Chicago

[Dodge]

Getting like we need a travel section here but anyway...

I'm off to Chicago on Friday and might as well ask for tips/hints from those who have been.

[Snoop Drog]

You'll have a ball!

I loved Chicago (was there in 99). Navy Pier is good if you are into the whole touristy thing. As is the John Hancock Building.

Some great bars but can't remember their names...(they where THAT good!)

[Mr A]

Was there for a wedding in March and really liked the place. Really liked the museum or Science and Industry, which not only has the most kick-ass train set I've ever seen (and I don't even like train sets) but also has an actual U boat captured by the US in WWII. Well worth a visit. You gotta go early in the day if you want to get inside the U-boat though!

[carrickharp]

Great City go there nearly every summer as I have family there, great buzz there at the moment as the Bears are going well in the football, hard to tell you where to go as it depends where you are staying but as like all good citys it has a metro system, go up the John Hancock tower or Sears Building for a great view of the city and lake.

[paul_oshea]

ya its cold now though, so some of those things might not be as good, plus it may be snowing when you get there. was there in september for 3 weeks, savage craic, best american city ive been to in terms of going out i think. wriggleyville there are some nice bars around there, the russian district is sorta expensive, south side can be good lots of irish bars there, but i doubt you want to be going there.......

art museum is good ( although look out for these 3 words in every other picture, accentuates, juxta-position and "brings to front and to the background ) , a lot of ****** written about the paintings as tehre is in most museums but the detail of some of the paintings is unreal, particulalry "a london street" by a french artist.

acquarium, is full of ignorant black people, seriouslly not messin they were ignorant as fcuk to us and threatened to call security on us when we questioned them, so id avoid it as not much to see there either, bar the dolphin show ( which we missed - even though we paid for - cos the ignoramouses wouldn't tell us what time it was on at ).

if you want good clothes at cheap prices go to filenes bargian basement and nordstrom rack, one on state street the other not far away. Good designer gear at cheap prices.

finally check out the fado pub its a good spot for food and if you want to catch a football match.

[Newryrep]

Spent a few days last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. People seemed pretty friendly for a big city. Had trouble downtown getting a late drink on a sunday night, tried a piano bar but got turned away due to being dressed in shorts/t shirt (it was 80 deg !!). (a Guy tried to tell us this as we were walking to the place but you tend to ignore people who try to talk to you in the middle of a big city 1.00 in the morning)

O Hare Airport - worst international departure lounge i have ever been in . Absolutly nothing the other side of security. Bars consisted of pull carts, dont recall seeing a newsagent/bookshop thankfully had a good book. Pray to whatever god you have that you dont get delayed. Note also before security isnt much better, Pizza Hut McD and a tiny bar. not much of a bookshoop Get a feed before you arrive at the terminal.

[paul_oshea]

O Hare Airport - worst international departure lounge i have ever been in . Absolutly nothing the other side of security. Bars consisted of pull carts, dont recall seeing a newsagent/bookshop thankfully had a good book. Pray to whatever god you have that you dont get delayed. Note also before security isnt much better, Pizza Hut McD and a tiny bar. not much of a bookshoop Get a feed before you arrive at the terminal.

ya the terminal that you fly out of back to heathrow or dublin is terrible nothing there at all, plus we were stuck there for 5 hours as air india was delayed by that amount of time.

[Dodge]

Suppose I might as well tell you how it went...

Had a good time. The Aquarium was very good (full of very friendly black people as it happened :rolleyes: ), the field museum good (we did both on the one day and kinda felt museumed out by the end. ) Did the Science museum too but found it a bit boring, a bit too much emphasis on kids and having no real interest in science/industry probably didn't help. The U boat was good though.

Navy pier is a load of ****e. Views from the Hancock building and Sears tower unbelievable. Went to see both the Bulls and Blackhawks play. Bulls game was great fun and they put on a terrific show with always something happening. Blackhawks don't do half as much but we had posh seats so the waiter service made up for it.

Obviously bought a load of clothes/presents over there and Ms Dodge was very impressed with that area. Much as I hate Irish bars there's very few other options and a bar called fado was probably the best. The best craic we had was watching sunday night football in ESPN zone and anybody with an interest in sport would probably enjoy a night there.

Oh yeah and it was cold. Windchill factors brought the tempature to 0 F or -20 C while there.

[Fair_play_boy]

. . . the russian district is sorta expensive . . . LMAO! I made that very same mistake when I was there. I called it "The Russian Division" the whole time I was there. The night before I left I copped on that it was the area at the intersection of Rush St. amd Division St. - hence "Rush & Division"!
If you are still there, check out the comedy club where Alan Alda got his start. In the jazz area, loads of seriously good blues bars around there too.

[theworm2345]

In my city, eh? What do you need to know?
EDIT: ****e Im too late

Suppose I might as well tell you how it went...

