TopFlight-Travel.com
  • Home
  • Warm
  • Cold
  • Budget
  • Luxury
  • Unique
  • Festive
  • Food & Drink
  • Destination
  • Travel Ideas
No Result
View All Result
TopFlight-Travel.com
  • Home
  • Warm
  • Cold
  • Budget
  • Luxury
  • Unique
  • Festive
  • Food & Drink
  • Destination
  • Travel Ideas
No Result
View All Result
TopFlight-Travel.com
No Result
View All Result
Home Destination

Places To Visit in Chicago | Suggestions From My Last Trip

Ashleigh Graham by Ashleigh Graham
0
Places To Visit in Chicago | Suggestions From My Last Trip

Admittedly, we didn’t have much time in Chicago but exploring another new city this year was great. It seems for every place I check off my list, I just keep adding more to my “Have to go back there” list! I will share a few places to visit in Chicago based on my weekend experience with my family.

We flew into Midway, using the Southwest Companion Pass again, obviously. Midway is about a 10-mile drive southeast of the city itself. With O’Hare over 15 miles driving towards the northeast, you’ll have a ways to go from either airport. Luckily, Chicago’s public transit system connects both airports to the city centre or The Loop (on the Chicago Transit Authority). So we took the Orange Line from Midway all the way in and promptly found some lunch near our stop. With sandwiches from the nearby Cafecito in hand, we walked over to Buckingham Fountain and drew up a game plan for the first day.

RelatedPosts

Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia

5 Epic Challenging Hiking Trails for Experienced Trekkers

Thrill-Seeker’s Guide to Cliff Diving: Where to Find the Best Spots for Jumping Off Cliffs 

Places to visit in Chicago: Maggie Daley Park

We were staying a bit north of the city, much closer to O’Hare, so we had the whole day to walk around and then hit the train in the early evening to get to the hotel. We took full advantage of the day downtown and decided a small walking tour was best. Hence, we strolled along the lakefront up to Maggie Daley Park. 

Growing up by the ocean, I have a finite view of ponds and lakes. I mean, ponds are small. Lakes weigh in at a respectable ‘medium.’ Oceans are big. Simple, right? I was floored by the expanse of Lake Michigan. That lake looks like an ocean. Complete with marinas, folks on the beach (even in October), and waves.

Places to visit in Chicago_Lake Michigan
Source: Pixabay

Although a few ‘parks’ make up this lakefront scene, I’m going to refer to the whole area as Maggie Daley Park. This is the one known for that giant silver bean, officially – the Cloud Gate. We had to check that out! For a substantial shiny object, it sure attracts a lot of visitors. The place was swarming with tourists, but it was really cool. Definitely one of my “check off the list” moments.

The next day, while I was at my conference (see below), the other two explored the city independently. I learned plenty of new things at the Chicago Seminars, but it seems I didn’t have nearly as much fun as they did exploring the city!

Places to visit in Chicago: Navy Pier

On the lakefront, just north of the bean, Navy Pier houses plenty of shops and things to do. The pier has taken many rolls throughout its life, but it’s always been a great place to explore some of the Chicago feel. The pier is also included on the National Register of Historic Places.

My family explored Navy Pier while I was shopping, so I didn’t get to check it out myself, but they had great reviews of The Centennial Wheel and the Skate by the Lake rink on the pier. The Centennial Wheel is a bit pricey ($15 adults, $12 kids), but the views are killer.

places to visit in Chicago_Centennial Wheel
Source: Unsplash

Places to visit in Chicago: Adler Planetarium

Chicago has some fantastic museums in the city. While we didn’t get a chance to go to all of the institutions I would have liked to, we were able to hit the Adler Planetarium and Field Museum during the weekend. We picked these two in particular because they seemed interesting, and we were able to take advantage of our local museum’s reciprocity program! We’ve been members at the Museum of Science in Boston for a few years since the price is worth it after only 2 or 3 trips there. Since the MoS is a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), so they have a fantastic reciprocity program. The Adler and the Field are both members of the ASTC, so our membership got us into both museums absolutely free!

They visited the Adler after wandering Navy Pier, so I didn’t get to see this one myself either. According to the report, though, the Sky Theatre is incredible, and the whole building is filled with great information. There are massive pictures and diagrams of objects found in space and plenty of activities for kids (and hands-on parents) to try out. I was very jealous of the ‘hovercraft’ the kiddo got to build.

places to visit in Chicago_Adler Planetarium
Source: Choose Chicago

Places to visit in Chicago: The Field Museum

The Field Museum was impressive. Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours there if you can. Double that time if you’re a museum person. We didn’t have to pay admission, courtesy of the ASTC reciprocity program. Still, we did check our two larger backpacks for the day (only $3 apiece). Checking our bags allowed us to explore the museum leisurely and leave for lunch later without lugging our stuff around the city.

