Chicago Suggestions
 

3 of us are traveling to Chicago in early October. So far we have booked air, hotel and below. We will be visiting one's DD who attends the Art Institute. Her free days are Friday and Saturday. Weather permitting, we will take the Architectural Tour on one of those days and hang with her. We are staying at an Embassy Suites on Michigan Ave.

Here's what is planned so far. The Art Institute is a must and we probably will go there more than once as the place is vast. I will need to get a Sargent and Sorolla fix. DD might take us on a tour also as she has special access.

Wed.: Arrive around noon. No plans because of the vagaries of air travel but rest of the day is open. Probably explore the area and nail down our sights.

Thurs: Day free until 7:30 p.m. tickets to "Wait, wait, don't tell me"

Friday: DD is free--possible late afternoon (to get the sweet light) Architectural Foundation boat tour

Sat.: DD is free--possible late afternoon (to get the sweet light) Architectural Foundation boat tour

Sun: Leave

Any "try NOT to miss" or "you could squeeze in" suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks as always!

The Cultural Center is beautiful inside. A quick visit to the second floor to see the Tiffany dome is well worth the stair climb. Also if you find yourself in Macy's on State Street, be sure to see the Tiffany ceiling above The Bobby Brown counter and the display of Tiffany window in the underground passage just outside of the candy department on the lower level.

YOU MUST have a free city greeter tour. Go to their website. They need about 2 weeks notice to match you up with a volunteer. There's a list of suggested things to see. Last fall we did the glass house near the zoo and at lot of walking down the Miracle Mile where some of the buildings have some fascinating architectural elements. The first time I did a city greeter tour I wanted to visit China town but we also visited the Mexican neighborhood.

Get the bus/subway pass. We were able to go from Midway to our airb&b on the subway. My friend used a phone ap to figure out which bus to get on depending on where we wanted to go but a helpful security guard told us a better way to get to Navy Pier. I could have skipped that but J want to ride the big ferris wheel. We also had to go to the top of the town and stand on the glass floor and get our picture taken. Nothing I would recommend but sometimes you do what your friend really wants to do.

If I remember correctly, the city greeter meets you at the cultural center and gave us a short tour.

We also did a foodie tour based on the Worlds Fair. It was fun and the history was interesting since we had all read Devil in the White City but the food wasn't anything to rave about.

The city greeter also suggested a restaurant because I wanted to go to one that offered tapas.

In addition to the boat tour, the Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a variety of walking tours and bus tours throughout the week. The tours I have done left from their headquarters on Michigan Avenue across from the Art Institute. Take a look at the advantages of membership, if even for a short visit.

https://www.architecture.org/experience-caf/tours/

Gardendiva,
Can we just walk in to see the Tiffany ceiling of the Cultural Center without taking their guided tour?

Yes to the last question. We did so in July.

Yes. Sometimes they have events going on, other times they just have tables set up and people are playing games, etc. Just walk towards the back of the building and you will find a huge stair case.

Thank you all SO much. This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to get.

On one of your visits to the Art Institute take the Nichols Bridgeway from Grant Park to the Modern Collection in the AIC. The bridge is designed by Renzo Piano as is the new addition to the main building. The Museum Café there is excellent too.
The Xhicago Architectural Foundation offers walking tours as mentioned above and has offered bus tours of the "White City, World's Fair" and to Frank Lloyd Wright's home town of Oak Park.

Go out to Oak Park to see the homes Frank Lloyd Wright built - taxi or the L.

More thanks!

Just got back a few days ago from my first trip to Chicago. Thanks for all the great tips on this thread! The CAF boat tour and Loop train tours were both great. There are not just one but two beautiful stained glass domes in the Cultural Center-- the Tiffany one on the south side of the building, and another more colorful one on the north side (from the other staircase) by Healy and Millet.

On S. Michigan Ave and Van Buren St, there is a Guimard "Metra" entrance from Paris. Half a block south of that, the Fine Arts Building has lovely art nouveau murals on the 10th floor, carved woodwork, and ornate metal elevators. Next door to that, the box office of the Auditorium theater has 6 stained glass lunettes above the arched doorways, also by Healy and Millet. Unfortunately, tours for the Auditorium Theater were cancelled the week we were there, but they're normally on Monday and Thursday mornings. Don't miss a tour of the Chicago theater (noon daily).

Glad you had fun. Now start planning your next visit. ;)

Thanks, MademoiselleFifi. I've added your info to my list.

The first time I visited Chicago (20 years ago) I was amazed at how much there is to see and do. I've now been maybe 7 or 8 times, and I'm still amazed!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ack-wanted.cfm

You'll find my trip report in the later part of the thread. Lots of good things to do (and eat) in Chicago.

Thank you, sf7307 and bachslunch.

Obviously, we won't be able to cover a huge amount!

Are Art Institute lines typically pretty long? I'm contemplating joining (or getting a pass).

Thanks again!

When we were there in July, the line was about 15 minutes.

Chicago has so much great public art! You can take a walking tour or get a list of the "best" and do your own walk. We did our own walk and very much enjoyed it.

That's another thing I love about Chicago - the public art!