My Bday in Chicago - what? where?
Jul 26th, 2012, 08:13 AM
#21
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Here's a trip report from my Chicago visit a couple years ago:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ack-wanted.cfm
See the latter posts for what was actually done.
Mostly visiting attractions, doing some sightseeing walks, and eating (a good bit of it involving local comfort-food specialties like Italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and deep-dish pizza) are dealt with.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ack-wanted.cfm
See the latter posts for what was actually done.
Mostly visiting attractions, doing some sightseeing walks, and eating (a good bit of it involving local comfort-food specialties like Italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and deep-dish pizza) are dealt with.
Jul 27th, 2012, 08:10 AM
#22
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Thanks all,
Kevimagg: I'm definitely planning on walking around Millenium Park
Chgo Gal: Thanks for the tip on breakfast crepes at the farmers market. Great idea. It's the Green City market, right? I'm just as happy to miss the zoo on this trip I think. Is it easy to go from the market to the lakefront? Are there segways or bikes for rent there? That would be fun. I'm also thinking taking the public transport loop for the view on one of the days and am now wondering about the sculpture walk mentioned.
Bachslunch: Just read your report. Wow you packed alot in. I'm not quite as ambitious but hoping to fill in my unstructured times with extras. As a designer I am particularly interested in the art and architecture of the city. As a bit of a foodie I'm hoping to eat good food but admit I'm just not into hotdogs and pizza. Its how I stay so svelt. In your report you mentioned the loop sculpture walk. Could you elaborate? When I checked the CAF tour schedules they don't offer each tour each day and not at the times we can do them so I would like to do that on my own.
Kevimagg: I'm definitely planning on walking around Millenium Park
Chgo Gal: Thanks for the tip on breakfast crepes at the farmers market. Great idea. It's the Green City market, right? I'm just as happy to miss the zoo on this trip I think. Is it easy to go from the market to the lakefront? Are there segways or bikes for rent there? That would be fun. I'm also thinking taking the public transport loop for the view on one of the days and am now wondering about the sculpture walk mentioned.
Bachslunch: Just read your report. Wow you packed alot in. I'm not quite as ambitious but hoping to fill in my unstructured times with extras. As a designer I am particularly interested in the art and architecture of the city. As a bit of a foodie I'm hoping to eat good food but admit I'm just not into hotdogs and pizza. Its how I stay so svelt. In your report you mentioned the loop sculpture walk. Could you elaborate? When I checked the CAF tour schedules they don't offer each tour each day and not at the times we can do them so I would like to do that on my own.
Jul 27th, 2012, 09:05 AM
#23
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I do like to pack my sightseeing days full. I never knows if I'll return to a destination or not, so I try to make things count without boiling it down so far that things become "monument tag."
Chicago appears to have a really deep and worthwhile restaurant scene, and I'm always interested in trying local specialties. My pocketbook is not infinite, though, so that explains why I ate where I did, for the most part.
The Loop Sculpture Walk I followed was found in a recent edition of Frommer's Chicago guidebook. I couldn't find the detailed description of it online that includes exact addresses (you'll probably have to buy the book for that), but an online link to the map for it is here:
http://www.frommers.com/images/desti...lpturetour.jpg
Note that while some of the artwork in question is located outside, in other cases you'll find the pieces inside building lobbies and such.
Chicago appears to have a really deep and worthwhile restaurant scene, and I'm always interested in trying local specialties. My pocketbook is not infinite, though, so that explains why I ate where I did, for the most part.
The Loop Sculpture Walk I followed was found in a recent edition of Frommer's Chicago guidebook. I couldn't find the detailed description of it online that includes exact addresses (you'll probably have to buy the book for that), but an online link to the map for it is here:
http://www.frommers.com/images/desti...lpturetour.jpg
Note that while some of the artwork in question is located outside, in other cases you'll find the pieces inside building lobbies and such.
Jul 27th, 2012, 12:41 PM
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Hi, MsLizzy.
The Green City Market is the name of it, yes. From there to the lakefront, it is about 3/4 of a mile through the park.
