If you only had 2 days in Chicago??
 

What would you do on a Friday and Saturday in Chicago. Never been there before. What's the best way to utilize our short visit?

canuckuphereathome: When are you visiting Chicago? And give us some idea of of your interests (museums, etc). Then we can help you make the most out of your short visit :)

We'll be there mid to end of May. Love to visit ethnic areas, shop, walk. See touristy things like John Hancock and Water Tower. Would visit museums but only if we had longer. It's unlikely we'll be back so want to make the most of our visit. Hopefully the weather will co-operate!

If you enjoy museums, go the the Shedd Aquarium or the Art Institute. Being downtown, you can do most anything. Take a boat tour, go the the Hancock (drinks in the Signature room is pretty posh and fun to do late at night with the skyline lights shining) or Sears Tower, walk the magnificiant mile (Michigan Ave...if you are here in the summer months, go to Oak Street beach for a beautiful walk along the water. Grab a comedy show at Second City or Zanies, go see a play at one of the theaters.

Before you leave the city, definitely go to Navy Pier. It has everything there, shopping, the huge ferris wheel, some tourism boats, a nice walk along the pier, food and more food too! This is a wonderful city and whatever you find on these boards or on a Chicago website will be good. Enjoy the city!

Oops, just read your last thread...end of May is perfect in Chicago. Get on line under any Chicago information site and look up festivals. There are many ethnic, fun and interesting ones starting around that time. Also, be preparred to dress in layers. Nights can be cool.

You definately should do the Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise which we found to be absolutely fantastic!

http://www.cruisechicago.com/cflady/arcsell.html

If you put "Chicago trip report" in the search box, you will find my trip report listing all the possibilities in Chicago.

I also suggest the architecture crusise. If you have not been to Chicago.......This is the best way to take all of it in. Where will you be staying? What kind of Ethnic food are you looking for? If you want to see a cute neighborhood with good shopping and maybe brunch on Sunday....I would suggest Lincoln Park. Armitage/Halstead area. You could also check out Bucktown (Damen and North Ave area)

I have the perfect way to combine an ethnic neighborhood with a museum. Pilsen has the Mexican Fine Arts Museum, which is a really cool little museum. You can probably get through it in as little as an hour. After, take a stroll down 18th St. for lunch in one of the great Mexican restuarants and dessert in one of the cafe's. Here's a suggestion for each.

Restaurante Nuevo Leon
1515 W. 18th St.

then for dessert

Cafe Jumping Bean
1439 W. 18th St.

Pilsen is an increasingly trendy Mexican neighborhood near downtown. It's a good Chicago experience, we have the 3rd largest Mexican population in the country. Take the Blue Line, Cermak Branch (not Forest Park) to 18th St. The muesum is just a block away on 19th St., west of Ashland on the south edge of the park. The restaurants are on 18th, east of Ashland. The station is just west of Ashland.

Here's the museum web site
http://www.mfacmchicago.org/

For transit info

www.transitchicago.com

I will be traveling to Chicago in July for business related training. I normally have only a few precious hours to do any sight seeing when ever they send me anywhere. I have not gotten my itenerary yet so I have no idea when I will be free.

I will be checking out this post with much interest. Thanks!

Get 1/2 price tickets to a show at the visitor's center across from the John Hancock Tower.

1. Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise

2. Drinks in the Signature Lounge in the John Hancock Building, preferrably at sunset

3. Shedd Aquarium - make a stop at the Field Museum (next door) to see Sue

4. Art Institute - then visit Millennium Park (just north of it)

5. Walk up Michigan Avenue, then at the Drake, cross the street, use pedway to get to walk on the beach along Lake Michigan

6. Go to a jazz or blues club at night

7. On Saturday, go to the Lincoln Park Zoo in the morning - and the Lincoln Park Conservatory just north of it - both are free. Then, if the Cubs are playing at home, cab it to Wrigley Field (about a mile north). Have a brat and brew at Murphy's Bleachers or one of the other bars. A new place with outdoor seating, Vines, is supposed to be opening up soon (if not already opened). Come back downtown on the El (Red Line).

8. Take a cruise on one of the ships departing from Navy Pier. Maybe a midnight cruise with dancing?

9. Have a Chicago-style Hot Dog, Italian Beef sandwich, cheezburger from Billy Goat Tavern (at the Wrigley Building) or deep-dish pizza.

10. Enjoy lunch at an outdoor cafe on N. Rush Street (or another street) and people watch.

With your time frame, don't try to get to neighborhoods. If it's a business meeting and in the Loop, stay in the Loop. Navy Pier, Michigan Ave. etc. may pull you off into going, more than seeing or doing. The last post has great ideas. If you don't want to bus/ cab etc. or waste any time and you are Loop- add the following (FAST and CHICAGO).

