In December of 2013, we wanted to get into the Christmas spirit with snow and beautiful Christmas decorations. After some research, Chicago came up on a list as one of the top places to go for Christmas. I booked our hotel through Hotels.com and our plan tickets through Southwest. I used Go Shuttle to book our transportation from Midway airport to our hotel, as well as, the return transportation back to the airport. A few weeks later we boarded the plane for a long couples weekend in Chicago. Being from Tennessee, we were not prepared for the 12 degree weather and 10 inches of snow on the ground, but none the less, we fell in love with Chicago.
DAY 1
Cloud Gate or better known as “The Bean” is located in Millennium Park which is in the Loop District of Chicago. It was constructed between 2004 and 2006, and is made up of 168 steel plates welded together and it has no seams. “The Bean” is 66 feet long and 33 feet tall, weighing 110 ton. The arch in the center, that many people walk through, is 12 foot high.Crown Fountain is also located in Millennium Park. This work of art opened in July, 2004 and is composed of a black granite pool, which is covered in snow, and two glass brick towers that are 50 feet tall. The Brick towers display faces through LED lighting all year long and mid-spring to mid-fall there is a fountain of water that gives the illusion of water spouting from their mouths.In 2013, the Chicago Christmas Tree was on display at Daley Plaza where Christkindlmarket is located.The Christkindlemarket has been held at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago since 1997. The Chicago Christkindlmarket is inspired by the Christkindlmarket in Nuremberg, Germany. This is an outdoor market located in the Loop that includes many German and European traditions. The Market is usually open from the week of Thanksgiving until Christmas from 11am-8pm and the admission is free.“The Eternal Flame” located in Daley Plaza is a single natural gas flame that is a memorial for all those that have served in the military. The flame was lit on August 22, 1972 and has continuously burned ever since. In the winter, the area usually always has pigeons around it trying to stay warm.Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, was completed in 1973 and was deemed the tallest building in the world at 1,451 feet tall which is 110 stories. Sears Tower kept this title for almost 25 years. Willis tower is located on S Wacker Dr in downtown Chicago.To walkout on “the ledge” you have to go around the side of Willis Tower to Jackson Blvd and enter at the Skydeck location. The Skydeck is open daily from April-September from 9am-10pm and October-March from 10am-8pm. The ticket price is $22/person for 12 years and older and $14/kid ages 3-11.This is the view from the 103rd story of the Willis tower, also known as the Skydeck. Some fun facts about Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, is that it has enough concrete to make an eight lane highway for five miles, there are 1500 miles of electrical wiring and 25 miles of plumbing within the walls, and 80 miles of elevator car cables.In 2009, Skydeck introduced “the ledge” which is four glass boxes that you can walk out on and look straight down 1,353 feet to Wacker Drive. The boxes are 4.3 feet deep and it is an amazing experience. While on the 103rd floor, on a clear day you can see up to 50 miles which can include four states.Giordano’s is a very popular pizza restaurant in Chicago. They first opened in 1974 on the historic south side and are still operating at numerous locations today. They are best known for their stuffed pizza. Eating at Giordano’s is a must while in Chicago and they also offer Gluten Free pizza.The famous Chicago Tribune is one of the major daily newspapers and was founded in 1847. It is one of the largest newspapers in the United States and is the most-read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area.