One of the main attractions here is Sue, the T-Rex skeleton. Sue is the world’s largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus fossil, and she was found right here in the states! Coincidentally, only a few hours from where my family lives in South Dakota. The fossil is magnificent, although she seems slightly more petite in person than in Jurassic Park.

My favourite museum section was the Native American exhibits, specifically the Pacific Northwest art. Looming overhead in one of the darkest rooms in The Field Museum, the carvings on the totem poles seem to come to life. As I walked through, fascinated by the details engraved on the wood, my son gripped my hand tighter, worried we might have some kind of a “Night at the Museum” experience.

Places to visit in Chicago_T Rex
Source: Pixabay

We explored the Field for a solid 2 hours, then caught an Uber into the city for a bit of lunch. Leaving our bags at the museum, we went back after lunch for about another hour, meeting up with a friend from Chicago!

Places to visit in Chicago: Pizano’s Pizza

Ok, ok. I get it. The deep dish is tourist pizza. But you still have to try it, right?! I actually really like deep dish, tourists be damned! We had actually planned on heading to Giordano’s location nearby. Chatting up our Uber driver, she quickly rerouted us to a place called Pizano’s, a little further away. I feel everyone has their own pizza place they favour, and she was confident we’d have a great lunch there. We did! I’m a huge pizza fan, and I genuinely enjoyed the deep dish there and an Italian sausage roll we ordered.

Sum up the budget

I did not realize how much a single weekend in Chicago could cost. And we didn’t even stay downtown or do anything high-class. So here’s the breakdown:

  • $136 on transportation (not including the flights booked on points)
  • $212 for the hotel for the weekend
  • $156 for food
  • $160 for activities
  • $24 for souvenirs

Total of $689 for 3 people, 3 days. $77 per person per day (PPD).

I’ve only taken 4 trips since travel hacking. Disney World, Mexico, DC, and this weekend in Chicago that you happen to be reading about right now. Disney was tricky – I didn’t really plan the trip myself, it was a bit short notice, and it was my first time hacking. Including the savings from my Chase Disney card and the Barclay miles I used towards the flights, I only saved around 14%. However, I’ve saved at least 44% of the total upfront cost in each of the other three adventures by redeeming points or booking miles! That’s the reason I’ve fallen for this hobby. I’m able to travel for cheap. I don’t feel bad doing it, and I’m not stressing about my bank account balance while exploring.

Chicago was my last trip for a while. We’ll be hanging out with our local family for the holidays and don’t have any travel planned until further out.

I hope to write more on some of the deals I’ve been using over the holiday season. There are tons of opportunities to stack savings and points as we gear up for the holiday shopping season, so I’m looking forward to it! Feel free to share any ideas on places to visit in Chicago for my next trip there!

Tags: lake michiganmuseumUSA
ShareTweetPin1SendSend
Previous Post

Travelling With Kids in India: 10+ Tips and Tricks

Next Post

Seeking A Luxury Hotel in Paris? 4 Options Near Tourist Destinations

Related Posts

Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia - Great wall of China

Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia

by Gemma Marks

Discover the Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia with this comprehensive travel guide. Explore the rich cultural heritage of...

Experienced Female Trekker on one of the Challenging Hiking Trails

5 Epic Challenging Hiking Trails for Experienced Trekkers

by Gemma Arnold

Looking for a new challenge as an experienced hiker? Look no further than our list of 5 challenging hiking trails...

Best Spots for Jumping off Cliffs

Thrill-Seeker’s Guide to Cliff Diving: Where to Find the Best Spots for Jumping Off Cliffs 

by Gemma Marks

If you're an adrenaline junkie and love the thrill of jumping off cliffs, this travel guide is for you. Discover...

Fiordland National Park - Landscapes of New Zealand

5 Majestic Landscapes of New Zealand

by Gemma Marks

Discover the stunning Landscapes of New Zealand with this comprehensive travel guide. From the snow-capped Southern Alps to the rugged...

Grand Canyon National Park national parks in the united states

Travel Guide for National Parks in the United States

by Gemma Marks

Discover the natural beauty of the United States by exploring its national parks. This travel guide highlights some of the...

Europe’s Finest Island-Hopping Locations

by Gemma Marks

Europe offers the best island-hopping destinations. If you're looking to spend your summer in Europe, here's a guide for you.

