I don't know if anyone will be interested in some small town folk¡¦s first visit to Chicago.. but here it is...

Our Okie family, which consists of parents and three teens, left on Wed 17 and drove to Springfield MO where we stayed at the Abraham Lincoln. The "Abe" as the kids not so affectionately called the hotel was a $50.00 per room bid on Priceline. I knew we would be arriving late and leaving early so we wanted something cheap. The location in downtown Springfield would be great for a longer stay. When we first walked into the lobby I thought we got lucky on our Priceline bid but the rooms haven't been updated since Lincoln slept there! Our bed actually sunk in the middle and the bathroom towels were the worse I have EVER seen in any hotel. The room had a dirty feel simply because it was so worn. Bath and Body Works toiletries were a shock. I wouldn't stay here again even if it were free.

Then early on to Chicago. Our main reason for the trip was to visit a University that my daughter is considering, so our first stop was River Forest where we took the college tour and enjoyed seeing the beautiful neighborhood.

We were planning on using Starwood points for the Sheraton Suites hotel in Elk Grove Village. We do not travel much but have been loyal Starwood members always choosing to stay in Starwood hotels and saving the points for the right occasion. I booked a room with two double beds and a fold out couch, which would accommodate our family. On arrival I was told the only option was a king and fold out couch. Even with my computer printout that showed what I booked, I was basically told tough luck. SO.. we had to find another hotel and at this point we are stressed, tired and disappointed!

The first hotel we see is the Holiday Inn Express in Arlington Heights. It was a very pleasant surprise! The room was clean, the beds were a huge improvement over the Abe, and our $139.00 two doubles and a rollaway rate included breakfast. I would stay here again!

We enjoyed a huge mall in Arlington Heights.. Triple-decker!.. which included a great Chicago souvenir store and ate our first Chicago style pizza at Gino East. YUM!!

Friday was our sight seeing day so we headed into downtown Chicago. I must mention that the driving time consisted of my husbands two fisted grip of the steering wheel and frequent stomping of brakes and my frantic cries of "do you see that car???!!" interspersed with prayers for survival. The kids wanted to know why in Chicago people do not pay attention to lane lines on the road and were constantly yelling at dad to "hurry! they are honking at us!!" How embarrassing.

The embarrassment continued when we parked on the top level of a parking garage near the Sears Tower where we had a wonderful up close view of several buildings. I of course immediately began looking up and even pointed at a building with these wonderful lion head details that I didn't want the kids to miss..."MOM stop! We look like tourists!!"

We enjoyed the visit to the top of the tower and would certainly recommend it. (Just an aside.. the tallest building in our town has nine stories and it is double all the other buildings in town) Great tourist stop!

Next we planned ESPN for lunch. I had printed the directions and info on the recommended parking garage, which we eventually did locate, but drove all through the garage and it was full. New big city experience here. And lots of fun trying to figure out how to get out of the garage without paying! NOT. Ok so now we are a bit stressed and decided to skip ESPN (thankfully we had visited other locations) and went on to the Field Museum.

When paying for our admission at the museum we were asked if any of our party were teachers or students and although I did not have my teaching credentials with me and the kids did not have student ID's the lovely clerk gave us the considerable discounts anyway. Teachers get in free to the museum so it is definitely worth taking an ID!
The museum was EXCELLENT. We all enjoyed out time there. Great gift shop too!

We left the museum at closing time (5:00) so you big city people can imagine just what the freeway looked like. We decided we would experience more of the city driving through it, so we took an exit and ended up driving through Spanish area. All the kids are taking Spanish in school so we enjoyed the time reading all the signs. I had read on the internet about neighborhood tours with residents and our next visit we hope to take one. Just the drive was interesting! We were not in Oklahoma anymore!! ļ

On to the Hyatt in Lisle where we enjoyed our last night. I was able to book two rooms with two doubles for $139.00 first room and a rate of $54.00 for the kid¡¦s room. I signed up for the Hyatt points and think I will change loyalties. The Hyatt was great. Our only issue with it was our experience in the dining room. We being typical tourist were wearing jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts. We were not dirty or unkept just very casually dressed and we were seated in the very back corner of the EMPTY dining room. As we were being seated the host made some comment about the lighting being better. Whatever. We are hicks but not stupid ones. Even the hick kids had it figured out. Good lesson on discrimination. ƒº
As I am typing this I am thinking that you probably just had to be there to know the truth in this experience but anyway, we still enjoyed the $115.00 hamburgers and pasta meals! I would mention too that the beds were extremely small for doubles. Can't quite figure that one out.

We greatly enjoyed our short visit. It was really amazing to me how you can get in a car and drive 12 hours and seem to be in a new world. We hope to visit Chicago again (if daughter chooses school there that will be a given) and enjoy the many things that we simply didn't have time for.

Thanks very much for posting this interesting report. It was much- appreciated.

tdelano, I live in Naperville. It is the town next to Lisle. I totally believe the your story about the Lisle Hyatt dinning room. People out here can be very snobby.

