<p>We’re taking a high school quiz bowl team to Chicago Memorial day weekend for a national tournament. They will be competing a lot of the time, but I think we’ll have Fri, Sat and Sun evenings free. Any suggestions for cool things to do/see in Chicagoland?</p>
<p>The Second City
<a href=“Comedy Shows in Chicago, Toronto & New York City - The Second City”>Comedy Shows in Chicago, Toronto & New York City - The Second City;
<p>Hazmat</p>
<p>Great suggestion!! I’ll look into it.</p>
<p>Have a fun and successful trip.</p>
<p>Check to see if there is a bandshell concert in Grant Park. (free) A Cubs or White Sox game.</p>
<p>Navy Pier, Sears Tower by day, Hancock by night, boat tour up Chicago river, Lake Cruise, hanging out at Oak Street Beach, keeping kids OFF Rush street, Watertower place, Chicago City Pass, which gives you discounted tickets at Planetarium, Aquarium, and Field Museum of Natural History, generally hanging out on the Lakefront, EATING Deep-Dish PIZZA (personal favorites are Lou Malnati’s, Ginos, Giordano’s), Whatever is going on in Grant Park, etc., Cubs game or White Sox game, (check ahead for tickets—Sox may be easier to get?? IDK) I lived in the NW suburbs for a total of about 15 years, left about 7 years ago. We went back to the city for a weekend in January (brrrrr!); I forgot how much I love Chicago.</p>
<p>Oh! And I could I not mention Museum of Science and Industry (although it’s pretty far south—not walkable, either for distance or location), Art Institute, Water Tower Place (cool shopping/eating over several floors)… There is a city bus that makes a big loop of all the “touristy” hot spots. Is full of families and visitors throughout the summer (was frequented even back in January–more routes running through the summer, too).</p>
<p>You must go to the new Millenium Park–and that could be combined to a visit to the Art Institute. Even if they don’t like art–they will love seeing the highlights–Seurat, the Chagall windows, American Gothic, architectural pieces, Monet’s waterlilies etc. Plus the old stock exchange room and the view over the tracks (reminder of Chicago’s past as “stockyard”). You probably won’t have enough time, but the boat tour on the river is really a great way to see a lot of the city in a short time–particularly good is the architectural highlights tour. Also, when else will you have a chance to see a river which flows backwards from a lake? Where will you be staying? Oh-almost forgot–you gotta have a Chicago dog–with everything!!</p>
<p>I can recommend Navy Pier and the Museum of Science and Industry. Both are places we’ve visited so far and i’m hoping to see more attractions in years to come. I love Chicago :)</p>
<p>this is a good thread- I have been contemplating going to Chicago for Lollapolooza
( am I having a mid life crisis?)</p>
<p>We’ve been to Chicago three times with high school and middle school kids and did Navy Pier, most of the museums, Shedd Aquarium, Sears Tower at night, saw Blue Man Group and Wicked (not sure if you cold get tickets to shows with only a few weeks left until you travel). Blue Man Group is a great show to take teenagers to see. They’d love it. If you want to do any of the museums, plan accordingly. You could spend a ton of time in each one. The groups we went with only gave us about 2 hours in each one which wasn’t really enough time to see everything. We made sure we ate at some of the more well known restaurants like Ed Debevic’s. Kids loved that one, too, because everyone is soooo rude. We had a chaperone with us that didn’t know that they are rude and make fun of people there and he started getting really upset about it until someone else in our group told him that’s how they are there. It was so funny seeing him get mad. Once he knew that’s what was supposed to be going on he dished it right back at them. We also did the gangster tour of Chicago and saw where all the big name gangsters hung out and got quite a history lesson. Watertower and the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave) are fabulous for shopping. With high school aged kids we let them roam around in small groups and set up a meeting place at a certain time. Even if you don’t let them roam Michigan Ave and just do the Watertower there is about 7 floors of shopping there. Are you driving or taking a bus. If you are taking a bus… wonderful. If you are driving yourself good luck with parking or just getting around. A chartered bus is the easiest way to go.</p>
<p>There’s also Lincoln Park: waterfront & zoo in one shot, free.
