Going to Chicago Around St. Patty's Day

[Bonny]

Never been but always wanted to go to see the architecture. I'd also like to meet up with a couple of YMers.

Our 28th Wedding Anniversary is March 19th. We actually celebrate DH's bachelor's Day Party which is on St. Patty's Day.

Are we insane?

Recommendations?

Tagging The Captain and sarcasticgirl

[sarcasticgirl]

You might just be a little insane! This city LOVES St. Patty's day!  Huge parade downtown, they turn the river green, people are $hitfaced before noon. 
The parade and river dyeing is on the 12th this year. If you plan on being here for that weekend, I'd check around for hotels now, because there is a huge influx of tourists. If you plan to come the week following, I think you'll have better luck. You can celebrate st. patty's day without the madness of the parade.  

It will likely be cold, but hopefully not too bad since our winter has been kind to us thus far. 

Have you been to Chicago before? if so, what touristy things have you done?  Did you have a particular area in mind where you wanted to stay? or are you open? 
Let me know and I'll have plenty of recommendations. If nothing else, you can always count on me for food suggestions! 

[Bonny]

Jan 7, 2016 10:57:01 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

You might just be a little insane! This city LOVES St. Patty's day!  Huge parade downtown, they turn the river green, people are $hitfaced before noon. 
The parade and river dyeing is on the 12th this year. If you plan on being here for that weekend, I'd check around for hotels now, because there is a huge influx of tourists. If you plan to come the week following, I think you'll have better luck. You can celebrate st. patty's day without the madness of the parade.  

It will likely be cold, but hopefully not too bad since our winter has been kind to us thus far. 

Have you been to Chicago before? if so, what touristy things have you done?  Did you have a particular area in mind where you wanted to stay? or are you open? 
Let me know and I'll have plenty of recommendations. If nothing else, you can always count on me for food suggestions! 

Hi Sarcasticgirl,

DH is thinking about flying in on the 17th and leaving the 20th. I guess we'll have some catching up to do.

I have never been to Chicago other than to O'Hare several times on my way to someplace else. Other than maybe taking an architectural tour and maybe meeting up with you and The Captain I don't have an agenda. DH would like to go to the Natural History Museum.

We'll take hotel and restaurant recommendations and whatever "must sees". We haven't forgotten what great advice you gave us for St. Croix!

[sarcasticgirl]

This is actually harder than recommendations for St. Croix, oddly enough!

There is SO MUCH that I love in this city... and the food recommendations are ALL OVER THE PLACE! mostly, my favorite places are in the neighborhoods... that's where so much of the good food is. and I have recommendations from high end to small whole in the wall places. ranging from Thai to indian to sushi. So, you'll have to tell me what you are up for. 


As far as touristy stuff. I love the Field Museum- DH and I were actually just talking about going next month, it is free to IL residents during February week days. The Aquarium is kind of fun too and it right next to Field. it isn't the best Aquarium I have been to in this country, but it is pretty good. 
Personally I love walking the city... my favorite is the walk through millennium /grant park. from the Bean all the way south to the Agora installation which are these giant Leg sculptures at Roosevelt ave. of course, this will depend on the weather and your desire to walk through the parts and look at the art etc.  I also recommend the Hancock observation deck. I like it SO MUCH better than Sears Tower. the lines at sears are tedious and personally I like the view better at Hancock because it is right along the lake front. I love the architecture boat trips, but I don't know if any will be running that early. I think they start at the end of March- I'll check around. 
Let me put a little more thought into some things that are running and going on in March- it is more limited than summer time. So I'll need to check around. 

[Pants]

*AHEM.* 

That is all. 

[sarcasticgirl]

Jan 11, 2016 12:50:13 GMT -5 Pants said:

*AHEM.* 

That is all. 

[flamingo]

Jan 11, 2016 12:29:01 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

This is actually harder than recommendations for St. Croix, oddly enough!

