Chicago simply does not stay still long enough to make any experience old or boring.
It doesn’t matter if you have visited Chicago or are now thinking of putting the city on your summer vacation list. Chicago simply does not stay still long enough to make any experience old or boring.
A tourist notes the "Bean" arch and reflections
Millennium Park, home to the city’s famed “Cloud Gate” (“The Bean”) and Jay Pritzker Pavilion, keeps adding and changing sculptures and concerts.
The Art Institute of Chicago, connected to Millennium Park by the Sky Bridge over Monroe, moves from one block buster exhibition to the next. The theater scene, home of 200 live stage companies including Goodman and Steppenwolf Theatres and Broadway productions, keep turning out Jeff and Tony award winners.
Just as important, new restaurants pop up weekly and new and remodeled hotels cater to today’s plugged-in generation and suburbanites who want to take advantage of Chicago’s downtown attractions.
With so much going on, planning a weekend can either be fun or a challenge. Here are five top Chicago destinations that can be centerpieces of a great vacation minus the confusing what-to-do part.
Look for Marc Chagall's windows at the east end of the Art Institute of Chicago
You don’t have to know anything about art to find something fascinating at the Art Institute of Chicago. The world-class museum happens to be showcasing French Impressionism from the Musee d’Orsay, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and its own collection now through Sept. 29, 2013. However, adults and youngsters ooh and ah at the miniature furniture and interiors in the Thorne Rooms and Medieval arms and armor.
If you make it to Chicago before Aug. 18 you can still catch Goodman’s beautiful production of “The Jungle Book.” Another hot 2013 ticket is the “Book of Mormon.” At the Bank of America Theater through Oct. 06, 2013. This is the writers’ and director’s recently revised production which many critics think is even better than the original.
Visitors often talk about and recommend the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s river boat tour. However if the price or times don’t match your pocket book or schedule you’ll do fine with the other boat companies’ architecture tours. If you don’t mind walking you’ll like the Architecture Foundation’s tours that go inside buildings.
If you can't ID these Chicago landmarks now you will be able to after you take the Film Tour or an architecture boat ride.
Movie and television producers love Chicago. To see where some of the 80 movies set in Chicago were shot such as “Dark Knight” and “Blues Brothers” take the Chicago Film Tour. The guides are knowledgeable. You see parts of Chicago that even locals have not visited. And you see clips on the bus while traveling.
You’ve heard of China Town, which is fun and interesting. But other Chicago neighborhoods also have their own character and unique restaurants. You can learn more about the city and explore some of its culinary scene with Chicago Tours and Sidewalk Tours.
Cruising to Hawaiian ports means not having to fly to the west coast, then Honolulu and more airports to puddle-jump to different islands.
Take a train west to San Francisco across impressive mountain ranges. Do a Hawaiian cruise. The two bucket-list dreams may sound like different vacations in time and space.
Travel by rail through the Rockies to enjoy the scenery instead of watching the road
But Vacations By Rail, a Chicago-based travel company that organizes train trips to national parks and across Europe has lately been partnering with Princess Cruises so that travelers don’t have to choose between a scenic land vacation or a cruise destination.
Among the latest pairings is a two-night trip through the Colorado Rockies and Sierra Nevada Mountains to San Francisco from Chicago on the California Zephyr then on to Hawaii by cruise ship .
Travelers stay a night in the “city by the bay” then board the “Grand Princess” for a 14 night cruise to Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui and Ensenada, Mexico. Cruising to Hawaiian ports means not having to fly to the west coast, then Honolulu and more airports to puddle-jump to different islands. After the Mexican stop, the ship returns to San Francisco.
The total trip of 19 days by train and sea can be extended. Options include returning to Chicago by Zephyr for a 22-day vacation or staying longer in San Francisco three to four days.
Music fills Knoxville's Market Square night and day
Imagine arriving at a market square lined with Asian, Southern and American Bistro-style restaurants with a statue that honors suffragettes and where blue notes and blue grass fill the air morning to night.
You have made it to Knoxville, Tenn., a perfect stop on Interstate 75 when driving north to Chicago, south to Orlando or on the way into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The city is full of surprises.
But when doing a road trip, what travelers may not know, is that if timed right, they can catch a city filled with glorious pink blooms during the Dogwood Arts Festival, a downtown food and music fest tied to opera during its Rossini Festival and some amazing southern comfort taste treats during its famed International Biscuit Festival.
Go up to Sunsphere's Observation Deck to see the town, UT and the Smoky Mountains.
If you go:
Visit the Sunsphere, the 1982 World’s Fair tower to see the Smoky Mountains from the Observation Deck during the day and have a cocktail in its cool Icon Ultra Lounge at night.
