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Old 11-06-2015, 07:28 PM
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Default Chicago Recommendations

Planning last minute trip to Chicago for Thanksgiving weekend. Traveling thru Union Station. Need recommendations for hotels, restaurants, etc. Interested in seeing the city, good eats, night clubs, maybe if time a museum. Okay with taking public transportation if major $ difference in hotel.

What area of town best for hotels?
Best restaurants?
Must see?

Thanks.
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Old 11-06-2015, 08:09 PM
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[QUOTE=sr1436;1141663]Planning last minute trip to Chicago for Thanksgiving weekend. Traveling thru Union Station. Need recommendations for hotels, restaurants, etc. Interested in seeing the city, good eats, night clubs, maybe if time a museum. Okay with taking public transportation if major $ difference in hotel.

What area of town best for hotels?
Best restaurants?
Must see?

Thanks.[/QUO

My wife and I went in Sept stayed at the Kimpton in the loop. Walked to the Chicago River tour, and took a bus to the museums. We walked 5 blocks to Millennium Park, and the Art Museum. Feel free to call with any questions Len & Mary 352-205-8213
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Old 11-06-2015, 10:18 PM
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I like the holiday inn at the mart. Close to night life, reasonable rates and nice view.
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Old 11-07-2015, 04:18 AM
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Default Chicago recommendations

Restaurants -- if you like Greek food, go to "Greek Town" on Halsted just on the west edge of Chicago's loop. There are several Greek restaurants within 3 blocks of each other. Other restaurants: Girl & The Goat, Alinea (very expensive), Mike Ditka's Restaurant, Shaw's Crab House, Gibson's Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, Grace (very expensive), Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba, Longman & Eagle, Bistro Campagne, Avec, Les Nomades, Bohemian House, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, or Pizano's Pizza for deep dish pizza.

My favorite museums: The Art Institute of Chicago and Adler Planetarium.

Other places to see: John Hancock Building -- take elevator to the 94th floor for a great view of Chicago, Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) - take the elevator up to the top for another great view of Chicago. Trump International Hotel and Tower -- supposed to have a very good (but pricey) restaurant inside known as Sixteen on the sixteenth floor.

Hotels: Silversmith Hotel downtown Chicago, MileNorth Hotel, Hotel Felix, Raffaelo Hotel, The Drake - pricey, JW Marriott, Club Quarters-Central Loop, Hotel Allegro, The Palmer House Hilton, The Wit Chicago-pricey, Virgin Hotels Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North

Shopping on Michigan Avenue - great, but it will be crowded for Thanksgiving weekend. Macy's store on State Street will have a very large Christmas tree in their Walnut Room restaurant -- very popular for lunch and dinner at this time of year, I don't know if they take reservations, if not there will probably be a line. Macy's State Street store will have the windows facing State Street decorated for Christmas.

Have a great time. Bring your $.
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Old 11-07-2015, 05:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schaumburger View Post
Restaurants -- if you like Greek food, go to "Greek Town" on Halsted just on the west edge of Chicago's loop. There are several Greek restaurants within 3 blocks of each other. Other restaurants: Girl & The Goat, Alinea (very expensive), Mike Ditka's Restaurant, Shaw's Crab House, Gibson's Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, Grace (very expensive), Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba, Longman & Eagle, Bistro Campagne, Avec, Les Nomades, Bohemian House, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, or Pizano's Pizza for deep dish pizza.

My favorite museums: The Art Institute of Chicago and Adler Planetarium.

Other places to see: John Hancock Building -- take elevator to the 94th floor for a great view of Chicago, Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) - take the elevator up to the top for another great view of Chicago. Trump International Hotel and Tower -- supposed to have a very good (but pricey) restaurant inside known as Sixteen on the sixteenth floor.

Hotels: Silversmith Hotel downtown Chicago, MileNorth Hotel, Hotel Felix, Raffaelo Hotel, The Drake - pricey, JW Marriott, Club Quarters-Central Loop, Hotel Allegro, The Palmer House Hilton, The Wit Chicago-pricey, Virgin Hotels Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North

Shopping on Michigan Avenue - great, but it will be crowded for Thanksgiving weekend. Macy's store on State Street will have a very large Christmas tree in their Walnut Room restaurant -- very popular for lunch and dinner at this time of year, I don't know if they take reservations, if not there will probably be a line. Macy's State Street store will have the windows facing State Street decorated for Christmas.

Have a great time. Bring your $.


READ THIS post three times. Excellent suggestions. Chicago is my favorite big city in the U.S. I like Chicago and Chicagoans, expecially Shaumburger.


