Trip Moment Recommendations
Groundswell Coffe Roasters
I really like this place groundswellcoffe in chicago, I saw a lot of mothers and their children, working people and various friends. Excellent temperature coffee, I ordered this latte very rich
I would probably say that this coffee shop is a must for coffee lovers! The service was good, and the variety of coffee served in the ambiance was very satisfying. If you like your coffee shops, then this is a must-visit! We will be back again!
#café#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
backlot coffee
Backlot Cafe in chicago is perfect for grabbing a delicious coffee and enjoying your day on the outside it doesn't look overwhelming and the interior is beautiful backlotcoffee
Unquestionably, the best coffee shop in the area! I’m so thankful that finally, I was able to find this spot for some good coffee just in time. The atmosphere inside this coffee shop was very vibrant and relaxing. I will definitely rate them a five-star for everything that they provided. Truly amazing! Thank you so much, guys!
#café#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Newportocoffe Chicago
Newportocoffe is a type of coffee where you feel inspired to work but also comfortable to talk , I really like the minimalism in the design and also the many accessories, coffee for grinding and home tasting
Will go again.I only popped in to get take-away cappuccinos, but I was struck by how friendly the service was. The cappuccinos were wonderful too! And very well priced #coffeeshop
#café#themepark#zoo#lakes
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Off the banks of the Chicago River, this luxurious hotel is conveniently located within 5 minutes' walk of the Magnificent Mile and Millennium Park. As the largest hotel in Chicago, this hotel features numerous of on-site dining options, free WiFi, and a 24-hour fitness center and spa.
Each environmentally-friendly room at Chicago Hyatt Regency includes a 37-inch flat-screen TV and an iPod docking station. A desk and seating area are also provided in every room.
The hotel offers a wide array of services on site, including car rental, a concierge staff, a babies travel lite program, 24-hour in-room dining, and ticket services. Laundry and dry cleaning services are also available on site.
Stetsons Modern Steak + Sushi serves fine chops and seafood in an elegant atmosphere. Market Chicago, open 24-hours a day, features Starbucks coffee, sandwiches and breakfast items. BIG Bar features views of the city and signature cocktails. American Craft Kitchen and Bar is open for lunch and dinner and serves sandwiches and salads.
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Warwick Allerton Chicago
Located among the shopping, dining and entertainment on the Magnificent Mile, this boutique hotel is located in the heart of downtown Chicago and offers historic architecture, on-site dining options and a 24-hour fitness center.
The modern, stylish rooms at Warwick Allerton Hotel Chicago feature a flat-screen TV, iPod docking station and work desk. Guests can enjoy a drink from the room's mini-bar. Select rooms feature spectacular Magnificent Mile views.
M Avenue Restaurant offers progressive American fare with seasonal specials for breakfast and lunch. Guests can grab a drink at M Avenue Lounge, which offers free WiFi, small plates and an array of cocktails and spirits.
12,000 square feet of on-site meeting and banquet space is available at the Warwick Allerton. The meeting spaces include luxury furnishings, modern technology and catering options. A 24-hour business center and same-day laundry and dry-cleaning services are also offered.
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Needs an update
Stayed at this hotel in July and it was clear from the get go that they are understaffed. The hallways and room clearly show that the hotel has not been updated in many years. The room was clean and the bed was pretty firm but not bad. The bathtub was rust-stained and the grout between the tiles had mold stains. There was little traffic noise but the worst part is the extremely noisy air conditioner. The first time it came on at night I really thought it was a huge truck passing on the nearby road. This kept waking me up every time it came on.
Overall, it's ok for a one night stay but I'll be looking for something else, terima
#themepark#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Wonderful Place to Stay!
I booked Monday night to Friday at this hotel. Contacted them to let them know I’d be arriving Tuesday morning, very early on a red eye from the west coast. I’ve done this many times and never had an issue - in fact, the hotels have always appreciated the notice as it gives them more flexibility (for example, to let another lifetime tit Jim member like me, or any other guest, have a late check out). Not this hotel. They stated I’d need to pay for another night. I explained that I’d already paid for the night before when I wanted to arrive and was just trying to give them a heads up, but they insisted I go for another night (2 nights before my arrival) to get an early morning check in. Spoke to two people - both said the same thing. So I cancelled the reservation and filed a complaint. Then the front desk manager tried to pretend like it was all just a big misunderstanding. I saved the messages with the hotel. So, please. Do yourself a favor and find another hotel, that isn’t unethically trying to get people to pay two nights before they arrive in exchange for an early morning arrival.