Consider the Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park for accommodations. As a convention hotel, it is well located near downtown and the highways but also has the upscale “Windows on the Park” dining room with good food and views.
Drop by the town’s Market Square on Wednesday or Saturday May to November for the Farmer’s Market or anytime for music and food.
Try to do breakfast at The Plaid Apron in the charming Sequoyah Hills neighborhood and at Tupelo’s for lunch (the same as the popular Ashville eatery) in Market Square. For a good casual dinner go to the Downtown Grill and Brewery for really great hamburgers and beer or The Crown and Goose, a London gastro-pub in Knoxville’s old-town neighborhood for British flavors.
The Sunsphere's lounge is a popular night spot
For some fun, value shopping stop at Mast General Store near the Downtown Grill. An old-fashioned, carry-everything place, candy is sold in barrels and local jellies and honey line shelves in the back.
Stop in at the Visitor Center downtown on Gay Street at noon because a free, live music program is broadcast from there, Monday through Saturday. However, the Visitor Center is also a great place and any time during the day to look for Knoxville and Tennessee food and crafts.
Photos (c) Jodie Jacobs
Live music is broadcast from the Visitor Center at noon, Monday through Saturday.
Expand your Paris itinerary to include beautiful religious sites.
Instead of snapping a photo from a tour bus while passing Notre- Dame, stop to see the interior and take a tour of the tower.
Like any great city, Paris is more than the sum of its restaurants and museums. It is also a city of remarkable holy places. Except for Notre Dame, tourists may not know the city is home to the Great Synagogue of Paris or the Moslem Institute of the Paris Mosquee. All three religious sites allow visitors and are worth a stop. Be prepared to gape in awe.
The famous cathedral sits on the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine River. A Paris landmark, Notre-Dame is a state property but operated by clergy as a Roman Catholic church so entrance is free and visitors can attend masses and services.
The Cathedral Tower and the Treasury have entrance fees but the Tower is worth visiting for its views of Paris and its gargoyles and the Treasury for its precious holy objects.
Find Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris at 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France.
The Great Synagogue of Paris (la Victoire) is the largest in France and built on the Romanesque style.
The synagogue is also called La Victoire. The largest synagogue in France, it was constructed in 1974 by Alfred-Philibert Aldrophe with financial support from the Rothchilds.
As in Orthodox shuls, women sit separate from men. Visitors are welcome to attend services. For group visits or questions email [email protected].
Find Synagogue de la Victoire at 44, rue de la Victoire – 75009 Paris, France.
Founded 1926, the Mosque is a place of prayer. Its institute is a place of study and a cultural center. Its Moorish style arches and patio are beautiful and lend a peaceful feel.
Find the Moslem Institute of the Main Paris Mosque at 132,boulevard de grenelle, 5e Arrondissement, Paris, France.
Watch the inauguration on line or visit the Newseum website.
The Newseum Terrace overlooks Pennsylvania Avenue
Arguably the best place to watch the inaugural parade and zoom in on the ceremonies on Capitol building’s west side, is high up on the Pennsylvania Avenue Parade Route. So think Newseum.
However, the museum’s roof and terrace are already spoken for by more than 500 broadcasters from 21 countries who are already setting up temporary studios and production areas there.
Among the broadcasters anchoring Inauguration Day newscasts from the Newseum are MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow and ABC’s Diane Sawyer, George Stephanopoulos and Barbara Walters.
The Newseum, always a fun and interesting place to visit was designed to do multiple broadcasts.
Inauguration Day entry to the Newseum is already sold out but visitors can stop by the museum earlier in the weekend and put it on the museum list for next time in DC. Its terrace is among the best places to photograph the area.
A couple of alternatives to bucking the crowd in Washington is to catch the action on WGN which broadcasts across the US, your local TV station or the Newseum web site. The swearing-in ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m. ET.
More inauguration information and suggested places to visit at Inauguration Weekend.
If hoping to travel on a peak week or weekend, be sure to book way ahead to get what you want.
If thinking about a getaway during Presidents' Weekend or Spring Break look for flights and rooms now.
Travel companies predict that vacation trips will increase in 2013.
If so, it’s not too late to start planning your trip to find the best deals. You also don’t want to hear sorry, we’re booked during Presidents’ Weekend, Spring Break or whatever.
“People are really starting to think about and book their spring break
vacations,” said Mike Going, president of Milwaukee-based Funjet Vacations.
“Now that the weather has turned cold and the holidays are over, everyone is ready for a warm, sunny vacation — which means that hotels and flights book up very quickly in January and February.”