There is SO MUCH that I love in this city... and the food recommendations are ALL OVER THE PLACE! mostly, my favorite places are in the neighborhoods... that's where so much of the good food is. and I have recommendations from high end to small whole in the wall places. ranging from Thai to indian to sushi. So, you'll have to tell me what you are up for. 


As far as touristy stuff. I love the Field Museum- DH and I were actually just talking about going next month, it is free to IL residents during February week days. The Aquarium is kind of fun too and it right next to Field. it isn't the best Aquarium I have been to in this country, but it is pretty good. 
Personally I love walking the city... my favorite is the walk through millennium /grant park. from the Bean all the way south to the Agora installation which are these giant Leg sculptures at Roosevelt ave. of course, this will depend on the weather and your desire to walk through the parts and look at the art etc.  I also recommend the Hancock observation deck. I like it SO MUCH better than Sears Tower. the lines at sears are tedious and personally I like the view better at Hancock because it is right along the lake front. I love the architecture boat trips, but I don't know if any will be running that early. I think they start at the end of March- I'll check around. 
Let me put a little more thought into some things that are running and going on in March- it is more limited than summer time. So I'll need to check around. 

I agree on the Hancock observation deck vs Willis (formerly Sears) tower. When my family was in town last year we did both and Hancock was definitely better. 

In addition to Field and the Aquarium, I'd recommend the Art Institute. Of course, DH and I are members, so we are a little biased 

[sarcasticgirl]

Jan 11, 2016 13:16:33 GMT -5 flamingo said:

Jan 11, 2016 12:29:01 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

This is actually harder than recommendations for St. Croix, oddly enough!

There is SO MUCH that I love in this city... and the food recommendations are ALL OVER THE PLACE! mostly, my favorite places are in the neighborhoods... that's where so much of the good food is. and I have recommendations from high end to small whole in the wall places. ranging from Thai to indian to sushi. So, you'll have to tell me what you are up for. 


As far as touristy stuff. I love the Field Museum- DH and I were actually just talking about going next month, it is free to IL residents during February week days. The Aquarium is kind of fun too and it right next to Field. it isn't the best Aquarium I have been to in this country, but it is pretty good. 
Personally I love walking the city... my favorite is the walk through millennium /grant park. from the Bean all the way south to the Agora installation which are these giant Leg sculptures at Roosevelt ave. of course, this will depend on the weather and your desire to walk through the parts and look at the art etc.  I also recommend the Hancock observation deck. I like it SO MUCH better than Sears Tower. the lines at sears are tedious and personally I like the view better at Hancock because it is right along the lake front. I love the architecture boat trips, but I don't know if any will be running that early. I think they start at the end of March- I'll check around. 
Let me put a little more thought into some things that are running and going on in March- it is more limited than summer time. So I'll need to check around. 

I agree on the Hancock observation deck vs Willis (formerly Sears) tower. When my family was in town last year we did both and Hancock was definitely better. 

In addition to Field and the Aquarium, I'd recommend the Art Institute. Of course, DH and I are members, so we are a little biased 

you'll be walking over piles of dead bodies in the streets before the Chicagoan call it Willis tower. LOL

I agree on the art institute- I love it!

[Bonny]

Jan 11, 2016 12:50:13 GMT -5 Pants said:

*AHEM.* 

That is all. 

[sarcasticgirl]

Jan 11, 2016 16:40:58 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Jan 11, 2016 12:50:13 GMT -5 Pants said:

*AHEM.* 

That is all. 

She lives in Chicago-land too   and she's fun to hang out with! Poor BSB! 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 11, 2016 17:18:50 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

Jan 11, 2016 16:40:58 GMT -5 Bonny said:

She lives in Chicago-land too   and she's fun to hang out with! Poor BSB! 

My unofficial count is that there are at dozen board members around Chicago and possible closer to 2 dozen. And that's excluding me, bean29 and sroo.