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Lovely stay
We stayed in a suite in the Hotel Audrey from July 31-August 3. We were very pleased with the room and the service. We arrived in Chicago early Saturday morning and thought we would have to leave our bag and wander until check in time. But the desk clerk was lovely and let us check in, as they had a suite available. We were told on check-in that there was not daily maid service, but to let them know if we need anything and they would see what could be done. Luckily, we keep ourselves pretty neat, so it wasn't a problem.
The suite was pretty spacious with a king size bedroom, office area and living area. These areas are not able to be closed off from each other, but that didn't bother us. We just liked having the space. The only room complaint is that the bathroom is pretty small. Also, being in the first room off the elevator, we thought there might be noise from that. There wasn't but you could hear anybody talking in the hallway. It was pretty annoying when the Lollapalooza attending girls down the hall wanted to discuss their day, standing in the hallway at midnight. Not the hotel's fault exactly, but some soundproofing would help.
The location of Hotel Audrey is great. It's only a block off Michigan Ave, and right next to Neiman Marcus and Geno's Pizza, but it sill manages to feel like a quiet spot. We were able to easily walk to tons of shopping and food and get an Uber / Lyft without too much wait.
The lobby has a really comfortable vibe, but I hope they get the lobby coffee shop back open soon. I know that running hotels in the time of COVID is leading to a lot of loss of services, so I'm willing to adjust, but I hope said service come back soon.
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
A September Visit
I first encountered the Water Tower, on N Michigan Ave (Magnificent Mile), when we first stayed at the near-by Ritz Carlton. That was about 25-30 years ago. On this September trip, we were staying near-by, but at the Westin, a block, or so away.
The Water Tower is really two buildings, on either side of N Michigan Ave, the Water Tower itself, with a small art gallery, and then the Chicago Avenue Pumping Station, much of which is now a Department of Tourism office, a small theater, the Looking Glass Theater Company.
For me, the architecture is the primary draw, and it always has been, however, there is much history associated with the Water Tower - the second oldest remaining such tower in the USA. Even in the dull light of a cloudy September day, the structure is beautiful, reaching into the sky 185'. As much of this area has been rebuilt, with much more modern structures, the Water Tower is a throwback - a throwback to 1869. Visually, it almost seems out of place, but then maybe it’s the newer, much more modern structures, which are themselves, out of place?
One positive effect that I encountered on this day, was that the light was soft, as too often, these two structures have some hard shadows cast upon them, by the taller, surrounding buildings.
Besides walking around each of the buildings, I also got to gaze upon the Tower Building, from the restaurant, a few floor up in the Park Hyatt hotel - a view that I had never taken in before.
I spent probably an hour and a half between both buildings, and would recommend that one budget at least an hour, to take both structures in, to their fullest fsyvvhijcs
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
cafe PPR
Using coffee brewed with the Dutch Coffee technique as a canvas and decorated with a smooth sweet cream, Lee drew latte art directly by hand. From as simple as a tree of colored flowers, to Van Gogh's famously elaborate and famous painting Starry Night, this coffee drink by Lee is a pleasure to drink!
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Oak Street Beach is located on North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. One of a series of Chicago beaches, the Chicago Park District defines Oak Street Beach as the area from approximately 1550 North Lake Shore Drive to 500 North Lake Shore Drive, excluding Ohio Street Beach, the South Ledge, a concrete path running from Ohio Street beach to the Oak Street Curve, Oak Street Beachstro Restaurant, Oak Street Beach proper, the North Ledge, and a concrete path running from Oak Street Beach to North Avenue Beach.
#triplocal #lakes #nationalpark #themepark #beaches
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Chicago is the largest city in the United States state of Illinois, founded on August 12, 1833. Known for its scattered ranch and industrial estates, its strategic port on the Great Lakes, its position as the most important railroad hub in the northern US, and its unflagging passion during the Great Fire of 1871. Also known for famous writers such as Saul Bellow, Gwendolyn Brooks, Carl Sandburg, and Theodore Dreiser, as well as for its world-class architecture produced by masters such as Frank Lloyd Wright.
The size of Chicago today – ± 762 sq mi (1,973 km2) – grew from a trading post here by John Kinzie in 1796.
Steel-reinforced skyscrapers hail from Chicago. The Chicago Home Insurance Building was completed (1885) and 9 years later, 21 buildings were built with a height of ±12-16 floors. Growing into a leading 19th century city because of its location and importance as a transportation hub, Chicago was appointed to host the 1893 World Columbian Expo, outperforming even NYC and Washington DC.
