Taking Mom to Chicago
 

My mother was born in Chicago in the 30's. Her last real exploration time in the area was 30-40 years ago. I'm taking her to see how things are today there, what's new...what's the same... Ideas on where to go? Where to stay (moderate $ and nice), tours? All ideas and suggestions welcome. She is 68 now and gets along pretty well, although a lot of walking probably wouldn't cut it. We will be there 3rd week of March. Clothing suggestions, as well???

What a great idea. What do you mean moderate $ and nice. How much is moderate to you? $120 or $300? Nice? What do you mean? You did not ask for dining recommendation but for a very special dinner take her to Tru.

As always, chicgal is a wonderful source. You help us too sometime ago. Thanks

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, so in addition to the "classic" spots described under the Sentimental Journey above, visit the neighborhood your mom grew up in. When my parents and I lived in Chicago in the 50s and 60s, we lived in the Lincoln Square/Ravenswood area. So now every time my parents return to the area, they want to drive by the old six-flat, Ravenswood Hospital (where my mom worked)shop at Meyer's deli and Salamander shoes and have dessert at Lutz. My husband's family are South siders so they visit the Lithuanian church, shops and restaurants around Marquette Park. Whatever neighborhood you visit, I'm sure your mom will be amazed at all the changes.

Having just attended my 50th High School reunion in Chicago, I'm sure your mother will have a wonderful time. My favorite? Walking along the Lake, lunch at the Walnut Room at Fields, visiting the Museum of Science and Industry and having my picture taken at Yesteryear there. The museum is easy, and you just shuffle along to the various exhibits. All these places are places where I have fond memories.

Just ask her what she would like to see, as you wouldn't want to pass by something special to her.

I wanted to visit my old neighborhood, but it is no longer a safe place. We stayed downtown. Cabs are very reasonable and it makes it easy to get around. You will all have a wonderful time!

ditto to teh idea of going up to the hancock for drinks or a sandwich, day and tehn again at night. they have lunch buffett if you are really hungry.
sometimes we just get a sandwich or drink in the bar.

also, if you take an out of city/state drivers license to marshall fields customer service desk they will give yuo a gift pack that has many wonderful coupons.. like.. free cheeesecake when yo have lunch there.. 10%discount on shopping that day.. free coffee at another restuarant in building, and once i got a free makeover by christain dior makeup, butlast time it was just a few samples..

lunch at the art institute is nice also.

the architectural RIVER tour is one mot to be missed.

my favorite view is from the planetarium.

take advantage of the free trolley shuttles in town if you see one coming along.

i think there is somewhere to get same day half priced tickets, but i cannot remember where i found out about it.

you will have a wonderful time, i am sure. i never get tired of visiting chicago. never enough time to do everything!

Oh.. how about the sunday gospel brunch at the house of blues???

Grinisa, Chicgal etc. all have you on the right track. It would be a great treat. Good vacation!

And I may be way out of line to some who have rigid thinking, but my mother and dad came to Chicago at 11 and 13 (from different countries) and grew up the rest of the way in the 1930's and 1940's Chicago. Everything that they like to do is now in a "bad area". Chicago IS a town of neighborhoods if you live here.It is not "downtown" to any native of that age or above that I know still in existence.

Therefore, I will go against the politically correct grain and put my lifetime two cents in. TAKE A CHANCE. I have taken them through the old neighborhoods and watched them cry in both joy and in pain. They are begging me to do it again. They want to see the old "ballroom"- even if it is a revival hall now. I've taken them through the house I was born in at 52nd & Racine etc. (marble is stripped right off the walls of the structure.)

Go in the daytime for sure, but take a chance. One aunt who moved West and died this year at 89 said it was the best day of her last 10 years, when I took her through a "drive-by" while playing her "young lover" saxophone music. She was a "blues girl" of the 1930's and spent all her time in the jazz dens and factories around the stockyards. Stockyards are no more. Ask a few questions and find out where she "hung". Don't be scared. Chicago is better than it was.You don't need to get out and walk around if it doesn't present itself as desirable. There used to be about 30 ethnic churches (just Catholic) on the Southside and most people LOVE to go see the remaining ones. Depending on her neighborhood, just do it. Visitian Church on Garfield Blvd. is still there and so are lots that border the Pershing Rd/Kedzie area. I could go to Midnight Mass in Polish there this last week if I wanted to make the trip. Also in Spanish. Do not feel like you are disenfranchised- her neighborhood is still part of her.

If she was a North sider, do the area she lived in there. Things change all over. The crime rate is way down and people do not believe me, but in some ways Chinatown is more dangerous. Statistically! If she has no clear memories of the time she spent here then do the "tours" but if she does, just take a drive in the daytime. You aren't going to be going anything but slow anyway.

63rd & Halsted used to be "the mall" of the Southside- if she shopped there- it would be a hoot to see it now.

