Visiting Chicago to pick up my new MINI...
 

... and wondering on what/where to go/stay/do. :)

Specifically regarding hotels:

1. Do you recommend any hotels in the Chicago area? I'd like to visit downtown Chicago while I'm there, but I'm hesitant to stay downtown because it's both much more expensive and I'm a little worried about my brand new MINI being parked downtown (or worse, driven around by the valet)

2. If staying outside the city, is there a good area to be with regards to transit (the "El"?), or would it just be easier to drive into the city (again, sounds like fun but maybe not the greatest for parking)



Are there any "must sees" in Chicago for my 1-day visit?




When leaving chicago, do you have any recommendations on how to miss traffic, etc?



I'm thinking about heading north along the lake shore dr / sheridan road. I'd like to go by Fox Lake and work my way towards janesville (I guess there's a GM plant there?) Any recomendations on specific routes/roads along that way?



Thanks!!!

EDIT: I'm picking up from Patrick MINI around the 24th of May

you MUST go to Second City. Best comedy, bar none, in the country.

A Different "Must"
 

You gotta have
* a hot dog (Vienna Beef)
* pizza (Lou Malnati's)
* cheesecake (Eli's)
* if you're of age, Honker's Ale (Goose Island)


:grin:

there's a Portillo's across the street from Patrick MINI.. great hot dogs:thumbsup: From there, you can take 90 east to the Loop... You can check out the Bean @ Millenium Park. they have underground parking there. From there, you can take LSD north, pass through Northwestern U on your way up to a local twistie in Lake Forest known as the Ravines. from there, you can head west towards 94 then north into WI. You could pass through Lake Geneva... nice place, kinda busy on the weekends... Heck, why not pass through the Dells while you're at it.

a lot to see, too bad you only have one day. Maybe you can catch a Cubs game?

my current plan of attack is to arrive around mid-afternoon at O'hare, get picked up by the dealer and be there until evening, then drive to the hotel and check in (suggestions on hotels or best areas to stay??).

From the hotel i figured we (my friend and I) would go get dinner downtown and maybe cruise downtown and check the nightlife/etc (comedy club sounds like fun!)

then back to the hotel and the next morning hit up millenium park and maybe lincoln park, then head out of the city mid-day heading north along LSD.

At least, that's my plan so far... suggestions?

You should be able to find a decent hotel in Shamburg most chains have a hotel there. Do you know what day of the week? Check out hottix.org and be sure to catch a show. If you go to metromix.com you can see if there are any local gatherings when you're in town in the dept. of town festivals, art shows, concerts that kind of thing. The MINI is a good car to drive through and easy to park but I've only left in town once, in the Science and Industry Museum which usually has some neat stuff passing through, because I fear door dings or scratches. Metra is great for public transportation hourly trains usually on time and occasionally early. Depend upon how far north you'd like to go on LSD. I've heard good things about Jordan's Restaurant, there is a Protillos Downtown, and some nice and $$ dinning facilities on the upper levels of the Hancock and Sears Tower. Chicago Pizza at UNOs and the Chicago Dog at Wrigley Field, gotta see a game in the one of the oldest stadiums around. A neat way to learn about the city is through a boat tour that covers some of the lake and the river. If you can a Shakespeare Show on Navy Pier is a good time. Enjoy yourself and remember Chicago is a walking friendly city I have traversed from Union Station to the Sears Tower and back up to the Hancock in less than an hour without feeling like I had to go too far. and the magnificent mile is a nice walk as well. I like driving through the city at night (no traffic what so ever) and I think you'll want to be sure to avoid I-90 as major construction just began, use 290 when heading in and out. Chicago is built on a grid for the most part so close to the city it is harder to get lost if you have a map.

Second City ( in case you didn't know) is an ensemble comedy group heavy on improv. besides all the folks from SCTV, it is the breeding ground that produced much of the talent that ended up as the various casts of Saturday Night Live. Look at all the photos on the wall while you are waiting for your show, its unreal who all started there.

where are you coming from/going back to when you come in and out of the city. theres mad traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway (80/94?? i dont know numbers like i know names), thats if youre coming from indiana or something. theres lots of ways in and out of the city. but be prepared to hit traffic pretty much anywhere you go. but thats ok, its part of the Chicago Experience!:lol::thumbsup:

For hotdogs and an experience, hit up Wiener's Circle in Lincoln Park. You won't forget it.

for the best hot dog ever, you can try Superdawg. Devon+Milwaukee on the NW side. like i said, best hot dog ever.

oh yeah ... I forgot about Superdawg ! you're right, they do have good dawgs. We should meet up down there sometime :thumbsup: Do you know if the U-Dog is still next to Circuit City on Touhy in Niles/Skokie? They had the best char-dogs!!

And most expensive. I bet it's because of the neon relish.:grin: You really cant go wrong with a hotdog in Chicago as long as it's not made with Oscar Meyer... VIENNA BEEF RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do y'all know if Demon Dogs is still open? (up in the . . . ahem . . . north side)

I might add that the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers has a self parking lot, so at least don't have to worry about the valet joyriding. As for door dings find the faaaaaaaaaaaarthest corner spot and you should be alright.

Demon Dogs is... poof gone. Damn CTA took it, jerks.

Unfortunately, U-Dog-U is gone. The brothers sold both locations in order to open over the tollways. I'm not sure if that ever happened though. New owners changed the name and its just not as good.

A meet up @ Superdawg would be cool. It has been a tradition of my family for as long as I can remember. Before and or after weddings, funerals, auto show... I grew up right near there and I try to get back as often as I can.

One thing, it would go against the rules. No food in the MINI. Not even Superdawg.

Motor On

You just have to be lucky enough to get one of the picnic tables that they have there. I think they have one, maybe two. I am a strict enforcer of the no eating in the MINI rule too.:thumbsup:

I don't mean to start a war, but I think Gene & Jude's is better than Superdawg...

*takes cover*

*throws Portillo's Jumbo Chili dog at computer monitor*

Al's Beef

Duck and cover! *BOOM*

Poor O-ron, all he wanted was someting fun to do and now it turned into a hotdog war. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

That's alright with me BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!

:lol: Its Chicago... what to you expect? There are only a few things we hold dear: parking spots, 3 days of nice weather a year, and--of course--our hot dogs.

Oh yeah, enjoy your stay... Second City sounds like a great idea. Make sure you get some good food too... even its not a hot dog (oh dear, that's blasphemous, isn't it :impatient ?).

There is always Italian Beef:thumbsup: I think i just opened up a whole new can of worms with that one. Wait I take that back, deep dish pizza! Oh yeah, its going to get rough now.

I too have been to Gene & Jude's, and it is great, but not a tradition like Superdawg is. Now I want to watch the "A Hot Dog Program," again! You know, the one on WTTW by Rick Sebak.