Lydia & Alex
Things To Do
Riverwalk
The Chicago River splits up the city into different neighborhoods. The best way to get a feel for the river and beautiful Chicago architecture is by walking along the Riverwalk, stopping at cute breweries and wineries along the way. The views of the famous Chicago bridges along the river is unparalleled (and great for photo ops)!
Chicago Architecture River Cruise
Or, even better, is our favorite attraction: the Chicago Architecture River Cruise where you'll get the best views of the city from the river itself! In total we have probably done the River Cruise 5 times - that's how much we love it!
Restaurants
Chicago has an incredible food scene! One thing to know is the restaurants here book up fast, so be sure to make a reservation ahead of time! Here are some of our favorites: - Coffee: Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Sawada - Brunch: Somerset, Etta, Little Goat Diner, Theater on the Lake - Casual Lunch: Green Street Meats, Chicago Bagel Authority (Chicago's Bagel & Deli for the Miami people!), Portillo's - Casual Dinner: Cabra, Yuzu, La Josie, Beatrix, or obviously Chicago's famous deep dish pizza (we love Pequod's and Giordanno's the best). - Splurge Dinner: Aba, Girl & the Goat, Proxi, Avec, Rose Mary, Monteverde, Trivoli Tavern, Alla Vita, Galit, Beatnik
Neighborhoods
Chicago has many unique neighborhoods that are all so fun with their own character. Here are a few of our favorites: - West Loop: our current home! It used to be a partially abandoned industrial and is now called a "foodie mecca" with delicious famous restaurants, as well as art galleries, shopping, and nightlife. - Lincoln Park: Lydia LOVES the beautiful tree-lined residential streets and neighborhood feel with gorgeous homes. Cute boutiques, coffee shops, and good restaurants. - Old Town: younger crowd with lots of fun bars; good for night life, comedy, and entertainment. - Wrigleyville: tons of iconic sports bars, pubs, beer, and baseball. The place to go for sports fans!
Lakefront Trail
One of our favorite things is running or walking along the Lakefront Trail to see some spectacular views of the city. This is also where Alex proposed (up by Chess Pavilion)!
Beaches
We LOVE the beaches here and it's so fun that they are so close to the city! The 3 main beaches are North Avenue, Oak Street, and Ohio Street Beach. Be sure to bring your swimsuit and a beach towel if you're interested!
Shopping
The classic Chicago shopping area is along the Magnificent Mile. More high end luxury shopping is a few steps off Michigan Ave in the Oak Street vicinity or along Rush Street. Some of my favorite boutiques are in the neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and Wicker Park if you're open to taking an Uber or public transportation.
Second City Comedy Club
Come laugh at the world's premier comedy club, comedy theater, and school of improvisation. Live comedy shows every night of the week!
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park has beautiful ponds, lake front, and homes. Check out the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is 1 of 3 major free zoos left in the country. It's always open to the public and you don't even need a ticket!
Parks
If you're new to Chicago, Millennium Park is a must! It's where the famous Bean is located as well as other cool sculptures, architecture, and landscape. Maggie Daley Park is just beyond Millennium Park towards the lake and is a fun recreational area with mini golf, tennis courts, and gardens. Grant Park is right across from the Blackstone! In the center, you won't miss Buckingham Fountain, which is one of the largest fountains in the world! It goes off every hour on the hour for 20 minutes. We also love Milton Lee Olive Park, where you will find gorgeous views of the city, beach, and shoreline.
Museums & Attractions
If it's raining or you want to escape the heat, our favorite indoor sites are the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Art Institute. Willis (aka Sears) Tower is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world! If you go there, you can walk out on the Skydeck with the glass floor and see stunning (though a little scary) views of the city below! All of those activities require tickets which you can purchase via the below links. Navy Pier is also fun (though outdoors) and the ferris wheel shows off some gorgeous city views.