Where should i go when I visit Chicago?

Travel Info
I will be going to Chicago for a weekend. I havnt been there before. I am interested in museums, art, some light shopping, and any activity that has to do with the outdoors. Have any suggestions?

Travel Tips

Well, I'll try to answer with one from each category you named:
Museum: Try the Museum of Science and Industry. It's further south than all the other museums but it's great. You could spend the whole day there and not see everything. It's not that difficult to get to, just one express bus from downtown.

Art: The National Museum of Mexican Art. Yes, the art institute of Chicago has the more famous paintings, etc., but this small museum in Pilsen has some great underrated art. A few Freida Kahlos, etc. And a pretty cool gift store where you can occasionally find those sugar skulls they make on the Dia del Morte (Day of the Dead). http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.or...

Light shopping: Forget Michigan Ave. The only thing "light" there will be your wallet after you're done. Try the area about Belmont and Clark. A wide variety of stores, from upscale dress shops to funky clothing stores with resale and overstock items, to a store like the Alley that sells punk and rock clothing, to a DSW discount shoe store, to a Marshalls to ... well, like I said, some of everything. You can find some unique stores there and not go home flat broke. And there are restaurants and bars all around so you can take a break and eat Mexican, Thai, burgers, etc.

Outdoors: Hard to find outdoorsy stuff in such an urban city like Chicago. I would recommend the Chicago Botanical Garden, but it might be difficult for someone not from the city to get to (it's in a nearby 'burb called Glencoe). Try the Garfield Park Conservatory (http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/).... It's a pretty cool botanical garden with large array of plants indoors and a big outdoor garden. There are plants that reach up the ceiling. There is an art exhibit currently running ("Nikki In the Garden") so you can kill two birds with one stone, art and outdoors. It's easy to get to, just take the Green Line train from the Loop west to the Conservatory/Central Park station (about a 10 minute ride).

Hope that helps...
Others

Sears tower and try a Chicago Pizza.
there are so many places to see in Chicago. museums and shopping and galleries abound. take the boat ride onto the lake. you won't have time to do all there is to do in one weekend.
http://www.hereschicago.com/sightseeing/...
Wicker Park
Make sure you take the Architectural Foundation river tour - it is outstanding. Do you have kids? They will love the fountain at Millennium Park. Art Institute has fabulous Impressionist painting and doll house rooms - plus amazing other stuff. Spend you money on Michigan Ave. Also Frank Lloyd Wright home in Oak Park. Baseball fan? Wrigley Field is a must.
You would probably like The Art Institute of Chicago, it's a pretty cool museum. Went last November.

I don't know about everything else but you need to go to the Italian Village. It is so awesome inside, and the food is delicious!

71 W. Monroe Street
Floor 2
Chicago, IL 60603

http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/in...