Chicago Budget
 

What would the typical budget be for a weekend in Chicago? A friend and I are going up there the first weekend in May for a bachelorette party. The Bachelorette wants to "go to Navy Pier, shop on the Magnificent Mile, and go to the bars on Rush Street." I don't really want to break the bank, but I want to have fun! I've heard the bars in Chicago can be kind of pricey in terms of covers and drinks.

We already have a hotel, the Best Western River North, so that does not need to be factored into the budget. Has anyone stayed at this hotel before? Is it a good location? They offer parking at no fee, so we really don't want to take the car out unless we absolutely need to.

Thanks in advance for your replies!!

This is so relative, STLgrrl, but you are in a good location and shouldn't have to take the car out. You have immense choices with walking or short cab rides. Plus in May the weekend free trolley will be running. Navy Pier is one of its stops. It can bring you into the Loop (South of the Chicago River) and back as well.

There are expensive places for eating and drinking and there are more moderate. I think Rush St bars are not as "in" as they once were in past eras. But I could be wrong, as I'm old. LOL!

But keep this at the top and you'll get better bar information. I know that we got pushed off of Wacker at the White Sox homecoming rally with 1.75 million other Chicagoans and we ended up in a Monk's bar and it was about $10 for lunch and the drinks were from $3.00 to $5.00 and it was lunchtime. I'm sure night and higher end would be more. I know I had a $8.00 martini at the Hyatt last year, and my son was very shocked at his frugal mother.

You might want to check out www.metromix.com for House of Blues and other venues when you're here for covers etc.

How old are you/the bride? It makes a difference in where you want to go. The Rush St. bars/clubs vary in covers and costs but drinks will not be cheap anywhere. This area aka the Triangle or the Viagra Triangle often has a large concentration of old men and young women at some of the bars (which can be good for free drinks!) The Rush & Division bars tend to be very young or tourists. Alumni Club has dancing, as does the Hunt Club.

swalter: We are all in our mid-20s (24-27). And yes, 27 is still mid-20s to me! I refuse to say late 20s until I am 28!!! :)

We are all looking to go out and have fun (and a few adult cocktails!). I appreciate all the help you are giving me!

The best feature of the Best Western River North is the free parking. Otherwise, it's about a 2 at most. Personally, I would never stay there again.

Curious

I would probably pick Lincoln Park bars over Rush St-less cheesy IMO. But, if there is a fun time to go to them it's for a bach. party and they are closer to your hotel and you can walk from bar to bar. A short cab ride is Hogs N Heffers off North Ave in the Weed St area-a different kind of cheesy- mechanical bull rides, 80s rock...there are other bars right there too and decent cheap Mexican at Uncle Julios Haceinda on North Ave for dinner.

One way to save money is to visit Blues Chicago on Clark Street - they have two locations and one $7 (?) cover charge good for both places. (2 for 1!) They're also both close the House of Blues. HOB used to have a deal where if you ate lunch there and brought your receipt back at night, you'd get in free. That was a few years ago though.

My friends and I went to a cool bar called Mother's once - don't know if it's still there, but it was a wild place to dance. It was near Blues Chicago but I couldn't tell you where - we went late at night. :)

I'd also recommend Joe's BeBop Cafe on Navy Pier. The food is really good and the prices aren't too bad. The outdoor area is great for people watching too.

Uncle Julio's has good food too. Try the swirl - 1/2 sangria & 1/2 margaritas! Yum!

You should be ok without breaking the bank. One of the most expensive things in Chicago is the parking so just leave your car at the hotel and take cabs or walk.

heidi

Thanks for all your replies. I have always thought Chicago was an expensive city. I am really hoping to not take the car out in the city. Last time I drove in Chicago I wanted to cry.

Curious - What makes you rate the BW River North a 2?

Giving the River North Best Western a 2 is being generous. When we were there, the front desk service was the worst. The rooms were marginal and the maid service was awful. I talked to a guy last year who was staying there...apparently not much has changed. He wouldn't stay there again either. There are too many good hotels in Chicago to waste your time with this one.

Curious

I don't think we really plan on using the hotel for more than a place to sleep. We were mainly looking for a place in a decent location that wasn't super expensive. Yea for free parking I guess. :)

I wouldn't worry about that at all. I stayed in a 2 star (less 1 star LOL!) in NYC once and was never in the room except to sleep 6 hours tops. You could get a great 4 star cheaper on Priceline, but for how you're doing it, and getting the car parked free- more power to you. You'll have more to spend on the fun things you may see when you are here.

A few cost cutting suggestions:

1. After shopping on the Mag Mile, stop at the Big Bowl on Cedar (close to Rush Street), ask for a table in the bar, at the windows, and do a group share platter and have beers (you can keep your costs down by sticking to beer, even imports are less expensive than cocktails). The street/people watching is great, the menu is filling and reasonable and the Kirin beer is cold. This will prime you for a night out!
http://www.bigbowl.com/menu_group_share.htm

2. Also near the Mag Mile (on Rush) is Johnny Rockets hamburgers--have burgers and milkshakes for dinner and spend your money on drinks.
http://www.johnnyrockets.com/locatio...IL&orders=

3. For a frugal (not cheap) gourmet meal, try the lounge buffets at either the Four Seasons or the Ritz Carlton. They are available from 11-2 at both hotels (great bathrooms to freshen up after shopping!) Both hotels are located on the mag mile--the Four Seasons is a part of the Bloomingdales Mall and the Ritz is in the Water Tower Mall. Dining in style, but keeping the cost down.
http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagorc/dining_101.html
http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagofs/lounge_36.html

4. Check out Metromix for other bar and dining deals, like these:

FRIDAY? $1 fried Twinkies (add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for $1), $2 PBR and Old Style bottles and drafts, $2.99 chicken dinners with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob, DJ Ed Vantage spins in The Apartment. No cover. Lion Head Pub/The Apartment.