Next Post
Seeking A Luxury Hotel in Paris

Seeking A Luxury Hotel in Paris? 4 Options Near Tourist Destinations

What To Do In Ljubljana During A Weekend Trip

What To Do In Ljubljana During A Weekend Trip

best bungee jumping spots
Travel Ideas

10 Best Bungee Jumping Spots to Experience

by Gemma Marks

Looking for the best bungee jumping spots in the world? This comprehensive travel guide has got you covered! Explore the...

Read more
Waffles - Food tour in Belgium

Food Tour in Belgium: Plan Your Gastric Itinerary

Perfect Vietnamese Destinations for Food Tour

10 Perfect Vietnamese Destinations for Food Tour

Island hopping in the Mediterranean

14 Things to Know When Island Hopping in the Mediterranean

7 Tips for Backpacking in a National Park

7 Tips for Backpacking in a National Park

10 Things To Do In Maui
Destination

Things To Do in Maui – Follow My Top 10 Suggestions

by Ashleigh Graham

I’ve read enough travel articles that provide evidence that people specifically love lists about travel. That sounds right up my...

Read more

An Overview Of The Best Places to Stay in Tokyo

9 Tips For Staying Healthy While Travelling

Hotels in Rotterdam: 8 Of My Favourites

Have A Look At This List Of 20 Free Things To Do In Madrid!

11 Sun-Drenched Winter Escapes

11 Sun-Drenched Winter Escapes
by Gemma Marks

If you are looking for winter escapes, these eleven destinations are my top-picks for you.

Read more

11 Best Top Places To Visit In The USA

Top Places To Visit In The USA Couple Tourist In Statue Of Liberty
by Gemma Arnold

Discover the top places to visit in the USA, from the historic landmarks of the Statue of Liberty and...

Read more

Top 10 Islands in Vietnam

Top 10 Islands in Vietnam
by Gemma Marks

If you are planning to go to Vietnam, this guide is helpful! You'll know which islands in Vietnam you...

Read more

Important Travel Tips in Thailand

Travel Tips in Thailand Ayutthaya Woman Tourist Reading The Map
by Gemma Arnold

Discover important travel tips in Thailand that will help you interact with locals and expand your business cycle.

Read more
Spending Seven Hours in Magnificent Tallinn

Spending Seven Hours in Magnificent Tallinn

by Ashleigh Graham

If you've ever wondered what you can see and do in a city in a mere seven hours, I have...

Top 8 Church Towers to Climb in Europe

My Top 8 Church Towers to Climb in Europe

by Ashleigh Graham

One of my favourite things to do when travelling anywhere is to find places with high vantage points that give...

Magnificent Beaches in Lefkada

10 Magnificent Beaches in Lefkada

by Ashleigh Graham

Cliffs and coves meet azure, pristine waters through which you can see all way to the bottom. Lefkada is undoubtedly...

Awesome Family Resorts in Minnesota

10 Awesome Family Resorts in Minnesota

by Ashleigh Graham

There are many resorts spread throughout Minnesota. The state, popularly known as "The Land of 10,000 lakes", is home to...

  • About
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

Categories

  • Budget
  • Cold
  • Destination
  • Festive
  • Food & Drink
  • Luxury
  • Travel Ideas
  • Unique
  • Warm

Topics

Asia Australia bars Beach Brazil California Canada Caribbean Castle Central America China clubs cruise Denmark Europe Finland France fun Germany Greece hotels India Ireland Irish Island Italy Japan Kilmainham Mediterranean museums Ontario Scandinavia Slovenia snow South America Spain Sweden Thailand travelling Turkey UK US USA vacation WA

Recent News

Group of Friends Enjoying Europe's Music Festivals (Source: Canva)

A Guide to Europe’s Music Festivals: The Ultimate Cultural Immersion

Romantic Beach Getaways: Couple Walking On A White Sandbar (Source: Canva)

Romantic Beach Getaways: The Most Romantic Destinations for Couples

Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia - Great wall of China

Best Historical and Architectural Sights in Asia

Wilderness Survival: Hiker Couple Preparing Tea In Wilderness (Source: Canva)

Wilderness Survival: Learning Skills and Techniques for Emergencies While Backpacking

  • About
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 topflight-travel.com - Brought to you by The Dinner Media Group.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Warm
  • Cold
  • Budget
  • Luxury
  • Unique
  • Festive
  • Food & Drink
  • Destination
  • Travel Ideas

© 2022 topflight-travel.com - Brought to you by The Dinner Media Group.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In