Ashley24

We are looking to visit Chicago for Thanksgiving as we did two years ago. Our family consists of two dd, 8 and 11, and my dh and me (in our 30's). Last time we stayed at the Westin on MI Ave. and had Thanksgiving dinner at the Signature Room. We also enjoyed the Museum of Science and Industry as well as the children's museum. This year we are thinking of going to the Field museum, see Wicked, maybe do the Science museum again, and of course enjoy a nice T-giving meal. We plan on arriving Wednesday morning or Tuesday night and leaving Friday evening. Here are my questions:
1. I just checked OpenTable.com and it looks like there is no availability on Thanksgiving day at the Signature Room. I will call to double check or get put on a waiting list but where would be another great place to eat? Buffets are best for us but not mandatory.
2. How far is the Ford Theater from the Westin and/or field museum?
3. Would it be possible to visit the Field museum, seeing the King Tut exhibit in the AM and be able to go to the 2:00 show of Wicked?
4. Are there places other than Ticketmaster to purchase the Wicked tickets so that we don't have to pay all the service fees?
5. As far as the hotel, we liked the Westin enough but the Entertainment book has some discounts on other hotels. I like nicer hotels that are in a good location for getting around without a taxi. We used a bus to get to the museum last time and walked to the Signature Room and shopping. Any comments on the following hotels?
Amalfi
Drake
Hotel 71
Hyatt Regency (Wacker Dr.)
Le Meridien
Lenox Suites (Rush)
Omni Ambassador
Palmer House
Seneca
Sheraton Chicago (N. Water St)
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Swissotel Chicago
Talbot
Wyndham
Hilton Chicago (S. Michigan Ave)
Omni Chicago Hotel (N. MI Ave)
W Chicago City

Thanks!!!!!!!!

travel_addict

I've at the Swissotel a couple years ago. Found the room on Hotwire for $100 a night. I liked the location and the room was very nice & comfortable. The views we had were incredible too. The lobby area & restaurants seemed a little snooty though, but we didn't hang out there much.

It's been about 10 years since I've stayed at the Drake but I remember it being very nice also.

I also got a room at the Congress Hotel a few years ago, and it was ok as well. Not as nice as the other two, but close to the Field Museum.

kulbecam

I am a Chicagoan and have out of town guests here on businee often. The Swissotel,Hyatt and Sofitel are all very nice. The Drake and Palmer House are both great and at different ends of Chicago's downtown (we refer to it as the Loop) The Palmer house is in the south Loop which would be closer to the Ford Theatre and museum, but any where on Michigan Ave will be cabbing distance. You could do both the play and museum in 1 day depending on how long you want to be in the Tut exhibit, they are only about 20 minutes apart, but the Field Museum has many other great exhibits that you may want to see,and the Oceanarium is right across the street from it. For food I don't know of any buffets, but with kids the "10pin Bowling Lounge", "Chicago Fire House", "Ed Debevics" or the "Cheescake Factory" are good choices. If the like American Girl dolls, there is a store in the north Loop and I think they have a restuarant.
Enjoy your visit to our wonderful city.

Citylghts

I hope this helps some.

1. There are much better places than the Signature Room. Their food is ok, but not on the same level as their prices. I haven't seen any announcements yet, but all the major hotels and many restaurants have dinner on that day. Check www.metromix.com.

2. The Ford Center/Oriental Theatre is at the north end of the loop on Randolph one-half block west of State Street. The Field Museum is about 1.5 miles SE of the Oriental at the south end of Grant Park.

3. You could see Tut and Wicked the same day, but you may be rushed. The Field opens at 9:00 and I'd allow at least two hours for Tut plus additional time if you're going to see other parts of the museum. Add some extra time because of the crowds that weekend, and a lunch break and you'd probably be running into the theatre just as the overture begins.

4. The only way to avoid Ticketmaster fees is to purchase tickets at the box office. The only other option is a ticket broker and you'll pay an additional mark-up on top of Ticketmaster charges.