Had a good time. The Aquarium was very good (full of very friendly black people as it happened ), the field museum good (we did both on the one day and kinda felt museumed out by the end. ) Did the Science museum too but found it a bit boring, a bit too much emphasis on kids and having no real interest in science/industry probably didn't help. The U boat was good though.
Aquarium is great, the people there (besides the dolphin trainers) aren't supposed to know about the sea-life I guess. Did you go to the Field Museum (by the Aquarium and Soldier Field) or the Museum of Science and Industry (South side)?


Navy pier is a load of ****e. Views from the Hancock building and Sears tower unbelievable. Went to see both the Bulls and Blackhawks play. Bulls game was great fun and they put on a terrific show with always something happening. Blackhawks don't do half as much but we had posh seats so the waiter service made up for it.

Was that the Bulls game where Ben Wallace had the headband trouble? Bulls are starting lose again, Blackhawks are on a winning streak :)...Navy Pier is much better if you have kids.

Obviously bought a load of clothes/presents over there and Ms Dodge was very impressed with that area. Much as I hate Irish bars there's very few other options and a bar called fado was probably the best. The best craic we had was watching sunday night football in ESPN zone and anybody with an interest in sport would probably enjoy a night there.

Fado is awesome, thats where I go for all the Irish matches, have to pay a $20 cap though :( Did you play the bubble hockey game? Thats the best

Oh yeah and it was cold. Windchill factors brought the tempature to 0 F or -20 C while there.
Its warmed up a bunch, we havent had any snow since the 1st :(

O Hare Airport - worst international departure lounge i have ever been in . Absolutly nothing the other side of security. Bars consisted of pull carts, dont recall seeing a newsagent/bookshop thankfully had a good book. Pray to whatever god you have that you dont get delayed. Note also before security isnt much better, Pizza Hut McD and a tiny bar. not much of a bookshoop Get a feed before you arrive at the terminal.
Did you go to the food court with the Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express, etc.?
And the Bears are winning again

[Dodge]

There's a small food court in Terminal 5 (Aer Lingus flights) with Pizzeria Uno, McDonalds and a few others (neiuther of the two you mentioned). Nothing special but what do you expect?

[theworm2345]

There's a small food court in Terminal 5 (Aer Lingus flights) with Pizzeria Uno, McDonalds and a few others (neiuther of the two you mentioned). Nothing special but what do you expect?
I flew to Dublin last year and I remember there being lots of food, but I may be mixing it with memories of anotehr time as well. I must be thinking of the domestic terminal

[Dodge]

About 5/6 options for food but overall, a small food court (in terms of seating)

[Newryrep]

Did you go to the food court with the Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express, etc.?
And the Bears are winning again

I must of only stayed in Terminal 5 but as international departures go it was pretty poor.

[Newryrep]

. Nothing special but what do you expect?

After security - a bar would of been nice :)

[Dodge]

There is beer after security. Small stnads with fully stocked bars in front of the main seating areas.

[Newryrep]

There is beer after security. Small stnads with fully stocked bars in front of the main seating areas.

Dodge

I know there is beer after security i mentioned them earlier but a girl behind a pull cart with a limited selection of beer and not alot of ice, no counter, no tables, no chairs, no TV and no atsmosphere does not constitute a bar.

Can you imagine being stuck there any length of time either before or after security ? For a major airport it is **** poor.

[Dodge]

Was there for nearly 7 hours. Had a book and a few beers. Not saying its great, just not worth complaining about

[paul_oshea]

it is crap, and it is worth complaining about, when i left it was supposed to b e7.30 it ended up being 1.30, and there was no woman or man or dog selling bear after security, absoloutely nothing. disgraceful considering it is the 3rd biggest airport in the states.....

[Dodge]

But thats changed. When I was there there was at least 4 people selling a fully stocked bar

[Newryrep]

But thats changed. When I was there there was at least 4 people selling a fully stocked bar

Was this bar fixed and had 4 people behind it or was it 4 people with 4 carts ? located at the entrances to the departure gates.

There are a lot of smaller airports with better/more facilities - (even Dublin Airport and that is saying something). It is not something i would normally notice but i remember thinking i wouldnt like to be stuck here for any length of time.

[Dodge]

At least 4 people with those carts (didn't look beyond my section). I was just making the point that having a facy, kitted out bar would not have helped in anyway. Oh and Terminal 5 is tiny. easily the smallest I've ever been in

[theworm2345]

Its the busiest airport in the world, but if you were flying Continental I wouldn't be suprised if it was small. You can get cheap flights to Shannon from Newark which you can go to from Midway Airport (Southwest side of Chicago) they have good food there. BTW, airports always suck, there is usually nothing to do and if you go to the bar you may get so wasted you miss your flight, if you go to sleep the same thing happens. The whole experience of flying sucks in general* (at least for me) I'm 6'3"-6'4" and my older brother and dad are both about the same (maybe 1/2 inch smaller). My mom and little sister usually sit together giving me the middle between my dad and brother (he is 1.5 years older, what can I do). On a 6 hour flight across the Atlantic when its 6PM-12PM for you and your getting in to Dublin at roughly 6AM their time so you can't sleep, you need to sleep on the flight and thats not easy to do in those cramped seats.

