We are going to be in Joliet, IL for a few days at the end of June and have decided to stay a few more days and see the sights and catch a baseball game in Chicago. Where are some decent places to stay (2 adults and 1 child ~ 8 years old)? What did you like/dislike about where you've stayed and Chicago in general?
Edit: we don't mind staying in downtown or suburbs ~ either are fine with us. We'll be going to the Rangers/White Sox game, and hoping to check out Navy Pier, Field Museum, and maybe the aquarium and planetarium as well.
I recommend Hotel Monaco. It's a boutique hotel and in a great location. I had family and friends staying there from all over the world for our wedding and they said it was perfect. Great location and an overall great stay. http://monaco-chicago.com/
The Museum of Science and Industry is an absolute must. Plan on the
entire day there. You and your son will asolutely love it. My husband and I
always go when we visit Chicago. The architectural boat tour is great also.
I always go onto Hotels.com to see what I can get. You can usually get a
decent price in the downtonw area convenient to everything. To get to the
Museum of Science and Industry requires a bus ride of about 20 minutes.
You must see "The Cloud" too.
Stay somewhere on the Mag mile, or at the Embasssy suits -- the Hilton is lovely, great breakfast. Avoid Hotel Intercontinental. You should be able to pick up a deal online on one of the various discount sites. I'd also check groupon. We've picked up some great deals on there for great hotels in the city.
are you looking to stay downtown, or in the suburbs? Cubs or Sox?
The Ritz- Carlton
We've stayed in Schaumburg a few times. It's still a bit of a hike into the city though. We stayed at the Spring Mills Marriott. Very nice, and reasonably priced. There is lots of shopping in the area, including an IKEA.
If you're coming into the city and want to do touristy stuff, stick with the mag mile or downtown area.
Hotels down there will cost you around $200-300/night. The Hilton is on the south side of Michigan Ave, and will give you walking distance access to the museum campus, the lake front, and Millenium Park. (Not to mention shopping about a mile up the street.)
You can also stay in the heart of the shopping on Mich Ave a little further north. The Allerton is a lovely hotel and is 1 block away from Water Tower and The Hancock.
There are also your W hotels (1 in te loop on Adams and 1 on LakeShore), the Trump, the Sheraton, etc...
All are well located for the tourist sites.
If you're going to a Cubs or Sox game, there are no hotels close to the parks, and frankly, you don't want to stay near Sox park. Cubs are in Wrigleyville, which is heavily residential (my neighborhood!). Terrific for a visit, game and walking around. Lots of nightlight for 20 somethings. But you won't find much else to do around there for the traditional tourist activities.
Check out the street fests, as well, depending on when you're coming. Ribfest is this weekend - which is AWESOME.
Here's a link to the kid friendly festival calendar. I highly recommend this if you're coming to town. The tourist stuff is fun, but the festivals in the neighborhoods will give you a true 'feel' and taste for the city at it's finest.
http://timeoutchicagokids.com/things-to-do/140921/festiva...
I am in Streamwood/Schaumburg area, if you plan on seeing the sites then I suggest you stay closer to the city - it takes about an hour to get into the city from here on average.
We spent a weekend in Chicago and stayed at the Embassy Suites that is right by Navy Pier - walking distance in fact. The Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and Shedd Aquarium were a short driving distance away. Enjoyed the free breakfast buffet and Happy Hour!
