With the passage of time, kids grow up and before you know it, wedding bells begin to ring. In the summer of 2015, Pete and I attended three weddings of close friends: one local, one in Galveston, Texas, and our first, in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago - It’s a heck of a town. Each time I visit, I manage to see or experience something different. Chicago is actually one of my favorite American cities because it has it all: great restaurants, FABULOUS museums, wonderful shopping, captivating architecture, and a transit system so complete, you can easily visit without needing a car. In fact, your big decision may be — arrive by auto or even better, plane or train.
For our first journey, we left the driving to our trusty American railroad; Amtrak. Choosing a route taking us through Pittsburgh, we thoroughly enjoyed our daytime ride. One particular highlight was traversing the iconic Horseshoe Curve; its rail bed was primarily dug out by Irish immigrants over 170 years ago.
Intentionally building into our itinerary a five hour layover in Pittsburgh, we hopped into a taxi to enjoy dinner at Altius, located high on Mt. Washington overlooking Steel City. From our window seats, we could almost see the ball score at Pirate’s PNC park.
Traveler’s Tip: Altius Restaurant in Pittsburgh is a phenomenal dining experience. We loved it so much, it inspired a later visit with friends in 2019.
I ended up writing to Amtrak suggesting that improvements be made to their Pittsburgh station. With limited and outdated seating along with dim lighting worthy of a horror movie, the station (inside and out) literally gave us the creeps. Come on Amtrak; Pittsburgh is too nice a city to welcome tourists with such a crummy train station.
`Just before midnight, we boarded the westbound Capitol LImited ready for a good night's sleep.
Traveler’s Tip: Amtrak sleepers have two basic types of sleeping accommodations: roomettes and bedrooms. Because they differ quite a bit, it is wise to learn about each to avoid any surprises. A bit of gymnastics was needed to navigate around our roomette’s tight quarters.
Shortly after a delicious breakfast in the dining car, we arrived in Chicago at 10:30 am June 25th, rested and ready for a full day of exploring.
I can’t possibly begin to list all the things to do in Chicago. This city is a town best discovered by using a site like Tripadvisor to give you a more complete list of all there is to see and do.
After visiting Chicago at least six or seven times, let me list just a few favs:
The Science and Industry Museum* - a favorite exhibit (and magnet choice) - Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle. The men in my family loved the German U-Boat 505 exhibit and transportation gallery.
The Field Museum* - perfect for any nature and dinosaur lover.
The Art Institute of Chicago - even if you are just a casual art admirer, you will enjoy the extensive collections housed in the gorgeous classical Beaux-Arts building.
Shopping along the Magnificent Mile - need I say more? It’s simply shopping at its best.
Taking an architectural river tour*. Pete and I bought tickets in advance for our tour; probably not necessary unless you are visiting during an extremely busy time.
Traveler’s Tip: Schedule your tour for a sunny day. I bought tickets without looking at the weather. We floated around Chicago in the chilly rain. Couldn’t hear a darn thing the guide was saying while trying to stay warm and dry.
Ride the river taxi. Ever the adventitious travelers, Pete and I hopped off in Chinatown where we enjoyed a deliciously authentic Asian lunch.
Walk out to the end of the Navy Pier*. It was here we rented two bikes at a kiosk and cycled out to the Doane Observatory* via the Lakeshore Trail.
* Highly recommend when with children
Traveler’s Tip - The Lakeshore Trail is shared with runners and many bikers of varying skills. Stay alert!
Transportation couldn’t be easier in Chicago. Ventra is the city’s mobility app. You can purchase a card or use your phone to pay for rides on all CTA buses and trains. Water taxi rides must be purchased separately (the season will open as early as mid to late March depending on the weather and continues into the fall). We felt completely safe when traveling via all modes in 2015.
Chicago has a hotel for everyone’s tastes. For this visit, we stayed at the historical Palmer House (owned by Hilton). It was shuttered during the pandemic but reopened in summer of 2021 in time to celebrate its 150th birthday. If you wish to experience a quintessential grand hotel, Palmer House is for you.
Palmer House is also a stone’s throw from the Art Institute, Millennium Park and my favorite eatery, The Berghoff Restaurant. The 125 year old German classic is a must for any beer and brat lover. The first to be granted a liquor license after Prohibition, Berghoff touts that even today, many of its workforce go back multiple generations. This German time capsule is authentically “wunderbar”!
Pete and I finished the delightful weekend with an easy flight home.
Two weeks later, we flew to Houston, Texas for more of my favorites: good times with friends, vows, and wedding cake!.
With an afternoon to wander, we drove to nearby Galveston to wander around. What is there to do in this beach town completely blown away by “The Great Hurricane” of 1900?
Check out The Strand. Many of the buildings have informative markers denoting their historical significance. Galveston is preserved with a fun, Old West feel. Stop to enjoy a tour of Bishop’s Palace, built in 1892 (magnet find) and/or Moody Mansion. Galveston’s beaches are well cared for and depending on the time of year, the water may actually appear blue (ish).
For us, our 2015 visits to Chicago and Galveston made for perfect getaways before one of the boys would truly “get away” …..and change how we have traveled since.
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