988 Miles: Chicago, IL

Read more about the trip at the first post Hitting the road #IntoTheNeighborwoods.

Neighborhood

After spending two weeks here, it’s hard not to fall in love with this city! Although we never made it to the top of the Sears tower, we walked along Lake Shore Drive and soaked up some really amazing views of the skyline. With some really delicious food, tons of awesome local breweries and so many different neighborhoods to explore, it’s easy to spend lots of time here.

Did you know that at the very top of the Willis “Sears” Tower, you can see 4 different states? Along with a panoramic view of the surrounding Chicago area, you can see Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana!

Being a Tourist

The Architectural Boat Tour on the Chicago River was one of the coolest tours I’ve been on! I highly recommend (as many of my friends did for me) grabbing tickets to one of these and experiencing the city from the water. Not only do you learn so much about all the amazing buildings, you get the opportunity to see the city from a different perspective. It was about a 90 minute ride and totally worth it. They even have snacks and drinks available.

For example, you’ll learn about how the Great Chicago Fire jumped a river and allowed for visionaries of structural steel and plate glass, such as John Wellborn Root, William Le Baron Jenney, Louis Sullivan (Wright’s mentor) and Daniel Burnham, in less than ten years, to lift Chicago from the ashes of the fire to new heights.

Food Favorites

• Café Marie Jeanne (top left) Stopped here for breakfast one morning with a few friends and you could that everything was prepared with such care and detail. My cheddar biscuit was by far the best I’ve ever had! Totally worth the spot just for that. Also, tried a new local iced coffee, Metric Coffee’s Hellion Cold Brew, and it became my new favorite.
• Giordano’s Pizza (top right) “Italian Born, Chicago Raised,” as they say. One of the famous stuffed deep dish pizza’s in the city. Get ready for a cheese coma! With over 200 years of making pizza, this spot definitely knows what they’re doing. Every bite is cheesy and decadent.
• Half Acre Beer Company (bottom left) Along with their awesome beer selection, they offer weekly food special and we came at the right time! The Thai BBQ Chicken Nachos with spiced wonton chips, grilled shishito peppers, scallions, cilantro, sambal and science cheese (described by our server as “nacho cheese but, real”) were unreal.

Half Acre is a local craft brewery who has a grip on Chicago bars and liquor stores. Their tap room is a hot spot in Lincoln Square and is the perfect place to grab a beer with a friend or a group of people, any day of the week. — On the Grid Lincoln Square

• Chiya Chai Cafe (bottom right) Serving fresh Indian and Nepalese food, this Logan Square spot offers a variety of savory hand pies, dumplings, and curry rice bowls. Very happy I went with the Creamy Masala Chicken Curry Bowl with rich and creamy curry of chicken marinated in yogurt and a house masala mix.

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Next stop: Louisville, KY