I think JJ5 is on the right track, find out what she remembers from when she lived here. Some of it may be in less desirable neighborhoods but we go all over the city of Chicago-Hyde Park, Jackson Park, Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, etc. and as long as it's daylight and you're in a car you should be fine.

My mother in law who was also born in the 30s remembers the Aragon ballroom in Uptown fondly, Riverview (which is gone), Old Heidelberg Restaurant (the building is still on Randolph), the old movie houses, some of which are still in downtown. Maybe you could take her to see something at one of the old theaters that have been restored-the Oriental, the Palace, the Chicago Theater, the Shubert and the Auditorium have all been renovated and are still functional. www.broadwayinchicago.com is a good place to start.

When we take her out now, she likes the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's, Berghoff's, Paprikash, a Hungarian restaurant on the northside.

The Architecture Foundation's excellent river cruise does not run that early in the year but they do have a bus tour that highlights Chicago's architecture
http://www.architecture.org/downtown.html#06

Chicgal, I don't mean that the downtown ideas are bad. Not at all. You are right on- but SO MANY views on these boards are that you fall off the face of the earth if you venture onto Martin Luther King Drive. You just don't. And the old neighborhood near Midway your dad comes from is fine day OR night. My first apartment was at 62nd & Kostner and I used to be able to see the bottoms of the planes come right across my top floor picture window as they landed at Midway. And at 19 years old my company considered it great entertainment. And also 63rd & Cicero is great White Castle territory besides. LOL.

If she is 68 she might have attended
some of the famous/infamous movie theater/matinee shows with live entertainment between reels. My last trip about 5 years ago, I took my mom back to Englewood theater where she was a teeny bopper who watched Frankie Sinatra sing during an intermission. She had a girlfriend who fainted and Frank came over to get help for her and he actually touched my mom's hand. She said she was walking on air for a week. It was a huge cut rate furniture store with very fancy cove moldings.

Just to throw another suggestion in the loop, (no pun intended). Depending on where she grew up, we made a pilgrimage to the Florence Hotel in Pullman a few years back (my mom grew up in the neighborhood) for brunch on a Sunday and it was interesting. Hyde Park/Museum of Science and Industry is another suggestion. My 90 year old great aunt still talks about the beautiful houses in Hyde Park.

First, Thank you all for the great feedback! z Moderate not over $175 a night
Next, I have my mom and her sisters looking for all the addresses. My mom already has a quick list of some of the things, which includes Marshall Fields and of course some of the old houses, haunts and hangouts.
Third, we are going to take at least one in-city tour...IDEAS of which one?
Thanks again everyone!

One more quick note:

By addresses I meant (where they lived, etc.) I didn't want anyone to misread my post and thinking I needed current addresses of places... :)

www.architecture.org is the site for the Chicago Architecture Foundation. They have bus and walking tours that are a cut above the commercial tours.

I live just outside Chicago, and stayed at the Fairfield Inn 1/2 block off N. Michigan Ave. for something like $99/night and it was excellent, including a nice complimentary breakfast (homemade waffles, cold cereals, juice, yogurt, bagels...pleasant breakfast bar on one of the upper floors). The breakfast at the House of Blues gospel brunch was excellent (see if you can get seats reserved along the bar overlooking the main floor long tables where there is group seating), and the joint is jumping with great singing. I love Bandera and Grand Lux (get the beneigts for dessert!)for lunch while on Michigan Ave. Also, look up a free lunchtime concert or performance at the Chicago Cultural Center (gorgeous old building) then walk across the street to explore gorgeous Millenium Park and the new Cloud Dream (huge completely reflective lima bean shaped sculpture) and great park area (weather permitting). The Park Grill is right there and the food is surprisingly delicious. Go to metromix.com for lots of other good ideas. This is an excellent city. I loved what JJ5 had to say about a drive through the old neighborhoods with sax music playing--I hope someone does that for me when I'm 89!!

We've gotten excellent N. Michigan Avenue accommodations using Priceline and asking for 2.5* - never paying more than $50.

We have also used priceline for both NMA and Loop hotels and been very happy. Though I prefer to bid 3-4* and pay a bit more - generally around $75 unless it's a very busy weekend in Chicago. Check the board at www.biddingfortravel.com for more info on using priceline. You can read the FAQ there and learn how to use priceline's bidding rules to your advantage, and also check out the Chicago board to see what hotels others have gotten in each category and zone, as well as what prices have been reported for the time frame you'll be visiting.

Another type of tour to consider is the Chicago Greeter program. I don't know if they have any low-walking options or not, but I'm sure you could check with them to get details. This is an all volunteer program, and you can choose any area of Chicago that you're interested in, or let the greeter choose for you if you don't have a preference. They're web site is http://www.chicagogreeter.com/index.html

Sounds like a fun trip. And dress in warm layers. Chicago's likely go be cold still 3rd week of March, but you never know. :)