Things to Do
Between the Ceremony/Reception
BARS/RESTAURANTS
Between the hotel and venue: Luxbar (18 E Bellevue Pl) https://luxbar.com/ The Bellevue (1031 N Rush St) https://thebellevuechicago.com/ Aster Hall (upscale food court: 900 N Michigan Ave, Level 5) https://asterhallchicago.com/ Between the church and venue: Farm Bar Lakeview (1300 W Wellington Ave) https://www.farm-bar.com/ Matisse Tavern & Grille (674 W Diversey Pkwy) https://www.matissetavernchicago.com/ Red Lion Pub (2446 N Lincoln Ave, Floor 1) https://redlionchicago.com/
Between the Ceremony/Reception
GET YOUR HAIR/MAKE-UP DONE
Salon Buzz (2 locations between hotel and venue: 310 W Superior St and 1 E Delaware Pl) https://salonbuzz.com/ Blowout Junkie (between church and venue: 2340 N Lincoln Ave) https://www.blowoutjunkie.com/
For the Weekend
BARS/RESTAURANTS NEAR THE HOTEL
The following restaurants can all be found within walking distance of the Intercontinental Hotel For Breakfast: Tempo Cafe (6 E Chestnut St) https://tempochicago.com/ Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe (196 E Pearson St - Water Tower Place) https://wildberrycafe.com/ Leonidas Cafe Chocolaterie (59 E Chicago Ave) - Tiny cafe and chocolate shop that Elise visits near her work (they have crepes and amazing hot chocolate!) https://www.leonidas.com/en/shops/chicago/leonidas-cafe-chocolaterie For Lunch: Doc B's Restaurant (2 locations: River North 55 E Grand Ave & Gold Coast 100 E Walton St) https://www.docbsrestaurant.com/ Beatrix (2 Locations: Streeterville 671 N St Clair St & River North 519 N Clark St) https://www.beatrixrestaurants.com/ Chicago Classics (Portillo's & Deep Dish Pizza): Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago (100 W Ontario St) https://www.portillos.com/locations/chicago/ Gino's East (162 E Superior St) https://www.ginoseast.com/ Giordano's (730 N Rush St) https://giordanos.com/ Lou Malnati's Pizzeria (410 N Michigan Ave, Floor 1) https://www.loumalnatis.com/ Bars: Streeter's Tavern (50 E Chicago Ave) - Basement bar with lots of beer options & games and is a popular after work happy hour spot for Elise https://streeterstavern.com/ Timothy O'Toole's Pub Chicago (622 N Fairbanks Ct) - Irish pub meets large sports bar and is a popular after work happy hour spot for Elise https://www.timothyotooles.com/location/timothy-otooles-chicago/
For the Weekend
GET OUTSIDE
Millennium Park: Go see The Bean, Crown Fountain (the water may be turned off, but faces rotate year long), and enjoy the grounds Lincoln Park Zoo: The zoo is free to all and open daily from 10am-5pm. Roam the grounds and be entertained by the nearly 200 unique species found there Navy Pier: Enjoy walking along the pier, check out the rides (including the famous Ferris Wheel), or explore the shopping/dining Lakeshore: Make the most of Chicago's beautiful lakeshore and spend time by the water
For the Weekend
MUSEUMS
Art Institute of Chicago: Located near Millennium Park, the Art Institute is a world-renowned art museum with something for everyone! John & Elise's favorites are the impressionists (on the second floor) and the Thorne Miniature Rooms (on the lower level) Chicago Cultural Center: Also located near Millennium Park, the Cultural Center is free to all and open daily from 10am-5pm. It has rotating exhibits featuring local artists and free events to explore. Don't miss the Preston Bradley Hall with the world's largest Tiffany glass dome! Museum Campus: This area has Elise's favorite view of the Chicago Skyline and houses 3 of Chicago's amazing museums - The Shedd Aquarium (Elise likes the belugas, John likes the penguins, and they both LOVE cuttlefish), The Field Museum (natural history museum - home of the famous T-Rex Sue), and The Adler Planetarium (don't skip one of the awesome sky shows)
For the Weekend
COMEDY
Chicago is famous for it's comedy, so check out one of the many shows! The Second City (Improv): 230 W North Ave Annoyance Theatre & Bar (Improv): 851 W Belmont Ave Laugh Factory (Stand-up): 3175 N Broadway
For the Weekend
SHOPPING
Enjoy some retail therapy near the hotel! Luxury shops can be found along The Magnificent Mile and Chicago's Oak Street district