I am glad you enjoyed your visit to my home town.

When you were at the Field Museum did you see the display of the man eating lions of Tsavo? The movie "The Ghost & the Darkness" was made about them. My other favorite thing at the Field Museum is the Egyptian display.

Yes, traffic in Chicago can be pretty bad. That is one reason I continue to work the midnight shift.

tdelano, thanks for the trip report. It reminds me of the first trip my daughter and I made to NYC. We were from a small town in Kansas. Whenever we were walking, my daughter grippped the back of my shirt with one hand. This is because I always had my head tipped back and my mouth hanging open looking in disbelief at the buildings. My daughter was constantly pulling back onto curbs as I walked into traffic.

Another pasttime we enjoyed on this trip was elevator riding. If we were in a tall building we would try to get on the elevator just to see how many floors it had.

Enjoyed reading your trip report tdelano. Thanks for sharing.

We are Hoosier Hillbillies from a farm in southern Indiana. City people come to our scenic area on vacation, and we go to Chicago. We already live away from it all...we want to go whur it's at! We drive to Chgo about once a year (but don't attempt to drive in it once we park near our hotel) and we love it. We visit the museums, see a play, dine at our favorite restaurants, shop and just walk around. Also love New York, San Francisco, London, Edinburgh, Paris. The country is for living but big cities are for great trips. Enjoyed your report.

What part of OK are you from? Our daughter lived there when she married and our grandsons were born in OK, so for a few years we made many trips to Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and how about Cleveland?? And Hominy?? And Pawhuska??

I LOVED your trip report. As someone who lives near and works in the "big city" and travels often to other big cities, it was great to read your report from a different perspective!

Tdelano, I enjoyed your trip report as well. We took our teens there a few years ago and stayed there for a week. We NEVER stay in any one place for a whole week, but we found so much to see and do in Chicago. My son hates big cities, but he loved Chicago. So I hope you get to go back and stay longer sometime.
I also hope that you write a letter/email to the Sheraton folks. They should know how loyal customers were treated.

tdelano, a great report. I hope you make a return visit to Chicago even if your daughter goes to school elsewhere.

My hat's off to your husband because I won't even drive into the loop during rush hour and I work there.

If you do come back, you may want to consider staying in the city and parking your car once. You can use public transit or walk to most of the major sites.

Do some research about when you're coming and try to be flexible on dates. There are several large conventions and events each year attract upwards of 40,000 people for a week and drive hotel prices through the roof.

If you opt to stay outside the loop, consider a hotel near O'Hare where you can catch the Blue Line Subway into town or near one of the Metra Rail stations in the suburbs. It could save you from a very expensive divorce for emotional abuse. ;-)

Hello there tdelano, I have spent tiring hours doing paper work and sat down in front of my laptop with an early glass of wine to discover your trip report to Chicago. I loved it! And you had me laughing so much about your husband driving in Chicago especially your constant comments "do you SEE that car". Precious. I always said that also and my dear husband would say between clenched teeth "YEEEES".
Did you stomp your foot on the floorboard as though there was a brake there? I would, lol.

Thanks for sharing and best wishes to your daughter regarding finding the right university.

tdelano, really enjoyed your TR as well.

Myself being a Hoosier farm gal, having returned to my father's place of birth and living here approx. 20 years, I hope these self-tried-and-true tips will assist you in not standing out as "Hicks from the Stix" on your next trip here:

1. Wear very dark (and large) sunglasses which hide the angle your eyes are directed. Look as high as you want. Just don't throw back your head or be slack-jawed (an obvious sign of backwoodsiness). Plus you might just look like a celebrity trying to avoid publicity, by "blending in with the crowd".

2. Whatever you do, don't open your map of the city on public sidewalks. Go to the nearest bus stop and nonchalantly seem to study the differing routes (especially pertinent now when we are facing a large number of them being eliminated), when you are actually getting the lay of the land.

3. Looking up at tall buildings is OK when you:

A. Say loudly, "Yes, my corner office used to be on the 34th floor of (insert name here) Building, before I gave it all up and retired early to travel the world". Chicagoans respect success of that nature.

B. If the building has window washers on scaffolding, you have free reign to study to your heart's content. After all, you need to be aware of danger above. Just make the comment that you couldn't be paid enough to do that.

C. Point to the building's facade and utter some quasi-architectural terms. Drop some names, such Wright, Sullivan, Van der Rohe (or, better yet, Mies), Burnham, Root. Most of the pedestrians are passing by so quickly they won't listen, and some might even be amazed by your grasp of knowledge of architecture. I'm sure that I've heard worse in my travels.

D. Any time a new building is going up (i.e., Trump International Hotel and Tower), look to your heart's content.

E. For the John Hancock Center, it's OK to check if the lights at the top are the correct color for the season (for example, orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas).

