Chicago top 10

My (nearly) four days in Chicago went by in the blink of an eye! There was lots of walking, some lounging by the pool, a few historical sites and a couple of tremendous meals and a fair amount of silliness. It was a terrific getaway and I’m already looking for pet sits so I can revisit this easy to reach and awesome city in the future.

Speaking of four, I have to shout out to my three travel companions (and forever friends!) because I can’t imagine sharing a hotel room, and a single bathroom, with any other three people in the world. We really did well for ourselves at the Doubletree and I believe any of us would return to that well situated and comfortable hotel again.

When we arrived, we had a few things we intended to experience but had no solid plans beyond reservations for dinner and lunch. Once we settled in, we came up with a loose itinerary with our first two afternoons free to explore and activities penciled in primarily for Sunday and Monday.

It was all very relaxed and easy, yet we covered some serious ground in our brief time in the city. Below are the ten things that most stood out to me during our long weekend in Chicago.

• Lake Michigan – Although I’ve seen this lake before, it hit quite differently in the heat of summer than it had during my previous visit in Chicago in the month of November. This time around, I wanted to get into it and I did! Ohio Beach was a five minute walk from our hotel and I visited the lake almost every morning. On Monday, I shrugged off my outer layer of clothes and waded into the comfortably warm water and paddled about a bit enjoying the dichotomy of this huge body of water bordered on its western shore by a highway and towering buildings. Look in one direction and there’s nothing but water, look the other way and it’s all concrete and glass. Amazing! I was a little concerned about water quality, but the water is tested every day for bacteria, the beach was cleaned and raked daily and the floor of the lake was visible. Good enough for me to have a quick swim for sure.
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio* – The morning we spent viewing this property was time well spent. He was an interesting man and I really admired the simple and clean lines of the home where he spent two decades of his life.
• Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace – As I like to say, Hemingway is my favorite misogynist and seeing his home was a thrill for me. This museum seems to get far less traffic than the Wright property, but the tour we took was informative and well presented.
• Cabra* – This Stephanie Izard restaurant was absolutely fantastic. Details are coming asap.
• Purple Pig* – In a new location from when I last dined, but retaining the same quality of food and service, we had a terrific celebratory lunch here on Monday.
• Riverwalk – I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this promenade but we had a nice late lunch of tacos and margaritas on our arrival day and appreciated our proximity to the river where we could always catch a breeze. With eateries, bars and businesses devoted to recreation, Riverwalk places the Chicago River front and center for all sorts of activities.
• The Art Institute of Chicago* – We came for the Gustave Caillebotte exhibit but managed to also visit some other favorites including the Chagall windows, American Gothic, a mess of Warhols and Monets and O’Keeffes. It was a delightful couple of hours.
• The 606 – This 2.7 mile converted elevated rail line that has been repurposed as a public park gives High Line vibes without the river views. It was a little bit of work to get there, but I’m glad I made the effort. The plantings are beautiful (as is the case in so many areas of Chicago) and there was a fair amount of activity with cyclists, walkers, runners and skaters about. I was appreciative of the water fountains, but wished for more places to sit and take it in. Nonetheless, I was happy to get there despite the drenching I would get shortly after my departure.
• Friendly people – We were all impressed by the kindness of everyone we encountered. Yes, everyone. From the cab drivers to the servers, and every other random person we encountered, we extend our thanks for the hospitality and friendliness.
• The clean streets – The lack of trash and gorgeous planters cascading with greenery and flowers, were striking and very much in contrast with what I’m accustomed to encountering in NYC. Even areas that might be expected to collect debris and discarded evidence of partying, were spic and span each morning. Props to the crew who do the work to keep things clean and tidy!

Although there is so much more we’d all like to see in Chicago, four nights was the ideal length of time for girls weekend. There’s plenty more to do and we all left Midway having made a vow to return. I’m already looking forward to it.

*More on these topics to come!