I'm going to be laid over in Chicago twice on my train ride, each for about 6 hours give or take train delays. I've never been to Chicago, and I'm allowed to check my bag and take in what I can in the area. I know the Building Formerly Known As The Sears Tower isn't far from Union Station, but other than that, I have no idea. I'm open to suggestions, bearing these tidbits in mind:
-I'm on a budget, think college travel budget.
-I'm on a diet, but I may have to splurge for a proper piece of deep dish.
-I'm on a schedule.
I hear that Union Station is an impressive piece of architecture from the days of old school rail travel, so I anticipate to be spending some time just wandering around inside, because that's what I do. But I definitely want to get out and walk around the city for what it's worth. My first layover is next Thursday from about 8:45am to 3pm, and my second layover is Monday the 28th from 3:15pm-9:30pm.
Hunt down Hugh.
Gah, he was the only PD spag from Chi-town, wasn't he?
Burns.
Shit, that's right. I would trust him. Hopefully he'll see this.
Quote from: The Suu on April 16, 2014, 08:05:08 PM
Shit, that's right. I would trust him. Hopefully he'll see this.
He's good people, but he's out in Far West Suburban Hell. Not sure if he can make the trip...He's way the fuck off the metro lines.
If the weather is nice it is the perfect time to be in Chicago, it's beautiful during spring.
Unfortunately much of the greatness of Chicago is no where near Union station. Still, I'd recommend walking east (which will take you towards downtown AND the lake) and seeing what you run into. There are of course a multitude of restaurants/bars/etc. downtown but if you are on a budget they are barely worth considering, I'd say stop in a Mariano's or Jewel and making a ghetto picnic basket and lurking the lake shore with that. (Though you may want to go North as well as East since straight east from Union station is not a great section of lakefront.)
If you happen to be in a on a Thursday the Art Institute is free to 'any Illinois residents' which means they ask for an zip code (They are all 606-- in the Chicagoland area) and so it is essentially free for anyone. Same is true of the MCA on Tuesdays. Both are always worth going to.
I will be in on Thursday, so that sounds promising.