Chicago | Travel Guide
It’s been a while since I’ve written on the blog. Why is it so dang hard to be consistent?! It’s May of 2023 - that’s insanity! April was a whirlwind, March got away from me, February always feels slow but goes surprisingly fast. And January was one of the coldest months we’ve had in a long, long time. It was so cold in Colorado, we decided to travel to somewhere much colder - Chicago!!
I know, we’re crazy.
But my goodness, Brady + I fell in love with this city. Don’t get me wrong, we love living in Denver but Chicago is the real deal when it comes to city living. Obviously, it’s not NYC but Chicago definitely comes close at #2. We went for a quick weekend so we wanted to pack in as much as possible. Unfortunately, my body was fighting some type of bug and I didn’t feel the greatest our first night. Right as we got to our hotel, I dropped our bags + immediately proceeded to drop onto the bed. I hated doing that but sometimes that’s just how it goes.
After a quick cat nap, I got my sh*t together + toughened up to explore this beautiful city. Anytime we travel, I always like to make a ‘loose’ itinerary. Brady use to find this quality of mine slightly annoying but he’s learned to appreciate it. Hey, it’s nice to have options and ideas of what to eat, do, shop! So I’ve decided to share our itinerary here in case you need some help navigating the Windy City!
accommodations
We stayed at the Warwick Allerton Hotel which was located right on the Maginificent Mile which is a 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue. It’s Chicago’s premiere shopping district + has some of the best shopping, restaurants + attractions. The Warwick was one of the most affordable hotels in the area. Our room was smaller than expected but perfect for two people. Clean, close to things & decently quiet.
The area we stayed in was super walkable so we rarely used a car riding service except for a couple times. For this reason, we chose places that were relatively close & walked A LOT!
breakfast | lunch
Joe & The Juice - great juices, coffees and the famous tunacado sandwiches
Starbucks Reserve Roastery - the world’s largest Starbucks and it was right across the street from our hotel… need i say more?
Yolk - creative breakfast dishes & sandwiches + its BYOB restaurant so bring a bottle of champagne & drink mimosas
Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe - a variety of different pancakes & other sweet delicacies. big portions + quick service
Sunny Side Up Breakfast & Lunch - a charming + cozy little cafe with coffee + pastries but you might have to wait for a table
Restoration Hardware 3 Clubs Cafe - an absolutely beautiful space with a great ambiance and upscale brunch menu
dinner
Lou Malnatis - if you’re looking for some good ole fashion chicago-style pizza, you need to go here. this is one of the oldest, most beloved pizza spots in chicago.
Shaw’s Crabhouse - we randomly walked into this spot on a friday night & sat at the bar. we fell in love with the old school vibe. great seafood selection, drinks & top notch service
The Signature Room at the 95th - if you’re not afraid of heights, head up to the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center to the Signature Room & enjoy a cocktail and panoramic views of downtown Chicago.
Offshore - we didn’t make it here while on our trip but this rooftop has some of the best views in Chicago right next to Lake Michigan with great drinks + good food.
The J Parker - another one we didn’t get to but if you’re looking for an indoor rooftop in the colder months, this spot has great cocktails + city views on the Hotel Lincoln's swanky rooftop.
River Roast - this is a Chicago staple located right next to the famous riverwalk. upscale vibes with big portions!
what to do
Second City Comedy Club - this is such a fun, Chicago bucket list to check off. famous alumni like Steve Carrell + Tina Fey came through this improv club. probably my favorite thing we did while we were here!
Go to a football game at Soldier Field - the reason we came to Chicago was to see the Bears + Vikings game because Brady is from Minnesota. we walked to Soldier Field which was an experience in itself with all the fans marching into the stadium + vendors selling shooters + beers before you go inside.
Millennium Park - we’ve all seen the famous silver bean, right? it’s only the symbol of Chicago + its located here - at Millennium Park! there’s also a skating rink & awesome musicians performing around every corner.
Navy Pier - we didn’t get the chance to explore this here but would love to see it next time we’re there! this pier is located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan + has shops, restaurants, + attractions. would love to visit here in the summertime.
Riverwalk - the famous chicago riverwalk is a sight to be seen + walked! a variety of restaurants, bars + public art. in the summer time, you can take a boat tour, go birdwatching + kayak. on st. patricks day, they turn the whole river green :)
Magnificent Mile - the magnificent mile is exactly what you think. a magnificent mile full of some of the best shopping you’ll ever do. if there’s a store you’ve been wanting to go to that you usually shop from online, they will actually have a storefront for it somewhere along the mile - 98% of the time!
The Art Institute of Chicago - one of the best art museums i’ve been to is here in Chicago. not only is it a stunning building, you can honestly spend a whole day exploring each exhibition + every gallery.
Museum of Science & Industry - we didn’t get to explore here but i’ve heard so many good things + it is the largest science center in the western hemisphere. i’m a geek for space + the ocean, so will definitely make a day out of this place next time we visit!
360 Chicago - another one we didn’t get to do + secretly, I think Brady was relieved (tbh, me too). this is an observatory spot located on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building (the same building The Signature Room is in). There is a TILT ride where you can actually tilt outward over the city of Chicago over 1000 feet… we might skip this one altogether next time but for an adrenaline junkie, this is for you!