tonorator Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 my son and i are looking to take a trip up to chicago in mid-august to catch the reds-cubs in back to back games. this is kind of a father/son coming of age trip as he enters 7th grade this year and i want to have some dedicated time with him to talk about a whole host of things. anyway, i'm wondering if any chicago based huddlers could recommend where to stay to attend the games and if there is anything else you would recommend we could do while in town (we can stay an extra day to add something in). i will be driving, so we will have a car. your help is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 paging RR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 im a few blocks from wrigley so i will try to help ya out. 1st off, there are a few hotels up around here, but not sure how nice they are. i will get you the addresses to them. park the car and keep it parked. the cta is very good and the city is very easy to get around. walking in the summer is great if u can do it. if you were staying the weekend, the air & water show is the 18th and 19th. great show! then there are the museums, aquarium, planetarium, boat tours on the river and lake too. not sure what you enjoy, but there is something for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Stay downtown and take the L out to the game. Spend some time at North Avenue Beach and there will be plenty to look at talk about with your son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh B Tool Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) So is Mr. Larry's restaurant on 10 Dixie Hgwy still there? knew the owner back from corps days Edited July 17, 2007 by Hugh B Tool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Stay downtown and take the L out to the game. sounds like a great plan. any hotel recos? willing to spend a bit more since we are driving and this is a special trip. not sure if one is better location wise to catch the train or if it is pretty much everywhere ... thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 im a few blocks from wrigley so i will try to help ya out. 1st off, there are a few hotels up around here, but not sure how nice they are. i will get you the addresses to them. park the car and keep it parked. the cta is very good and the city is very easy to get around. walking in the summer is great if u can do it. if you were staying the weekend, the air & water show is the 18th and 19th. great show! then there are the museums, aquarium, planetarium, boat tours on the river and lake too. not sure what you enjoy, but there is something for everyone. thanks dmarc! look forward to getting the data. i'll check out the air & water show on-line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) Take him up in the Sears Tower. The Museum of Science and Industry is cool too. As for a place to stay, I've had good luck a number of times at the Embassy Suites at Ohio and State. It's just up the street from the ESPN Zone, Pizzaria Uno's and right next door to the Rainforest Cafe. Edited July 17, 2007 by wiegie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 i'd listen to gil and stay dt and take the el up. that way you are alot closer to everything else. if u still want the names of the hotels up in wrigley i can get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 here are some links....... http://www.transitchicago.com/ http://gochicago.about.com/od/eventsfestiv...r_watershow.htm http://www.chicagotours.com/archboattours/index.htm http://collaboratory.nunet.net/museums/pages.cfm http://www.daveandbusters.com/Locations/de...t.aspx?Loc=0007 http://www.espnzone.com/chicago/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Just don't ask dmarc for anything if you need to get out of downtown - he doesn't know the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Love Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Take him up in the Sears Tower. The Museum of Science and Industry is cool too. As for a place to stay, I've had good luck a number of times at the Embassy Suites at Ohio and State. It's just up the street from the ESPN Zone, Pizzaria Uno's and right next door to the Rainforest Cafe. I've stayed at that Embassy Suites, too. Very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 I've stayed at that Embassy Suites, too. Very nice. Yikes...I just checked and they want something like $229 per night. I'm sure there are plenty of less expensive hotels that might be a better value for the money. (But if are thinking about getting two rooms for some reason, then I would definitely still suggest this Embassy Suites and just getting one suite and making your kid sleep on the sofa-bed in the "living room" and you taking the bedroom.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Just don't ask dmarc for anything if you need to get out of downtown - he doesn't know the way. or next time we make the chicago spainorama in illinois and not iowa!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 All good advice above. +1 on staying downtown (but parking will set you back $$) and seeing the Museum of Science and Industry. Also, if you take the EL, stop and get a Chi Dog, around the corner of the EL, across from Wrigley. Can't remember the name of the place. That's a must-do, but don't order ketchup, you'll get the raz of your life if you do. Some places don't even have ketchup (Gene & Jude's Red Hot Stand, among others) for fries. The air and water show is great. I haven't seen it for many years, but Oak Street beach used to be the best place to watch, unless you know someone who owns a penthouse in Lincloln Park. Also, check out Millennium Park. Good food, and great photo ops. And it's right near the Loop and Mag Mile. The boat rides are also great and they have a nice variety of trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Stay downtown and take the L out to the game. Spend some time at North Avenue Beach and there will be plenty to look at talk about with your son. good advice. try and park the car and keep it parked at the hotel for all your downtown/wrigleyville shenanigans, unless you enjoy anal rape (receiving end). usually boat tour things are kinda ghey, but the chicago river architecture cruise thing is pretty dam cool, i think it would be pretty interesting for both you and your 7th grader. you catch them at navy pier. i love the idea of catching back to back games, and not just 1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Love Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Yikes...I just checked and they want something like $229 per night. I'm sure there are plenty of less expensive hotels that might be a better value for the money. (But if are thinking about getting two rooms for some reason, then I would definitely still suggest this Embassy Suites and just getting one suite and making your kid sleep on the sofa-bed in the "living room" and you taking the bedroom.) Yeah... the commander-in-chief is a Hilton hotel employee, so our room was like $40 a night or something. We paid more to park the car than we did to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Yeah... the commander-in-chief is a Hilton hotel employee, so our room was like $40 a night or something. We paid more to park the car than we did to sleep . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Agree with all above. I can't imagine any hotel around Wrigley being safe, usually hotels uptown are "shady" at best. I'm guessing if you get a room downtown, parking will be included but I can't say that for sure. You will want to be as close to the redline as possible - that's the train that will take you right to Wrigley (Addison stop), so when you shop around for hotels get accurate distances from redline - they will probably all say "within walking distance" but you don't want to be 8 blocks from the redline if you're going in and out a lot (8 city blocks is 1 mile, fyi). I live just a tad north of Wrigley and I work downtown so let me know if I can help in any other way. If you plan on going out for steak - I recommend Gibson's steakhouse - it is the best steakhouse I have ever been to, a little pricey but worth it. I also recommend trying to go to the Shedd Aquarium but buy your tickets online before going because the line is huge if you just go there to purchase. If you buy online prior you get to stroll right in and laugh at all the suckers waiting in line!! Good luck and have a blast!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Agree with all above. I can't imagine any hotel around Wrigley being safe, usually hotels uptown are "shady" at best. I'm guessing if you get a room downtown, parking will be included but I can't say that for sure. You will want to be as close to the redline as possible - that's the train that will take you right to Wrigley (Addison stop), so when you shop around for hotels get accurate distances from redline - they will probably all say "within walking distance" but you don't want to be 8 blocks from the redline if you're going in and out a lot (8 city blocks is 1 mile, fyi). I live just a tad north of Wrigley and I work downtown so let me know if I can help in any other way. If you plan on going out for steak - I recommend Gibson's steakhouse - it is the best steakhouse I have ever been to, a little pricey but worth it. I also recommend trying to go to the Shedd Aquarium but buy your tickets online before going because the line is huge if you just go there to purchase. If you buy online prior you get to stroll right in and laugh at all the suckers waiting in line!! Good luck and have a blast!! Not for us at the Bear's convention ~10 years ago. They were full, but still charged for parking, but not sure how much. We paid $30 for overnight and someone in the hotel (Hilton) said that was cheaper! Brent....RR juniorette lives on 4xxx N. Kenmore, but is looking for a new place, by herself, as her roomies are jackasses! Any suggs would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispirons Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 (Gene & Jude's Red Hot Stand, among others) for fries. lol robn. my cousin michelle, her husband owned Gene & Judes. he passed away i want to say 3 summers ago. a total mafioso looking guy if you ever met one. easily could have been an actor on soprano's. u know how we italians talk, lol. used to be a decent golfer too, single digit handicap. he didn't believe me when i told him i was too(i'm not anymore) and he invited me out to play while i was back visiting chicago. we played at big run (long track, heavily wooded with tree lined fairways) and i took him for a couple. i agree with others saying go to the museum of science and industry. great waste of a day and you will learn something too. sears tower is pretty cool, i would think especially for a 7th grader. chicago also has a great art museum but i doubt that would be fun for your boy. have fun. have a pizza at gino's east and write your name on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 this info is hugh you guys. you are helping me shape the entire trip. thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Take him up in the Sears Tower. The Museum of Science and Industry is cool too. As for a place to stay, I've had good luck a number of times at the Embassy Suites at Ohio and State. It's just up the street from the ESPN Zone, Pizzaria Uno's and right next door to the Rainforest Cafe. i had to report back and thank everyone for the great advice. we did indeed stay at the Embassy Suites which worked out wonderfully (although it is still not cheap). it is only one block from where we could catch the red line out to Wrigley, which made things very simple. my son nick loved the rainforest cafe in san fran from our vacation 2 years ago, so he was thrilled to get to eat in another one. we also picked up a few things from the ESPN zone store. after the two games, we did ascend the sears tower on our last day to catch the view from there and followed that up with lunch at the hard rock. all in all a very memorable time for us and i have to thank all of the chicago huddle travel agents who mapped out our plans for us! oh, and we did have "the talk." the night before we left, we spent about 3 hours talking through a bunch of things (friends, drugs, faith, sex) to prepare him as he goes into 7th grade this year. it was great to get out of our familiar surroundings and have each of us open up and talk. it was a trip i know i'll never forget and hopefully will be a special memory for him. thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 i had to report back and thank everyone for the great advice. we did indeed stay at the Embassy Suites which worked out wonderfully (although it is still not cheap). it is only one block from where we could catch the red line out to Wrigley, which made things very simple. my son nick loved the rainforest cafe in san fran from our vacation 2 years ago, so he was thrilled to get to eat in another one. we also picked up a few things from the ESPN zone store. after the two games, we did ascend the sears tower on our last day to catch the view from there and followed that up with lunch at the hard rock. all in all a very memorable time for us and i have to thank all of the chicago huddle travel agents who mapped out our plans for us! oh, and we did have "the talk." the night before we left, we spent about 3 hours talking through a bunch of things (friends, drugs, faith, sex) to prepare him as he goes into 7th grade this year. it was great to get out of our familiar surroundings and have each of us open up and talk. it was a trip i know i'll never forget and hopefully will be a special memory for him. thanks again! Tone, Glad you had a great time. Next time spare a few moments and meet us Chi guys in the Burbs. Main thing is you and your son had an experience you will never forget! Take that to the bank! rr26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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