Chicaogland Excursions
There is no simple answer to the question
"what should I do if I only have a day to see Chicago?"...
Chicago is renowned for its
- Architecture
- Food
- Lakefront
- Museums
- Music
- Professional Sports
Both USA Today and
Go Chicago Card
offer a wide list of attractions (below), both by day and by night.
The weather in early May is completely unpredictable far in
advance, although local forecasts are generally very accurate for
the following week. Be forewarned that Lake Michigan is very large body
of water that significantly affects the temperature.
It will be cooler near the lake and can be quite chilly on the lake.
Chicago is not inherently windier than anywhere else;
it's known at the Windy City because of blustery politics,
not weather.
Half-Day Itineraries
Pick a few items; adjust plans according to the weather
and your abilities and interests, accordingly.
- Consider your Transportation options,
and take a train to Union Station (or Ogilvie Station, depending the
the train line). The
Sears Tower
is a 3 minute walk, east, across the river;
the The Art Institute
and the lakeshore are a 10 walk (east) from there.
- Visit a SkyDeck, to get a fabulous view of the city.
- The Sears Tower
is the tallest, most famous, and the closest to the train station
- Many locals, however, prefer the
John Hancock
Tower which is closer to the shopping district.
- Take an Architectural boat tour. There are several available,
which utilize the Chicago River and/or Lake Michigan:
- The Chicago History Museum hosts an
Architecture Tour
departing from 465 N. McCluurg Court, just west of Navy Pier, with daily tours,
starting in May. See also their
FAQ
for more information.
- Shoreline Sightseeing offers an
Architecture River Cruise
weekends in April (weather permitting), and daily in May,
departing from Navy Pier.
- Wendella's
Chicago River Architecture Tour
departs from the Wrigley Building, with tours beginning
as early as 30 March.
Boat tours are an excellent experience, weather permitting.
- Explore the Museum Campus:
then stroll (north) up the Lakefront to
Millennium Park.
- Or, instead of the Museum Campus,
start at the The Art Institute,
and work your way south.
- Rent bikes (e.g. from Bike Chicago)
at Navy Pier
and explore the bike paths along the lake shore. End back at Navy Pier for
souvenir shopping.
- Or, instead of Navy Pier, rent a bike at
Millennium Park,
and explore the lake shore in that neighborhood.
- Spend an afternoon at Navy Pier
to shop for souvenirs, eat lunch, ride the ferris wheel,
or any of the other rides covered by the
Go Chicago Card.
- Walk down the Magnificent Mile,
and shop-till-you-drop!
One Day Itineraries
One can easily spend days exploring Chicago.
In addition to the above, consider adding one or more of:
These are personal favorites. However,
there are serveral (respectable :-) web sites
which suggest "one day" excursions
into the city. Here are a two sites, summarized on this webpage (below):
For even more ideas, try the
Virtual Tourist, and for the daring, take a look at their
Off the Beaten Path web page, for destinations and member reviews. And
The Local Tourist has an
impressive collection of both conventional and unusal tour links,
from hot air ballons to haunted houses!
Or, if you would prefer something more conventional, the Go Chicago Card
has both bus and trolley-based tour offerings, via Grayline.
Good luck; Enjoy!
Fermilab Google Map
To get downtown:
- via Car: Decide
where you want to go before you start! And plan on where you want to
park.
Downtown traffic can be stressful.
- From the
Hilton Lisle/Naperville, exit the property
and proceed west (toward Fermilab) on Warrenville Road to Naperville Road.
Turn left (south) on Naperville Road, and proceed to I-88.
Take I-88 east, to I-290 east, to downtown.
- From Fermilab, exit Fermilab via the west gate,
and turn left (south) on Kirk Road, to I-88.
Take I-88 east, to I-290 east, to downtown.
Note that I-88 is a tollway. Exact change may be required,
especially at the Route 59 exit on your return. Plan ahead!
- via Train: There is no public transportation to/from Fermilab.
However, to avoid the headaches associated with downtown traffic
and parking, you might consider parking your car at the Metra
train station, 1090 N. Route 59, and taking the train into the city.
