I decided to go to Chicago as a trip for my birthday for a couple of reasons…..One, a restaurant that I have wanted to eat at for about 20 years is there. I’m talking about Alinea, led by Chef Grant Achatz, which has been named the Best Restaurant in the World by Elite Traveler, the Best Restaurant in North America by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and the Best Restaurant in the U.S. by Gourmet and Business Insider. It is one of only 14 restaurants in the U.S. to earn three Michelin stars. The second reason was that my brother lives in western Pennsylvania and he was willing to drive to Chicago to meet us. While we didn’t take our kids on this trip, we packed as much eating and sightseeing into our trip as we could — and most of what we did would be perfect for families to do together. Here in 3 parts is a run-down of what activities we did over three days in Chicago. Click to read part 1, part 2, and part 3.
Day Four
Our plane didn’t leave Chicago until 5pm, so we had a good part of the day to do more exploring. Once again, our beautiful hotel, the historic Warwick Allerton, saved the day and allowed us to stash our bags so we could explore without having to carry our luggage around. On our final day, we couldn’t leave Chicago without visiting one of its most famous landmarks we hadn’t seen yet. We strolled through Millenium Park, home to the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture, better known as “The Bean.” Despite having seen countless photos, nothing quite prepared me for the reality of this massive, mirror-like structure. We joined the crowds circling it, and took photos of the warped reflections of ourselves and the city skyline reflected in it. The header image on this post shows this cool sculpture.
Next, we strolled through the Lurie Garden, a peaceful oasis in the heart of the bustling city. There were so many pollinators out! It was cooler there than on the street and it was a pleasure to watch the flowers move in the breeze and listen to the sound of the cicadas. Seriously….at first, we didn’t know what the sound was. It sounded almost like electricity and we thought it was the sound of the street lights. We figured it out though!
The Lurie Flower Garden, part of Millenium Park, is a peaceful respite right in the middle of downtown.
For our final meal in Chicago, we couldn’t resist one last hot dog. This time, we tried Devil Dawgs. Their Chicago-style dog was delicious, and the toppings were the same, though I noted that their bun didn’t have poppy seeds on it like the first one we got from America’s Dog & Burger at the Navy Pier food court on the first day. At Devil Dawg’s you could get a regular hot dog or upgrade to the “Big Chicago Dawg” which is a jumbo sausage. We got one of each and while the big one is supposed to be spicier, I couldn’t tell a difference. It was a fitting end to our culinary tour of the city.
Book Your Stay in Chicago
As we headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags, we couldn’t help but reflect on how much fun we had and how much there was still to explore. Next time, we would definitely visit The Field Museum, which is famous for its dinosaur exhibits and Egyptian mummies. We often seek out art galleries and museums when we travel, but this time we just didn’t get the chance to visit one. The Art Institute of Chicago has art by Van Gogh, “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper, “American Gothic” (the farmers and the pitchfork) and so many other works of art. I’m sad we missed it. Our hotel didn’t have a pool, so we didn’t pak our bathing suits. But if we had, we could have waded in the lake in a little inlet just off a downtown street like many other families were on these hot days.
The lake was a popular destination on a hot summer day.
As we prepared to head home, I knew we’d barely scratched the surface of what Chicago had to offer. I was already mentally planning a return trip. More to eat. More to see. More to do. Chicago has everything!
The view of downtown from the Warwick Allerton hotel. I recommend staying there for its close proximity to many eateries and activities.