January might sound a bit early to look at destinations and flights but Going said, “January is the peak booking month for spring and summer vacation.
The questions you should now be considering are where to go and how to save money.
In answer to the destination question Mark Drusch, Chief Supplier Relations Officer of CheapOair, a major online travel agency said, “Latin America; specifically Brazil, Panama, Colombia and Galapagos, the Gulf Coast, Oregon (specifically since this part of the country is relatively unexplored, and offers ocean, mountains and a great culinary scene) and South Africa.”
Drusch, who worked for major airlines, offered a few insider tips on savings and bookings.
Be sure to check fees, taxes and other details when comparing flight deals
He suggested that travelers look at deals offered by online travel agencies, particularly for daily specials to find best airfares, hotels and car rentals. But they should also know there are best days and times to book flights.
“Always check airline tickets on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The airline RM systems update their demand algorithms overnight, therefore available seats are released in the morning,” Drusch said.
He also recommended taking advantage of email travel alerts and social media. “People may not want to be receiving another email, but fare alerts instantly let you know when a price for a certain flight has changed. On social media, a lot of companies post last minute “fire sales” where prices can be slashed up to 50%,” he said.
Because airlines now have a variety of fees and options, Drusch warned that consumers should be sure they are purchasing what they want and know what is included when comparing prices.
Two basic tips heard in the industry is 1. if hoping to travel on a peak week or weekend, be sure to book way ahead to get what you want and 2. you are likely to find better deals when you can be flexible.
The inevitable “oh, no” is on the horizon. No matter if you plan to travel this holiday season or someone is visiting you, there will likely be a travel snag or oops somewhere along the way.
Warning: The inevitable “oh, no” is on the horizon. No matter if you plan to travel this holiday season or someone is visiting you, there will likely be a travel snag or oops somewhere along the way. Busy as we are, planning really does make a difference.
Travel on the holiday or off-peak hours for better rates and fewer crowds. Photo is AA terminal at O'Hare Airport.
Here are 10 tips, five for travelers and five for hosts that you may think you know or that you think you don’t need but invariably happen and matter. They could help turn “oh, no” into “ho, ho.
If traveling
* Old-fashioned advice that is still true: You think you stopped the newspapers and mail but you should also set a light timer in a couple of rooms and ask a friend or relative to check your mailbox or stoop for other items. Thieves also enjoy holiday time.
* Tech advice that is easy to forget: Charge your phone, pad, Kindle, whatever ahead of time but be sure to pack all of the charger plugs and wires. Sometimes the plug separates in an outlet and you have a worthless wire with you. No kidding. This does happen.
* Old-fashioned advice easy to forget: Just because it is winter does not mean you don’t need sun protection in a cream screen and hat. Don’t wait until you arrive because you may be in the sun before you have time to shop. Skin cancer is on the rise.
* Tech advice that is even truer today: You just think your passwords make you secure. If you are using free wifi in airports and public cafes there maybe someone in the area who has sniffer technology that can pick up the internet traffic floating around the lounge and area. Be sure the site you are accessing begins with https which signifies it is a secure site. Don’t go to http sites in public places.
* General advice you hopefully won’t need: Give your contact information to a neighbor so that if something happens to your home or condo, you can be reached. Storms and outages happen. Of course you know that, right?
Airports have museum and other giftshops to pick up last minute presents.
If hosting
* Good intentions don’t always make good hosts: Holiday goodies can be yummy but check food and other allergies before guests come. Most people are aware of peanut allergies but some people are also allergic to all tree nuts and others need gluten-free or lactose-free foods. Luckily, grocery stores now have gluten-free and lactose free shelves and packages say whether product contains nuts or was made in a place that had nuts.
* Age does make a difference: Consider the age of your guests when planning activities and outfitting your home. You may need a pet or child gate. You won’t want to leave out small candies and popcorn that can cause choking or breakable items at child level. You may not mind if guests bring their dog but did you know dogs should not have chocolate so you have to put it out of reach?
Thousands of lights outside and miniature railroads and landmarks inside turn the Chicago Botanic Garden into a holiday destination.
* Find out ahead of time what movies or shows your guests might like and try to get tickets before they come. Popular shows and even movie-times do sell-out so you don’t want to be disappointed.
* Plan down-time: You don’t have to be doing something out of the house all the time. You can get movies on Netflix and at the library and download e-books from the library. Put out a couple of jigsaw puzzles and a Sudoku or crossword puzzle book.
* Look for fun out-of-the-house activities: Search ahead of time for the price, times and freebies at ice rinks, museums and walking or driving holiday light shows.