F. Every native Chicagoan whom I know (including past natives returning) loves looking at the skyline from Michigan Avenue - or better yet, the lake - at night. Just loves it.

Hope you come back again soon!

Thanks for all the nice replies!

Cheribob- thanks for the validation! It was weird but true! The Egyptian exibit was also our favorite with the gems a close second.

BohiseA- I think you have the key to this big city stuff.. visit but then come home! We live in Miami, Ok which is in the NE corner of Ok. If you came down 1-44 from MO we are the first exit when you enter OK. Tulsa is our "local big city" but after Chicago that seems funny!

Longhorn55- Be assured the Sheraton will hear from me!

Citylights- I think my daughter was pretty much sold on the school so we will have to figure out the public transportation for our next visit. That and figure out how to WALK!!

LovesItaly- Of course I was "helping" him brake!!

Thanks again to all for the kind words!!!!!!!!!

Very funny! We're going to Chicago in 3 weeks....again. My husband represents a company there so every so often we HAVE to go and pick a few good restaurants and wine and dine the guys. Doggone hard job but someone must do it! That said, I refuse to take a cab from the airport. If I had to drive, I'd park at Midway and take the train in. I hate driving in cities like that and think it detracts from the fun. Trust me, next time you can do the public transportation! Good luck with college....I'm going through that with my daughter this year. She has 3 preferred cities, NYC, Chicago and Washington. All really cheap. ;-)

LLindaC or anyone who knows
We have been to Chicago many times and will be there again this weekend for pleasure and next week for my husband's business. We want to do things in Chicago that we've never done before. For instance, we've never been to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Would this time of the year be a good time to go? Whats the best transportation? Also, we've never been to Chinatown. Best transportation there? We will have a car so we can drive. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for your trip report. Having lived in Chicago for so long it is always fun to get another perspective on how we go about our lives.

On driving here: ... the only time I ever heard my mild-mannered grandfather (despite being born and raised in nyc) swear while I was growing up when he drove on the Dan Ryan Expressway. So I believe your reaction is completely understandable. I believe that everyone did see your car, they just simply didn't care.

Sorry about the hotel experience ... honestly, you were eating in a hotel restaurant, in the suburbs, I can't imagine what was going through their small collective minds. It wasn't as if you had showed up to afternoon tea at the Drake in shorts and flip-flops (then perhaps I might understand).

I hope you return soon (and stay in a different hotel )

tdelano,
I've never been to Chicago but have changed planes there many times.

It's on my radar list of futures. Thanks for the great report. I'm not sure if you intended it to be amusing but it was.

I grew up in a major city and have visited the likes of NYC numerous times over the years. I never knew that checking out a street map or looking up at a building is a no-no.

Or is it just in Chicago?

Thanks again for the great report.

Very nice trip report, tdelano!
Sounds fun, with memories your kids will long remember.

We've had similar experiences with Sheratons and don't think the brand is what it used to be.
Love Hyatts, also.

(and exiledprincess, very funny post - and true!

Hi CG....we will be there in two weeks also! I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo once with my kids about 5 years ago. We were staying at the Omni and took a cab. We walked home, however, as they got into a bad fight at the zoo and it was great punishment. Another thing which is really fun is the Greek town area. If you don't go for dinner, walk around there around 11 as the restaurants are cranking up the kitchens. The aromas will kill you. We settled on the fun, festive and very yummy Greek Islands restaurant.

Great tips exiledprincess!

I'm going down in just over a week, to spend the day and see "Jersey Boys".

My favorite exhibit has always been the Egyptians at the Field, even before it was changed, and rechanged. When I was much younger I would take my two oldest kids and we would spend an entire hour or two with the mummies and then have lunch. LOL!

Good report for a very short stay.

Next time go to the Art Institute, especially with your DD if you both return. The Shedd is super special too, especially if you love vintage stonework etc. quite besides the great underseas' creatures you can see and some you can touch.

To answer the other questions, I believe you can get to Chinatown from downtown on the Red line and it is a very short ride. Also on CTA buses as well.

Lincoln Park Zoo is picturesque and in a wonderful tourist friendly area. It's walkable, easily and because of its location, lay out and size (small and older, not an immense number of indoor habitats etc.) I would go in any dry weather over 40 degrees myself.

Actually I am a Brookfield Zoo member, but like to go to Lincoln Zoo if possible, although it is easier for me to get to Springfield than it is for me to get to the Lincoln Zoo / Lincoln Park surrounds. That's not an exaggeration, and so for me it takes some time just to get there. LOL!

That traffic you went through is actually milder than the corridor into IN, well until just recently, when it opened up into 4 to 5 lanes in both directions.

We have some traffic stories to tell! One time this summer we couldn't get home from a White Sox game- literally! Dan Ryan is being redone as well this year.

Just think how nice it is and how nervelessly you will drive when you drive at home!

Come back, as there is always even within a year, more to keep you busy- at least for a week.