Traveling to- and around Chicago in June with Swisswife

Yeah, if you want to see football, come in the winter and go to Soldier Field. You'll feel right at home, it may be cold and windy.

Although, Heinz Field in Pittsburgh is better in many ways.

I forgot to mention the Chicago Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Navy Pier, Brookfield Zoo, the top of the Hancock Building (This is a family site, so I won't give the short version
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Personally, I like the Morton Arboreteum. They have a nice prarie restoration which may be flowering then, and that might be nice - give you a feel for what it was like before all those people got there.

They also have things like an old growth hardwood forest that you can go into and pretend there's no city around. And they have an incredible shrubbery garden. It seems like hundreds of things all made into hedges. I like the white and yellow pine hedges myself.

Innocent looking 4 foot high hedges with 6" diameter trunks inside. No one is driving through that hedge.
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And, of course, lots and lots of different kinds of trees to look at.

It's 1500 acres.
 
I thought I'd give you a little Chicago history too.

Chicago is where it is because of geography. When us Europeans were first colonizing the area, most transport was by water. Chicago was a perfect spot, because, when it was wet, and not frozen, there was kind of a swamp where Chicago is now.

(Chicago is said to mean "bad smell", or "wild onion")

This was a very important swamp, because on one end, the water flowed into Lake Michigan. On the other end, the water flowed into the Chicago River, which eventually made its way into the Mississippi River.

So Chicago was the connecting point between the two great waterways of North America.

Later, during the railroad age, all the railroads had to go south around Lake Michigan, and then curve back north around Chicago.

In fact, because of geographical problems, the first railroad to connect eastern and western Canada also went through Chicago - the Soo line.

So there are still lots of train switching yards in the Chicago area as well. And some train museums, although the big one is pretty far out of town. There is still even a big train station there.

And Chicago grew up with trains, so there are lots of linear suburbs, and lots of people still ride the train to work.

When I lived there, the Chicago Transit Authority was dropping off a million people in downtown on State Street alone. There was a subway under the street, an elevated line above, and it was a bus only street. Cars are now allowed on the streed, but the subway and the El are still going.
 
Swissman,

I live 10 miles off of your route, in Valparaiso Indiana.

You should contact me regarding a local gun store and range. You will get a tour of my gun room and a chance to shoot some nice Smith's.

Perhaps a nice meal would be in order.

email me if you have an interest.

Fred
 
hi swissman!

i live in saint joseph, michigan; right across the lake from chicago. originally settled by the frenchman LaSalle in 1679.

when in june are you traveling? if we can arrange it, i'll take out on my boat on lake michigan.

the trip up the west side of michigan is very nice. be sure to visit the various harbors and lighthouses; stop in traverse city and charlevoix, take the ferry to mackinac island.

i would NOT recommend trying to drive back through michigan's upper peninsula - it is a long, boring, desolate place! you can drive down I-75 to I-69 east to port huron, then drive through canada to get to niagara falls (where i grew up!)
 
Swissman, I have to agree. If you want to see a real baseball game, go see the White Sox. The Bears start their pre season games in August. Here's their schedule:

Bears 2009 Schedule Preseason August
DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME (CT) RADIO TV/RECAP AWAY TRAVEL
Saturday 15 @ BILLS 6 PM WBBM WFLD
Saturday 22 GIANTS 7 PM WBBM WFLD
Sunday 30 @ Broncos 7 PM WBBM NBC
Thursday September 3 BROWNS 7 PM WBBM WFLD

If you know when you will be in town, I may be able to get tickets for you.

The museums are great, as others have said.

Chicago is like most other large cities. There are certain areas you should avoid. I believe you can get some interesting suggestions by contacting the Chicago Tourist Bureau. I live about 25 miles from the Loop in the southwest suburbs and work part time in one of the 6 gun shops left in Cook County. If I can be of assistance, feel free to send me an email and I'll do my best to help.
 
I am glad that you are coming back this way, even though Texas is on your itinerary this time. I was going through somewhat rough times the last time you were here and look forward to hosting you again someday.

Chicago is one of my wife's favorite cities, it is, however, notoriously anti-gun. I recommend staying on Michigan Avenue along the lake at one of the upscale hotels aka the Magnificent Mile to please Swisswife. Some of the best shopping (in unique, upscale and one of a kind stores forget the Mall) and eateries in the world are right there along with some great museums including a captured WW II U-Boat that you can walk through and Sue the Tyranasaurus Rex. The nearby aquarium is also nice. There is a lot of transportation through this area. Others may differ, but my favorite food in Chicago is the Deep Dish Chicago pizza ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago-style_pizza ) particularly at Gino's East which is a graffiti decorated dive with great food ( http://featuredfoods.com/cgi-l...html?E+scstore+ginos )( http://www.frommers.com/destin.../chicago/D31550.html ). Upper Michigan is beautiful in the summertime,I used to canoe there as a young man; it is remote as moentioned above.. There will be plenty of Tatanka beer when you make it back. -Rick
 
Originally posted by HOUSTON RICK:
Others may differ, but my favorite food in Chicago is the Deep Dish Chicago pizza
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Monk's on Wabash had good pizza. I haven't been there in probably ten years.
 
Swissman, get free tickets to the Jerry Springer TV show! Get on their website and request them. I'm sure you would get to priority being from another country!!! Best entertainment in town!!!!
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and by the way, cincinnati is on the ohio river, the other side is kentucky. your map has the border waaaaay too far south!
 
Michigan is beautiful, especially along the Great Lakes and the far north. I suggest you do not go to Detroit for tourism. It is far too dangerous a city for visitors.

I think you would find a drive north along Lake Michigan into northern Michigan to be quite nice. It would be best to stay overnight in Michigan and return the next day. Enjoy.
 
We're baaack

Dear members,

We are back from our Chicago-trip. We see so much in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and in some parts of Indiana, that only the ca. 1800 pictures (!!!!!!) can tell how great our traveling-tour was.
Swisswife used her new Sony Alpha 350, as when it will be forbidden tomorrow to take pictures.

We met two members (with family)of this great forum and we hope that we stay in contact with all of them. Some pictures of this tour will follow soon, but let us first come over the jetlag.

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Swissman and Swisswife
 
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If you do make it down to the mid IL area, just accross the river from Peoria is Pekin, and there is a nice gun shop that usually has 2500+ in stock at all times. If you get to Springfield, be sure to see the Lincoln Museum, and within walking distance from the old state capital where Lincoln worked. In Springfield, there is a decent gun shop that also has an indoor range that rents guns. In case you feel the need to smell gunpowder burning. It's only 120 miles from where I am.
 
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