*Except the prices, $320 round trip to Ireland :D

[Metrostars]

acquarium, is full of ignorant black people....

:rolleyes:

[joema]

Probobly going to Chicago for the summer on a j1. Anyone on here ever been? Opinions would be welcome...

[Dodge]

merged you in here Joema.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. paul oshea adores the place

[paul_oshea]

joema, i did my year internship in boston, and loved it, but it doesnt compare anything to chicago, in fact, personally, any city in america doesn't compare, I think especially for a J1er, as you will be going over to have the craic and nightlife. The nightlife really is second to none.

I liked the place so much I was trying to get a mate to do his internship over there next year so i could have an excuse to go back there. You'll love it. Nice places to stay are around wriggleyville or wicker park, wriggleyville is really good cos its near the cubs stadium and there are loads of bars there. Don't know the south that well really, but its a bit more a dive than most other areas I was in. Try and get somwhere near the red line north or west. I stayed in humboldt park the last time, and transport was a nightmare because taxis just never seemed to be anywhere near the place, plus there was no public transport!

[joema]

Cheers for the info. Looks very good. Definitely going there now anyway (decided not just on the strength of paul o'sheas reccomendation though :D) Looking at accommodation and it all looks decent enough and well afordable. Should be easy enough to get a job too as long as we show a bit of motivation. Cant wait for the summer now tbh! Any more info on the nightlife would be very much appreciated too!

[theworm2345]

If you need any help feel free to ask me, I'm going to try and work at UPS this summer, apparently they pay well. I don't know much about the nightlife as I'm still just 17 but in the summer the bars around Wrigley are always interesting. My friend told me about a steelmill where you can make $120 a day untaxed though its a bit far away in East Chicago, Indiana (about an hour away) and another friend of mine can get you work there if you want.


joema, i did my year internship in boston, and loved it, but it doesnt compare anything to chicago, in fact, personally, any city in america doesn't compare, I think especially for a J1er, as you will be going over to have the craic and nightlife. The nightlife really is second to none.
any city in the world can't compare ;)

[OneRedArmy]

My friend told me about a steelmill where you can make $120 a day untaxed though its a bit far away in East Chicago, Indiana (about an hour away) .......or Gary as its better known as!!! Absolute hole. Stay well away.

[OneRedArmy]

I'm stopping off in Chicago on way to the West Coast in April for a weekend. Never actually spent much time in the city itself so looking to see if anyone has anything to add to the thread in terms of what to do or see (I'm flying through the AA terminal so the drinks carts in T5 aren't an issue :D).

Managed to get a Westin hotel on the north side of the river for $160 per night and it says its 3 blocks from the Loop.

Any idea what the weather will be like at end April?

[Angus]

If you can swing it, I would thoroughly recommend a game at Wrigley Field - I think the baseball season will have started by the end of April - great fun and they have a decent side. Do the Cubs rather than the Sox.

End of April should be pleasant enough.

I also did a Bulls and Blackhawks game this year - enjoyed the hockey - Bulls left me somewhat unimpressed.

[theworm2345]

I'm stopping off in Chicago on way to the West Coast in April for a weekend. Never actually spent much time in the city itself so looking to see if anyone has anything to add to the thread in terms of what to do or see (I'm flying through the AA terminal so the drinks carts in T5 aren't an issue :D).

Managed to get a Westin hotel on the north side of the river for $160 per night and it says its 3 blocks from the Loop.

Any idea what the weather will be like at end April?
Weather should be relatively nice, bring a sweater and you'll be fine. The Cubs will likely be around for a game here but Angus is right, the Blackhawks are the best team in Chicago right now (I'm going to the game tonight) and they may be in the playoffs at that point. Wrigley is a great place to go but I'll warn you now, they charge about $6 for a cup of beer. I think everyone comes to see the Bulls thinking they will see something like Michael Jordan but all they get is the horse**** that we call a team right now.

I'd recommend going to Second City, its a comedy place where people like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Carell, etc. all started out though many of the jokes are geared to Chicagoans. Maybe go the Sears Tower as well. If you like biking you can rent a bike and ride along the Lakefront which is pretty popular as well.

