<p>March 14 Monday.
When do you leave? Enjoy your trip!</p>
<p>I leave the 14th.</p>
<p>Maybe you will see each other at Million Dollar Quartet.</p>
<p>We will see the show at the first day we arrive.
Mom60 - I will pm you about the weather.</p>
<p>Anyone who has clothing for NYC has the clothing they need for Chicago.</p>
<p>I loved the Marshall Field’s State Street Store. It was a odd assortment of goods, much of it one-off and rather quirky and unique. Much more like a British department store, rather than a generic and bland Nordstrom. Liberty of London is in the same vein. I still have a gorgeous loveseat covered in a Scalamandre Irish Georgian fabric that I bought at Field’s in the mid-80s - an oddball item that I found upstairs in a dark corner.</p>
<p>Great and timely thread! I am taking my college boys to Chicago for a few days over Spring Break.</p>
<p>During the days we will be visiting Millenium Park, The Art Institute, and probably the Field Museum. For dinner I’m not sure where we’ll eat, although we would like to try some authentic Chicago pizza one night. </p>
<p>Question: We want to stay at one of the Embassy Suite hotels. Would you recommend staying at the E.S. by the Lakefront, within walking distance of the Navy Pier? Or would the E.S. on State street be better (we have stayed there before and liked the close proximity to Michigan Ave and the “L”)? Is one area safer than another? Would Navy Pier have an easier selection of restaurants for dinner? I would prefer to mostly walk to dinner if possible, and if that is safe enough.</p>
<p>Is the best way to get around the L, or should we plan on using the bus system, too? I have ridden the L, but never used the buses. Are those easy to navigate? Would there be plenty of cabs around if we wanted to travel that way to and from dinner?</p>
<p>Thanks for any advice you can offer!</p>
<p>For those who have been to Chicago before. What is your absolute must do?</p>
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<p>Summer: day baseball at Wrigley Field
Winter: blues club
If you’re not up for the nightlife: Art Institute</p>
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<p>In mid-March you could get anything from a blizzard and 10 degrees, to sunny and pushing 60, or anything in between. Keep an eye on the forecast and don’t finish packing until the night before you go. And bring layers. Sometimes it can change really fast. </p>
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<p>Either is fine for comfort and safety but I’d choose State St. for convenience—as you say, access to the El (it’s “El” for “elevated,” not “L”) and Michigan Avenue but also a shorter walk to most Loop attractions. As for restaurants, Navy Pier itself has some but I think you’d actually find a larger number and variety within easy walking distance of the State St. location. </p>
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<p>Buses are pretty easy to use, nothing complicated or unusual about it and they go lots of places you can’t get to by El. Tend to be slow, though. Depending on how long you’ll be in Chicago you might want to buy a 3-day or 7-day pass that gives you unlimited rides on any El or CTA bus (there’s also a pass that’s also good on suburban PACE buses, but more tourists don’t need that). That way you can take the El for longer hauls and transfer to a bus to get closer to your destination, or vice versa. Route maps are available online at: [Deprecated</a> Browser Error](<a href=“http://www.transitchicago.com/]Deprecated”>http://www.transitchicago.com/) EDIT: not sure why it says “deprecated browser error,” but I think the link works).</p>
<p>Or you can buy a system map once you get to Chicago. Bookstores and news stands at the airports probably have 'em.</p>
<p>Cabs are reasonably plentiful in the Loop and Streeterville/River North (near north) areas, and at the airports of course, but less so in other parts of the city. It can be a pain to take a cab from downtown out to some neighborhood because you might end up waiting a long time to get a cab back. You can call for a radio-dispatched cab, but depending on how busy they are it may be some time before any driver is close enough to want to come pick you up.</p>
<p>Momlove, neither ES is a bad choice. While both are convenient to transportation, the El doesn’t really get that close to the places you have planned. You’ll do better to take buses, which means you can stay at the newer, taller ES near the lake. It’s also walking distance to Millennium Park, if you use Columbus Drive.</p>
<p>Must do in summer: Lakefront walk/architecture river boat tour</p>
<p>Must do in winter: Museum of Science & Industry</p>
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<p>I would opt for the one on State Street. Navy Pier is kind of a tourist trap IMO and I don’t think you’re going to want to dine there in the evenings, so you’re better off in an area that will have more restaurants.</p>
<p>Must does – Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, Sears Tower or John Hancock, If it is sunny, walk up Michigan Ave, and cruise around the Tribune Tower and check out all the little chunks of other important buildings imbedded in the the facade. It is one of my favorite things to do in Chicago.</p>
<p>Also recommend the ES on State. There are so many places within easy walking distance.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful information! We loved the E.S. on State Street the last time we stayed there during college visits. </p>
<p>Have you noticed on Wikipedia it’s referred to as the Chicago ‘L’? Interesting. I’m hoping for good weather as I love the Bean and hanging out at Millenium Park. Maybe we will avoid the Navy Pier. Didn’t know about the Tribune Tower. I’ll have to look that up - sounds interesting. I like the 3-day pass for getting around. Last time we were only there for a day and a half, so didn’t get to see much, although we really enjoyed seeing the big city :)</p>
<p>Again, you guys are the best with all the great information!</p>
<p>Agree with those above who recommended ES on State. We stay there often (and live only an hour from the city) and it is perfectly centrally located so you can walk to all the attractions you named earlier. You shouldn’t need to take the bus if you’re walkers. My Chicago must would be the architectural boat tour, not sure if this runs in March. I have heard wonderful things also about the Segway tours that are offered. Check out Groupon as they often have deals on the Segway tours.</p>
<p>Agreeing with Pizzagirl, Navy Pier is touristy and don’t try to eat there. However the big flower show is there this week. If you do go to Navy Pier, don’t miss the stained glass museum part, free.</p>
<p>I would definitely sign up for the Chicago Groupons in advance of a trip to see if there are any neat tours, etc. IIRC, the Segway tours leave from the Museum Campus (around the Adler Planetarium), though it may be too early in the season.</p>
<p>The ferris wheel at Navy Pier can be fun to get a view of the city; I just think Navy Pier is kind of like that Pier 39 in San Francisco – more tourist trap and not really the authentic city. It could be fun with younger children, but that’s not the case here.</p>
<p>It was like spring today, my sister even saw a female goldfinch. Tonight a thunderstorm and tomorrow maybe some snow.</p>
<p>Signed up for Groupon. Hope MeHappykid is having a great family trip.
I am getting excited. It looks like the weather next week will be decent.
Any dining suggestions around the Hotel Allegro? I am thinking my D is going to be exhausted and not wanting to venture out to far at night. Something fairly simple.</p>