<p>One of my kids has 4 days free in mid March. We are throwing around a couple of different ideas.
Plan 1- she fly home. Cheapest. We get to see her. She gets out of the cold
Plan 2- I meet her in Chicago. I would fly. She would drive a few hours. I have never been to Chicago. She has been once but only for the day. I have heard it is a wonderful city to visit. Flight cost would be the same whether I go to her or she comes home. Obviously 4 days in Chicago will add up.
Biggest concern is weather. Is 3rd week in March a terrible time to visit Chicago?
Plan 3- This is the best plan. If she has any potential interviews for summer internships she would hopefully be able to do them that week. Keeping our fingers crossed on that one! Nothing lined up yet but we keep hoping.</p>
<p>March weather in Chicago is notoriously unpredictable. Could be 60s or could be 20s? Check a long range forecast and then take it with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>Yes, Chicago IS a great city. Yes, March could bring just about anything! Because you will have a hotel as home base, it will be even easier to take layers to use or not as necessary.</p>
<p>Mom60- we are going on the 2nd week of March. For college vibist but plan to stay in Chicago for two days. Two days for a wonderful city seems way too short but that’s all we can have. Would you mind share your “what to do at Chicago”?</p>
<p>Chicago has great museums (Art Institute, Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry) and terrific shopping (try Michigan Avenue). Throw in some great restaurants and a play or Second City one evening and you’ve got 4 days covered!</p>
<p>March weather is certainly unpredictable, with highs averaging in 40s. During the blizzard earlier this month I was reminded by the tv news of the March storm in 1970 when we had fourteen inches of snow, followed six days later (in April!) by another ten. Otoh, it is not all that unusual for weather to get up into the sixties.</p>
<p>My SIL lives in Chicagoland. She tells me the recent weather over the last three weeks is not out of the ordinary. To wit: The Blizzard of '11 with 20 plus inches of snow, temps in single digits and places like Northwestern U having their 4th snow day in 160 years, to today with sunny skies and 55 degrees. If you do go, pack your bag with layered clothes to be ready for anything.</p>
<p>Ditto what megpmom says, plenty of indoor things to do if the weather turns nasty, as long as public transit is running well to get you there. CTA (the “L”) will take you to all those mentioned places and more.</p>
<p>mehappykid- I have no idea what we will do if I go. I do know I will do a CC search. I would bet there have been some helpful threads on “what to do in Chicago?”
I am not planning anything that can’t be cancelled. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will have more important plans for that week. Keeping fingers crossed for some interviews.</p>
<p>We are going for the UIUC admitted student visit and ECE open house on 2/11 & 2/12. It’s almost 4 hours drive from Chicago to Urbana Champaign but we still plan to spend 2 days in Chicago.</p>
<p>I don’t except an early spring like weather there, actually, I prefer cold or even snow there (sorry, I feel selfish…), because I want m son to consider about the weather as part of his college decision. I can’t image walk across the campus for 9:00 am class during the cold winter time.</p>
<p>St. Patrick’s Day Parade is 3/12. If you are going to be in Chicago then it can be fun time for a morning if the weather is nice. They dye the river green, tons of people downtown, but it still feels like a hometown parade.</p>
<p>Had the same thought as teriwtt- 2 1/2 hour drive Chicago to UIUC. Just an update on the weather — most of the 20 inches of snow is gone and temps have risen into the 50’s! Of course, that probably won’t last long. Lots to do in Chicago - great restaurants, theater, shopping, museums - a great place to visit for a weekend.</p>
<p>WOW it sounds exciting, St. Patrick day! But I think we have to spend whole day in UIUC because the open house is from 8:30 to around 3:30pm (unless we cancel it… very possible, Chicago is getting more attractive …)</p>
<p>Thank you for all the info, I need to start google more for this city.</p>
<p>There is a major exhibit on horses that just opened at the Field Museum. The Oriental Institute has a new exhibit on early writing emerging in four different places. </p>
<pre><code>The revival of the tribal rock musical HAIR will be playing.
St Patrick’s Day is a big thing here. If you are downtown early, you can watch the river being dyed. Most/all of us wear something kelly green that day. The parade is for the politicians running in the April election.
</code></pre>