Before, during and after a mega storm, the next item after worrying about the basics of shelter, food and water for themselves, friends and relatives, is good weather and transportation information.
Before, during and after a mega storm, the next item people worry about after shelter, food and water for themselves, friends and relatives, is up-to-date weather and transportation information.
Sandy brought more than rain and flooding. The hurricane turned tropical storm also resulted in snow as it interacted with other weather systems. Knowing about road conditions becomes even more important when heading into winter.
Here are some sites that have reliable statistics and other data:
For weather: AccuWeather has up-todate information with additional weather warnings from Justin Roberti at State College, PA.
Among his latest information is that the 1977 Hurricane Gladys was the strongest hurricane north of Cape Hatteras at a low barometric pressure of 27.73 inches. Sandy’s low barometric pressure was offshore Monday at 27.76 inches.
Also on the site are rain and snow totals and surges. According to the AccuWeather site the highest surges were at The Battery, NY at 9 feet above normal, Kings Point, NY at 12.5 feet above normal and New Haven, CT at 9 feet above normal.
For air traffic and cancellations: Go to Flight Aware. For Sandy the site showed more than 8,000 cancellations Monday and more than 6,000 Tuesday by airline, airport and destination. The site also has flight tracker information.
Along with checking your flight departure, learn what is happening at destination or transfer airports.
Rail transportation: See Amtrak for general information and visit alerts for disruptions.
Road: Each state has a department of transportation that tells road conditions. I highly recommend checking these state sites before starting out on a road trip. In Illinois it is IDOT. However, the federal government also has a DOT Web site . Visit resources for services and alerts.
Photos by Jodie Jacobs
Please comment below to share your favorite travel resource.
Springfield, Ill. is the former, and supposedly current home, of Abraham Lincoln and wife Mary.
In Springfield, a ghostly tour stops at the home of Abraham and Mary Lincoln.
Haunted places and history go together like peanut butter and jelly so this October combine the two with a visit to a town rife with haunting figures from Illinois’ and the country’s past.
Think Springfield, Ill., former home and, if rumors are correct, still current home of the 16th President of the United States and his wife.
Unaccountable footsteps and voices have been reported at Lincoln’s Tomb, an Illinois historic site in Springfield’s Oak Ridge Cemetery. Sightings of Lincoln have also been reported there.
In addition, Lincoln has supposedly been seen at his home and at the Old State Capitol. The Lincoln home, part of a four-block National Historic Site maintained by the National Park Service, is said to also be haunted by Mary Todd Lincoln.
Another wife reluctant to leave home is said to be Catherine Yates, wife of Richard Yates, governor of Illinois during the Civil War. She is supposedly behind otherwise unexplainable hi- jinks at the Executive Mansion.
These places can be checked out by individuals during a Springfield visit.
However author and Springfield expert Garret Moffett does two haunted tours. “Lincoln’s Ghost Walk: Legends & Lore,” a 1.5 hour tour, and “Haunted Dead Walk,” a 2.5 hour tour, are every October Friday and Saturday night.
For more October haunts visit ghostly ideas. Have a Happy Halloween, or a happy haunting happening.
Photo by Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Imagine running out into the stadium to the roar of the crowd via the players’ tunnel or being allowed up on the exclusive club level.
Fall destinations Series: Part 1 is Green Bay, Wisconsin
Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau stand tall outside the Lambeau Field Stadium in Green Bay.
You don’t have to be a fan of the Green Bay Packers to appreciate the team’s famed Lambeau Field but you arguably should be an admirer of cheese curds and hometown brewers to appreciate this northern Wisconsin town.
Imagine running out into the stadium to the roar of the crowd via the players’ tunnel or being allowed up on the exclusive club level. You get to do both when you take the stadium’s tour. The cost ranges from $8-$11 depending on age and military status.
As a Packers’ tour guide reminded us, Lambeau is up there with Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Boston’s Fenway Park as one of the historic stadiums on sports fans’ want-to-see list. Dedicated Sept. 29, 1957, with the Green Bay-Chicago Bears game, the field was called City Stadium until renamed Sept. 11, 1965 after Curly Lambeau died. It is owned by the City of Green Bay and Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District with shareholders who live all over the world.
Visit Algoma, about half an hour from Green Bay, for its fishing and historic winery.
But the Greater Green Bay Area has enough to see and do to fill out a football weekend or a fall getaway.
Outdoors
Color explodes around this northern Wisconsin area so bring hiking or good walking shoes to enjoy the scenery.
Explore the L. H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve’s 920 acres of forest and meadows on the Bay’s western shore. The preserve has nine miles of hiking trails beginning at the Interpretive Center.
