<p>I've never been to chicago and am visiting next weekend. Separately from seeing the school in evanston, what are some things I should do and see while I'm there- in both evanston and surrounding areas, and in chicago itself?</p>
<p>If you like the human body or are interrested in premed, I would go to the Musum of Science and Industry. They have a new exhibit there that even the New York museum would not accept. I hear it is kinda disturbing though. </p>
<p>You could also go to the art museum...that is my favorite. </p>
<p>You could be really touristy and go to the top of the Sears Tower. </p>
<p>Chicago is a beautiful city so just walking around and shopping is fun. </p>
<p>Right off of Michigan avenue there is a Ghirrardelli ( if that is how you spell it) ice cream shop that is nice.</p>
<p>Millenium Park is kind of cool with the big faces in it. </p>
<p>If you have any questions just ask!</p>
<p>yup yup, there's definitely the museums. kinda pricey though. body worlds at museum of science and industry is drawing huge crowds. art insitute is super famous. but i love the shedd aquarium.<br>
sears or john hancock is nice.<br>
shopping.. you need to go to michigan ave. (mag mile) water tower place is there!
basically, just go hang out downtown, all that is there!<br>
you could go visit ethnic neighborhoods and have some good food! chinatown, greektown, little italy, devon ave., pilsen, etc etc.</p>
<p>get deep dish pizza @ giardano's. </p>
<p>i agree, the ethnic neighborhoods are amazing, as are pretty much all the museums: the art institute, sci/industry, the field, the shedd. navy pier is fun, but definitely more touristy and less intellectual: it has a ferris wheel, an imax theater, a "normal" theater, a bunch of restaurants/shops, and the children's museum.</p>
<p>you could go and see Oprah, lol. You could also have som fun in Evanston. There are amazing restaurants everywhere.</p>
<p>Watch Ferris Bueller's day off. That should give you some ideas.</p>
<p>Biking on that long (>13 miles?) bike path along Chicago's lakefront is pretty popular when the weather is mild/warm.</p>
<p>Most people talk about Chicago's downtown. But the neighborhoods between downtown and Evanston are interesting to explore. I especially like Lincoln Park and Lakeview; lots of restaurants and nightlife (if you are over 21) there. </p>
<p>What's nice about Chicago is most of the places you want to explore/hangout are right by the lake and you can get to those places by their subway's red-line which runs north-south along the lakefront.</p>
<p>see the thread in the University of Chicago forum. I just posted a bunch of recommendations there, dont feel like retyping. Other people there had good recommendations as well.</p>
<p>Wrigley Field Tour!</p>
<p>Navy Pier is definitely a great place in Chicago. Basically a bunch of stores, a theater, ferris wheel, great view of Lake Michigan, good place to spend the day...</p>
<p>The museums are all fantastic and famous. Body World at the Museum of Science and Industry isn't that disturbing - it's insanely popular and SOOOOO cool.... </p>
<p>Besides that, there's just a handful of points of interest like the Sears Tower, John Hancock building, etc etc... plus tons of stores and shopping....</p>
<p>Are there nice places like a good movie theatre and stuff right by the school in Evaston that's easily walkable?</p>
<p>yes, theres a century megaplex right near the campus, there are also many good restaurants (i recommend the Flat Top Grill, its got a neat set-up and isn't too pricey).. students also frequent the burger king which is just across the street from the administrative buildings. Theres also a bbq ribs place in evanston, it was some of the best bbq ive ever had. I forget the name though, ask somebody at NU, they should know it)
Also, don't go to navy pier. The place is set up just for tourists. Yes, it is fun, but if you want to know what real chicago life is like, thats not the place where real chicago people go.</p>
<p>now...about shopping...which street has the big name brand stores...and what street has nice mom-and-pop type stores?</p>
<p>Magnificent Mile is the touristy shopping district, where you can go to buy things from Ralph Lauren and Marshall Fields (chicago's famed department store)... its a mile along the lakefront, near the Art Institute. You probably wont want to buy anything, unless expensive stuff that can be purchased in any other metropolitan area is your idea of a souvenier. Any place besides this will have normal, mom and pop stores. Wrigleyville is the best.</p>
<p>ugh...the Marshall Fields sucks now...lol</p>
<p>There's a lego store in a mall in Michigan Avenue and the life sized lego things are really cool... not that I'd buy anything there. Stay away from water tower mall- too freaking expensive (I was stuck there several hours on a school trip).</p>