The entrance to the lakepath is via an overpass (over Lake Shore Drive) which is due east of the market. You cross Stockton walking east toward the lake (you'll see Lake Shore Drive), go east towards the softball fields (you'll see some short bleachers and chain link fencing behind home plate)- keep South Pond to your left, then South Lagoon to your left. You'll see the pedestrian overpass pretty easily once you get a little past South Pond. Note: This is a wide bit of park, so just be prepared to hoof over the grass for a bit. Keep going, though! The view of the lake will be refreshing after crossing over dusty Lake Shore Drive.
That might be an idea... if you want to do the market and walk back to John Hancock Building, you'll get some time on the lake path. Give yourself 90 minutes from the lake overpass to the John Hancock Bldg. It's a pretty enough walk. I believe you can rent bikes there but I wouldn't for the shortish walk (about 2 miles... a little under) to Oak Street Beach/entrance to Michigan Avenue. No segways that I know of up north, and you wouldn't want to drive a segway with the bike and foot traffic in this area.
As for the public sculptures, there are certainly gorgeous installations everywhere. Calder's "Flamingo," sadly, is under wraps for restoration, though, so you won't be able to see this. (This was true as of a few days ago, but she's been covered for awhile.)
But Picasso's "Woman" (Washington X Dearborn; view her at 3/4 degree angle to see her "profile") is lovely. Across the street, there's a Miro "The Sun, the Moon and a Star" (or something like that) by the tallest Methodist church in the US)and Chagall's mosaic installation "Four Seasons" is near on Dearborn between Monroe and Madison. I'm sure there are scads I don't know of. One of my favorite scenes (if you're nearby... don't make a special trip) the south garden of the Art Institute Museum has a Lorado Taft fountain and an idyllic arrangement of hawthorne trees. Nice place to sit and rest.
The Green City Market is the name of it, yes. From there to the lakefront, it is about 3/4 of a mile through the park.
The entrance to the lakepath is via an overpass (over Lake Shore Drive) which is due east of the market. You cross Stockton walking east toward the lake (you'll see Lake Shore Drive), go east towards the softball fields (you'll see some short bleachers and chain link fencing behind home plate)- keep South Pond to your left, then South Lagoon to your left. You'll see the pedestrian overpass pretty easily once you get a little past South Pond. Note: This is a wide bit of park, so just be prepared to hoof over the grass for a bit. Keep going, though! The view of the lake will be refreshing after crossing over dusty Lake Shore Drive.
That might be an idea... if you want to do the market and walk back to John Hancock Building, you'll get some time on the lake path. Give yourself 90 minutes from the lake overpass to the John Hancock Bldg. It's a pretty enough walk. I believe you can rent bikes there but I wouldn't for the shortish walk (about 2 miles... a little under) to Oak Street Beach/entrance to Michigan Avenue. No segways that I know of up north, and you wouldn't want to drive a segway with the bike and foot traffic in this area.
As for the public sculptures, there are certainly gorgeous installations everywhere. Calder's "Flamingo," sadly, is under wraps for restoration, though, so you won't be able to see this. (This was true as of a few days ago, but she's been covered for awhile.)
But Picasso's "Woman" (Washington X Dearborn; view her at 3/4 degree angle to see her "profile") is lovely. Across the street, there's a Miro "The Sun, the Moon and a Star" (or something like that) by the tallest Methodist church in the US)and Chagall's mosaic installation "Four Seasons" is near on Dearborn between Monroe and Madison. I'm sure there are scads I don't know of. One of my favorite scenes (if you're nearby... don't make a special trip) the south garden of the Art Institute Museum has a Lorado Taft fountain and an idyllic arrangement of hawthorne trees. Nice place to sit and rest.
Jul 29th, 2012, 04:12 PM
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After a very busy family reunion at my place this weekend, I'm back to trying to plan my Chicago itinerary. There is so much to see and do and make the most of our time including not knowing how much time it takes to get from one place to another.
Thanks for the link Bachslunch.
Thanks Chgo Gal. You have answered my segway question though it would be fun to do it somewhere if we have time. I'm going to make a point to keep my eyes out for some of those sculptures. As I said to exiledprincess, I hope this is the first of more visits and only a taste of the many treasures in your city.
First thing I'm going to do is find a good city map!
Thanks for the link Bachslunch.
Thanks Chgo Gal. You have answered my segway question though it would be fun to do it somewhere if we have time. I'm going to make a point to keep my eyes out for some of those sculptures. As I said to exiledprincess, I hope this is the first of more visits and only a taste of the many treasures in your city.
First thing I'm going to do is find a good city map!