Walk down State Street. Check out the Marshal Fields inside (wooden floors) and especially the toy department and yes, wash rooms. This is more like stores used to be. Just walk through and come out the other side if next to no time. If you pass Cultural Center walk through it. Or if by Harold Washington Library- go in. Take the escalator up to the top/ down again-see the marble changing colors. Walk through the Carson's building instead of around it. Check out the grillwork.

If you pass the Art Institute- go. View the Impressionists first and do this if at all possible. Walk through Grant Park/ Millenium Park- see the people in their lakefront activities. Get to one closest skyscraper and go to the top, even if you don't get to J. Hancock.

Exiledprincess, thanks for some ideas.
I got my days for July and I will have one whole day, I hope, for sight seeing. I bought a book on Chicago today. I will thumb through it before bed time.

Any suggestions on something that is an absolute, "must see"??

I would have to say the lake. Take an hour just to stroll through the lakefront parks (Grant, Burnham, Northerly Island), stopping periodically to reflect on and admire the view. The lake is just about my favorite thing about Chicago. Although there is the pizza. Actually, you can combine the two, get a small pizza and enjoy it along the lakefront. :)

DSM22, the first 5 items on my list are the absolute must-sees in Chicago for a visitor with limited time here. These can all be easily done in a day, especially in July when the days are long.

I would suggest this order if you are an early riser: 5, 3, 4, 1 (or 1 then 4, depending on your schedule), 2, then 6.

If not, then: 3, 4, 1(or 1 then 4), 5, 2, then 6.

The trick is to get to the Shedd as soon as it opens to avoid the long lines and then see the highlights first. Also, if you are here on a Thursday, I believe the Art Institute is open late - until 8 pm (check their website).

One other item would be added to my list if you didn't have the time nor inclination to go to a jazz or blues club in the evening:

#11 - Buckingham Fountain at night during the light show (until 11 pm)

Lastly, if you or the original poster had more than 2 days, I would add this: The Museum of Science and Industry. This would be high on the list.

I am a huge science geek, so I was definitely thinking about the Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. The latter is not on your list however.

Museum of Science and Industry sounds okay to me also.

DSM22, the Adler Planetarium is quite fine--but I just don't consider it a premier attraction for a first time visitor, unless they are here for most or all of a week.

On the other hand, I would consider the Museum of Science and Industry right up there with, and maybe even a little ahead of, the Art Institute and the Shedd Aquarium on the must-see list. But it is truly so large and there is so much to see and do there, that the highlights alone can take up to 3/4 of a day. So for individuals with only 2 days or less, it wouldn't be one of my recommendations if people wanted to best utilize their time here to experience the multi-facets of Chicago. However, you are the best judge for determining how to spend your time here.

If it were me, I would plan on spending no less than 3 hours at the Shedd, 1.5 hours at the Field, 3 hours at the Art Institute. A lot of visitors are surprised at the size of these world-class museums.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise is 1.5 hours but with boarding and such, 2 hours should be allotted. I think that is, without a doubt, the best 2 hours which can be spent in Chicago.

I just can't imagine spending less than half a day, or about 4 hours minimum, at any of the major museums, Science&Industry, Field, Art, Shedd. Even to just hit the highlights that's the minimum, especially considering how high admission costs are now. You want to get your money's worth and take some time to enjoy the exhibits.

When I went to D.C. I didn't mind flying through a museum if I wasn't overly interested in it, with the admission price there (free). But if I had to pay $15 or $20 for each one I would be a lot more selective and make sure I took the time to appreciate the ones I went to.

You need time in the Museum of Science & Industry if you haven't been there before, just to navigate for one thing- we still can get "lost".

I would pay the full fee for an hour in the Art Institute and have. You can see a almost the whole thing in 3 hours if you keep moving. Of course, there are some you have to linger at, but IMHO and most of my house guests who have been elsewhere, the Art Institute is a must.

If you are going to more than two museums, I'd strongly recommend the City Pass for a visitor (a plus is in avoiding the long lines).

With all due respect to others, I think that the issue here is not an extended exploration of any museum (although all of these do indeed deserve that), but to see as much of the highlights of the city as possible in a limited amount of time. And I cannot see coming to Chicago and not visit some of these world-class museums, albeit briefly. Sometimes Less is More. (Sorry, Mies.)

The highlights of the Shedd are the Wild Reef, the Oceanarium and whatever special exhibit they may have. The highlight of the Art Institute is, of course, the Impressionists and this year will be the exhibit on Toulouse. Field has Sue and whatever special exhibit may be available.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a grand time in Chicago.