the Chicago River which is beautiful in the evening. They do have these going (weather permitting in February). At least do a dinner cruise from any number of ship that leave nightly from Navy Pier. These would be warm and you get beautiful views of Chicago's skyline. STROLLING HAND-IN-HAND: (7) Strolling down Michigan Avenue in the evening is fun in itself -- seeing the beautiful store fronts and people-watching. You have to at least (8) walk through Millineum Park and see it -- especially the Bean. TROLLEY BUS TOUR/CARRAIGE RIDE: (9) Take a trolley bus tour of the city as well -- the kind that Vince Vaughn did as tour narrator in the movie "The Break-up". Again, if weather is too cold, take the horse drawn carraige rides that you can catch arounf the Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue -- snuggled under the warm blankets they provide. LAUGHTER: You should take in (10) Zanie's Comedy Club in Old Towne. I've laughed so hard there that the muscles in my cheeks hurt afterward. It is a fun and relatively inexpensive night out -- and is right in the heart of where John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase all cut their comedic teeth while in Chicago at the beginning of their careers. GO TO A WEDDING THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN: While in (11) Olde Towne you also should try to take in Tony and Tina's Wedding at Piper's Alley right in OT. STROLL THROUGH THE ZOO: (12) Lincoln Park Zoo is still free so that would be a great family outing that wouldn't cost much. DRINKING AND DANCING: If you like the (13) Bar Scene you can go clubbin' in Rush Street -- where there are just blocks and blocks of bars and restaurants. After (14) Rush Street go around the corner to Division Street and keep the clubbin' going. AUTHENTIC CHICAGO BLUES SCENE: As it gets a bit later you have to go check out a Blue's Club. (15)Rosa's is the place you need to see. It is just what people think of as they imagine an authentic Chicago Blues club. It has been spotlighted in USA Today recently. http://www.rosaslounge.com/ (16) Kingston Mines is on Halsted is another blues club (North of the city) http://www.kingstonmines.com/flash/main.... THE LOVABLE LOSERS: At this time of year you can take in where either a Cubs or White Sox game and see their ballparks and grab a sandwich (17) aT THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU CAN AT LEAST WALK AROUND wRIGLeY Field and get the ambiensce of the neighborhood and get a bite to eat. NAVY PIER CARRASOL RIDE: Ride the Ferris Wheel to get a unique view of the city from Navy Pier. People like to stroll at (18) Navy Pier, but that isn't a great place in my opinion it is overrated. It is really good for children. If you haven't seen it you might enjoy going once. (19) You could go ice skating at Navy Pier. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN CHICAGO'S CULTURE: As for culture that your kids would also enjoy you can't miss the (20) Field's Museum, (21) the Chicago Art Museum, (22) the Museum of Science and Industry and (23) Shedd Acquarium (check out the white Beluga Whales). You can get a pass from your concierge to go to all of these places for one reasonable price for families. Check out the (24) Picasso Stature -- given to the city of Chicago from Picasso in the mid-sixties. It is at Daley Plaza. THE CABLE GUY: Finally take a page out of Jim Carrey's movie and go to (25) Medieval Times in Schaumburg. See the jousting and eat with your hands. One thing for sure -- you will love Chicago. In my opinion, there isn't a finer city to do what you want to do with your spouse. I'm envious.....enjoy. It is a great city -- very clean and the people are friendly. Good question. Others Oakbrook Website Update: This site tells you about things to do in Chicago and the suburbs around Chicago. It also provides transportation information. http://wikitravel.org/en/chicago... Here are the links for public transportation: Metra - http://www.metrarail.com/ Bus - http://www.pacebus.com/ CTA - http://www.transitchicago.com/ http://www.oak-brook.org/oakbrook_homepa... Oakbrook can be expensive for lodging. If you have a car there is a Holiday Inn and Residence Inn in Elmhurst which is only 10 minutes north of Oakbrook. For dining I recommend Braxton Seafood Grill in the Oakbrook Center mall. Also if you want to go into downtown Chicago you can take the Metra train from Elmhurst. The ride is about 1/2 hour and most of the hotel shuttles in the area will take you to the Metra station. Around Oakbrook, you have the Oakbrook shopping center, also Yorktown Shopping Mall. The Weber Grill is a good place to eat, there are alot of restaurants in that area. Used to work in Oakbrook Oak Brook has pretty much all the major hotel chains, Marriott, Hyatt, Residence Inn etc. Most of the restaurants mentioned above aren't cheap. There are a couple places in the mall to eat and some you can get some decent specials. Wildfire has great steaks, Maggiano is decent Italian and Mon Ami Gabi is French and they have another location at the Paris in Vegas. If you come from Chicago via Metra train you probably should take the Burlington Line to Hinsdale and you can catch a cab to Oak Brook. |
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