tchoiniere

There is 4 of us going for a baseball trip. All late 20s / early 30s next August. It will be 4 days in Chicago, 1.5 days in Milwaukee, 3.5 days in Minneapolis. Our schedule looks like this:

Thursday: Arrive Chicago early afternoon

Friday: Open day in Chicago

Saturday: Cardinals - Cubs game (I realize it may be hard to get tickets but will spend extra to get tickets, if we are unable to get them online)

Sunday: Red Sox @ White Sox game

Monday: Drive to Milwaukee for a Brewers game (Its a day game)

Tuesday: Drive to Minn. in the afternoon. Assuming a 6 hr drive

Wed: Twins game (another day game)

Thursday: Free Day

Friday: Free day, fly back late afternoon

Our schedule is pretty much set based on the baseball schedules. Seeing the Red Sox in 1 of the cities and having all teams home led to this week.

What are other sites in Chicago and Minneapolis that are must sees? Chicago, I am thinking Sears Tower or Hancock Tower, a boat trip on the Lake. Haven't done much research on Minneapolis yet. What about restaurants / bars to go to?

JJ5

Even if you only have an hour- take a walk through Millenium Park and then South and go to the Art Institute for any length of time that you can. Focus on the Impressionists- and even if you are not art lovers, you will be glad you did it.

You could possibly do dim sum or a meal in Chinatown on Sunday before the game- right on the way to see the Sox. www.metromix.com

TwoFatFeet

Where are you guys staying in Chicago?

Sounds like a fun trip. I'm sure plenty of posters will help you with downtown bars/restos, so I'll just start it off with what I'm familiar with and what I like.

Wrigleyville has a bazillion bars, so you can figure that out pretty easily on your own when you get there -- Goose Island, Cubby Bear, etc.

Other favorite bars:

Map Room (definitely my favorite, world-class beer selection)
Hop Leaf (specializes in Belgian beer)
Clark Street Ale House (good beer, good location, free pretzels!)
L&L Tavern (good dive, great place to get loaded)

What's your budget for restaurants? Any cuisine preference? Steak...Gibsons, Keefers, Wildifire...

If you have time and the desire, head to where I live, Roscoe Village, for Hot Doug's, which has the best sausages in the city, seriously. It's a little out of the way of downtown/touristville, but it's totally worth the trip, especially since you have some time Thursday and Friday. Since you'd be in the area, stop for drinks at the Village Tap and Underbar, or divey-local drinks at Mulligan's. Then you can take the Damen bus or a cab down to Wicker Park/Bucktown area for the Map Room and other stuff, or the Addison bus (or a cab) to Wrigleyville for more drinking.

Anyway, that's just for starters. I'm sure others can help, but tell us budget/desires for restaurants.

tchoiniere

Haven't booked hotels yet. Really doesn't matter for budget or cuisine. Just looking for any suggestions at this point. once it gets closer and we have more details, we will work on getting it narrowed down. With such tight timeframes, I really want to have a schedule but will be open to changes

tchoiniere

ttt

kelliebellie

At the Sear's Tower you pay to go up the elevator. At Hancock you can go to the bar on the 95th floor for free. The drinks are pricey, but you can spend the money you would have spent on the Sear's Tower and take your time and relax at the bar. The views are amazing and I like it because it is so close to the lake.

There is an architecture boat tour on the river that is very good.

In Milwaukee there is this awesome bar called the Safe House. It is all a spy theme and really really fun. I highly recommend it.

JJ5

I strongly suggest you book your hotel early. I'm serious, because pricing has escalated in the last 2 years for those who wait, nearly always.

If it was I and I had 4 people, I would strongly suggest quikbook choices, as they are good lock prices and refundable/cancellable as well.

You aren't going to be here long, so I would stay central downtown LOOP, River North, or North Michigan Ave. location- for the easiest access to the ballgames, especially.

Are you going to need to park a car? Do take hotel considerations etc. with that in mind. And also the huge tax added hotel fees in Chicago. 17 to 20% more. And parking is now $28 to $40 a day minimum.

You will not want to take the car to Wrigley, if you can help it. And at U.S. Cellular too- it would be cheaper to not pay the $20 parking fee- the red line goes there in a whiff from downtown.

Highly suggest you stay central and take the els to both games, if you get the Cubs tickets.

There are nearly 100 choices of good hotels downtown, so you might want to check out other threads here. Do a search on Chicago hotel 20 something or some such.

If you get the hotel before the weather turns to spring, you are going to get an immensely better price, and don't forget that the percentage added is on that price too. Some hotwire choices that you could do for 4, might not be something you would want to overlook either.

JJ5

Also, Milwaukee's stadium is outside the city. So I would go to the Brewers website or somesuch and look at the logistics of hotel stay that was easier access by car than mid-town. We always have enjoyed the brewery tours in Milwaukee, and we also enjoy the free samples at the end. LOL!

I think the last time we went, it was Millers and we had kids with us, and even with the kids, they had beverages/treats for them as well, and you really got to see prepartion etc.

tchoiniere

Will have a car, but may look into picking it up the last day in Chicago to reduce the cost. It sounds as if public transportation is reliable in Chicago? IS there a 4 day pass you can buy that allows unlimited access? As for hotels, we are just waiting until after the holidays to book - thru Orbitz, etc. Definitely will be in downtown. Thanks for the tip on Milwaukee.

The boat tour was already on our list to do. May do both Sears and Hancock but haven't decided.

