Top 10 Reasons to Love Chicago

My first trip to Chicago is just around the corner and I wasn’t sure what to do but luckily I found some help from Dani & Jess from The Globetrottergirls and Katie Hammel from Chicagologue. They were kind enough to share with me why they love Chicago and after experiencing these places my self, I’m sure I’ll love Chi-town too. Here is what they have to say about the Windy City:

1) The Beaches

“Each Chicago beach has it’s own personality. Want a party? Head to North Avenue Beach. If you’re looking for something more low key, head north. The Montrose Beach is great and is dog-friendly.” -Katie

“Chicago has several beaches and beach cafes which are well worth a visit. Our favorites are Oak Street Beach and North Ave Beach.” -Dani & Jess

Oak Street Beach, Courtesy of Dani & Jess

2) Get Out of the Loop!

“Chicago has much more to it than just the downtown area, especially to the North. Bucktown, Lakeview, Andersonville, Wrigleyville are all charming neighborhoods.” -Dani & Jess

“Don’t limit your time to the Loop and Magnificent Mile areas. There is so much to see in Chicago in the neighborhoods, where I think you get a much better feel for how most people in the city live. I live in Lakeview and love it, though I also like Andersonville and Bucktown. On the 2nd Friday of every month there is a great free art crawl with wine in Pilsen, a Latino neighborhood south of the Loop (also great BYOB Mexican restaurants there). It’s so easy to hop on the el and explore.” -Katie

“In Lakeview, there is a great store on Broadway called SPARE PARTS which is run by a friend of us, Vanessa. If you have time, go and check it out and she can give you much more tips for cool stuff in Chicago.” -Dani & Jess

3) BYOB

“For dining and drinking – save money with a BYOB restaurant. My faves are Schwa, Bonsoiree, and HB for more foodie/classy places, though there are plenty of cheap and casual BYOBs that are fun and delicious. Bottomless mimosa brunches are also big here.” -Katie

4) Brew-&-view Movie Theater

“If you wanna see a movie, this is the only movie theater where you’re allowed to drink.” -Dani & Jess

5) Go to a Cubs game

“A baseball game at the original, old-fashioned Wrigley Stadium will give you a feel for the ‘real’ Chicago and the locals.” -Dani & Jess

6) The John Hancock Building

“Unless you are set on walking out on the glass-bottomed ledges, skip the Willis Tower in favor of the John Hancock Building, where instead of paying for admission to the observation deck, you can just ride up to the lounge on the 96th floor and have a cocktail while you enjoy the view. I personally like the view from the Hancock better than the one from the Sears Tower anyway.” -Katie

View from Willis Tower, Courtesy of Dani & Jess

7) Nookies on Halsted

“This place has a great breakfast and they have two more branches.” -Dani & Jess

The Museums

“Check for free museum days to save money on your museum admission. Every museum offers several free days per year – the Art Institute is free every Thursday after 5pm and many other museums are even free every day.” -Katie

9) The Parks

” There are often free events in Millennium and Grant Parks.” -Katie

“The famous ‘Bean’ cannot be missed! It’s located right downtown and it’s a great place to soak up some sun. Millenium Park is also home to the Art Institute and if you’re an art fan, you’ll enjoy it!” -Dani & Jess

The Bean, Courtesy of Dani & Jess

10) Violet Hour

“One of my favorite bars in Chicago is Violet Hour – a speakeasy style bar with amazing cocktails.” -Katie

11) The Tours

“The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise is one of the most popular tours. I love it, but it’s not the only worthwhile tour. The Film Tour takes to areas of the city you might not otherwise see, and the Vienna Beef sausage factory tour is surprisingly awesome and shows you a behind the scenes look at a Chicago food tradition.” -Katie

“The Chicago Architecture Boat Tour is not cheap ($ 25.00 Dollars if we remember it right) but it’s worth it. You get to see Chicago’s stunning architecture from the river, which is quite an unusual perspective, and you learn so much about the history and the buildings and other trivia” -Dani & Jess

12) Lincoln Park

“One of my favorite free things to do is to head to Lincoln Park to wander around, visit the Lincoln Park Zoo, and (on Saturday mornings) sample treats from the Green City Farmer’s Market.” -Katie

13) Food, Food, and More Food!

Tips on the best brunches, downtown dining, and foreign cuisine in Chicago, courtesy of Katie.





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