Why Chicago?
If you're looking for a quick domestic trip, filled with beautiful city lights, delicious foods and trendy spots, look no further than The Windy City! Chicago was a place I always knew we'd wind up visiting, but never had any set plans or any significant pull toward. But, after having to sadly cancel a trip to Ireland for the second time (stupid COVID), we decided to shift gears and unexpectedly throw together a trip to Chicago, and I'm so glad we did! From a safety perspective, it was a good choice, not international, low positivity rate and high vaccination rate and good precautions in place that made us feel comfortable. From an accessibility standpoint, we were also pleasantly surprised! Graded ramps at every street intersection, tons of handicap accessible taxis , elevator and lift access (even in old buildings!) and no issues finding handicap bathrooms (something that is always big struggle in NYC). Now let's get into the fun stuff!
Where We Stayed
Having not been familiar, AT ALL with Chicago geography and only planning the trip a week in advance, I basically blindly chose our hotel. I always use my trusted hotels.com and searched for something that was not too expensive, centrally located and had accessible rooms. I found the Central Loop Hotel! It was nothing amazing or luxurious, but it was nice, clean, in a good location and only 300 bucks for all 3 nights! Win Win! Plus the staff was extremely nice! For a city vacation, I always recommend not spending too much money on the hotel because you're hardly there, but finding a good location is key. We were walking distance to Millenium Park and the Willis Tower and it worked out nicely.
Where We Ate and Drank
Now onto my favorite part of any trip: The FOOD! And cocktails of course! Our first stop on our food and drink tour of Chicago was Offshore Chicago, which happens to be the Guinness Book of World Records Largest Rooftop in the World, which, if that doesn't scream Elisa, I don't know what does! This was a recommendation from a friend who is a true world traveler and I'm so glad we went! This place was so chic, but without being too fancy. It was fun with great food and drinks, and an amazing City View. We were there just in time for sunset, which I would highly recommend. I mean, just look at these views!
Next up, we had dinner that night at Three Arts Club Café located in Restoration Hardware. I'm a big fan of the the Restoration Hardware Restaurants, so I was excited to try this one, especially once I found out it was the flagship location. As soon as we walked in, we were overwhelmed with the beauty of this place! It was absolutely gorgeous, it's no wonder this was voted one of the most beautiful restaurants in Chicago. The decor is not the only great thing about this place, the food was *chefs kiss*. Definitely get the truffle fries!
For Brunch the next day, we hit up Hampton Social, a Hamptons themed restaurant that is Rosé obsessed, perfect for me! Stath was amazed by the menu and was having so much difficulty picking his entrée as everything looked delicious! We ended up going with the avocado toast for me (#basic), a breakfast burrito for him and a goat cheese spread to share that was unbelievable! Obviously I had to indulge in some Rosé as well!
Nowwww, you can't go to Chicago and not eat deep dish pizza. There are so many to choose from, but we got a recommendation from a friend to try Lou Malnatis and it was amazing! The pizzas are huge! And when they say deep, they mean in! The pizzas are essentially quiches! Stath, who is somewhat of a pizza connoisseur, loved it! And if you're craving it at home, you can also order it online and ship it right to your door!
Now as you all know by now, I'm a sucker for a rooftop. The Upstairs at the Gwen Hotel was a great place to grab afternoon drinks and an aperitif, with views for days, chic fireplaces and even a spot to try out some curling, something I never thought I'd ever try!
Our last night we had dinner at Aba, a chic Mediterranean Restaurant located in the Fulton Market District. It was tough to get a rez here, so if you're planning a trip, definitely book ahead of time! This place was so pretty! We ate on their outdoor heated and enclosed rooftop and it was gorgeous. The food was unique and amazing. A little out of my comfort zone but I loved it! The many different types of hummus were my fav!
What We Did?
Obviously because we visited in December, a lot of our trip consisted of seasonal and christmas activities, which I highlighted on my instagram. For this blog post, I'm going to focus on the other activites we experienced that are Chicago classics, for those of you who will visit other times of the year!
The Chicago River Walk: One thing that we really loved about Chicago was that the Chicago River, which runs throughout this middle of the city and offers spectacular views on either side. Along this, there is a very scenic walking trail where you can take in the sights, a must when visiting!
Visit the Navy Pier: The Navy Pier was a really cool area, with restaurants, a ferris Wheel and the location of the Offshore Rooftop. I wish we had spent more time here. I definitely recommend adding it to your trip
Millenium Park: Did you even visit Chicago if you didn't see the Bean!? The Bean is a must see in Chicago, but the whole park it's located is really pretty, with nice walking paths and an ice skating rink.
Visit the Sky Deck located on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower: This is an entire immersive experience and exhibit, explaining the history of the building, and Chicago. The experience then ends at the Ledge, a lookout area that extends 4 feet out from the building and where only 1.5 inches of glass separate you from the city below. It's a pretty epic spot to get some cool photos!
Well now you're all set to book the perfect Windy City Getaway! So what are you waiting for!? Get packing!
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Elisa
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