There are few places you can't get to using the CTA. Either train or bus. http://www.transitchicago.com/
I have used taxis in Chicago when I have luggage to move but really you should be able to walk as far as the Hancock.

Hi, MsLizzy. I bet tomfuller imagines you're speaking of the Gold Coast/Division Street farmer's market. That market IS walkable, as he says.

(And really so is the Lincoln Park Farmer's Market, given time and generally good health, but not in your case with a 1:30 lunch.)

I get a little confused about the markets. When I google Lincoln Park Farmer's market I get Greencity Farmers Market. Are we talking the same one?

Sorry to have two posts going, you can answer me in either one.

OK, this is the second time I'm typing this so I hope I don't have any disappearance issues again.

MsLizzy, I have quite a few suggestions for you but many of them will depend if you've got some of these timed events already written in stone.

For example, the CAF River Cruise and Skyscraper tour? What about Ravinia? Is that an absolute "must do"? I'm assuming it must be important to you to use up so much of your precious time.

And how did you determine these dining establishments - Travernita and (I assume you mean) Bella Notte. Did you read any reviews of the places on Yelp or another website? Quite frankly, I wouldn't even mention them.

You have far, far too little time at the Art Institute on Wednesday, even to view the highlights. The museum closes at 5:30 p.m.

I believe you will be quite underwhelmed by Navy Pier in general, especially since you'll probably be overwhelmed by the crowds there to view the (10 minute) fireworks show.

So, my suggestions:

Wednesday (weather permitting):
1) CAF River Cruise. Since you are planning on using the CAF more than 2 times, seriously consider getting a membership. Carefully review the benefits, as they might affect how you wish to use them.
2) Pick up your picnic dinner at Pastoral on E. Lake St. (www.pastoralartisan.com) on your way to
3) Relax and enjoy yourself at Millennium Park
4) If you are tired from your travels: The free concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion that evening is "Scheherazade"; starts at 6:30 p.m.
If you still want to see those fireworks, you can always walk over to Buckingham Fountain for the light show (on the top of the hour) and view them from there
5) If you still have the verve and vinegar in you, what do you think about Bobby's Bike Hike "City Lights at Night Tour" which starts at 7:00 p.m. www.bobbysbikehike.com

Thursday:
1) Today's the day for the Art Institute. It opens at 10:30 a.m. and **get the audio tour**.
2) The Art Institute is immediately south of Millennium Park. Across from Millennium Park is a simply wonderful restaurant, Henri (named after Louis Henri Sullivan). They have a $29 3 course prix fixe lunch special, as well as a la carte. This is a special place. www.henrichicago.com
3) The Chicago Architecture Foundation's ArchiCenter is about 3 blocks to the south on Michigan Avenue. This would be where your 1:00 p.m. walking tour would start. However, I ask did you pick that tour in particular because of the nature of it? Or was it only that it fit in with your itinerary? Would you perhaps be interested in the 2:00 p.m. tour of "Historic Downtown (North Loop): Treasures of Culture and Commerce". If you really weren't that interested in Ravinia, you could take the 5:30 p.m. tour and you would have more time at the Art Institute, as well. You could also visit the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit at Expo 72, 72 E. Randolph.
4) Are aware that you can get picnic goods at Ravinia itself? Or is there another reason why you would picnic downtown first? Also, are you aware that you will have to get across the Loop in the middle of rush hour traffic to get to the Ogilvie Transportation Center to pick up Metra to get to Ravinia? Perhaps the water taxi from N. Michigan Avenue (Wrigley Building/N. Michigan Ave. to Madison) might be an option.
ravinia.org/MetraRail.aspx
ravinia.org/PicnicRavinia.aspx
chicagowatertaxi.com

