gistfile1.txt

Within an easy walk of the hotel:

1. Just south of you is Millennium Park
<http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park_-artarchitecture.html>.
Worth going to. You have to go and take a picture of yourself reflected in the
Bean
<http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/dca/Millennium%20Park/cloudgate800.jpg>.
And you can admire the Pritzker Pavilion. Probably not the Buckingham
Fountain in March, though... But maybe the "fountain
<http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/dca/Millennium%20Park/crownfountain800.jpg>"
on the west side of the park that is two big pillars with changing face
images ... I'm not sure if the faces run when the water doesn't.

2. Right across the street from Millennium Park is the Chicago Cultural
Center
<http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter.html/>,
which is the #1 thing that I tell people they have to check out. It's free!
And it has a GIANT Tiffany stained-glass dome, as well as other nifty
architectural features and usually a rotating cast of fun exhibits.

3. Giordano's. Looks like there's one at 135 East Lake. That's the best
Chicago-style pizza. If you're going to go out to eat in Downtown, that's
my recommendation.

4. The Art Institute <http://www.artic.edu>. This is my favorite museum in
Chicago. When I lived there, Target sponsored one evening a week that was
free, and I went every week for a while. I particularly enjoy down in the
basement, where they have a couple rooms of American art, including several
Remingtons, both paintings and sculptures. They also have a room of
"miniatures," basically dollhouse furniture. It's all good. When i was
living there, they added a new "modern wing," which was all white and glass
- very Apple - and it was pretty nice, but not necessary.


Within a mile of the hotel:
1. Navy Pier. <http://navypier.com> I'd say only walk there if it is nice
weather. On the inland end, there is a nice beach for checking out the
lake. Otherwise, it could be fun to walk out to the end. There are shops
and all kinds of nonsense out there - a children's museum, ferris wheel,
etc.
2. Merchandise Mart <http://www.mmart.com>. Fiona has lots of experience
here. It's just a heck of an experience. At one point, it was the largest
building in the world (square footage - wise).
3. MCA  <http://www.mcachicago.org>. Kind of Guggenheim-ish, with a
rotating cast of cool modern art. I saw an AWESOME Buckminster Fuller
exhibit there once.If it is good weather, this would be a good walk, too -
up the Magnificent Mile <http://www.themagnificentmile.com>, as it's known,
so you could do all your crazy-consumer-watching (or crazy consuming, if
you prefer). You would get to see the Watertower
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Water_Tower>, which is cute. I never
went in - it is apparently an art gallery. Also, while you're up there, you
can go to the Hancock Building - Chicago's second tallest building. Go to
the Signature Room <http://www.signatureroom.com>, which is the restaurant
just below the observation deck. The elevator ride is free, with a
one-drink minimum (drinks are city prices, like $12-15 for a cocktail.
Totally worth it.) Go to the women's room while you are there. That's the
best view. If you want this to be the most relaxing it can be, go in the
middle of the day - I think they open at 11 or something. I wouldn't
recommend dinnertime.

Farther afield:
1. Lincoln Park Zoo <http://www.lpzoo.org/> and Conservatory. (
https://goo.gl/maps/CspU1 take the 151 bus - a 2-mile walk seems far ...).
This zoo is FREE. so is the conservatory. I used to run through here. The
Conservatory might be particularly nice in March. For somewhere to eat up
in that neighborhood, I liked Nookies <http://nookieschicago.com/>. Also up
in that area is The Second City <http://www.secondcity.com/>, the comedy
club where a lot of famous folks got their start. We lived right around the
corner from there. Right across North Ave from Second City is the supremely
weird Old Town Ale House - totally a joint for locals, with a bizarre
collection of art (I think done by the owner), mostly depicting
politicians.

2. Field Museum. A classic, for a reason. That would be another bus trip -
apparently the 146.

3. Greektown, pretty much exclusively for Meli <http://www.melicafe.com/> -
the South Halstead location. Zack finds it a bit blasphemous that they have
multiple locations. This is his favorite brunch spot EVER. This one looks a
bit more complicated via buses, but it might be worth it. You could walk
back at an amble, and stop in  Old St. Pat's  <http://www.oldstpats.org> or
the Sears Tower (or whatever it's calling itself these days. I never went
up it) or the Harold Washington Public Library
<http://www.chipublib.org/locations/15/> or hop on the El at Quincy and
Wells and then ride the train around the Loop - and get off at State/Lake,
which is near your hotel.

4. I have to include it. It's beautiful in any season. The Chicago Botanic
Garden. (ohwow.org). Then you would get to experience a different train,
and take the Metra up there, which is fun but pricey.

5. Also a long trip, but I really enjoy the Museum of Science and Industry.
<http://www.msichicago.org> They have a German submarine. The whole thing.
Indoors. It's awesome. Also many many trains, and a lot of other cool
science experiment type stuff. That's down in Hyde Park - I never went
there when I lived in Chicago because the public transit was too
complicated. I only ever went as tourists driving in from the suburbs. Oh,
they recommend taking the Metra Electric Line! I've never done that.

So Mom thinks I gave you too much, but there it is. I think my top picks (I
crowdsourced from mom, dad, and Zack) would be the list I gave of the
close-to-the-hotel stuff as one day (the Art Institute could take as long
as you want), then maybe the Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory followed by
the Hancock Building and the Mag Mile on the way home, or if you start
late, switch and do the Hancock first on your way up. The most
city-experience trip would be trekking to Meli and exploring on the way
home. For the time on your own, you might want to pick a museum. You'd love
the Field. That's where the mammoths are.

Also - look up the Windy City Rollers. They might be playing. Who knows!