<p>Am planning to take hubbie to Chicago for a belated anniversary gift. We’ll be there the last weekend of Feb (while kid is at our state’s Latin Convention). He loves Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and art, so figure we’ll do some museum/house tour time. Would love some suggestions for INEXPENSIVE but great things to do, where to eat, and especially hotel recommendations. We will have our car with us, will arrive midday Friday, heading home Sunday afternoon. Would love to see Million Dollar Quartet…but am not having a lot of luck finding discount tickets…</p>
<p>Buddy Guy’s Legends. Best Blues Club in Chicago. Last time I went on a weeknight after work on a business trip. Buddy Guy, the man himself, came out to jam with the band! People were going nuts flipping out the picture phones!</p>
<p>You only have 48 hours, and it’s a big city. The places you’ve mentioned are a bit scattered in location, but it’s doable. You’ll just have to plan carefully. </p>
<p>Million Dollar Quartet tickets are on [Hot</a> Tix - Half price ticket program offered by League of Chicago Theatres](<a href=“http://www.hottix.org%5DHot”>http://www.hottix.org) just about every week. However, because of the move to Broadway, even the discounted price has increase more than $10 since I saw it last year!</p>
<p>You might want to stay in Oak Park; there are a couple of smallish places to stay that are super convenient to the historic district. Unity Temple and the Home and Studio are must-sees. Go to [Frank</a> Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust](<a href=“http://www.gowright.org%5DFrank”>http://www.gowright.org) for information. Robie House is near the University of Chicago on the south side. If you are headed south when you leave town on Sunday, it would work well to visit on your way out. Robie House tour hours are only 11-2, Wed-Sun.</p>
<p>Your other option is to stay downtown, but be prepared to pay $30 a day and up for parking. February does usually have a number of good deals, but there is a large dental convention on your weekend, so you may have to get creative, and reserve early.</p>
<p>Take your questions over to [Reviews</a> of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5DReviews”>http://www.tripadvisor.com) and you’ll get plenty of answers!</p>
<p>For inexpensive hotel options, I like using Hotwire (in tandem with the information I get from betterbidding.com). Check the Chicago Architecture Foundation for tours.</p>
<p>Definitely check for weekend hotel deals using online sites- so many to choose from. Choose either a hotel around the Woodfield Mall area (Schaumberg)or the Michigan Ave area- I would not choose hotels too many blocks from there in winter as the walk to stores/restaurants would be no fun. The museums do charge but are worth it- Museum of Natural History, Science and Industry, Art Institute, the Aquarium… Nvy Pier has indoor/outdoor areas- the Stained Glass Museum is there and free. Walking Michigan Ave- warming up in stores is good. Hotel parking prices there are horrendous, a consideration for overnight stays. Grant Park Parking has a north and south entrance. Museum parking near the Bears stadium.</p>
<p>We often stay near Woodfield and drive in each day to the museums et al. I like the Hyatt Place with a Sweet Tomatoes restaurant (mainly vegetarian salads, soups and pastas buffet) next door. Also many other restaurants in that area. If you head east in the morning and west late afternoon-evening you can catch the express lanes on the freeway. We discovered our I-Pass for the tollway works in other states- if you have one for another state it may work- check online.</p>
<p>Highway driving- go with the flow, it could be 25 or 75 depending on traffic, posted speeds may be 55…</p>
<p>Not going to venture a guess on inexpensive hotels. Just would say try to get a package, if you can. (I get whiny about bad hotels, though, so I’m not the expert on this one.)</p>
<p>My favorite fun but inexpensive place to eat is Greek Town. I like Santorini, especially if it is an anniversary. It’s a nice atmosphere, but still not expensive.</p>
<p>The Science and Industry museum is actually really cool. Took a couple of nephews there the other day. The Art Institute is really one of my favorite places in the city, altogether, and worth a trip. </p>
<p>The theater can sometimes be a little pricey. Chicago Shakespeare is actually considered to be the best company in the US and worth it every time. Plus it’s a great theater and on the end of Navy Pier.</p>
<p>It’s pretty dismal here in February. Bring boots.</p>
<p>DH and I recently spent three days in Chicago. I do love it there. We got a room at The Intercontinental on Michigan Avenue for just $104/night per night through Priceline. Here’s the kicker, though - the parking was $53 for 24 hours. DH had business there, so his company paid for the hotel and parking. I’ve been to Chicago several times and refuse to leave until I’ve been to Giordano’s for pizza (I like the one at the corner of Rush and Superior) and Garrett’s for popcorn (get the Chicago mix - YUM!). Enjoy your trip!</p>
<p>If you’re driving between Chicago and Oak Park, consider a stop at the [Garfield</a> Park Conservatory](<a href=“garfield-conservatory.org”>http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/) on the way there or back. It’s only a few minutes off the highway, free, free parking too, and lovely in the winter.</p>
<p>Agree with HotTix - start checking midweek and keep checking back.</p>
<p>If the convention is the one in Itasca, and you have to drop your kid there first, you might want to consider staying in the Oak Brook area Friday night. Or better yet, maybe a B&B in Oak Park - I really don’t know about them but maybe someone else does. You could visit the museum and houses in Oak Park on Friday afternoon [Frank</a> Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Tours and Programs](<a href=“http://gowright.org/visit/home-and-studio/tours-and-programs.html]Frank”>http://gowright.org/visit/home-and-studio/tours-and-programs.html). Then on Saturday morning you could head into the city, do all the touristy stuff and stay overnight, then head out Sunday when you need to pick up the Latin scholar. This would more or less keep you off the worst of the highways during Friday rush hour.</p>