The Times Square of Chicago? (Madison: best cities, activity, best)

[muffincake]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

If you're looking for a Times Square equivalent, it's probably Millennium Park. But no self-respecting New Yorker goes to Times Square for enjoyment (other than to the theaters); being there during the summer is really unpleasant. Chicagoans are a bit more accepting of Millennium Park, but it's still not really a destination for people who live here.

Also, in response to your comment about there being nothing in Millennium Park: The point of a park is that it's an oasis from urban chaos. It's a place to walk through gardens, look at the sculptures, rest after a day of shopping, and let the kids enjoy a little green space. Is there something else a park should have in it to make it more bustling?

My comment about Millennium Park was that while Central Park (comparable park) or Times Square (point of reference for city center) is literally surrounded by Manhattan, Millennium Park isn't engulfed by the city the same way. You do have Michigan Avenue on one side, but the lake on the other side, so it's definitely not the center of the city the way Central Park is, or the way Times Square is.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by muffincake

My comment about Millennium Park was that while Central Park (comparable park) or Times Square (point of reference for city center) is literally surrounded by Manhattan, Millennium Park isn't engulfed by the city the same way. You do have Michigan Avenue on one side, but the lake on the other side, so it's definitely not the center of the city the way Central Park is, or the way Times Square is.

You won't find that here to the extent that Central Park is, but guess what? You won't find it in many other cities across the world. Even the largest park in Chicago is like this. I'll give you a hint..the largest park isn't Grant Park/Millennium Park.

[muffincake]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Magnificent Mile. Most people who visit here shops there and walks along it. There's restaurants and a ton of shopping. Some people visit Chicago just to shop on Michigan Avenue. Millennium Park (the bean and all that crap) is like a secondary thing, but it's not something you spend more than a few hours at unless you're going to a concert at the Pavilion out there or some event.

I'd say it's kind of a cross between like 5th/Madison Aves and Times Square without all the flashing lights of Times Square.

Maybe that part where N. Michigan meets E. Wacker. But there's no iconic spot. People are surprised when I tell them Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S. I don't know, it seems like Chicago may be slightly forgettable to people. Oh well.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by muffincake

Maybe that part where N. Michigan meets E. Wacker. But there's no iconic spot. People are surprised when I tell them Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S. I don't know, it seems like Chicago may be slightly forgettable to people. Oh well.

No iconic spot? I'd say Sears Tower and Millennium Park to outsiders, but lol, I think you need to get out and explore the neighborhoods..... there's a TON of stuff in Chicago you won't know about.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by muffincake

Maybe that part where N. Michigan meets E. Wacker. But there's no iconic spot. People are surprised when I tell them Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S. I don't know, it seems like Chicago may be slightly forgettable to people. Oh well.

I would say Navy Pier is up there...I believe it is the #1 tourist spot in Chicago. It isn't right in the middle of everything like Times Square but I think it's definitely one of the prominent Chicago icons.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by muffincake

The Loop is where I live and work. I'm asking more from a tourist perspective than a resident perspective. In NYC, Times Square is the iconic center destination. In London, it's Piccadilly Circus. In Chicago, it's...? Before I got here, the giant silver bean and Willis Tower were the only two landmarks/locations I even knew of.

Chicago is a bit more spread out. What kind of "action" are you looking for? Nightlife or cultural attractions?

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Bluefoxwarrior

I would say Navy Pier is up there...I believe it is the #1 tourist spot in Chicago. It isn't right in the middle of everything like Times Square but I think it's definitely one of the prominent Chicago icons.

Agreed. Navy Pier is the #1 attraction in Illinois, it gets 8 million visitors a year. Ferris wheel & Skyline Stage are both worth a visit.

[JBVirtuoso]

Having a lake on one entire side of the city kind of limits the ability for any one site to be central. And really, I don't think Times Square is really all that iconic and central. A lot of subway lines converge there, but it's not as if that's where all of New York's business happens. It's really just a tourist attraction. It's hard to identify a city center in Manhattan, as it's already got two central areas: downtown and midtown. For the midtown center, you could make just as good of an argument for Grand Central or Penn Station as you could for Times Square.

If you do want a point of reference as the city center in Chicago, the corner of State and Madison is where you should look. All of Chicago's addresses are based on a system that uses that intersection as the city center. There's also quite a bit of shopping, and Randolph/State is the epicenter of Chicago's theater district.

Personally, having worked in a building in Times Square, I'm glad Chicago doesn't have an equivalent of that mess. Dodging tourists, street performers, food vendors, and con artists is not my idea of an enjoyable urban experience. Every evening, I hightailed it out of there as fast as I could.

[eureka1]

We are planning a trip in October which includes NYC. We plan on spending about five minutes , if that, in Times Square.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by eureka1

We are planning a trip in October which includes NYC. We plan on spending about five minutes , if that, in Times Square.

Ha. Probably worth mentioning that we went to London the single most overrated aspect was Piccadilly Circus.

The Tower of London, now THAT was iconic and a massive tourist draw.