#themepark #lakes #triplocal #nationalpark #beaches
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
Craving for smoke fish
Calumet Fisheries, a small seafood shack, is a relic of the past when shacks like this were found all over the banks of the Chicago River. This tiny restaurant specializes in smoked fish and gives customers a glimpse at a long-forgotten piece of Chicago history on the city’s South Side, just seven minutes from the Indiana border and east of the Chicago Skyway. Enjoy precious smoked salmon, trout, and shrimp — the small smokehouse is right outside the restaurant. Each morsel is delicate and sweet. The fish is best enjoyed while sitting parked nearby in your car. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Best chicken in Chicago
This particular Harold’s, on the corner of 127th and Halsted, isn’t known for customer service, but for its crisp chicken (fried in beef fat) and its own take on mild sauce, the must-have condiment that’s become a cult favorite. Knowing all this, Harold’s fans are passionate and really enjoy arguing about which location is best.
12700 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60628
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Learning about the planets
In Grant Park, the Adler Planetarium (1930) is both a respected institution at the Museum Campus and a noble landmark in its own right.
The planetarium occupies a nub of land sticking out over the lake on Northerly Island. you can go to the beach after the museum.
By the water to the north is the Adler Planetarium Skyline Walk, blessed with the ultimate view of Chicago’s skyline.
Inside, kids can interact with exhibits dealing with topics like the Solar System, the composition of planets and the Moon missions. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Who loves music?
As one of America’s “Big Five”, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is among the most prestigious classical ensembles on the planet.
You can see them at the Symphony Center, a National Historic Landmark on South Michigan Avenue.
This venue is a complex made up of the Grainger Ballroom, Buntrock Hall and the 2,522-seater Orchestra Hall.
On the frieze above the facade’s arches windows you’ll read the names “Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Wagner”. By 2018 Riccardo Muti had been the conductor for eight years.
Prices start at $30, and the 2018-19 season included Mahler 3, Verdi’s Aida, Mozart’s Requiem, Tchaikovsky’s 6, and performances by some of the world’s top soloists and guest conductors. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Looking for a good laugh?
An absurd amount of comic talent has come out of Chicago over the last 60 years, and one of the reasons for that is Second City.
This fabled comedy club and improv company on Wells Street counts Steve Carell, Billy Murray, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Stephen Colbert, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and John Candy among its alumni.
There are three stages at Second City, “Mainstage” and “e.t.c. Stage” for sketch comedy and improv acts, and the UP Comedy Club for stand-up.
Chances are you’ll get see a future TV or film star honing their comedic powers here.
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Must visit in Chicago
This has a beautiful central arch that mirrors the false-perspective effect of the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, and is glazed with Tiffany stained glass.
Now one of Chicago’s best spots for performing arts, the theatre is owned by the Madison Square Garden Company and puts on a varied programme of comedians, world-famous musicians, dance companies and lectures by renowned cultural figures.
Beach House, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Simple Minds, Christina Aguilera and Jim Jefferies were all in store for Fall 2018. Don't forget to visit Chicago Theater when you visit Chicago. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Remarkable landmark
One of five Tony award-winning venues in Chicago, the Chicago Theatre warrants a photo, even if you’re not planning to see a show.
That’s partly because of the marquee and vertical sign, which often appear in movies set in the city.
The venue opened in 1921 as an opulent motion picture house, and if you step back across State Street you can get a good look at the facade.
#urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Learning Egyptian times
While you’re down at the Robie House, head to this awesome museum at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute.
Opened with funding from John D. Rockefeller Jr., the ivy-clad museum is a treasure chest of ancient artefacts discovered during digs in Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
A couple of the most remarkable exhibits are an imposing statue of King Tutankhamen and a giant human-headed winged bull from the Assyrian city of Khorsabad.
From around the same period there’s a set of ornate Luristan Bronzes produced in western Iran in the early Iron Age, and a stunning array of paper-thin ivories carved in the ancient city of Tel Megiddo, now northern Israel.
Like so many places on this list, the museum is free, but does encourage donations. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
talking about great architecture!
Built in the mid-1920s for the Chicago Tribune, this iconic Gothic Revival skyscraper on the Magnificent Mile is now being turned into condominiums.
The Tribune Tower is clad with Indiana limestone, and came about after a design competition to mark the paper’s 75th anniversary.
At night you’ll get a clear view of the buttresses and tracery at the very top, while there are lots of details to discover on the lower storeys.
In the years before the tower went up, the Tribune’s publisher Robert R. McCormick had asked his correspondents to bring him fragments of famous monuments from around the world.
So, embedded in the stonework are pieces from the Hagia Sophia, Taj Mahal, the Butter Tower of Rouen Cathedral, the Alamo, the Great Pyramid and the Great Wall of China, to name a few. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Time to learn planets!
You can find more fact-heavy exhibitions about the history of telescopy and the origins of the universe in Adler Planetarium.
Projected shows are the cornerstone of any planetarium, and the Adler has a big choice, showing the sky above Chicago with light pollution filtered out, and sparkling presentations about the mysterious Planet Nine and nebulae.