Friday:
1) The 9:30 a.m. CAF tour on that date is apparently only for the Robie House, and doesn't include the Farnsworth House as well, which is located out in Plano.
2) If you have chosen B.L.U.E.S. based on the talent (and I hope that is your reason for doing so), in lieu of Buddy Guy's Legends (in the South Loop), then consider Rustic House as a place fairly close. rustichousechicago.com BUT, if you didn't mind back-tracking a bit, I'd recommend Yoshi's Cafe, which is located on N. Halsted in the Boystown area of the Lakeview neighborhood. Yoshi's used to be a private supper club but became casual years ago. yoshiscafe.com Take the Red Line up to the Belmont station. Walk 2 blocks east to N. Halsted and 1 block north. It's a fast cab ride from Yoshi's to B.L.U.E.S. from there or you can take the #8 Halsted bus.

Saturday:
This is where I suggest the biggest amount of change suggestions.

Green City Market...I also recommend it to visitors (in fact, if you look w-a-y back in these threads, you'll see that I was the first to do so) but not as the seed on which to base an entire visit around - it is a nice option to include it in your wanderings, though. Instead, here is what I suggest:

1. Walk Astor Street in the Gold Coast. This 4-block long street is arguably the prettiest in the city with many historically and architecturely significant buildings located there. You would have just visited Robie House the day before, then perhaps see the Charnley-Persky House this day (interior tour). charnleyperskyhouse.org The CAF has tours of this street as well but not when you are here.
One of the most famous statues in all of Chicago is located just to the east/northeast of the Chicago History Museum, in the area right where you will be. "Standing Lincoln" by one of America's most famous sculptures, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Considered one of the most accurate of Lincoln, too, as it was done from a life mask of the President - This is right by
2) The Green City Market is located just north of the North/LaSalle underpass between the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. Get your crepes there, if you like, but I would recommend the Austrian Bakery for breakfast instead. It is 1 block north of Fullerton on N. Clark Street. austrianbakery.com
You can easily take the #22 (Clark) bus south on N. Clark Street to get back to where you started on #1, then
3) Take a FREE tour of the Old Town neighborhood. The Old Town neighborhood is immediate to both the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park. On that Saturday, starting at 11 a.m., you can go on an InstaGreeter tour of Old Town. chicagogreeter.com/instagreeter/oldtown
4) This gives you plenty of time to meet your 1:30 p.m. luncheon reservation at the Signature Room.
If you take a cab there along the inner Lake Shore Drive, you will see seven mansions (the Seven Houses on the Lake Shore Drive District). These were mansions of the city's elite built there following the footsteps of the Potter Palmers (Palmer House), whose mansion was located at 1350 N. Lake Shore Drive (demolished decades ago). The Potter Palmers were the royalty of Chicago Society in the latter part of the 19th century into the 20th; and Bertha Honore Palmer bequeathed her personal art collection to the Art Institute. They constitute the core of the AI's priceless Impressionist art gallery, which you will see when you visit.
BTW, I hope that you realize you go to the Signature Room for the view and not the cuisine. And I also hope that the plan is not to do the buffet luncheon.
5) What are you doing after your lunch? I suggest a walk along the Oak Street beach. Access to it is only one block north of the John Hancock Center.
6) Guess what! By doing the above tour, you'll already know where Second City is located. But for dinner, I'd choose Perennial Virant (mentioned on that other thread). Easily within walking distance.

I hope that some of the suggestions may make you rethink your itinerary a little. Enjoy your visit and come back soon.

Oops! That's "sculptors" not "sculptures" referring to Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Here's where you can read about the membership benefits of an individual for the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Note particularly the first one (that is one if there is availability on a given cruise - mid-week might be good to go): tickets.architecture.org/public/membership.asp

And here is on the Seven Houses of the Lake Shore Drive District: www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/tourism/seven_houses_on_lake.html

Thanks Exiledprincess. That is a lot to digest.

Since my SO was in charge of restaurant reservations, I will forward your comments to him. I think he got the Travertina and Belle Notte recommendations from the Chicago Tribune as the best new restaurants.

