Next trip is to Chicago and I have to admit that it’s somewhere I’ve only ever flown through. I hate O’Hare and hope the city doesn’t follow the airport. Am sure it won’t.

So, with a weekend to kill in Chicago, what’s on the list?

As title, I do like mooching around bike shops, drinking good beer and eating good food. Will also consider a good museum or gallery, obviously.

Go!

Love Chicago. Bike shops all sell the same stuff so what’s the point.

Make sure you check out the bar at the Wit. It’s awesome at night, right in the skyscrapers with a bloody highly balcony.

Some cool little towns like wrigleyville worth going to. Loads of good bars especially if the Cubs are playing.

Best pizza ever in ginos east. But book now.

Agreed, fantastic place, Architecture tour along the river is always good; millennium park and ‘the bean’, whilst you’re there you can hire a bike from Bike & Roll and head up and down the lakeside for a couple of hours, Michigan Avenue great for a bit of shopping if that’s your bag. As Dan says, plenty of bars around, just be careful of going too far off the beaten track, like most US cities, the atmosphere can change very quickly……
It’s like a more civelised, less hectic New York – but it’s the coldest place on earth (that’s official, honest) in the winter.

Bike shops all sell the same stuff so what’s the point.

They’re fascinating places. I love seeing the little differences in character, not just the products! Also, they’re a beacon of friendliness sometimes. Work travel can be a lonely place, only ever talking to hotel/restaurant staff or clients/colleagues. Bike people talk to bike people. It’s nice. 🙂

Thanks so far, folks. Will be staying at a pretty central hotel on the river, so looking forward to the skyline/architecture, etc.

Museum wise, you’re spoilt for choice. The Adler Planetarium out on the lakeside has some great shows and is full of great exhibits and talks. When we were there the guys from JPL were in interpreting the live feed from the Mars rover and explaining it as it came in. Superb.

The Shedd Aquarium, next door is very good, but not up there with the very best big tank places like The Deep, Barcelona and the big Florida parks. Still an amazing place, they used to bring whole trainloads of water up from Florida to keep the exhibits happy.

The Field Museum, think a combo of the British and Natural History museum and you get the idea. Also on the lakeshore near town. Absolutely world class.

Science and Industry Museum, awesome stuff, great bike collection, and a whole intact U-boat in one of the halls you can go inside. Loads of trains, planes and automobiles too. Bit further south and all the area inland is bandit country, get a cab or stick to the lakeshore path. Again, world class.

The architecture boat trip is worth it if the weather fits, the view from the Willis/Sears tower is great and the Koons in the park is worth a look.Food wise, can’t help much, although we love old school diners and there is a proper one on the ground floor of the Fornelli Tower(30s OTT art deco/pimp interiors) two block inland from the Koons on E. Washington.

I have only flown through there and once a very long time ago spent 8 hours in the bus station.

I love baseball so would get to Wrigley Field, catch a game. The atmosphere is meant to be great. Cubs going great guns this season.

The lakeside stuff looked good as I flew over it.

Everything that’s already been said. Navy Pier is worth a visit, also make sure you get to try a least one genuine chicago dog. I went to the superdawg drive in while I was there. One of those old fashioned places where you can order from your car and they put the tray on your window. It’s not central though!
Goose island brewery tour might be a good shout for the beer.