There are also free live events, like a viewing of Mars in July 2018, when the planet was at Opposition. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Romantic place
People go out of their way to visit a masterpiece of landscape architecture in Lincoln Park.
This pond is named after its designer, Alfred Caldwell who worked on it in the second half of the 1930s.
In the same vein as the Robie House, the environment is laid out in the Prairie style.
You’ll definitely sense the Prairie school’s love for low horizontal forms and the natural landscapes of the Midwest.
A National Historic Landmark since 2006, the pool is traced by winding stepping-stone paths, wide stratified slabs of limestone, circular benches, plants native to the Midwest, a waterfall and waterside pavilion.
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Based on Navy Pier, this adored non-profit theatre company has done as much as anyone to help keep Chicago on the cultural map over the last 30 years.
In short order the theatre has earned three Laurence Olivier Awards, as well as a regional Tony in 2008. Its main aim is to introduce people to the works of William Shakespeare, through school tours, summer plays in parks and productions at its own majestic venue, adding up to 600 performances a year.
The company has been at Navy Pier since 1999, in a complex with two auditoriums: The 510-seater Courtyard Theater and the more intimate Upstairs theatre.
The programme is crafted for everyone, and has meaty productions of Macbeth and Hamlet, and light family musicals like Peter Pan and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Learning about nature
This child-friendly museum in Lincoln Park presents the natural history of the Chicago region in smart and interactive ways.
As an institution the museum was founded back in 1857 and moved into a new home in the park in 1999. The old museum, now used by the zoo, was known for its detailed static dioramas, and while these are still here, they’re joined by spellbinding living environments like the astonishing Judy Istock Butterfly house, where 1,000 butterflies flutter in a 250-square-metre greenhouse.
During the “Critter Connection” every day at 11:30 kids can get an up close look at more than a dozen different amphibian species at the Animal House.
There’s also a bird walk, leading to a platform over Lincoln Park’s North Pond, as well as hands-on stations where kids can learn about rivers, solve nature-inspired puzzles and explore a beaver lodge. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
The Aesthetic Though
Under the city streets and spanning more than 40 blocks north to south, Chicago has a vast network of pedestrian tunnels, as an answer the vicious winter weather and to provide easy links between “L” stations.
The oldest sections, between State and Dearborn streets date back to before the Second World War.
The rest of the network was begun in the 1950s and expanded in the 60s and 70s.
Not all of the Pedway is subterranean, as there are enclosed raised footbridges.
As ever, there are works of public art adorning the tunnels, along with restaurants and shops.
In the Pedway by Macy’s check out the beautiful display of 22 stained glass panels, a holdover from the defunct Smith Museum of Stained Glass. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Taste of festival in Chicago
In mid-July Grant Park puts on the world’s largest food festival.
The Taste of Chicago Festival drives home the full diversity of Chicago’s dining options.
Bring an appetite and you can take a culinary trip around the world, discover the creativity of Chicago’s contemporary restaurants or renew your love affair with Chicago classics like Italian beef, cheesecake, pizza and hot dogs.
There are pop-up restaurants, a whole armada of streetfood trucks and stands representing Chicago’s top eateries.
You can go sample crazy, or see highly skilled chefs doing their thing at live demonstrations.
And as the perfect accompaniment the festival organises live music by famous acts and the best of Chicago’s music scene. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
one of a kind exprrience
The Chicago Air & Water Show goes back to 1959 and remains the city’s second favourite festival, as well as the largest free show of its kind in the United States.
Across a weekend in mid-August more than two million people line Lake Michigan, particularly the North Avenue Beach, for an exhibition of supersonic jets, formation flying, sky-diving and skywriting.
These are normally Army and Air Force groups, like the Golden Knights parachute team and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
There’s no better time to visit 360 Chicago, the Skydeck or take a cruise on the lake, while shore-side restaurants and bars put on viewing parties, though tickets will sell out months in advance. #urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
Perfect place for coffee
When Lost Larson debuted in Andersonville, beloved neighborhood institution Swedish Bakery had just closed. There were bound to be comparisons between the defunct bakery and the ambitious upstart. Since then, chef and owner Bobby Schaffer has shattered all expectations, keeping true to his fine dining roots at Grace and others. Though the breads and pastries have Scandinavian influences, Lost Larson isn’t locked on a singular theme. Instead, the bakery and cafe doles out whole wheat ham-and-cheese croissants, the fabled cardamom bun, scones, and quiche. Be sure to order early because stock sells out online, but the Andersonville and the new Wicker Park locations both have inventory for walk-in customers.#urbanexplorer
#themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool
When you grow up and hang out for fun in Chicago!!!!!
#lakes
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