5. LeMeridian and Lenox Suites no longer exist. The Meridian is now the Conrad and the Lenox is now the James. The Ambassador East is no longer part of the Omni chain. The W City Center is in the middle of the loop. It's surrounded by banks and government offices. It's a fine area, but pretty quiet during non-business hours.

The extremes are The Drake, which is just over a mile north of the Oriental, and The Chicago Hilton which is just about a mile south.

If you'd like a little more space, the Omni Chicago is all-suites. Other suite hotels around Michigan Ave are Embassy Suites (2 locations), Homewood Suites, Hilton Inn & Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites.

You can reach the Field Museum via the Number 146 bus. You can catch it southbound on Michigan Avenue north of the river or on State Street south of the river. For Science & Industry, you can catch the Number 2 bus at the same stops. For transit info, check www.transitchicago.com.

You don't mention any shopping, but I'm sure you'll want to at least see the decorations at Field's/Macy's and along Michigan Avenue. There is also a Christmas market on Daley Plaza on Washington St.

JJ5

I don't know how you feel about walking. But I walked from Oriental (Ford Theatre for the Performing Arts) to River North all the way back to LaSalle St. Station closer to the South Loop, plus took a detour to Millenium Park on the way up and didn't use busses or cabs. It's doesn't take that long. Had lunch and stopped for music in the band shell area (20 minutes) and all told the entire took me about 3 hours. So you see, the extremes are not undoable on young legs. If time is a factor, grab a bus.

Your questions have all been answered in great detail on former threads. So you may want to use the search here for Wicked Ticketmaster or Michigan Ave hotels etc.

My advice is get your tickets for Wicked now. For that weekend they may be all sold out. Any tickets are ok- there just aren't any really bad seats in my opinion. If you are REALLY fussy, then you will probably not get what you want this late.

Get the tickets now, pay the Ticketmaster prices/services charges unless you have absolute knowledge from some hotel combo perk that you will get them. Even on stubhub and other venues they are really elevated in prices over the Ticketmaster.

The Field price is piecemeal and you'll want the Tut package. I think with kids your kids' ages, you can do the Field that quick if you get there very early. You do know the Tut tickets are timed. You may have to see if they are available that early.

For your family I would seriously consider Hotwire or some other venue that lets you get 2 rooms attached at a discount price. Rooms are available in Chicago, great rooms, on Holiday weekends when the Holiday itself is included. LOTS of people stay home on holidays.

I would rec one of the suite hotels or something in the River area for families with kids. Swissotel is a bit more of a walk to MI Ave. because it is out in the landfill that sticks into the lake itself. I would go for easy walking on the River to get both to River North (RESTAURANTS GALORE) and to theatre dist.in the LOOP and MI AVE. near the River. All three easy access that way. Just my opinion. That Omni, Westin, Renaissance on the Riverwalk area with kids would be great. But so would the suite hotels off of MI Ave. for probably a lot less rack rate, if that is the way you going.

You've been here before, so look at a good detail downtown map and you will see what I mean.

bagsarepacked

Just stayed at the Embassy Suites (600 N State)
great location, price and room.

TTess

I can understand why people from Chicago would think the Drake is great, because it was great. The lobby is beautiful and so are the common areas. The rooms need complete updating. I've stayed in two different rooms and have the same complaints - curling wallpaper, old and dreary colors, window coverings decor, bathrooms, you name it - it needs to be redone. I hope they will update this glorious property because it needs it badly.

We stayed at the Four Seaons this summer - fabulous in every way. If you can swing that, go for it.

cfntmpn

If your going to start looking at hotels in the 4 Seasons price range, be sure to check out the Peninsula - one of the best in Chicago, IMHO. But $$$!

ORDgirl

In the Peninsula/4 Seasons range, I prefer an east facing room in the Park Hyatt--window seats with fabulous views over the Water Tower to the Lake. You won't be looking out into someone else's window.

abram

ORDgirl, you have responded to an old post about Thanksgiving, 2006!