Touring Chicago -- One Weekend at a Time

Traveling within the city of Chicago can be both exciting and intimidating. It can be exciting because there is so much to do, there are many many people, and it has a big city attitude. It can also be intimidating because, well, there is so much to do, there are many many people, and it has a big city attitude. If one takes it one small step at a time, one can find that despite those things, it can be a city full of fun.

Living about an hour and a half from downtown Chicago has provided us several opportunities to explore some of those things that contribute to Chicago's greatness. If one is wondering what to do on an upcoming weekend trip to Chicago, here are a few things that are worth while seeing.

The most important thing to decide is "how one will get around in Chicago." There is, of course, driving in with all the traffic, then finding a place to park which can be difficult as well as expensive; or there is taking one of two train options. One of those is the Metra, with several stops in the suburbs that you can get on and leave your car safe and affordably. The other is the CTA, or as the locals call it "the L", which starts at O'Hare airport and runs throughout the city and surrounding suburbs and can be boarded at hundreds of locations on its route (for full route and price information, see www.transitchicago.com ). Several stops within the system have safe and affordable places to park your vehicle. I would suggest taking this to one of the stops on Michigan Avenue, otherwise known as the Magnificent Mile, which is central to most everything else, as well as city bus stops which are included in the 24 hour CTA ticket.

Now that one is in the city, what should one do next? If one is hungry, I would suggest finding something that is traditionally Chicago, such as Portillos (for locations see www.portillos.com) for Chicago style hot dogs and Italian beef. However, if one is craving pizza, one should definitely try the Chicago deep dish style at either Giordanos or Gino's East. Each of these places is unique and both of these establishments can be found near Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown.

Now that one is stuffed full of hot dogs and deep dish pizza, it is time to see some of Chicago's famous sites. If one heads North on Michigan Avenue toward the John Hancock building (it is the tall one with the X-cross beams from top to bottom) one will come across the old water tower which is the only surviving building from the Chicago Fire of 1871 that destroyed the downtown. Just a few hundred more feet North is the John Hancock building which has an observation deck at the top that gives a bird's eye view of Chicago. From there one can see 4 states.

After one has had the bird's eye view of the city, it is time to walk or take the CTA bus system, and head on down to Millenium Park which sits adjacent to Grant Park. There one will see the Cloud Gate, locals call it "the bean". In it one can see reflections of the city. Until the end of the Summer season of 2009, there are several temporary sculptures there as well. In the Winter there is an outdoor ice skating rink. Make sure to take the short hike to see Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park that, in the Summer, has dancing water shows which are spectacular.

If one is an art museum enthusiast, one can tour the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art photography branch which is right next door to Grant Park and is connected to Millenium Park ; or one can tour one or more of several other museums. I personally enjoy the Museum of Science and Industry (www.msichicago.org) which has the German U-Boat #505 as part of its displays. There is also the newly remodeled Shedd Aquarium (www.sheddaquarium.org), and the Chicago Field Museum (www.fieldmuseum.org) which houses one of the most complete T-Rex skeletons in the world -Sue. There are certain days of the year that each of these museums has free admission day. Those can be found on their websites. There is also a zoo in Lincoln Park (www.lpzoo.org) that is always free.

No trip to Chicago is complete without a trip to Navy Pier. Here one will find a 140 foot ferris wheel, a miniature golf course, a carousel,a children's museum, tropical garden, food court, museum of stained glass, and oftentimes entertainment. One can also board boats for cruises on beautiful Lake Michigan.

If one only has one opportunity to visit Chicago, one should visit "The Ledge" the new glass enclosed observation cube in the skydeck on the 103rd floor of the 110 floor Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower); the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It is an unforgettable experience to come face to face with the ground from 103 floors up.

Finally, for the sports fans, Chicago has sports of all kinds. From the North side Cubs, to the South side White Sox, every Chicagoan has their favorite baseball team and they are adamant and knowledgeable about their team. There is also the NFL Bears, whose home is Soldier Field, as well as the Bulls NBA basketball team and the Blackhawks NHL hockey team who both play at the United Center.

As one can see, there is so much to do in so little time, so get started. What are you waiting for?