You Gotta check out Chicago!

To celebrate Dan's birthday this year, we opted to visit Chicago for a few days.  This trip was extra special because we were able to connect with Dan's cousin Mark who also had a birthday.  Mark and his partner Jim were fabulous traveling buddies as they share our love for exploring, walking and eating!

We landed around noon so our first order of business in Chicago was to have lunch!  Deep dish pizza was on everyone's "must have" list so off we went to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, on North Wells Street.  It is famous for their Chicago deep dish pizza with a buttery crust and funky little dining areas.  We gave it a 5 star rating.  Stuffed with pizza, we opted to get some steps in and check out Chicago's impressive lake front green spaces which includes the Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park and Grant Park which all feature impressive landscaping and artistic features such as the Buckingham Fountain and the Cloud Gate (known as the bean by the locals).

Reflection of the Chicago Sky Line in the Bean

There are so many other interesting places in this area including the Chicago Cultural Center and the Art Institute.  In addition, if shopping is your gig, Chicago has you covered with the famous Magnificent Mile on Michigan Ave featuring every upscale store you can wish for showcasing the season's latest fashion trends.

Tuesday night took us to Wrigley Field for an exciting game between the Cubs and the Giants with the home team winning 5-3.  It was fun to experience this iconic ball park as well as nosh on ball park fare of hot dogs, peanuts, pretzels and plenty of cold beer.


(Left to Right)  Mark, Dan, Jim & Cheryl

For our second day in the city, we opted to take a River Cruise.  While there are plenty of options, we chose the Chicago Architecture Center's River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady.  It was a fascinating two hours learning about Chicago's history and the various architectural styles of the skyscrapers which dominate the skyline.  In my view, this is absolutely a "must do" to fully appreciate Chicago.  

Never letting grass grow under our feet, we also opted to take a biking tour of various neighborhoods for a different perspective on Chicago, it's history and the residences of several famous people.  We opted for Bobby's Bike Hike which had good bikes and a funny guide that put everyone at ease.  We returned riding along Lake Michigan which offered some incredible views of the skyline as well.
 And for all you foodies out there, we can honestly say that each of our meals while we were in Chicago were 5 star amazing.  Check out the Yolk for breakfast, the Purple Pig for lunch and the Girl and the Goat for dinner.  We'd all go back just to sample some more of the great dining options. 

While our trip was just a couple of days, we are definitely fans of Chicago.  

Stay curious!

Cheryl & Dan



Comments

  1. Mary BAugust 29, 2019 at 8:40 PM

    What a great adventure!! Best place to explore food ever! Love from Wyoming

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C and D UntetheredSeptember 3, 2019 at 5:09 AM

      Hope our paths cross somewhere in the world next year! Enjoy your fall!

      Delete

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