Family visiting- cheap tourism options (Chicago, Oak Park: coupons, homes, restaurants)

[mossyfiber12]

So my family will be visiting me during the 2nd weekend of June and I wanted to show them (and myself) around the city a little. Are there any cheap,ethnic restaurants around the city or free/cheap museums? Any and all suggestions are welcome. They will be here for about 2 days.

Thanks!

[jonnynonos]

There are perhaps close to 10 million cheap ethnic restaurants. What's your poison? Most of the big museums are anything but 'cheap' these days, they are in fact exhorbitantly expensive.

[s0nginmyheart]

Freebies and Free Things to Do in Chicago | Free Museums

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mossyfiber12

So my family will be visiting me during the 2nd weekend of June and I wanted to show them (and myself) around the city a little. Are there any cheap,ethnic restaurants around the city or free/cheap museums? Any and all suggestions are welcome. They will be here for about 2 days.

Thanks!

There's cheap ethnic places everywhere, but you'll have to mostly go out of downtown if you want to get them (although a few exist downtown). Help us by narrowing down the type of cuisine you're looking for.

For free/cheap museums, eh they aren't that cheap I'd say. There might be a few like the museum of surgical science, but do you really want to go there I know of one free museum off the top of my head which is a cultural type of museum across the street from Millennium Park.

[sfcambridge]

If you want cheap, go to Millenium park and the Lincoln Park Zoo. All free.

[richrf]

Where will you be staying? What are your interests?

The Bahai Temple is extraordinary.

Science and Industry free days: Museum of Science and Industry | Free Days

Navy Pier

Free Art Institute days: Free Family Wednesdays
Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free to Illinois residents the first and second Wednesday of every month.

Concerts and events at the Cultural Center on Washington and Michigan.

Chinatown

Buckingham Fountain at night (if the lights are on).

Oak Street Beach

Hope these help.

[mossyfiber12]

They usually like Asian or Indian food. I was thinking about taking them to Joy Yee's. I will be around the south loop area so checking out Millenium and Grant Park is definitely on the list. Maybe we can check out the skydeck? Don't know what the price is though...

[richrf]

Yep they will probably like Joy Yee's. It is a fun enough place with the presentation, music, and everything. Hancock's view is probably the best. I can't remember the cost but you may be able to find a discount coupon in one of the visitor magazines. The tourism bureau is near the Hancock in the Water Tower exhibit (not Water Tower place). Walking up Michigan Ave. can be fun. The bricks in the Chicago Tribune Tower building, the Apple Store, lots of chocolate stores. You definitely can find discount coupons for any one of the tour buses or tour boats.

[linicx]

Free
Chinatown
Buckingham Fountain
Eli's Cheesecake Factory Tour/with free sample
Lincoln Park Zoo
Lower Wacker Drive - the history is the reason to go there
Hyde Park area where the Obama's family home is located
Millenium Park
Frank Lloyd Wright homes walking tour. The largest collection of his designs in the world: Oak Park
66 E. Randolph - Chicago Downtown Farmstand Mon -Sat !!am to close
Union Station
Michigan Avenue
Lake Shore
Trump Towers

Not-so-Free
6,000 restaurants
Navy Pier
Shedd Aquarium
Botanical Garden
Lake Cruise
Second City Comedy Club

Early Sunday morning is the perfect time to see the Lake and the City with a minimum of traffic.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mossyfiber12

They usually like Asian or Indian food. I was thinking about taking them to Joy Yee's. I will be around the south loop area so checking out Millenium and Grant Park is definitely on the list. Maybe we can check out the skydeck? Don't know what the price is though...

If you like Asian and Indian, then there's really a few areas you should check out. The first is Chinatown I guess..there's some good stuff like Joy Yee as you've mentioned. Although Joy Yee has about three or four other locations in the city. Their smoothies are real good, and they even have durian smoothies (my girlfriend loves it..but yuck).

Here's more local secrets though. If you like Vietnamese, then head up to Argyle Street (Argyle stop on the Red Line). It's literally right off the train. There's a lot of cheap places for Pho up there. There's also a good Dim Sum place nearby on Broadway called Furama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZMQZ81WkWg

If you like Korean BBQ, there's places up north (like Sab Soo Gab San in Lincoln Square is a good one).

For Indian, if you have a car this will be easier, but Devon street up north near Devon & Western is basically little India/Pakistan lined with Indian and Pakistani restaurants (and other stores).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQhL_...eature=related