DAY 2
After much research, we decided to get a hotel on Michigan Ave, also known as the Magnificent Mile. The Allerton Hotel is a perfect location, as it is in the middle of the Magnificent Mile perfect walking distance from everything. This was the view from our window, looking straight at the Chicago Watertower. It was the first time I can ever remember waking up to an additional seven inches of snow that fell over night, making the total amount of snow ten inches.The Allerton Hotel is a 25-story hotel and was one of the first towers that was built on the Magnificent Mile in 1923. In the 1940’s and 1950’s the hotel had a lounge on the top floor called “Tip Top Tap” and those words are still displayed on the outside of the hotel today. The hotel was renovated in 1999, however, because it was built in the early 1920’s the elevators and rooms are very small. Seen here is another view from our hotel window of the snow falling.We decided to get out and brave the snow! This picture was taken right outside our hotel, in front of the Apple Store on the Magnificent Mile.Anyone that was a fan of SNL in the 1970’s, may remember the skit “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! You want doublecheez?!? Who’s next!?! WHO’S NEXT!?!.” The SNL Skit originated from Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, which opened in 1934. Today there are numerous Billy Goat Tavern’s throughout the Chicago area, however seen here is the original one located at 1855 W. Madison St. and even if you are not a SNL fan, it is a must stop just for the experience.The famous Chicago Water tower is located right in the middle of the Magnificent Mile. This is the second oldest water tower in the United States and was built in 1869 to house a large water pump that would pull water from Lake Michigan. The water tower is 154 feet tall and was the only public building to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.The Fourth Presbyterian Church is located just off the north side of the Magnificent Mile at 126 E Chestnut St. This Gothic style church was built in 1912 and a beautiful stop for a picture with the snow made it even more gorgeous.It was our first time in Chicago and we had no idea how the transportation system worked, therefore we decided to walk to Lincoln Park Zoo to see the Christmas lights. It was a beautiful two mile hike, even though it was 12 degrees with ten inches of snow on the ground. Needless to say, we rode the city bus back the hotel.The Lincoln Park Zoo is located at N Clark St. The admission to the zoo is free and the lights are on display from Thanksgiving to New Year’s on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 4:30-9pm.The Lincoln Park Zoo has over 2 million lights that they put on display every year.The zoo also has numerous ice carvings on display.There are numerous ways that you can exit the zoo, we decided to go out the back to get a good view of the skyline of Chicago.
DAY 3
Every year, PNC Bank puts on a Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier. In December 2013, the admission into the Winter Wonderfest was free, however you had to purchase an armband for the rides. There are so many activities at the Winter Wonderfest, that I would plan on staying at least 3-4 hours.The Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier is opened daily the entire month of December except Christmas Day. Seen here is one of the bounce houses that the kids could enjoy.Located upstairs at Navy Pier is The Crystal Gardens. This is an indoor, one-acre botanical garden that has a six story glass atrium and a 50 foot arched ceiling. Inside there is lush greenery and dancing fountains. The admission is free and opens everyday at 10 am.In December 2013, the stained glass window museum was still located at Navy Pier on the lower level terrence of the festival hall. This was the largest public display of Tiffany windows in the world. Seen here is one of the stained glass windows that was on display. The museum unfortunately was closed when we returned in December 2015.The view from the roof of navy pier looking out onto Lake Michigan. Navy Pier is a lot larger than I ever expected, it is 3,300 feet long and was built in 1916. The pier is Chicago’s number one tourist attraction with rides, shops, restaurants, and festival halls all inside. I highly recommend visiting Navy Pier while in Chicago.Holy Name Cathedral is located on Wabash Ave. This Gothic style Cathedral was built in 1875 and with ceilings over 150 feet high it can seat over 2,000 people. In 1926, Hymie Weiss died in front of the Holy Name Cathedral, he had been at war with Al Capone for many years. There used to be 35 bullet holes in the church’s structure, however after renovations there is only one remaining bullet hole that is still visible from the Al Capone era.Downtown Dogs is located at 804 N Rush Street and is a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant that we stopped at the get a Chicago style hot dog. The prices are very reasonable, however there is very limited seating. There are no tables, only about 8 bar stools inside the restaurant. They are open daily from 11am-10pm.To get a great view of the city at night, we decided to go to the John Hancock Center located on the north end of the Magnificent Mile. Instead of paying to go to the observation deck on the 94th floor, we opted to go to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor where the admission is free and you can buy a drink and dessert while looking out at the Chicago skyline. Seen here is Navy Pier all lit up at night.Construction of the building was completed in 1968 and was the tallest building in Chicago until Sears Tower was constructed. The John Hancock Center is 1,124 feet tall and has 100 stories. This is the view of our hotel from the 96th floor. To enter the Signature Lounge on 96th, you are carded before even entering the door and no one under the age of 21 is allowed admission.The skyline from The John Hancock Center. Viewing the Chicago skyline at night is a must, it is absolutely stunning, as is Chicago in general.
