| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Must things to do in Chicago??
Lisa Hall, Photographer
 |
Oklahoma City | OK | USA | Posted: 9:08 PM on 06.08.09 |
->> We're actually taking a vacation to visit our kids in Chicago next month. We already have Cubs tickets (definitely not hauling my equipment to shoot)..........anyone have a favorite place to see or do? Are there any big camera stores to browse through?
Thanks! |
|
Kirby Yau, Photographer, Assistant
|
San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 9:21 PM on 06.08.09 |
->> Giordanos Pizzeria!
Shed Aquarium. |
|
Christopher Anderson, Photographer
|
Machesney Park | IL | U.S.A. | Posted: 9:24 PM on 06.08.09 |
| ->> Navy Pier and the magnificant mile on Michigan Avenue. Just make sure your wife doesn't wear the magnetic strip off of the back of the credit card at Water Tower Place or you'll have a headache waiting for you in about a month. |
|
Brian Dowling, Photographer
|
Philadelphia | PA | USA | Posted: 9:27 PM on 06.08.09 |
->> Boating on the lake, Gino's East for pizza, and if the weather is too hot, the Water Tower is a good inside spot.
As for stores, Calumet is the biggie. They usually have a nice stockpile of used equipment too. |
|
Michael P. King, Photographer
|
Appleton/Green Bay | WI | USA | Posted: 9:48 PM on 06.08.09 |
| ->> I really like Bacino's for pizza... Billy Goat Tavern is an experience... |
|
Dan Powers, Photographer
|
Appleton | WI | USA | Posted: 10:44 PM on 06.08.09 |
| ->> Try a flight of wine, cheese and chocolate at the Intercontinental (sp?) Hotel on Michigan Avenue...pricey but goooooood! |
|
Erik Markov, Photographer
|
Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 11:30 PM on 06.08.09 |
| ->> if you want to see some of the city, the John Hancock building is good, which is on N. Michigan Ave at the Water Tower Place shopping center. Rather than go to the observation deck at the top, go to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor. The observation deck is $10 I think, thats fine and all. But the lounge has virtually the same view, the cost of admission is a drink from the bar. Overpriced, but it works out about the same price as the observatory. It can be crowded sometimes to get into the lounge, just depends. |
|
Scott Strazzante, Photographer
|
Dann Wunderlich, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Chicago | IL | US | Posted: 11:55 PM on 06.08.09 |
->> You gotta doo the shed aquarium! it is a blast.
Navy pier is a great way to spend the day too, the ferris wheel gives you an absolutely beautiful view of the city. And if you want - Bubba Gump is alot of fun when you sit outside.
Millennium park (the place with the bean) is really pretty as well. Chicago is a beautiful city...just be sure to stay out of the south side -- too many rotten sox fans |
|
Mark Deckard, Photographer
|
Findlay | OH | USA | Posted: 7:23 AM on 06.09.09 |
| ->> Definitely the Shedd Aquarium and the Museum of Science and Industry. Those were my kids favorites on our trip last summer. |
|
Jason Minto, Photographer
|
Dover | DE | USA | Posted: 7:52 AM on 06.09.09 |
| ->> The lincoln park zoo is free. Never been there, but my friend was just there two weeks ago. |
|
Joel Kowsky, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Columbia | MO | United States | Posted: 8:42 AM on 06.09.09 |
->> Everyone's got their favorite pizza place, so I'll throw Lou Malnati's into the mix. Lincoln Park Zoo is worth checking out.
Cloud Gate, aka the Bean, is pretty cool at night with all the city lights reflected in it and it usually isn't as busy as it is during the day.
If you like music, the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra plays in Jay Pritzker Pavilion, in Millennium Park, quite a few times a week with practices during the day, and it's all free.
http://www.grantparkmusicfestival.com/
Camera stores, I know someone mentioned Calumet, but there's also Central Camera Company at 230 S Wabash, which is right downtown. Helix is also well worth a visit. They're at 310 South Racine and share the same building as Speedotron. If you keep walking south on Racine, Stanley's Kitchen & Tap is at the opposite end of the block as Helix and is really good. |
|
Ian Halperin, Photographer
|
Plano(Dallas) | TX | USA | Posted: 9:04 AM on 06.09.09 |
| ->> Take the kids to any one of the free city beaches along Lake Michigan. Let them see a real lake. But the water will be COLD. |
|
William Maner, Photographer
|
Biloxi | MS | USA | Posted: 11:09 AM on 06.09.09 |
->> This is a nice site to check out.. It lists a lot of off-beat stuff.. The kind of stuff that famed fictional Chicagoans, Al Bundy of "Married With Children" and Clark Griswold of "National Lampoon's Vacation", would want to visit..
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/
Just type in "Chicago"..... |
|
Peter Wine, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Dayton | OH | USA | Posted: 12:04 PM on 06.09.09 |
->> I've not vacationed or lived in Chicago, but have spent a few weeks (over a few years) working there on some projects.
The Navy Pier is an amazing place, if for nothing more than the Big Wheel with the big view, and standing at the end of the pier looking at the lighthouse was nice, too.
I was there a few years ago as part of the Flower Show (in March) and it was snowing the day I left, but had been 70 a day or two before, so I got a hint of what it's like in summer. Very nice.
Another place to check out is the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the huge Garden Railroad. (http://www.chicagobotanic.org/railroad/)
How huge? "The 7,500-square-foot Model Railroad Garden features 17 garden-scale (G-scale) trains on 1,600 feet of track. The garden-scale trains are 1/29th the size of life-sized trains."
And I second the idea of going to one of the beaches, and seeing the lake from that perspective as well. Amazing what a little ice can do when it moves around. (OK, a lot of ice.)
Celebrating it's 10th anniversary, I've had the pleasure of working with designer Paul Busse on several additions (it started with just three trains,) a special Christmas train in the courtyard and a 50 foot circular garden railway with overhead bridges at the Chicago Flower Show.
Since it's been at least three years, I forget the good (and the bad) places we ate, though. |
|
John Germ, Photographer
|
Wadsworth | Oh | USA | Posted: 12:08 PM on 06.09.09 |
| ->> Another vote for Lou Malnatis, the Shed. If you're out late, look up a place called Nookies - 24 hour breakfast. Lots of Blues clubs there if you like that kind of thing. Have a great time! |
|
Bradley Leeb, Photographer
|
Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 4:58 PM on 06.09.09 |
| ->> Take in a concert at Ravinia. It's north of Chicago a bit in Highland Park, but it's a great way to spend an evening. Depending on when you are in Chicago, you can see anything from the Chicago Symphony to Steve Miller. |
|
Lisa Hall, Photographer
|
Oklahoma City | OK | USA | Posted: 6:43 PM on 06.09.09 |
->> Thanks for all the suggestions!
So far we have Cubs tickets, and tickets for the late night show at Second City. Too much to do, not enough time. Don't think there will be any sleep this trip! |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|