<p>I’ve stayed at the Palmer House when attending conferences and also the Pick Congress. Both were fine–good Loop location for sightseeing. I think the Pick Congress is called something else now.</p>
<p>We have stayed twice at the Blackstone, on Michigan Avenue, gorgeous view of Lake Michigan and the Buckingham Fountain. We liked being close to The Field Museum. We did some walking, but took cabs a lot. It was a Renaissance Marriott, newly renovated, gorgeous historical hotel. That was about six years ago, though, so don’t know how it is since. My nephew and his wife just got back from a week in Chicago. They used Jetsetter and got a flash sale on Chicago hotels. They stayed at the Warwick Allerton and really liked the location. They were right in the middle of everything and were able to walk or take public transportation for all their tours, restaurants, concerts. They did suggest that you get a room away from the elevators, though. Enjoy! </p>
<p>SO HELPFUL! Thanks everyone. We wanted to rent a car after 3 days and drive to Indiana to visit my aunt who is very ill. The car rental agencies do not want to have a car end up in Fort Wayne–they are chargin $171 a day for a one way! So it looks like we will have to return to the airport and fly into FWA.</p>
<p>Dare I ask your favorite restaurants? Anything good but not necessarily really fine dining. Like pretty much anything.
I will make my H try Chicago style pizza. He likes a cracker thin crust but when in Rome…</p>
<p>Now that hotels are smoke free I should learn to use HotWire and Price Line. We have only used them for car rentals.</p>
<p>I am really interested in the River tour.</p>
<p>Oregon101, I have only used Hotwire, but I would recommend just going on the Hotwire website and do some browsing. Get a feel for how to use it, how to read reviews and “figure out” what hotel it likely is by reading those reviews and using the betterbidding.com lists. I do most of my hotel bookings through Hotwire now (as long as I sort of know the city and can realistically pick the areas that will be more desirable.</p>
<p>When i was there last weekend one of the hot spots was Quantino’s on State St. It’s about 2-3 blocks west of Mag Mile toward the north end. Wait for an outdoor seat. It’s really pretty, and the inside was too loud for us. We just went to the bar for an hour and enjoyed that before our seat was ready. Make a reservation for 7:30, and get there at 6:30 - 7:00, tell them at the front you want outdoor (you can’t reserve that), and that you don’t want to sit on the “side”. They are very nice and accomodating.</p>
<p>Oregon, there are a lot of river tours, but the ones by the Architecture Foundation are the ones where you, well, learn a lot about the architecture.</p>
<p><a href=“Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady | Boat Tours | Chicago Architecture Center”>Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady | Boat Tours | Chicago Architecture Center;
<p>As for pizza, you will get a lot of opinions but here are mine. H’s family is a Pizzaria Due family. D introduced us to Lou Malnati’s, which may be my favorite. Giordano’s has a lot of fans, but I’m not one of them.</p>
<p>One of my partners keeps telling me that the Frontera Grill is fabulous, but we never seem to get there. However, there is a more casual sibling - Frontera Fresco - in the upstairs “food court” at Macy’s (fka Marshall Fields).</p>
<p>Putting in a vote for Pequod’s pizza. Plus you can take a nice stroll through Lincoln Park before or after pizza.</p>
<p><a href=“Deep Dish Pizza Restaurant in Chicago, IL - Pequod's Pizza”>http://pequodspizza.com/chicago/</a></p>
<p>I like Expedia for booking hotels, but you can often get the same price by calling the hotel (location you are interested in, not the chain) itself. Be within walking distance of the Navy Pier. So many things to do in Chicago. btw- no need to dress up to stroll Michigan Ave- plenty of tourists who don’t. Fun to people watch. The Art Institute is worth it. Then so are so many others- Science and Industry, Natural History, The aquarium …</p>
<p>Be sure to get advice on driving from Chicago to Fort Wayne if you do end up getting a car (remember downtown parking is expensive at hotels and garages)- which highways to take to get to your Indiana one. The Skyway is a toll road but less traffic. </p>
<p>Decades ago we would stay downtown but then we would stay in the suburbs and drive in. But we had our car. The Hancock building is fun. Too much to do for your short trip. You will notice weekend (Fri/Sat) nights can be a lot cheaper because those are not nights the business travelers need rooms.</p>
<p>Hope the trip to see the aunt works out okay. I have travelled I 65 diagonally through Indiana so many times but have never been to Fort Wayne.</p>
<p>Thanks. I did make the air reservations and then remembered the prices are higher during the week. Oh well, will have to pay accordingly.
I have made a list of everyones suggestions and going through the sites. All look inviting and tasteful. One is already full so think that may be due to a conference.
Aunt is thrilled that we are stopping there and that H will see her favorite city. She wants him to see so many things. She has taken a number of bus trips there with a group from her small town. I have to say that I am excited also. I find Chicago a nice size to have a mini vacation.
Made the architech cruise reservations. A lot of the times are already booked 5 weeks ahead. Either that or they are not running all of the slots.
Thanks!</p>
<p>LOVED the architecture boat tour!! Enjoy!!</p>
<p>Oregon101 - I have lived in Chicago area for 25 years now, but have been on the Oregon coast now for vacation since Monday. Why would you ever leave here?? ;)</p>
<p>On a side note, we often take visitors on the architectural boat tour - we learn something new every time because we never get the same docent. Last tour we took was mid-June, on a Saturday (Blues Fest weekend). We had no problems purchasing tickets the day before for a mid-afternoon time. So I don’t know what was up with your not being able to get certain times. </p>
<p>Lou Malnati’s pizza is good - but Pequod’s is otherworldly, imho…</p>
<p>We like the Conrad, too. Great central location. </p>
<p>Bleeeeeeech on any deep dish pizza, which is kind of ironic given my (poorly chosen and stupid) screen name! </p>
<p>Someone mentioned Quartino’s upthread. We hosted a family event there a few years back and I was very pleased. </p>
<p>Made me LOL. My H’s opinion completely. Still :)) think I will make him eat a slice. Portland , Or. pizza is super thin crust and little cheese and most often no tomatoe sauce–so maybe not Pizza at all!</p>
<p>Suffering a bit regarding the cost of hotels. We need a King as my H may be skinny but he is a bed hog. Using Priceline or Hotwire does not seem to secure a true King. </p>
<p>Seconding missypie’s recommendation of the river tour. If you enjoy architecture at all, the tours by the Chicago Architecture Foundation are fantastic (we have been on several including the boat tour).</p>
<p>Another vote here for the Chicago Architecture Foundation river tours–we learned so much. The history is fascinating and the guides can be really entertaining. A must. Love the area by the Cloud (bean!) as well. The Navy Pier was more touristy than we expected but still fun to visit.
PS Also prefer Pizza Due over Giordano’s for deep dish. I’m a thin crust girl but theirs was awesome. H didn’t care for Giodano’s at all. Everyone in Chicago has a favorite and are passionate about it!</p>
<p>teriwtt–nearly forgot to say that I hope you are enjoying Oregon! </p>
<p>Kids wanted to go to Giordano’s for deep dish. Although I do like it, I like thin crust better, so that’s what DH and I ordered… a supreme. It was a normal crust and it wasn’t good at all. Hardly any tomato sauce and the vege’s were big, not cut small. Frozen pizza had more taste. Son loved the deep dish…wish I had got that or went to a different pizza place.</p>