Back on Route 66, heading to our northern-most USA destination: Chicago. CHI-TOWN! The one pit stop we said we needed above all else, the city we worked our entire itinerary around, the original highlight of the trip during its planning phases. We are finally here!
Where To Stay
We got in late and checked into our hotel, the Carlton Inn Midway near the Midway Airport. I did a run on the treadmill before collapsing into bed. The great thing about staying in some out-of-the-way hotels on road trips is that one, you are not crippled by the expense of lodging in addition to the expenses of food, activities, and fuel. AND TWO, if you book accommodations with a fitness room, it is easier to keep up with your fitness routine, in case you don’t feel like running in an unknown area (which happens to me frequently. Better safe than sorry). This particular hotel also had the best complimentary breakfast I have ever seen in a hotel, so despite the fact that we had to drive into the city and pay an ABSURD $39 for parking, I would recommend this as a place to sleep (I would also recommend parking a mile or so away from the center of the city; not sure why we thought parking there would be a smart, cost-effective move).
Highlights of Chicago
There are too many to even talk about, but I will do my best.
Chicago’s Parks
Millennium Park: HOME TO THE BEAN, and also the Pritzker Pavillion and Lurie Garden. This is a 25 acre park situated in the middle of the city, and it is EXTRAVAGANT. I was in love the millisecond I stepped foot outside the parking garage in this city in general, and Millennium Park is the coolest park I’ve ever been in.
Chicago is a very clean city, surprisingly clean for its size, so clean, in fact, that we were scolded many times while in the park by security guards because dogs are not allowed in Millennium Park. A dog? Not allowed? In a park? Never heard of such a thing. We smuggled her in under our arms, because there was no way we were going to miss out on the beauty of this park, but let me just tell you. They are STRINGENT. And for those reading this who are appalled that I brought my dog into Millennium Park: she did not do her business anywhere. I am a responsible dog owner.
We also went to Grant Park (dogs allowed) and saw the Buckingham Fountain, and sat at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Plaza for a while before a man in a suit ran down the steps at us, told us dogs were not allowed, and went back up the stairs to continue on with his day. Even random civilians are in on this no-dog policy. Just when we thought we were safe.
Waterfront
If there is a waterfront, I am going to find it. There are actually plenty of places around Chicago where you can stroll along the water (be it Chicago’s Lakefront Trail, the 18 miles of runners’ bliss, or the paths along the Chicago River).
Magnificent Mile
This is the Champ-Élysées of Chicago: a long street packed with high-end shopping, tall tall buildings, and expensive restaurants. After New York’s Fifth Avenue and Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, the Mag Mile has the highest rent in the entire country. Unless you got yourself a Magnificent Salary, this street is mostly fun to just walk down and people watch.
Navy Pier
Funny story about how we arrived at the Navy Pier. We stopped at Noodles and Co. for some macaroni and cheese in the middle of the day because they had outdoor seating for Stella, and we ran into two Midwestern boys who offered to let them sit with us. We talked to them and learned a little bit about the city, listened to them talk about the existential literature they have been reading lately, and politely declined when they pulled out their store of marijuana right outside of Noodles and Co. (???) They mentioned how much Noodles and Co. sucks and how they weren’t even sure why they went there. They taught us how to navigate the Pedway, the pedestrian walking system underground and over bridges, and got us to Navy Pier quickly and efficiently, where the proceeded to say “I don’t know why we brought you here. This place sucks.” It must be exhausting to only read existential literature and hate everything that brings others joy, but to each his own. We still appreciated getting some insight into the city from real, live Chicago-dwellers.
Pizza!
This was the point of the trip where we looked back at how we said we were going to eat very little to save money and cackled. A friend from college told me that we HAD to get a pizza from Lou Malnati’s, so naturally we made a beeline for the restaurant and got a large, Chicago-style deep-dish. And we enjoyed every last morsel.
Up Next…
Wow. I have no words for how I feel about Chicago. It is unfair that it doesn’t get the attention it deserves from people visiting from outside the United States (those people usually head straight for New York City and Los Angeles, and Washington DC occasionally). If you haven’t been to Chicago before, go. Go right now. Just leave your dog at home and go.
We’ve about reached the end of Route 66! That road is chockfull of incredible and historical places in this country that are highly underrated. Route 66 is a fantastic road trip to do for anyone at least once in a lifetime. We are taking a little detour next: passing through Lansing, Michigan’s capital, and heading for the Canadian border. Canucks, here we come.
