Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Aquarium,
or the
Adler Planetar-
ium.
To top off the day, catch a
play at one of the city's top theaters:
Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare,
or
Steppenwolf.
If You Have 2 Days
Spend the first day in the downtown
area. Walk around
the Loop
(as
mentioned above) to see the build-
ings and the city's extensive sculpture
collection. You can also hop on the
El
train as it loops around down-
town (peeking into passing office
buildings is part of the fun). Next,
visit one or two of the city's premier
museums. Finish off the day with a
shopping trip up the
Magnificent
Mile
(and maybe a trip to the top of
the
Hancock Building
) or a gallery-
hopping expedition in
River North.
Both areas have plenty of excellent
restaurants for dinner. If you've still
got the energy, take an evening stroll
along
Navy Pier
and a spin on the
Ferris wheel. Then pick a boat along
the dock for a nighttime cruise and
view the shimmering skyline from
the lake.
On the second day, head for a
neighborhood on the
North Side,
such as the Gold Coast, Lincoln
Park, or Wicker Park, and explore.
In the afternoon, you won't be far
from
Wrigley Field,
where you can
see the Cubs play. In the evening,
dine at one of the many ethnic
restaurants along Clark Street or
Southport Avenue. Spend the rest of
the evening at one of the big-name
theaters or perhaps at a more offbeat
show in the Wrigleyville area.
If You Have 3 Days
Begin the third day with a trip to
Hyde Park,
where you can see the
University of Chicago and Frank
Lloyd Wright's Robie House, among
other sights. Then spend a few hours
at the fascinating
Museum of Sci-
ence and Industry.
If you have time
left, you could head back north and
visit another museum. One worthy
candidate is the
Mexican Fine Arts
Center Museum
in Pilsen, a vibrant
Hispanic community south of the
Loop that has wonderful outdoor
murals and some charming bakeries
along 18th Street. If it's a nice day,
however, walk up North Michigan
Avenue or cross over to
Oak Street
Beach
for a stroll (or roll, with a
rented bike or blades) along the lake
up to Fullerton Avenue, where you
can wander around the zoo and the
conservatory, or the
Peggy Note-
baert Nature Museum.
If you have
an extra couple of hours of daylight,
jump in a cab and head for nearby
Armitage Avenue,
lined with some
of Chicago's most unique boutiques
and retail shops. Choose one of the
neighborhood's many good restau-
rants for dinner and then one of its
jazz or blues clubs
for a finale.
1 In & Around the Loop: The Art Institute,
the Sears Tower & Grant Park
The heart of the Loop is Chicago's business center, where you'll find such finance
fascinations as the Chicago Board of Trade, the world's largest commodities,
futures, and options exchange; and some of the city's most famous early sky-
scrapers (not to mention the Sears Tower). If you're looking to soak in a real big-
city experience, wander the area on a bustling weekday (just make sure you don't
get knocked down by a commuter rushing to catch the train). The Loop is also
home to one of the city's top museums, the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as a
number of cultural institutions: Symphony Center (home of the world-class
Chicago Symphony Orchestra), the Auditorium Theatre, the Civic Opera
House, the Goodman Theatre, and two fabulously restored historic theaters
