Four days of Chicago!!! Suggestions please! (Oak Park, Lincoln: house, neighborhoods, shop)

[CBU23]

My friend and I are two 27 year old females that have never been to Chicago. I am thinking about moving there next year and want to visit and my friend just likes to go to new places. We will be there Sept. 17 through Sept. 20. I want to get as much Chicago in as I can in four days. I want to see as much as I can tourist wise, but I also want to get a feel for the city since I hope to move there next year. I have been looking online at things to do, but was hoping to get some suggestions as well.

Thanks for your help!

[Chi-town Native]

the river boat tours are excellent, you get both brilliant views of the City as well as history, plus, at least one (can't remember which company) serves booze to boot.

CAF Tours (http://www.architecture.org/tour_view.aspx?TourID=8 - broken link)

hmm, didn't like my Wendella Boats link, but it's www.wendellaboats.com/

this is new to me, but might help:

Chicago Lake & Chicago River Boat Tour Cruise Comparison Chart - Review

[soulful]

I would suggest the Lincoln Park Zoo and all of the museums (I won't list them...too many).

Of course, there is shopping up and down N. Michigan Avenue at all the big stores if you get into that..

p.s. As you are thinking of moving to Chicago, you may wish to check out the very first thread in the Chicago forum as it will give lots of info. regarding various neighborhoods where locals reside and you may want to visit/get a feel for them while in the city.

[Venom]

I went to the Architectural tour yesterday for the first time.

It was at sunset so it started with all the buildings as they would be during the day and ended with them as they would in the night.
It was awesome.

Funny tourists.

[lenniel]

Take an hour and go up to the observation deck in either the Hancock or Sear Tower. Amazing views of the city and beyond.

[adamtrip]

I prefer the Hancock views. Also, the days you will be here, Ronnies on Lake Street is having $4.99 8oz steak, potato, salad, and bread. Just thought I would throw that in. We love that place! Oh, and walk on the Lake Shore Drive path. It's awesome and free.

[JustJulia]

I think the CityPass is a really good deal. For $69 per person, you can see the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, the Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and either the John Hancock Observatory or the Skydeck (top of the Sears Tower--sorry, Willis, it'll always be the Sears Tower to me!). You will easily spend that much seeing just a couple of those places.

Chicago CityPass®: Visit 5 Chicago attractions for just $69 per pass, a $139.50 value!

[JustJulia]

By the way, my in-laws came to visit last month, and my husband took them on the architectural boat tour, and they said it was fantastic.

[linicx]

Some of the things I always enjoyed seeing is the Navy Pier, The Lincoln Park Zoo Great Ape House and a tour of Lower Wacker Drive with a cabbie that knows the city history. The Outer Drive any time except during rush hour, the Loop, the twin towers, the Trump tower if its finished, The Chicago Board of Trade, and Chinatown. If you like Frank Lloyd Wright architecture you will fall in love with Oak Park. Oh, and don't forget Chicago Pizza and a drive by McCormick Place and Buckingham Fountain. Bring your camera and extra SMS cards.

If you go, see and eat everything everyone tells you to do you will go home 10# heavier, broke and dead tired because you won't sleep for three days. Three days is not enough hours. But you will have one heck of a good time trying to do it.

Chicago knows how to cook! There used to be a fish shack by Navy Pier that had food to die for, but I do not know if it is still open and serving food or not.

The most important thing to do it have fun!!!!!

Here is an overview of what Chicago looked like fify years ago. It's fun and a few of the old buildings are still standing.

[adamtrip]

You might also want to try the double decker hop on and off bus tours. They go all around the city and you can get off and back on again at any of their stops. You also get a couple of free things when you get off - Garrett popcorn, Hershey bar, t-shirt, etc.