Favorite U.S. Cities: Chicago

I am so excited to continue the tour of my favorite U.S. cities today!  This week we are heading north after our stops in Nashville and San Diego!  I met Kelly through a blogging group I am a part of and I am so excited to see what all we should do and see in Chicago!

Hi there! I’m Kelly and I blog over at Typically Simple and when Julie asked me to share with her readers some must-see, must-do, must-eat things in Chicago, I couldn’t wait to let you in on some of the best kept secrets of the city.

Chicago is full of art, culture, and yummy food! There are amazing restaurants on every corner, you could spend days exploring the museum campus, head over to Wrigley Field to cheer for the Cubbies, or check out Navy Pier, which is the perfect place to spend a summer afternoon! And the deep dish pizza…depending on who you talk to, the best pizza might be at Giordano’s, Gino’s East, or Lou Malnati’s. But I’m sure you already know of these places as they are the most popular tourist attractions. 

While I absolutely love going to these places, there are other sights and sounds of the city that I highly recommend you try to squeeze in between the major touristy places on your next trip to Chicago!

Chicago History Museum Located in Old Town, this museum is further north of the larger, big named museums, but it doesn’t disappoint! With a lot of hands-on activities and interactive features, this museum is perfect for adults and children alike. My favorite exhibit in this museum includes “L” car No. 1 and a full-size locomotive.

Dinotto Ristorante  After visiting the Chicago History Museum, walk a few blocks east on North Avenue to eat at this amazing neighborhood Italian restaurant. With red and white striped awning, white tablecloths, and great wine, Dinotto is a perfect place to grab dinner after doing some sight-seeing. There is also outdoor seating for those cool summer nights. While all of their food is delicious, I highly recommend the Pollo Balsamico.

Second City  An improv-based comedy club that boasts quite the alumni list. If you are an SNL fan, especially from back in the day, this needs to be on your itinerary!

Architectural Tour – Spend a few hours floating down the infamous green Chicago River learning about the history of Chicago. Or if you are up for an adventure, you can do this same tour in a kayak! The dusk kayak tour is especially fun as you can view the Navy Pier fireworks as you paddle down the river!

Garrett Popcorn Shop – If you love popcorn, this is a must stop shop! Delicious!

Mario’s Italian Lemonade – The consistency of a Slurpee, but better!

Theatre District – Chicago has awesome historic theatres (I might be a little biased) with amazing Broadway shows. Wicked was here for a few years and I saw it twice. There is always something going on, but you will need to buy tickets in advance. So plan ahead!

And finally. If you want the best view of the city, head over to the Hancock Building and visit the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor. 

So there you have it – an insider’s guide to Chicago. I highly recommend mixing the big name tourist spots with a few of these locally known places to make your trip to Chicago one for the books!

* Photo Credits – Kelly of KOPhoto

What is your favorite thing to do in the Windy City?