Looking for advice on what to see in Chicago As an undergrad finance student, I will be heading out to Chicago with the Investment club from our school… About 8-10 of us will be going. Looking for comments on what to visit while we are there (be there from thurs night to sunday morn during the end of Nov) CBOT, Fed Reserve, Bear Sterns contact are our plans thus far. Also staying at the Marriot in Magnificent Mile. Any ideas on businesses to tour, places to visit, or even night-time entertainment?? Also taking an international trip next semester looking into sao paolo, tokyo, shanghai?? Any feedback would be appreciated!!
check out metromix.com for entertainment I’d suggest visiting the Art Institute - they have a great collection of impressionists and post-impressionists. Visiting CME might be interesting.
and for food… Lou Malnati’s and Portillos Too good to miss
Go there for work often…gotta have the deep dish pizza…Unos or Due is pretty good.
Helllllz no…it’s Giordano’s all the way! Non-finance related, there’s TONS of stuff to do. I would suggest checking out Navy Pier, the Sears Tower (I think it’s about $13 to go up), although, if you head up to the Signature Room at the Hancock, you can go up to the restaurant or have a drink and it’s free…and many argue the view is better. Also check out the Museum of Science & Industry down by U of Chicago/Hyde Park. They usually have great exhibits and I think usually have one day a week where it’s free admission (either Tues or Thurs). Pick up a “Time Out” magazine; it’s a great reference for anything that’s going on in the city that week from museums to theater to live music to nightlife, etc. and sometimes offers coupons/deals. As for the nightlife, if you’re into bars, head north from downtown to Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville (a little cheaper and more casual than downtown) or hit up the real touristy joints at Rush/Division. If you’re into clubs (ie. dance/house music), check out Vision, Spy Bar, Sound Bar, as they usually have top DJ talent coming thru. I could go on and on, but stuff will honestly find you, especially if you’re staying at the Marriott on Michigan Ave. There’s heaps to do down in the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Viagra Triangle areas. Have fun!
I think that the CME has closed its visitor platform post-9/11, so unless you want to go to the gift shop there’s not much to see. The CBOT still has tours during trading hours I believe.
Hey Zim, I lived in Chitown for nearly five years and never heard of Viagra Triangle. What part of the city is that?
Sound Bar is a cool place. One of my buddies got in a fight with Chris Duhon there…
i second giordano’s for the pizza… walking tour of the city organized by the architecture institute was also v interesting…
If you guys go out for a fancy Dinner, try Gene and Gorgetti’s…
Viagra Triangle is the Rush/State/Division area, well known for middle-aged men hanging out in high-priced restaurants (that cater to the type) hitting on hot young thangs. Lou Malnatti’s and Uno/Due are the original deep dish pizzas (Lou used to be part owner in Uno/Due), and Giordano’s makes a great stuffed crust pizza. Both are similarly hefty pizzas and are excellent with beer, and I highly recommend trying any of them. Chicago has a great Little Italy, Chinatown and Greektown, all packed with restaurants and are all within a short cab ride from downtown (within 2 miles of your hotel, I believe). I would nix the vote to go to Navy Pier. That place is a tourist trap, with nothing of any advantage to see. Definitely head up to the Hancock Tower to get a drink (or pretend you’re getting a drink and just check it out). It’s called the Signature Room at the 95th. The architecture tour is always a great time, but November may be pushing it for walking around the city (there is also a boat tour, but that would be just as cold). The Lincoln Park Zoo is free, and it is a beautiful zoo (not the best or the biggest, but nice), however, you will be freezing your ass off, as well. I highly recommend looking into any shows at Second City. This is the comedy troupe that developed a majority of the talent that has historically been tapped on SNL. They are located in Old Town, which is between the Loop and Lincoln Park (a short cab ride from your hotel). I am not from Chicago, though I have been here for about two years. I have been working so much that I haven’t really seized the opportunities for adventure that are available; so I am not much of a tour guide. The summers are great because you can just head to the beach or a park and have a good time. But the winter is a bit brutal (It ain’t Canada, but it’s cold!).
no_slogan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hey Zim, > > I lived in Chitown for nearly five years and never > heard of Viagra Triangle. What part of the city > is that? Yep, as mcthorp says above. Just duck your head into any one of the restaurants or clubs right there like Level or Hunt Club or Carmine’s (well, the bar part really), etc. and you’ll INSTANTLY see why it gets that name.
ahahah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sound Bar is a cool place. One of my buddies got > in a fight with Chris Duhon there… We all got hammered with Duhon a couple months back after a Cubs game. Credit cards were flying and the dude is actually really nice and super cool. He was ordering trays of shots, like 15-20 deep, at a time for me, my crew and some others we pulled into the fray. I DJ’ed at Sound Bar a couple summers back when I flew down from Canada when my boys PURE used to do all their nights there.
I live right in the middle of this “Viagra Triangle” and I had never heard that name until now. However, looking back on my weekends, I do recall seeing quite a few older men in the area…bizarre. I would recommend just going out of the hotel and wandering downtown the first night. There is a ton of stuff to do around there and you will definitely find something to fill up your time. Enjoy the randomness.