2/3rds of a day in Chicago
 

I will be attending a conference in Chicago starting July 29. My flight arrives on the Thursday, estimate will be checked into hotel around 11:15.
I have the rest of the day to myself (conference starts on the Friday) and for the most part will be alone.
What sights and tours do you recommend for a first-time visitor? There's the CAF tours (Architecture Foundation river tours), but what else should I hit?
Thanks for your help :-)

In no particular order:

1. Check out the shops on the Magnificent Mile
2. Art Institute
3. Wander around Grant Park and enjoy the Chicago skyline
4. Walk a bit along the Lake
5. Navy Pier

I might just wander the loop or lakeshore and hang around Millenium park. Or perhaps go to the top of Sears tower if that is of interest. You don't really mention what you like. Not lots of time.

At 6:30pm on the 28th there is a free, outdoor concert at the amazing Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. If I were going to be in Chicago that day, I'd probably take the CAF river cruise in the afternoon and spend some time wandering around Michigan Ave., maybe going to the Signature Lounge in the John Hancock Building for a late-afternoon drink. I would then pick up something for a picnic dinner and eat it at the concert in the park. After the concert I'd check out the rest of Millennium Park then head back to the Loop or Michigan Ave. area for more wandering. Or to Navy Pier. There will be free music there from 8-midnight also, at the Bud Light stage, and you'll have a great view of the skyline.

Thanks for the help so far, sorry for not specifying what I like...but so far your suggestions sound wonderful: to get a general feel for the city, history/architecture, and I also like music (nice concert idea) esp. since I hear it's worth visiting Millenium park...
Is it relatively safe for a woman to be walking alone there (granted I follow normal big-city safety rules?)
What type of shops are on the Magnificent Mile? Eclectic or all the designer stuff?
Many thanks again, this has been helpful

Trin, the Mich. Ave. stores are all relatively high end chain stores, Neiman Marcus, Crate and Barrel, etc. Marshall Field's in Water Tower is a Chicago original. As for walking around as a woman along, you should have no problems. It stays light out until close to 8:30 and those areas are as safe as can be expected and will be quite busy after work-just take usual precautions.

Trin, here is what I'd do with 2/3rds of a day:

1. Catch the noon CAF River Cruise if you do get checked into your hotel by 11:15 am, which would be over about 1:30 pm. Otherwise do the 1pm cruise.

2. Go to the Art Institute - don't walk it, just take a cab--you'll want to spend every moment you can in the AI. Especially, catch the Toulouse Lautrec exhibit. (Do the audio tour--it truly enhances the experience.) The AI closes at 8:00 pm on Thursdays so you aren't rushed, but you'd want to leave by about 5:00-5:30 pm.

3. Go to Millennium Park. You can have a picnic if you wish, but maybe you'd like to eat at Park Grill and then have a seat closer to the Grant Park Orchestra at Pritzker Pavilion.

4. Go to Buckingham Fountain after the concert for one of the light shows on the hour (last light show is 11 pm, but I'm sure you could make the 9pm easily).

I'd forego Navy Pier, unless you wanted to take a boat tour (recommend the Windy) and shopping on Michigan Avenue can be done any other time.

The John Hancock Signature Room would be a very good thing to do with colleagues one evening. Try to go at sunset, if you can.

Have fun while here!

Excellent advice. Also for all those Chicago tourists and locales both- an FYI.

There is a new magazine called Time Out Chicago and it is excellent. Just won an award for tops (4th) in the country and it just started in March. It contains so many tips for fast and not touristy places. For example this month has 24 cocktails at 24 different bars/restaurants. It tells you all the goings on as well. For instance, this weekend is the pizza eating contest (more celebrated than the hot dog one for sure, hot dogs don't have cheese.)

This one has a prize of $1500. As Mike North on the radio said this morning, "Even if you die winning, you'll have money for funeral expenses."

Terrific itinerary by ExiledPrincess - I was going to suggest the same thing, but she saved me all the typing. One variation I'll suggest is to take advantage of the Art Institute Courtyard restaurant, where they have free jazz concerts on Thursdays nights from 4:30 to 7 p.m. You can see the AI and decide whether to do Millennium Park that night or another time, depending on how tired you are. The only part of the plan that needs reserving is the CAF River Cruise - contact them and see how scarce tickets are for your day. www.architecture.org

Wow, many thanks patg, jj5 and exiledprincess and swalter518! :-)
I now have great leads to follow up on and will surely have a great trip.