Thursday morning CAF architectural boat tour and 2 hr. Skyscraper walking tour at 1pm. is booked. I did choose the walking tour based on our time schedule and the small amount of info they give. It sounded like it gave a good overview of the architects I'm interested in seeing including Mies Van de Rohe (I have his Barcelona chair in my living room)etc. I know I won't see them all.

We are planning to picnic at Ravinia before the concert, freshening up at our hotel room and heading out. Thanks for your tip and we will try to freshen up and go earlier. We have tickets for Rachmaninoff at the Ravinia Pavilion Thursday evening for 8pm.

Friday Farnsworth tour is booked but it is not with CAF because they did not offer it during our stay.

I will review your suggestions with a map for Saturday. Since it is my Birthday I do want a successful and not a frustrating or disappointing day. Are Segway tours an option along the Lakefront? That sounds like fun. Second City is booked for Saturday evening.

I am very grateful for all this advice. As travelers you must also realize that until we are there it is difficult to assess whether all our decisions are the best. I hope that this will be the first trip of many others to Chicago. I get the impression that it is so full of treasures that one brief visit won't be enough. I view this trip as a tasting menu. Even if I discover what I have missed, I will know what to put on the menu for next time.

Some of our plans have changed based on advice here and other posts/reviews.

SO has now rebooked dinners at Perennial Virant (Wed), Henri (Friday), and Bistro Margot on Saturday as I love french food.
Talk about a moving feast!

Friday evening we have booked tickets to Buddy Guy's Legends.

I think I speak for all of us in that we want visitors to enjoy themselves as much as possible. I contribute here because others have been very kind to me in my own travel plans.

But, for your own sake, we can only give opinions of what the individual responder *thinks* you might like. It really should be the first step in the research process. It never hurts to get opinions from several different sources.

Although you've already booked alternative plans, I just wanted to mention to others that Bella Notte has been in business since 1995, so I'm not sure how old the review your SO was reviewing on it.

I think you'll really like Perennial Virant and Henri (especially the last).

Just a quick comment on your travel to Farnsworth House: Since it isn't the CAF which you are taking there, then I believe I know which tour group you must be utilizing. I believe you won't be back in the city until 3:30 p.m., instead of 2:30 p.m. Check their schedule.

Although you already have an very, very full agenda, for just review online, have you looked at the Mies Society website (ITT)? You might enjoy it.

Since you're going to be right across the street from it, Frank Lloyd Wright's office used to be housed in the Fine Arts Building (http://www.fineartsbuilding.tv/

I'm sorry, that last posted instead of it being a preview.

To continue about the Fine Arts Building, FLW wasn't the only one with offices there. L. Frank Baum and Lorado Taft, as well. If you go down to the CAF's ArchiCenter ask one of the folks there about the century-old murals on the 10th floor.

Although you won't be here for this, I hope you don't mind my mentioning it for others: Second Fridays There's also a little information about the building itself here. www.fineartsbuildingstudios.com

Inasfar as Saturday, since Lollapalooza will be in full swing when you are here, I'd try to be away from Grant Park and the lakefront in that area. I don't know how that would affect the segway tourS (there are several), in general. Maybe a morning tour, since it looks like the heat will be continuing?

I mentioned Bobby's Bike Hike before for the nighttime tour. They also have tours for the Lincoln Park area.

And, if you have particular interest in architecture and history, I think Astor Street would be well worth your while. Just my opinion, though.

I'm sorry that I posted so late but I hope you have a great time for the next few days.

The comment on the morning tour was to reference the bike hike, not the segway tour.

By any chance, was the one restaurant you of which you were speaking Nellcote?

I am noting all your tips exiledprincess. Thanks again for all your input! If you ever come to Ottawa, Canada, I hope to be as helpful. I was actually quoted in the latest Fodor's edition of Montreal, Quebec City--daytrips out of Quebec City. What an honour!