- From the Hilton, exit the property and proceed east
(away from Fermilab) on Warrenville Road to Yackley Avenue/CR-40
(approx 1 mile). Turn right (south) on Yackley, and proceed south
(for approx 0.6 miles) to US-34/Ogden Avenue; turn left (east).
Proceed east on Ogden (for approx 0.9 miles) to Main Street;
turn right (south). Proceed south on Main (approx 0.3 miles)
to Front Street; the
Lisle
Metra station is approx 0.1 miles east on Front.
- From Fermilab, exit Fermilab via the east gate, and continue east to Route 59
(approx 1.5 miles from Wilson Hall). Turn right (south) on Route 59;
the Route 59 Metra station
is approx 4 miles south of Batavia Road.
Note: the Hilton Lisle/Naperville offers free shuttle service
to/from the Lisle train station. Other hotels may have shuttles
as well. Check with your hotel.
Also note: there are two train lines which run from the
Fermilab area into the city:
- the BNSF
line, from Aurora, to Union Station;
this line runs south of Fermilab,
through Naperville and Lisle
(and hence is prefered by the Hilton Lisle/Naperville).
- the Union Pacific West
(UP-W) line, from Elburn,
to the Ogilvie Transportation Center
(two blocks north of Union Station); this line runs north of Fermilab,
through Geneva, West Chicago, Winfield, and Wheaton.
Check with your hotel as to which train line is better for you.
The Metra Rail
System Map
can also be very helpful. Click on the station nearest you
to get access to locating maps, schedules, and fairs (Metra's FareCheck).
The
Lisle Metra Rail
train station waiting room is also open from 5am to 8:30pm;
a ticket agent is available from 5:30am to 1:30pm, Monday-Friday.
The
Route 59 Metra Rail
train station waiting room is also open from 5am to 8:30pm;
a ticket agent is available from 5:25am to 1:25pm, Monday-Friday.
Check the System Map
for other stations and times.
Tickets should be purchased from the agent in the station if possible;
tickets can also be purchased from the conductor on the train,
when the ticket window is closed.
- Tickets can also be purchased from the conductor on the train
when the ticket window is open, but they charge more for this...
Weekday
train fare
from Route 59 to Chicago Union Station (downtown) is approximately $5;
a weekend pass is available for unlimited travel on Saturday and Sunday,
for $5.
Some Resources
The following lists have been lifted from a number of web resources,
with some degree of fidelity, i.e. what they offered, for better or worse,
is offered here without comment. Some are well suited for visitors;
some (e.g. the
Metra Day Trips)
may offer ideas to people who
already know something about the city.
If you would like to remain in the area around the lab,
Warrenvilleweb
provides many local links and a active agenda of current and near-term events.
Chicago.com
has a nice interactive map under
"Things to Do"
Downtown Chicago
in One Day recommends that you start at the
John Hancock Observatory
or the
Sears Tower Skydeck
to get a sense of the adventure before you!
It continues with:
- Alexander Calder's "Flamingo" at the Federal Center Plaza
- Marc Chagall's monumental mosaic, "Les Quatres Saisons" (The Four Seasons)
- Joan Miro's 40-feet-tall sculpture, "Chicago" at the Brunswick Building Plaza
- the "Chicago Picasso" outside the Daley Center
- Jean Dubuffet's "Monument With Standing Beast"
- The Art Institute
- The Drake Hotel
- The Magnificent Mile
- Old Water Tower
with lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern.
Frommer's Chicago has
several Suggested Itineraries; the
One Day
list is:
Frommer's Interactive
Map
The purchase of a Go Chicago Card allows
free general admission to several tours, attractions, and museums listed below (see
Attractions
for details). The card is valid from 9am to 5:30 pm. $55/day for an adult (13+)
Tours
Must See Attractions
Museums
Metrarail.Com
Metra Day Trips offers some suggestions.
Admittedly, these are oriented toward people who live here. But if you have
"seen" Chicago, you might look here to see some more:
USA Today's Chicago lists several
Attractions
and
Nightlife ideas
- Music and Theatre
- Sports
- Bars, Clubs, Lounges
USA Today's Map