Definitely will be going to Miller Br.ewery on Tuesday. We agreed to change our plan and spend more time in Mil. on Tuesday and drive part way to Minneapolis late that afternoon (I think to Menomonie) then drive the rest on Wed morning so we could see more of Milwaukee.

kelliebellie

Oh, and if Madison, Wisconsin is on your way to Minn. (my WI geography is sketchy) that would be worth a quick stop, maybe for lunch. It is a beautiful campus on the lake with the capital dome.

dmlove

Public transportation in Chicago is fabulous.

Be sure to research the various boat tours. There are different companies running them (Chicago Architectural Foundation, Wendella) and they run different tours (river only, lake, etc.) We recently took the CAF river-only tour and loved it. Chicago architecture is amazing, and it's just fun to see it from the "other side".

tchoiniere

The tour we are looking at is http://www.chicagotours.us/tours/tou...m?tour_id=4399.

Goes on the lake and river

dmlove

I don't know anything about that one so hopefully someone else will comment. I just think it's hysterical that it's "by speedboat". Guess it will be like one of those "All of Shakespeare in 90 minutes" shows LOL!

tchoiniere

Haven't booked anything so am definitely open to suggestions. I called there and they said that it is a slow ride past the architecture and then you go full speed down the lake.

JJ5

I've seen that speedboat venue. They are bigger than you think, and dock off of Navy Pier. Just remember, that it takes time to get out through the locks into the lake. Really ask how long this is supposed to take. I say "supposed", because it does happen that the locks get backed up in summer with big everything/lines going through. If you are in a speedboat of size that I have seen, it might be very interesting as you are going to be "knocked" by ships, yachts etc. when you are packed into the lock when rising/falling.

I've been through them in small bass boats or speed boats, and I HATE it- because they look they are going to crush you. I'm normally not a chicken. On those, it will be ok, but know that is not really a architectural tour of any depth at all.

You have time. Do not skip the Art Institute, even if you not the artsy types. Also, it would be cheaper just to go to the Handcock for a drink than to any of the observatory decks.

Walk over the bridge at least once from State / Madison or Millenium Park onto to North Michigan Ave. and really look around. There are lots of historic items in the walls etc.

And you need to do a Chicago pizza at least once- so check out the threads on that here.

If you walk around the Loop at all, you will note the Chagall, Picasso etc. - and if you are going to Sears that direction- do it in a way that gets you over by LaSalle St. Station and the Board of Trade. Go in for a minute.

Also the State of IL building- if you have 10 minutes while walking. Inside is shocking to some people.

They might look the same from the outside, but inside can be an entirely different story. LOL!

In August and with your timing, I would research to see if Milwaukee is having the lakefront fest. Every weekend is usually a new ethnic group or flavored fest. You might like it. One of my kids is going to Germanfest this year, booked ahead for a Brewers game too, so it might be a duo for you also.

Have a good time.

My favorite trip in the entire world is not overseas but a car trip for baseball. I'm about 2 or 3 past the half point in seeing different stadiums. But now some of them have gotten new, and I'll have to start again.

As a silly sidenote: Wrigley Field was plowed today. They are finally changing the entire lay of the land that was so horrendous there. The head man Brosard from the White Sox is doing it.

ChiDad

Sounds like a great trip.

I've seen games at all of the Stadiums and you will have a great time. One suggestion I would make is that you head over to Madison after the Brewers game. Adding a minor league game is cool and the Madison Mallards do a great marketing job and attract big crowds. They have home games until mid August when the play-offs start. If you go, check out tickets in the Duck Blind. For $25 it is a ticket plus all you can eat and drink. It is always a party.

My ranking of the stadiums/games would be:

Wrigley (great rivalry)
Mallards (even more fun than Wrigley)
US Cellular (hard for a Chicago guy to not think of Comiskey when I type that)
Metrodome (brings back nothing but bad memories for a Cardinal fan)

In Chicago, do the Hancock and skip the Sears (no need to do both and the Hancock is classier). Eat at Ditka's and/or Harry Caray's for good food and sports memorabilia. Stay on the Mag Mile to be in the center of everything. Plan to walk from the river (Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower) to Oak St. beach during the day and again at night. Getting out on the water is a great idea, too. I'd recommend either Second City or Steppenwolf for a non baseball night (unless your group is more of a Hooters and/or espn zone type).

Milwaukee is all about the Brewery tour. After Chicago it will look small. Miller Park is very nice, though.

I'm currently living in Madison and would give it a big thumbs up. I can give you a lot more info on it if you decide to come here.

Someone else will have to fill you in on Minneapolis.

Kevin

tchoiniere

This trip will bring me to 21 out of 30 current stadiums.

Will look into a comedy show for one of the nights.

Madison is a possibility.

I think Harry Carey's is a must.

ChiDad

If the Cubs are in town on either Thursday or Friday you'd have fun watching at one of the bars right across the street. I've always like the vibe at Murphy's Bleachers myself.

I checked and the Mallards schedule isn't out yet. If you do decide to fit Madison in, let me know.

For Chicago hotels, I'd use priceline. You can get a 4* room for about $100 typically.

Have you been to Petco yet? What did you think?

Cheers,

Kevin (less than 20 current parks)

tchoiniere

Petco is one of my favorites. I have been to 5 games there (go to SD once a month for work - tough job!!!)

My top 5 are
1. PNC Park (Pittsburgh)
2. Petco Park
3. Safeco Field
4. ATT Park (SF)
5. Citizens Bank (Philly)

I will not compare any stadium to Fenway except for maybe Wrigley.

cheryl_b

you really don't need to do both the sears tower and the hancock. there's nothing else to see around the sears tower, it's a business district. the skyline at 100 stories is not very different. the hancock is near good shopping and the mag mile. DEFINITELY skip the pricey elevator tour and spend the cash you saved on an overpriced drink for the same exact view.