<p>My 19 year old daughter is going to be in Chicago for just a day. She’s never been there before. What would you recommend she see/do? She is going with a friend. I realize people have different tastes/opinions, but just throw it out there.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for the ideas. :)</p>
<p>Downtown is loaded with free or inexpensive sights. Of course there’s the Buckingham Fountain. Another possibility is the Water Tower Place (shopping could get expensive) or go to the top of the Sears Tower. (If time permits) maybe one of the museums, i.e. Chicago Art Institute, Field Museum of History, Museum of Science and Industry, or the Shedd Aquarium.</p>
<p>What does she like to do – shopping, coffee shops, museums?
Are they coming in from the airport or what?
Would be easier to recommend stuff if I knew what she likes and how much time she has if she has to get to and from the airport.
My Ds go downtown all the time so I can ask them as well. </p>
<p>Just off the top of my head:
Downtown, take the water taxi from Union Station to Navy Pier, beautiful, inexpensive way to see downtown.
Check out Millenium Park for all the sights (the fountains, the Bean) and for people watching.</p>
<p>They will be driving in and arriving in the morning, and will start the drive home in the evening. They don’t have a lot of time to spend there, but my daughter has always wanted to see Chicago. (I’m not sure if her friend has been there before or not.) It’s not that far away, but the opportunity has just not been there before this. Since they don’t have a lot of time, I thought I would see what seems to be most popular. </p>
<p>My daughter loves shopping and people watching. She loves to eat, too! Thanks for the help. Any other suggestions or tips are appreciated!</p>
<p>two words… The Bean</p>
<p>The bean definitely makes for some fun pictures.</p>
<p>For people watching, my vote is for Millenium Park with “the bean”.</p>
<p>The John Hancock Tower or Sears Tower, and the Magnificent Mile (all the shops on MIchigan Avenue). Grab a pizza at Uno’s, and the Navy Pier and ride the ferris wheel.</p>
<p>We just got back from 48 hours in Chicago. The highlight was a Segway tour. You can see a lot in in the 2 hours and it was $70. Many companies do these. Ours left from Navy Pier.</p>
<p>If she has any interest at all in art (or maybe even if she doesn’t), the Art Institute would be heavenly. Among other things, the AI has an amazing collection of French Impressionist paintings (thanks largely to some local folks, with great taste, who were building their own art collections in the early 20th century).</p>
<p>And it’s in a great location, too: right by Millennium Park, the lake, the downtown shopping and dining area, etc.</p>
<p>[The</a> Art Institute of Chicago: Home:](<a href=“Downtown Chicago's #1 Museum | The Art Institute of Chicago”>http://www.artic.edu/aic/index.php)</p>
<p>Another vote for the “bean” :)</p>
<p>I didn’t know about the water taxi but Definitely do that! The view of the city from the water is–what ya wanna see. Just one other idea–driving in, yuck, but if she has to, it will be expensive to park, but works–park at the John Hancock, (right next to Water Tower Place) and then go up it (more interesting than Sears Tower, more distinctive for the rest of one’s life, landing at ORD and seeing it on the way flying from the east). One can pay for the Observation Deck, but instead go up to the restaurant/bar (96th floor I think-- FREE 32 second 96 floor elevator!) and buy a drink, alcoholic or not, and sit there and see ALL the view. Pretty much same cost as the Obs. deck, get a drink and a seat instead of the admission ticket. The women’s bathroom has one of the best views. From there, it is a mile walk down the Magnif. Mile, and then east over to Navy Pier, lots to see in all that. The Water Tower that survived the 1888 (date?) fire. (Before crossing the Chicago River, see the Tribune building (I think that’s the one) on east side of Michigan Ave., with pieces of stone from famous buildings, Great Wall, Canterbury Cathedral, etc, built into the wall). Then another 1/2 mile still south to teh Millenium park (pretend it’s Europe and you are walking everywhere). Actually, park at the Millienium park, see that, Bean, gardens,faces fountain, Frank Gehry band shell–all free, (Art Institute is there also, costs more though), go north up the Mile to John Hancock, go up it around twilight (utterly MA-GI-CAL), then stagger back 1.5 miles to car (or take a bus back down, saves time but the walk is fine). A little hard to fit aforementioned Navy Pier boat trip in that, but doing most of what I mentioned will be a fabulous look at what Chicago is at its wonderful best.</p>
<p>Coming in from where? If from the NW, if she can figure out any way to park at one of the El (CTA–elevated and underground train system) stops about 2 miles in from O’Hare, right along the highway and El line (which is in the middle of the highway), I think there are parking garages, and then take the El to any stop in the Loop (underground at that point), get off, come up and head east over to the Mill. Park, 3-4 blocks maybe, that would make for equal if not cheaper parking, and No driving into downtown headaches. I can’t remember the crossroads where one can park and ride, but on a map of Chhicago it’s a cinch to spot, just inside the closest in ring interstate. All of this is quite safe for 1–2 people, thousands and thousands do it every day and night. Just remember which line she took (to get back in the evening) and head towards O’Hare–no-brainer.</p>
<p>There’s a two-hour or so boat tour focused on the architecture of buildings along the Chicago River. I’ve never taken it, but everyone else in my family has, and raves about it. And it’s very time-and-distance compatible with the Magnificent Mile or Millenium Park (and The Bean).</p>
<p>I agree with JHS… The architectural boat tour is fantastic… you get lots of history of the city along with it, and it really is beautiful, even if you’re not necessarily into architecture. It explains how and why they got the Chicago River to run backwards!</p>
<p>The Art Institute is also incredible; however, you will feel robbed if you only have an hour or two to wander around because there’s so much. When my kids were younger, part of our annual summer agenda was the Art Institute, just to see the doll house exhibit - adults are just as amazed as kids with this exhibit.</p>
<p>We did the architectural boat tour on Saturday. DS18 actually fell asleep during it. DH and I thought it was fairly good, but heavy on the architecture. Tour guide told us every architectectural firm and style of each building lining the river. Threre were a couple dozen interesting tidbits about buildings thrown into the 90 minute tour.</p>
<p>I concur with what has already been said. Excellent suggestions. I also put in a plug for the museum campus, which is a self contained area of the city with several great museums, including the Field Museum (a spectacular natural history museum with Sue the dinosaur), the planetarium and the aquarium. If your child has any interest in attending school in Chicago, or is just interested in great bookstores, coffee shops and architecture, the University of Chicago is a great place to visit with its gothic architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Roby House.</p>
<p>Many of the galleries at the Art Institute are off view right now – major renovations underway. The Museum of Contemporary Art is a great alternative.</p>
<p>One day only? The Art Institute as many have said and the “doll house” exhibit there is the Thorne Rooms. </p>
<p>But what is she interested in seeing?</p>
<p>The El is quite safe. Take it up to the DePaul area or the Wrigleyville area for shops and restaurants that younger people will really like. Also right near DePaul – Lincoln Park with its great Zoo, which is free.</p>
<p>Water Tower is cool looking, but really, all the stores are the same as in any nice suburban mall. On North Michigan itself, though, there are some fun stores, like a huge Nike place, Burberry, a Tiffany’s, just fun for window shopping, etc.</p>
<p>Navy Pier’s attractions are pricey, but it’s free to just walk around. Right next to Navy Pier is a lovely little beach, Olive Park – my Ds go there all the time to go to the beach. In that area are some fun places to eat – Hard Rock, Dick’s Last Resort, etc.</p>