Chicago Weekend Getaway!

I lived in Chicago 24 years ago and was excited to show the girls my favorite city in America!

  We flew into Midway Airport and took the 'L' Train downtown.  The train station is connected by a walkway to the airport and takes about 30 minutes to reach the State & Lake station.  We left on a Thursday, had two full days in the city, and flew home on Sunday.  We visited in October 2020 during the pandemic and were able to do everything we wanted except the Navy Pier was closed.  We stayed in a hotel on Ontario and Michigan Avenue near Garrett's Popcorn... Great location!

Day 2: Magnificent Mile

We started our morning on the Magnificent Mile (a section of Michigan Avenue) which has lots of great shopping and restaurants! I spent too much time here when I was a new flight attendant. 😏 The weather went from the '70s to the '40s and I quickly remembered why I left the Windy City.😂Charlotte was freezing so we set out to find an appropriate coat for Chicago. 

American Girl Store

The next stop was the American Girl Store at Water Tower Place.  After finding the perfect doll we went to the hair salon for Cicily's dolls hair appointment. 😂 Yep, it's a thing and they have a full menu of styles to choose from.  You can also get your doll's ears pierced and have lunch in their cafe where your doll can eat with you in her special chair.  

Visiting the Hair Salon

American Girl just announced their latest "historical character" from the 1980s! 😳😂 Thanks for making us all feel ancient! 😂

AWE... CHICAGO!

Chicago Theatre

This is a beautiful theatre that was built in 1921, don't miss seeing a Broadway show here!

The Daley Center

 After checking out the Picasso sculpture we took the elevator to the 25th floor for awesome FREE views.  The Daley Center is a government building and you'll need to go through security.  You'll see views from one side of the city... the Loop skyline, and lakefront.  You can pay for views at 360 Chicago Observation Deck in the John Hancock Center, the Skydeck at Willis Tower, or the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

These Views!👊

State Street Macy's

The old Marshall Field's building is now Macy's.  Make your way to the 5th floor to check out the ceiling. If you visit during the Christmas season don't miss the huge Christmas Tree in the Walnut Dining Room on the 7th floor.  A favorite tradition for many is to buy Frango mints, a brand of chocolate truffles that started in the early 1900s. 😋

Cicily loved Macy's!

Millennium Park

You can't leave Chicago without getting a picture in front of the big mirror bean (Cloud Gate).  This is a great park to wander around and take photos.  In the winter you can visit the ice rink and in the summer check out the fountains.

Giordano's Pizza

Giordano's Pizza isn't too far from Millennium Park.  It was nice to stop and escape the chilly weather...  See the pic above where Cicily is shivering. 😳 I was a fan of Giordano's 24 years ago and still am!  The pizza in Chicago is awesome, one of my favorites was Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company (cash only).

Chicago Riverwalk

We walked along Chicago Riverwalk to Cenntenial Fountain and Cityfront Place, my home in Chicago 24 years ago.  I arrived in Chicago after one month of inflight training in Dallas, Texas.  After spending two months living at the Days Inn near Midway Airport 😂 with 11 other new flight attendants, I was ready to move to the City.  I lived at Cityfront Place in a one-bedroom and had 4-5 roommates but it wasn't too bad since we were always in a different city.  I later moved to Lincoln Park before returning to Arizona.

The Chicago Riverwalk is one of the most beautiful walks in America and I can't believe how lucky I was to call it home! 💚 Right next to Cityfront Place is the Centennial Fountain which shoots a large eighty-foot water arc across the river every hour, on the hour.

Day 3

Chicago has the BEST architecture so it would be a shame to miss the Architecture River Cruise/Tour!  My girls enjoyed cruising around Chicago and seeing all the sites.  We learned about the city's architecture and history and had the best views! 

The only picture of all of us together.  Because of Corona I didn't want to ask people to take our picture.  Glad we got this one!!

Lincoln Park Zoo

The Lincoln Park Zoo is free and if you visit during the pandemic you'll need to get a date and timed ticket in advance.  Some buildings were closed because of covid.  Cicily wasn't happy about that but sometimes you get what you pay for.  😂

OZ PARK

After we left the zoo we took Uber to OZ Park and saw Dorothy & Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the cowardly Lion.  The park is dedicated to the author of the Wizard of Oz, Frank Baum who lived nearby.  If your an OZ fan it's worth a stop... my girls had so much fun.  I enjoyed talking to the locals and was reminded just how nice people are in Chicago!   I lived in Lincoln Park and never knew the park existed.

Garrett Popcorn

One of our souvenirs was Garrett Popcorn.  We had to wait in line but it was worth the wait!  We tried several flavors but my favorite was the Garrett Mix... Cheesy corn mixed with their Carmel Crisp. 😋 

Day 4

I had to get a picture of my girls at the State & Lake station before leaving Chicago.  I spent many early mornings here at oh-dark-thirty on my way to Midway Airport.😳 The heat lamps never seemed to work well and coming from Arizona I never found my winter groove in Chicago!  I had lots of layovers in warmer climates and that helped me survive the winters.

Chicago is one of the most charming cities in the world!  It has the friendliest people, amazing architecture, yummy food, and the most unique neighborhoods!  We ❤ CHICAGO!