Vacation: Chicago, Illinois
Welcome to Chicago! This is a great place to take a vacation! It is the third largest city in the United States and sits on Lake Michigan, opening up lots of possibilities for fun activities. Chicago is well known for its numerous skyscrapers (notably the Sears Tower), the Magnificent Mile (upscale shopping), the “L” (elevated train), its abundant park space (Lincoln park is the 2nd most visited park in the United States), the Navy Pier, and its restaurants, theater, and culture.
I’ve been here a couple of times already and the downtown area is a lot of fun. This is a great walking city. Catch a ride on the “L” from O’hare Airport, get off downtown, and start walking around. If you like shopping, head up the Magnificent Mile. This is a portion of Michigan Avenue that has tons of upscale shopping, restaurants, and hotels. Once you are done there, head over to Grant Park to wander around. It has an open-air amphitheater (featured in the picture above). It also has a cool sculpture called “Cloud Gate” (aka, “The Bean”) which is a large, reflective sculpture that looks a lot like a lima bean. On your strolls, stop at the Pizzeria Due (owned by Unos). This is some of the best pizza I have ever had! Or, if you are looking for a more unique dining experience, head over to “Dicks Last Resort” where they are known for their outrageous and energic waitstaff (inflict humor on the guests). From there, take the elevator up to the observation deck of the Sears Tower. This has the best view of the city (you can see 4 states). Then head over to the Navy Pier. This is a pier that extends from the shoreline into Lake Michigan. It has a Ferris wheel, an IMAX theater, a couple of museums, a theater, art sculptures, parks, gardens, restaurants, shops, and other entertainment. It has a carnival type of atmosphere. There is so much to do in Chicago, that I couldn’t possibly list everything. Here are just a few more highlights:
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Millennium Park
- Shedd Aquarium
- Six Flags
- Art Institute of Chicago
One of the features I have always liked about Chicago is that the Chicago River runs straight through the middle of downtown. There are lots of condos for people to live right on the river. Some even allow the residents to dock their boats! It creates a very picturesque skyline. They even color the river green during St. Patrick’s Day! If you’ve never seriously considered Chicago as a vacation destination, then start considering it now. Besides what I have listed above, there are also numerous options for recreational activities, performing arts, and sports (Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks).
Yeah