Bring the fishing gear and head to nearby Algoma, about a 35 minute drive. The fish always seem to be biting here.
Peter Rabbit likes to visit here at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens.
Visit the Green Bay Botanical Gardens, a delightful 47 acres of rose, shade and seasonal gardens for adults and a terrific place where children will find butterfly and Peter Rabbit gardens and a frog bridge.
Cruise the Fox River to its mouth on the Foxy Lady and see the town from the water.
Indoors
Visit Hinterland, an artisanal brewery. It has $5 tours on Saturdays by appointment that includes two beers but stay to do dinner because, as with the beer, the quality and variety is way better than a typical pub.
Relax at Titletown Brewery because the place is fun, has terrific atmosphere and good, handcrafted beers and burgers. The brewery is in the old C. & N.W.R.R. depot, a historic building designed by Chicago architect Charles S. Frost at the turn of the last century. Titletown also has decent cheese curds.
Do a wine-tasting atCaptain’s Walk Winery in a historic Green Bay house or at its parent location, The von Stiehl Winery in a historic Algoma building. No worries if you don’t know a lot about wines. Both places are delighted to answer questions and both have award winning wines.
Parallel 44 winery grows its grapes on site and has excellent tastings.
To see a vineyard and taste award winning wines drive over to the Parallel 44 Winery in Kewaunee. Owners Steve Johnson and wife Maria Milano have figured out how to grow a mix of varietals that produce excellent wines and survive Green Bay winters.
Learn a little more about the area and the science behind football at the Neville Public Museum. It is fun for youngsters and adults. The museum’s mission not only covers history and science, it also has an art component. Currently on exhibit are some terrific WPA paintings.
Take a train ride around the National Railroad Musuem but also tour the barns and the exhibits.
Just as you don’t have to love football to appreciate Lambeau Field, you don’t have to be a railroad buff to enjoy peeking into old railroad cars. The National Railroad Museum has a Green Bay address but it is on the edge of town that is also considered Ashwaubenon. Save enough time to visit the engines and old cars tucked into barns on the property, tour the museum which currently has an extensive dining car china exhibit and take a ride around the property.
Dining
Green Bay is not just brew-pub food although some of the pubs turn out exceptional meals. Please leave a comment in that section with a recommendation or an experience. With only two days to sample the culinary scene I have only two recommendations.
The best dinner I’ve been lucky enough to eat anywhere in United States was at Three Three Five, a private dining club downtown Green Bay that opens to the public only on Wednesday nights.
Chef Christopher Mangless works on dessert for patrons of Three Three Five
The rest of the time chef Christopher Mangless and his staff are turning out dishes for the club’s patrons, Hollywood celebs and political notables such as former president George W. Bush. When asked how people find out about him, his restaurant and that he caters dinners everywhere, Mangless said “word of mouth.”
He is also known as The Traveling Chef. Wednesday is a farmers market which helps him decide what to serve that night. Even though his dishes, which are small plates, are very creative and beautifully plated, you can identify what you are eating.
I wish he were based in Chicago so I could eat there once a week, or at least, once a month. BTW, Mangless’ cheese curds side dish was among the best I’ve sampled.
The next best cheese curds I’ve eaten was at The Courthouse Pub in Manitowoc, Wisc., a nice detour when coming from Milwaukee or Chicago.
While in Green Bay, also check out Ogan a restaurant on the Fox River. You’ll like the food and the view.
Stay
The Tundra Lodge's waterpark, restaurants and atmosphere work for families visiting Green Bay and its proximity to Lambeau Field works for adults.
With little time to check out the many accommodations available, I opted for Cambria Suites, a business-style hotel that is about a good football field toss from Lambeau. The suite and bathroom were comfortable, modern and clean.
However, families might like The Tundra Lodge which has a North Woods atmosphere and is also near Lambeau. It has regular restaurants, a snack and shop store and an indoor-outdoor waterpark.
When to go
Green Bay’s ski and snow mobile trails are a winter treat. Fox River, the Bay’s waters, and Lake Michigan make the area a good fishing place, spring, summer and fall (unless you want to add ice fishing for winter). Add the leaf color changes in the fall and you may make it a year-round destination. In addition, even if you aren’t into football, Lambeau Field is worth a stop any time of year.
Do a two-for-one getaway
Cruise the Fox River to its mouth and see Green Bay from the water on the Foxy Lady.
Tie a visit to Green Bay with a vacation in Door County. Green Bay is at the foot of the peninsula so it is about 10 to 20 minutes from The Door depending on your destination.
