Adventures in Chicago

Gorgeous view of the Chicago Skyline from above.

Hello Adventurers!

Today I am going to give some of my own experiences in the beautiful city of Chicago. Honestly, it is my fiancé and I's favorite travel destination. He has always been a huge Chicago Bears fan, so when I had the chance to make his dreams come true and take us to Chicago, it was a no-brainer!

We have been to Chicago now two times. Once for a quick weekend getaway and to learn a little about the city, and once for a week long experience. I can say that even a full week is not enough time in this amazing place!

We have stayed at 3 different hotels during our trips, and our favorite was the Swissotel Chicago. This hotel is modern, clean, quiet, and conveniently located within walking distance of many of the activities available in the city. We had a room on the 24th floor I believe and it had the best view of the Chicago River and Navy Pier. Check out this picture from our window!

Fog rolling in on the Chicago River, Navy Pier, and Lake Michigan.

Now I am sure you are wondering "What did you do while you were in Chicago?". The answer is, everything and anything!

We walked (a LOT) and saw as much as we could that way. We stopped in a bunch of shops we had never heard of just to buy small trinkets and souvenirs. But we also did some big activities while we were there too. We explored Navy Pier up close and personal, grabbed some awesome local food at a few different places, caught a Bears vs. Packers game at Solider Field, checked out the Chicago 360 Observation Deck, and of course we explored the Magnificent Mile!

Let's focus for a minute on Navy Pier. This is one of the best photo op locations in Chicago! It is beautiful and the air is so fresh coming right off the lake. Going up and down the boardwalk you can check out some amazing shops and restaurants. We even got to watch a new recruit class being initiated into the Chicago Police force! We grabbed a bite to eat at the Potbelly Sandwich Shop and sat on the pier watching the water.

My fiancé loved the view of the city from Navy Pier!

Awesome view of a lighthouse in the distance from the pier.

Da Bears! If you are a fan, then you already know. And the experience at Soldier Field is next to none. When we went, it was a game against the Green Bay Packers. It was a huge rivalry game and the crowd was electric! We got nosebleed seats, and honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to be down closer to the field. Let me tell you why. Where we were seated, we could not only see the entire field perfectly, but we could also see Lake Michigan over the top of the stadium wall. It was breathtaking!

He was so excited to be at the home of Da Bears! Check out the lake view in the background!

My fiancé and I after the game!

Our view of the game at Soldier Field.

Are you afraid of heights? I am.

Absolutely, positively, horrified of heights. Well, maybe not heights exactly, but of falling from heights. So when my fiancé suggested a high floor skyscraper observation deck during our stay in Chicago, I immediately panicked. Would I even be able to make it to the observation floor without freaking out? Would I get sick? Pass out?

I decided to do it anyway. He was so excited about the activity and I wanted him to enjoy everything Chicago had to offer. We looked at a few different choices and we decided on the Chicago 360 Observation Deck. And I am so glad that we did!

The view from the floor was amazing. We waited until evening to go up and it was beautiful to see all of the lights of the city shining. There were little areas to purchase some cute souvenirs. You could relax and have a drink. After a bit, I was even able to get over my nerves and get closer to the windows!

My fiancé and I 94 floors above Chicago!

The gorgeous lights of Chicago as seen from 94 floors above the city!

The view of Navy Pier and Lake Michigan from the Chicago 360 Observation Deck.

Maybe you want to do what we did for a portion of your time in Chicago and just kind of walk and see what you find. I can tell you, the Magnificent Mile is the place to go! Stores of all kinds (high end and not), restaurants, coffee shops, etc. You name it, you can probably find it here! One of our favorite finds in the Magnificent Mile was Gino's East. Oh my gosh, the pizza is AMAZING! True Chicago style deep dish pizza with the tastiest corn meal crust. Yum! My advice on this area is to try something new each time you visit. And make sure you take a train or bus to get to the area instead of driving as parking in this particular stretch can be pretty pricy.

You can also just choose a direction and walk. You will not be disappointed no matter which way you go! The architecture in the city is beautiful and historic. And you may just stumble upon a tourist spot you didn't even know was there!

Taking pictures while doing our walking tour of the city.

And of course we stopped to see The Bean in Chicago!

All in all, if you have not been to Chicago yet, stop waiting and go! We are not a couple who has lots of extra money, like ever, and we still managed to make it there twice in one year. There are many reasonably priced hotels that are clean. You can walk almost everywhere in the city. If you can't make it by foot, the buses and trains are rather cheap ways to get around.

If you have made it this far and you would like help booking your trip to Chicago, please reach out to me! I promise to make your trip as memorable as ours!