Trip to Milwaukee/Chicago after AHRMA Road America--what to do?

I am going to AHRMA Road America with my 21 year old son, next week. Leaving out of Chicago the Wednesday morning after the races. We have tickets to the Cubs/Brewers games in Chicago Monday and Tuesday. What else should we do in Chicago? Where should we stay in Chicago?

 

Are you going to be there during the weekend at all? If so hit up the Weiner Circle at 3am and get a chocolate shake.

 

What do you two like to do?

Outdoors there is decent hiking in the Cook County Forest Preserves. North Branch of the river or Palos areas are recommended. Bike the lakefront. Or just take lake Shore Drive end to end. Hang out at one of the beaches (Oak Street and north for tourists is what I recommend). Over in Indiana is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and farther up are several state parks along the shore in Michigan (within 2 hrs of Chicago).

Museums: Chicago History Museum, Modern Art Museum, Art Institute, Field Museum (Natural History), Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium all right near Downtown. Many more. See the WWII U-boat and old steam engines at the Museum of Science and Industry. Illinois Railway Museum at Union, IL about an hour from the city.

Check the concert schedules, there are several venues that may be active. Navy Pier. Boat tours of the River and Lake. Very cool architectural boat tour along the river may run on weekdays, I don't know.

Eat: lots of great food from cheap and great to very expensive and great. Try Portillos for Ribs, Chicago Style Dogs or Italian Beef. Lou Malnotti's for deep dish Pizza.


As for where to stay, there are hotels in the near North area (just north of downtown) including places like Hampton Inn and Courtyard. Lower Budgets dictate hotels farther from tourist attractions or in near suburbs. You might find some deals on rooms near O'Hare as well. There are a couple of small hotels near Wrigley. A Days Inn at Clark/Diversey about a mile from the ballpark and a few more smaller ones closer.

Sorry, I don't see any local trackdays Monday or Tuesday, but I think there is one at BHF Wednesday.

Chicago Tourism link: http://www.choosechicago.com/

 

The best Italian I've ever eaten was at Rosebud on Rush.

Watch out for the martini's on the Navy Pier, they'll have you passed out in your room at 1 pm.

 

Thanks, y'all are great, that is really helpful. Is Wrigley Field easy to get to, and should we try to stay near there, or??

 

Wrigley Field is far easier to get to on the El than any other way. I wouldn't even think of trying to drive and park there.

I usually stay downtown in Chicago, and with the exception of parking, I don't find it more expensive to stay there vs. in the suburbs. And when some tool does schedule something out in Schamburg or Naperville, we end up downtown afterward anyway, so why stay out there if you don't have to? Having said that, I'd stay in the 'burbs before I got a hotel room in Wrigleyville, unless you're a Cub fan, in which case you'd probably like it.

Wrigley's on the Red Line, and that train goes right downtown. Stops near enough to the Billy Goat that you can enjoy a burger after watching the Cubs get ass-hammered. But then they're playing the Brewers, so, you know, the odds are a little more even.

I'm sure there are lots of places to eat that aren't in or near the Loop, I just don't know too many of them. But eating downtown isn't hard at all.

 

Stop at the Kohler Museum in Sheboygen on your way out...neat stuff.

 

Haha!

 

you gotta go to yak-zies for some wings after the game... it's a block north of the field on clark. yum!

 

Check out the Blue Man Group at the Briar Street Theatre in Chicago. Good time. Also, hit Kopp's for a good burger in Milwaukee.

 

Isn't the Gingerman Tavern right around Wrigley?

 

The Harley museum in Milwaukee is pretty cool if you have the time on the way through.

 

Hit up the Miller brewary tour in Milwaukee. It's free and you get to sample beer that's less than 3 days old.

 

Gingerman tavern is about two blocks north on clark, just north of "The Metro", which is a great place to see a band live.

 

Fermilab particle accelerator in Batavia, if you're into high speed shit.

Public tours on Wednesdays at 10:30 am.

It's closing at the end of this September, so go see it while you can.

 

If you are staying downtown PM me I will take you for some proper Italian beef sandwiches. I work right in the middle of the Loop.