On August 7, my 21 year old niece is going back to Corpus Christi to resume her softball career. Oh, and study for her senior year.

Here's the question. If you had one week in Chicago and the surrounding area, what would be a "don't miss it" thing to do?

1. Cubs game. (Some would say White Sox but Wrigley is so much cooler.)
2. Lincoln Park Zoo.
3. Drink on the 96th floor of the Hancock.
4. Dinner at a really good restaurant (really good doesn't necessariliy equate with really expensive).
5. Evening cruise along the lakefront.
6. Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier once it's dark.

How about the architectural river cruise?

1 3 and 4 Done. Sox Game Tuesday. Dinner at Trattoria 10, Tufano's, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders, Vittorio's. Fire game in the cheering section. Chicago Bandits game twice. Even a Chicago Machine game. Fireworks on 7/3. Saw Coldplay in a suite, courtesy of David Wilhelm and his friends. And, she met Clam on July 4.

Unfortunately, we missed Yossarian's party.

I would suggest Unos Pizza, as downtown Chicago is the only place to taste authentic Unos! I agree with M that an architecual boat tour is really cool. Has she seen Wicked?

She'll miss the Machine playing the Rochester Rattlers on August 10th!!!

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architectural river cruise

This gets my vote! I took a friend fron NC last summer and we both were amazed by what we learned and the different view of the city from the river.

Did you hit the beaches? Oak Street or North Ave?
There is nothing like beaching it and having a major city surrounding you.

I would spend a day at the Museums: Shedd, Field, etc. also hit the Art Institute.

At 21, if she is a night lifer, hit the top trendy spot downtown at night. I have no idea what it is right now, but I am sure you are well connected and can find out!

Since it is summer, spend the day over by North Ave beach. Play in the vollyball games, run on the path, relax and enjoy.

See who/what is at Ravinia.

Garfield Park Conservatory... Chicago Botanical Garden... On Saturday, go up to the top of the John Hancock and watch the fireworks from Navy Pier, coolest way to watch fireworks ever.

The Architecture Cruise sounds great, coupled with Saturday fireworks at the Hancock building. Saw Wicked the night we went to Trattoria 10. Said hello to Mrs. Clam and the french student/lacrosse player. He must think my daughter stalks him...

She went to the Art Institute on a free Thursday evening, and the next night to the World's Largest Block Party at Old St. Pat's.

By the way, for all you Catholics, Old St. Pat's has 7 PM Mass on Sundays during the Summer, to go with the established 5 PM Sunday Mass.

What are the chances of you sitting in front of them at Wicked? And how did you score seats that were so much better? The Machine game is the last place I would have guessed that I would bump into you...and then there was that vodka-fueled party. You're like family at this point. You, Gus and I should go out for cocktails.

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Originally posted by Clamato:
What are the chances of you sitting in front of them at Wicked? And how did you score seats that were so much better? The Machine game is the last place I would have guessed that I would bump into you...and then there was that vodka-fueled party. You're like family at this point. You, Gus and I should go out for cocktails.

Spooky. It must be our affinity for French Vodka. Gus would forgive us that.

ronkas, e-mail me when you plan to go downtown and if we are down there the same day, we can take you and your neice on our sailboat for a little evening cruise. There's nothing like it when the weather is good.

Interesting topic, since I have a friend flying in from Australia (her husband is from the US, and they come here every three years to spend a month with his family in New Jersey) in a couple of weeks, and I have 2 full days to show her Chicago (she's never been here before). So far, I'm thinking we'll:

Do the archetectural boat tour.
Drinks at the top of the Hancock.
Art Institute, maybe.
Millennium Park, for sure.
Oz park in Lincoln Park.
Hanging out along Rush Street and the Mag Mile, just to say we did (window shopping and drinking, followed by more window shopping and drinking...that kind of thing).
Dinner in Little Italy, I'm thinking.
Stopping by the Cubbie Bear in Wrigleyville for a drink, and to show her Wrigley. (Alas, no home games going on during the time she's here.)
Lots of walking and talking, and just enjoying this great city. (And praying for decent weather.)

We'll skip Navy Pier - I kind of hate the place, and we'll be able to look down on it while we're sipping our drinks on the 95th floor.

Any other suggestions for two gals out on the town (who mainly want to talk and catch up with each other, which is why we're not going to see any shows)?

Tea at the Drake or the Four Seasons if the weather is bad.

Brunch at the Hotel Sofitel off Rush Street. Stand at the entrance and look up.

A carriage ride anywhere around the Water Tower.

Has anyone been to the Peninsula's chocolate buffet? What about Eno's at the InterContinental? They have chocolate/cheese/wine.

I heard Violets in Wicker Park is in. Hard to find but chic. Did the Martini Bar by Millenium close? Someone said it burned.

Why would u wanna go to Chicago when you can do a lot in Chicagoland? It's annoying when people yap and flap about how there's more to do in Chicago.

Mr. Me

Well, when a friend says, "You know, I've never been to Chicago," I don't think I'm then going to show her everything there is to see in, oh, Elmhurst. Or Cicero.

Chicago is Chicago. It's not Chicagoland - not that there aren't fun things to do all around the area. But I don't think I want to show my friend, who's flying all the way from Australia, the Cosley Zoo instead of the Lincoln Park Zoo, you know?

I do somewhat agree that there are often things in our area that are often overlooked as major tourist attractions for out-of-towners. We do have one of the most respected Arboretums in this Country, which is twice the size of Central Park in NYC, and would be a great place to bring anyone that was visiting...and I think it showcases how great an area we actually live in!

I took my wife on a Segway tour yesterday. It ran for 3 hours and covered Grant park (including gardens that I never knew existed), Buckingham Fountain, the Museum campus and Millenium Park. We chose Steve's Segway. The tour included good commentary (although nowhere near what you get from the docents of the Chicago Architectural Society), beautiful views of areas you don't often see, and riding the Segway is really a blast.

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