SATURDAY ?$1 Apple Pucker and jello shots. Big City Tap.

$1 beer tastings at noon, Uno tournament at 2 p.m. Sheffield's.

SUNDAY? $1 warm sake all day; appetizer specials from 8-11 p.m.; food specials include $1.50 edamame, $2.50 salmon nigiri, $3 California rolls, $4.25 shrimp tempura rolls and more. Ra Sushi.

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/d...ining_top_heds

5. Navy Pier can be expensive. Stop at the Tourist Center (the original Water Works building on Michigan has one) and pick up a free coupon book. They have some Navy Pier coupons. There is a free shuttle from State St. to Navy Pier, but you have to get to State Street. The best deal on Navy Pier is having beers in the beer garden at sunset, but I think May is too soon for this to be available-it can still be pretty cold in May.

http://www.choosechicago.com/services.html#visitor



Have fun!

Wow rine1967! Thank you so much! I have sent this thread on to my friend to get her opinions too. I really appreciate all the suggestions/advice everyone has given me. Maybe I'll write my first trip report on Chicago!

Don't know any info about the hotel but I would definitely check out metromix for bars/clubs and restaurants.
I searched your hotel and here is the link:
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/s...0,163467.venue

I would use their "whats nearby" feature and see what you ladies can walk, train, or trolley to (or take a short cab ride to) from your hotel. There is so much in the River North area. Definitely don't bother with a car.

Also, call ahead to bars/clubs you decide on and metion you are bring a group of fun bachlorette ladies to their establishment and they might wave the cover (They did this at La Passage for a friend of mine celebrating her bachlorette in Aug. 2003)

You are very near the Trolley line to Navy Pier as well as the Grand and State station of the red line that will take you easily to other great areas of the City.

Good Luck and have a blast!

rine1967 and khoffmann: That website is awesome! Thank you so much!

Hey StLgrrl (I haven't read all the posts, are you from St. Louis? Go Cards!!)

Not to rain on the bachlorette's parade, it says Navy Pier is on her list of "to do's". Navy Pier is really neat looking but really doesn't live up to all the talk. We live here and have been at least a half a dozen times thinking there is something good going on.

Don't get me wrong, there are fun things to do there, but the more I think about it, I don't think you need to include it on a bachlorette weekend trip IMHO. It's mainly a loooong corridor of touristy shops, restaurants, food court and stuff for kids. If it were later in the summer my opinion may be a little different but there is soo much to do in this great city you skip it and not feel guilty.

Let me know if you have any other specific ?'s (I AM in my late 20's ;-D) hopefully I could help out a bit.

StLgrrl, I'm going to give you another direction (maybe alternative is a better word?).

If you take the Red Line up to the Addison stop - you are right at Wrigley Field. TONS of sports bars in that area. Also, take a look at Moxie or Tryst, both on Clark.

However, if you walk a couple blocks east, you would be in the Boystown area.

There are many bachelorette parties held at the Kit Kat Club just north of Addison on Halsted. 40s retro lounge/restaurant with roving drag performers. There is a minimum charge and a two-hour time limit for each party.

For dining, you could check out X/O, which has a small plate concept. Now this can get a little (or a lot) pricey, depending on what you get. If you wanted a nicer dining experience, Yoshi's Cafe (Halsted/Aldine) used to be one of the city's more exclusive clubs but it's more casual now.

Firefly (Halsted/Buckingham) has great martinis, good food.

For dancing, you might want to check out Mix south on Halsted. And, if you wanted something a little different, take look at the description for Berlin on Metromix.

Then, depending on which direction you wanted to go, you could always jump back on the Red Line and go up to the Green Mill in Uptown for serious jazz. However, the later you go, the more wait time.

Or, alternatively (there's that word again), you could grab a cab or take the bus down Halsted to B.L.U.E.S. or Kingston Mines for some blues.

Although these suggestions are of a little different order, I hope they might be of interest to you.

P.S. I forgot to tell you, one of the best budget deals in the city is the $1.95 bar menu at McCormick & Schmicks - check their website for hours each day (including weekends) and minimum bar tab required. Have FUN!

I'd also recommend the option of getting a hotel on priceline if you can still change your reservation. I have no experiences with the Best Western so I can't speak to that but I've gotten many 4 star hotels on priceline in the $55 + tax range in great locations.

As for Rush Street...I think it's a good place to go for a bachelorette party. I'm 27 as well and a chicago native and I spent my bachelorette party at those bars and Hogs n' Honeys (make the bride ride the mechanical bull!). Are those bars cheesey? I guess to some degree but there are also some fun trendy spots. In our age range it's still perfectly acceptable to live it up on rush street. ;) Are they priced more expensively than say the pubs up in Lincoln Park? Yes, for sure (mainly because of the cover charges at some). But they are fun especially for a girls night out and you girls will have a great time!!

Here's the link to the free trolley system, although it's not working today for some reason? www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation/trolleys