There’s more than one way to pack your day full of activities in Chicago, but if I had my choice, my Saturdays in the city would be spent eating great food, supporting local businesses, catching a game, and walking through the park.
Chicago doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of other cities, but the energy is captivating nonetheless. I recommend starting your day off right with an early lunch at Ikram. I know I’ve mentioned this cafe before, but the food and shopping is too good to only talk about once! Dishes are local, and your server will be able to tell you which farms’ produce is on your plate that day. Downstairs, thumb through the likes of Proenza Schouler and Givenchy in their bag section, or check out the shelves of amazing sneakers in the back.
If you’re looking for local, fair trade goodies, head up to Lincoln Park to check out the Green Heart Shop. This is great if you need to pick up a gift for just about any occassion, and their handmade jewelry selection always has cool one of a kind pieces.
No weekend in Chicago is complete without a trip to Wrigley Field. Whenever I travel, I always make an effort to go to a sporting event. Rubbing elbows with the locals while throwing back a few is always the way to go in my book. And if it just so happens to coincide with looking at cute guys in uniforms, who am I to say no? For great deals on tickets, go to ScoreBig.com. It’s like Priceline for sporting events; you get to bid on the ticket price. I usually end up snagging great seats for half off!
Finish out your day with a stroll through Millenium Park. There are tons a cool sculptures (aside from just Cloud Gate) and great little side parks to poke in to. Often times there will be games of chess happening on the sidewalk. Depending on how many beers you’ve had at the game, you can always challenge one of the pros for a quick round. Otherwise, sprawl on to the grass on the Great Lawn and watch the clouds go by.
What does your perfect day in Chicago consist of? Let me know if the comments below!