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Old 11-08-2015, 10:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schaumburger View Post
Restaurants -- if you like Greek food, go to "Greek Town" on Halsted just on the west edge of Chicago's loop. There are several Greek restaurants within 3 blocks of each other. Other restaurants: Girl & The Goat, Alinea (very expensive), Mike Ditka's Restaurant, Shaw's Crab House, Gibson's Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, Grace (very expensive), Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba, Longman & Eagle, Bistro Campagne, Avec, Les Nomades, Bohemian House, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, or Pizano's Pizza for deep dish pizza.

My favorite museums: The Art Institute of Chicago and Adler Planetarium.

Other places to see: John Hancock Building -- take elevator to the 94th floor for a great view of Chicago, Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) - take the elevator up to the top for another great view of Chicago. Trump International Hotel and Tower -- supposed to have a very good (but pricey) restaurant inside known as Sixteen on the sixteenth floor.

Hotels: Silversmith Hotel downtown Chicago, MileNorth Hotel, Hotel Felix, Raffaelo Hotel, The Drake - pricey, JW Marriott, Club Quarters-Central Loop, Hotel Allegro, The Palmer House Hilton, The Wit Chicago-pricey, Virgin Hotels Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North

Shopping on Michigan Avenue - great, but it will be crowded for Thanksgiving weekend. Macy's store on State Street will have a very large Christmas tree in their Walnut Room restaurant -- very popular for lunch and dinner at this time of year, I don't know if they take reservations, if not there will probably be a line. Macy's State Street store will have the windows facing State Street decorated for Christmas.

Have a great time. Bring your $.

Wow, you really captured the highlights. Gibsons and Pizzria Due are my favorites when in town Sixteen at Trump has an outdoor bar with amazing views. Bandera on Michigan Ave. has excellent atmosphere and food with jazz nightly.

The Architectural Boat Tour on the River never disappoints. The Hampton Inn on Illinois St. is located well and may be a more affordable accommodation and includes breakfast.

Navy Pier is touristy but can be fun. A lot of it is indoors. November can be a little chilly on the Lake but what a view.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schaumburger View Post
Restaurants -- if you like Greek food, go to "Greek Town" on Halsted just on the west edge of Chicago's loop. There are several Greek restaurants within 3 blocks of each other. Other restaurants: Girl & The Goat, Alinea (very expensive), Mike Ditka's Restaurant, Shaw's Crab House, Gibson's Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, Grace (very expensive), Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba, Longman & Eagle, Bistro Campagne, Avec, Les Nomades, Bohemian House, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, or Pizano's Pizza for deep dish pizza.

My favorite museums: The Art Institute of Chicago and Adler Planetarium.

Other places to see: John Hancock Building -- take elevator to the 94th floor for a great view of Chicago, Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) - take the elevator up to the top for another great view of Chicago. Trump International Hotel and Tower -- supposed to have a very good (but pricey) restaurant inside known as Sixteen on the sixteenth floor.

Hotels: Silversmith Hotel downtown Chicago, MileNorth Hotel, Hotel Felix, Raffaelo Hotel, The Drake - pricey, JW Marriott, Club Quarters-Central Loop, Hotel Allegro, The Palmer House Hilton, The Wit Chicago-pricey, Virgin Hotels Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North

Shopping on Michigan Avenue - great, but it will be crowded for Thanksgiving weekend. Macy's store on State Street will have a very large Christmas tree in their Walnut Room restaurant -- very popular for lunch and dinner at this time of year, I don't know if they take reservations, if not there will probably be a line. Macy's State Street store will have the windows facing State Street decorated for Christmas.

Have a great time. Bring your $.
Wow, you really captured the highlights. Gibsons and Pizzaria Due
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Old 11-08-2015, 11:01 AM
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If you want an authentic downtown diner, try Lou Mitchells on Jackson St. One block west of Union Station or 3 blocks from the Willis tower. Great breakfast!

Lou Mitchell's Restaurant

Enjoy your trip!
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Old 11-08-2015, 11:04 AM
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Take a really warm coat !!!!!
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Old 11-10-2015, 02:24 PM
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Go online and check out the Chicago Go Pass and the Chicago City Pass. They can save you up to an hour in line. Im glad we bought or passes Im not fond of long line.
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restaurants, recommendations, hotels, chicago, public, transportation, time, museum, taking, town, area, difference, hotel, major, eats, thanksgiving, weekend, traveling, trip, planning, minute, union, station, city, good


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