Weekend in Chicago - Advice?

Erik Bates | September 6, 2007
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Amy Austin | September 6, 2007
Only things I saw for the brief time I was there -- Six Flags and Sears Tower.

Tony Peters | September 6, 2007
Wrigley and Comiskey come to mind. Shed Aquarium gets great reviews too

Funny Amy, I saw about the same amount of Orlando myself

Lori Lancaster | September 6, 2007
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Scott Hardie | September 6, 2007
How about Navy Pier? There are also plenty of good restaurants in a variety of price ranges. Have a great weekend, Erik.

This isn't date material, but I used to love going to North Pier for the BattleTech. It's gone now.

Anna Gregoline | September 6, 2007
Navy Pier can take a whole day, but I don't really consider it the best of Chicago (the ferris wheel is a good treat though, if you like that sort of thing, as is the architectual tour down the river, although that will cost you). The Shedd Aquarium is phenomenal, as is the Field Museum. Don't miss the ocean section at the aquarium if you go!

Sears Tower is pretty cool but expensive - if you go the Belmont/Clark/Wrigley Field area there are a lot of touristy shops and bars.

And of course there's always lakefront activities if the weather is nice....

Think too about Improv, etc. The Improv Olympic is very good as well as a little favorite place of mine that is actually in my building, called Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. They're an improv troupe that does amazing shows - always worth the nominal admission.

And basically...if there's an activity you want to do, you can do it in Chicago! I love this city. =)

Denise Sawicki | September 6, 2007
Seconded on Sears Tower being expensive... When I lived 30 miles outside Chicago I once took the train into the city with some other people, a $5 ticket, and then I refused on principle to go up the Sears Tower because it was $7 or $8 for the elevator ride and I thought it shouldn't cost more than the train ride... I am such a total dork... I do like the Shedd Aquarium though. If you're into that sort of thing, there are also two zoos, the Lincoln Park zoo being free last I heard. Can't miss that...

Jackie Mason | September 6, 2007
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Amy Austin | September 6, 2007
Ah, Brookfield Zoo... one of the two theming companies that I've mentioned working for before did work there -- Habitat Africa! The Forest exhibit is one, not sure if there are more (this work predated my employment there by somewhere around a year).

Anna Gregoline | September 6, 2007
D'oh! How could I forget the only free zoo in the country, Lincoln Park!!? It's so great too - and the whole area is beautiful to walk around. My favorite part is the bird house - you walk in open areas with birds flying past you.

My in-laws went to the botanical gardens too and said they were amazing - we haven't been yet though.

Denise Sawicki | September 6, 2007
I don't think it's the only free zoo in the country, I've been to at least two other free ones (Washington DC and Salisbury Maryland) sorry to be contradictory, I am something of a zoo connoisseur, but maybe you meant "county"... By the way I got Zoo Tycoon 2 (because it was free, I know you prefer the non-3D ones). I have to say I like it, even though it is easy and boring... I could use more ease and boredom in my life I guess.

I do find multiple google results listing Lincoln Park Zoo being the only free zoo in the country, though, I wonder how that idea got started... Anyway carry on, sorry for all this talk about things other than Chicago :)

Anna Gregoline | September 6, 2007
Ah...I read something somewhere that said it was the only one - I could be mistaken and it was "ONE" of the only ones!

I'm actually glad to hear it, it's amazing that something as expensive to upkeep and as positive a thing as a zoo is free at all, I'm thrilled there are more free ones!

Steve West | September 6, 2007
Yes, the National Zoo in Washington as part of the Smithsonian conglomerate of exhibition sites is free as they all are. An incredible perk of living in or visiting this city are the number of amazing free sights. Wish I knew something about Chicago to share. Have fun Erik.

Erik Bates | September 6, 2007
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Amy Austin | September 7, 2007
I liked what little I saw of the Maryland/DC area while I was there, too -- I don't think I ever really registered that that's where you are, Steve!

Steve West | September 7, 2007
Born and bred, here to stay. I liked Ferris Bueller's Chicago. Maybe you too can crash a parade and do a Wayne Newton impression. But seriously, I've heard of the Amazing Chicago Funhouse Maze. Don't remember the details, though. Anyone seen or experienced it?

Jackie Mason | September 7, 2007
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Amy Austin | September 7, 2007
No, no, Jackie -- I said that a company I worked for did work there on Habitat Africa! -- I don't know if you recall any exhibits under construction while you were there, but it should have been right around that same time or just completed?

Yeah, I saw the Smithsonian(s) and not the zoo, too... too bad. ;-(

Anna Gregoline | September 7, 2007
Ferris Bueller's Chicago is very much flawed in that it never takes traffic into account. There is NO WAY they would have gotten out of the city in rush hour before their dad got home.

Yeah, that's one of my favorite movies of all time and it always cracks me up how many things they manage to do in the space of about what, 5 hours? Less? Totally funny.

Jackie Mason | September 7, 2007
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