Art Institute is tremendous, as are the other museums.
Skydecks at Sears Tower, Hancock Building.
“magnificent Mile”</p>
<p>Make sure to take Lake Shore Drive down from the North into the Gold Coast, or further to the Museum campus.</p>
<p>Second City is good, but the jokes can be quite crass. Some parents and students, particularly if there are 9th graders, will find it inappropriate. Students who don’t completely grasp the nature of the group making fun of current events or current culture may find it offensive. Blue Man Group is probably a safer event given the age distribution and the fact that it’s a group trip.</p>
<p>The Museum of Science and Industry has a new CSI exhibit opening on May 25. It’s south of downtown, maybe a half hour by public transportation (can be shorter or longer depending on traffic). It’s a short walk to the University of Chicago, which as a couple of museums, namely the SMART museum, the Oriental Institute, and also the Robie House. </p>
<p>I like the suggestions so far. A baseball game would be a big hit, and I think they would really enjoy a day at Navy Pier, too. The Art Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Hancock Building are all good. A tour of the city with a focus on where celebrities live and things like that would be fun.</p>
<p>I would also suggest Millenium Park. They have concerts there, check on line.
Walk over to Buckingham Fountain and you can hit a museum or two.</p>
<p>It is an easy walk or you can pick up a shuttle to Navy Pier. I would suggest any of the boat tours. The ones on the Chicago River are better than the ones one the lake.
(in my opinion.) Chicago has Segway tours of the area around Millenium Park. Looks like fun. “The Color Purple” is playing in the Loop–as well as “Wicked.” both are fantastic</p>
<p>White Sox tickets would be easier to get. The Cubs play few night games, and weekend tickets are tough to get. They are sold out months ago. You can get tickets from brokers or scalpers before the game. </p>
<p>Also take the El around and look at the sights. Chicago is about neighborhoods and there are a lot of great ones. If you want dining suggestions–beyond the typical Hard Rock and Cheesecake Factory pm me.</p>
<p>Frank Lloyd Wright houses. Early skyscrapers. Museum of Fine Arts and I second or third or fourth the Museum of Science and Industry suggestion.</p>
<p>The Field Museum of Natural History is one of my favorites, it shares a campus with the Shedd Aquarium (the largest indoor aquarium in the world; even whales) and the Adler Planetarium.</p>
<p>Chicago is one of my favorite places. I lived there in another life (before marriage and kids) – and go back every year for a trade show. I agree with all of the above. I’d probably try to take the group to Navy Pier. A lake cruise would be cool if it’s doable cost wise. </p>
<p>Took S1 to Chicago when we were on a recruiting trip to Notre Dame – he absolutely loved the waterfront and the Chicago River. Has a dream that he will live in one of the high rise lakefront condos someday!</p>
<p>The lakefront view condos remain pretty affordable for an urban professional. Nothing like NY or SF.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all these great suggestions! We’ll be staying at an airport hotel because that’s where the competition will be. The coach and one student are going to a White Sox game. The rest of the kids are not sports-oriented (think eggheads).</p>
<p>Lucky you to be with eggheads in Chicago! If the kids are gathered for any kind of advanced meeting, perhaps they can view slides of the architectural facades (Robinson, Sullivan to name a few). Not heavy, just a preview. And read up on Carl Sandburg’s poetry (“the fog comes in like little cat’s feet…”) or Upton Sinclair (?) about the stockyards.</p>
<p>Then they’ll really put it together and take note as you walk around.</p>
<p>The Art Institute is great for its collection of French Impressionists, also Picasso. </p>
<p>There’s a Chicago deep-dish pizza that’s a different experience entirely.</p>
<p>Um, the Chicago airport loses more luggage than any other, so label like crazy.</p>