[sonofstan]

Doubt if anyone will follow this up, but just in case...... one the most amazing nights of my life happened on a tuesday night this summer at the New Apartment, a bar deep in the south side of Chicago (75th Street); Von Freeman, a sax player - now in his 80s - but looking and sounding 40 years younger with an amazing band, and a queue of young hopefuls waiting to jam into the early hours - the bar itself looks straight out of a Hopper painting, 40s modernist and the crowd is dotted with people who you just know were the coolest thing ever about 50 years ago and have no intention of giving up.

You'd be advised to take a cab or drive and park close, but the bar itself is completely mixed (racially, genderwise, and age- wise) and very friendly. He does most tuesdays and it kicks off about 11 - we left after 1 but there were still people coming in; free in but a two- drink minimum.

(Chicago is amazing for music - and if you're used to paying €30 for a gig in the Village or Whelan's, you'll see the same calibre of band for $10 and you can stay out till the early hours - listings in the Chicago Reader or their edition of Time Out)

[paul_oshea]

Chicago is amazing for music - and if you're used to paying €30 for a gig in the Village or Whelan's, you'll see the same calibre of band for $10 and you can stay out till the early hours - listings in the Chicago Reader or their edition of Time Out

its a great night out full stop!

[theworm2345]

House of Blues is a great place to go as well for jazz and blues music. If your a fan of current stuff Lollapalooza is good as well

[SkStu]

Chicago - one of my favourite cities in the world. Worked there on a J1 a few years back. Had the time of my life.

[theworm2345]

Chicago - one of my favourite cities in the world. Worked there on a J1 a few years back. Had the time of my life.
Where did you work?

[SkStu]

hey worm, i worked for a furniture removal company wayyy outside the city for about a month, then i worked for Americas Dogs (hotdogs and burgers) in Navy Pier before moving to another stall in Navy Pier, Country Kitchen - where i made lemonade and popcorn and stuff for the fat masses!! lol.

Lived on Clark and Diversey, a great part of town. Very close to lakeshore drive. We actually lived in an apartment above a pub called The Galway Bay. Loads of Irish in that part of town.

Would love to live there for longer at some stage. Absolutely fantastic city. Great people.

[theworm2345]

hey worm, i worked for a furniture removal company wayyy outside the city for about a month, then i worked for Americas Dogs (hotdogs and burgers) in Navy Pier before moving to another stall in Navy Pier, Country Kitchen - where i made lemonade and popcorn and stuff for the fat masses!! lol.

Lived on Clark and Diversey, a great part of town. Very close to lakeshore drive. We actually lived in an apartment above a pub called The Galway Bay. Loads of Irish in that part of town.

Would love to live there for longer at some stage. Absolutely fantastic city. Great people.
Ah, OK. I've had America's Dog but never at Navy Pier. Sure I know of Clark and Diversey, about a block away from the driving range/mini golf course, right (and near that weird Elks Club)? As you can probably tell I enjoy talking about Chicago with whoever will talk :)

[anto1208]

Just looking at going to the states and saw flights from shannon to Chicago for about 500 euro.

Has anyone been is it worth going or if im going to the USA am i better off hitting a better spot. is there a reason why its the cheapest location.

[paul_oshea]

it depends what yer into, but if yer going on yer own then im not so sure, if its a group of lads its a definite.

There is a good bit to do there as well, depending on when you go you could get to see a bears game, or sox/cubs game or even hockey game. There is also teh chicago institute of art, which even if you're not into art is worth seeing, plus there are some other museums worth going to as well.

Personally, I love the place, but its horses for coarses as the man says.

btw when did ye see those flights for?

[anto1208]

They are in september from Shannon , thinking of going with the missus just for a week , want some good weather, good food little bit of shopping just something different.

[paul_oshea]

good food deffo, loads of nice eateries, though stay away from the pub/bar food type places cos its all grilled sh1te that ye get sick of after a....day. Having said that Fados is just worth a trip alone for their spicy wings, they have big chickens in chicago.....

Theres some great shops there though with decently-priced clothes, some expensive but good gear, but theres always filenes bargain basement......

There is a great outlet store as well outside in wisconsin well worth a visit, a great tommy store real cheap and some good donna karan for the missus.

Ordinarily I'd say its a better spot for a few lads on a weeks trip, but for what ye want then its definitely got it, though maybe san fran might be more relaxing....

[carrickharp]

Just looking at going to the states and saw flights from shannon to Chicago for about 500 euro.

Has anyone been is it worth going or if im going to the USA am i better off hitting a better spot. is there a reason why its the cheapest location.

Well worth going to I go there almost every year it's well worth it, will be back there in August again (that's if I make the drive from LA!!).

[theworm2345]

They are in september from Shannon , thinking of going with the missus just for a week , want some good weather, good food little bit of shopping just something different.
If you're here on September 10th I hope you'll consider coming down to the south side and supporting Trinidad and Tobago with me against the ***** who are the US national team and its supporters