The Windy City Saga Tour
Aug 31 - Sept 2, 2023
Excursion and Dining Options
Optional Excursions
Use your free time to customize your weekend according to your own interests, or enjoy some downtime if you’d like that. Excursions within a short walk of our hotel include: American Writers Museum, The Art Institute, Millennium Park, a river cruise, the Chicago Architecture Center, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain, walking the Lakefront Trail, and/or tea at Russian Tea Time. For locations further afield, hail a taxi, order an uber, or take public transit to get where you want to go.
For excursions that require tickets, you will purchase those on your own, separately from the registration fee.
*In the unfortunate event that you may need to cancel your trip, please note the individual cancellation/refund policies for your chosen excursion(s).
There are so many options of things to do in Chicago! Here are several ideas:
American Writers Museum, 180 North Michigan Ave., second floor
Cost: $14 for adults, $9 for seniors, age 12 and younger free
Hours: Thursday through Monday, 10am - 5pm
You may also buy tickets on site when you go, or buy tickets online, which can be redeemed at any point during regular operating hours.
This museum about American writers opened in 2017 and is located between the Riverwalk and Millennium Park. It's 0.4 mile from our hotel. Book Riot calls the AWM Chicago's new "literary paradise." There are interactive displays, but be prepared for a lot of reading here--as one might expect.
Cost: $48-52
Hours: TBD
This is a 90-minute cruise on the Chicago River with a tour guide narrating the examples of architecture you’ll see along the way. When you purchase, you’ll see an option to add admission to the Chicago Architecture Center for just another $5.
The tour guide for the river cruise is unlikely to mention the Eastland Disaster (as featured in Drawn by the Current) that happened between LaSalle and Clark Street bridges, but you can try to imagine it while on board.
*You may also want to look at Viator.com for other river cruise options of different lengths and prices, but keep in mind that only cruises through the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) offer $5 admission to CAC with the purchase of a cruise ticket.
Cost: For out-of-state guests: $25 per adult, $19 for seniors or age 14 up through college students, free for children age 13 and under. (Chicago and Illinois residents have lower rates.)
Hours: 11am-6pm
The Art Institute has one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings in the country, largely due to the influence and gifts of Bertha Palmer, wife of Potter Palmer, who established the Palmer House hotel we’re staying in for the weekend. (Readers meet Bertha in Veiled in Smoke.) The Art Institute is one of two buildings still in Chicago that was built for the 1893 World’s Fair.
Also see Millennium Park right next to The Art Institute.
Buckingham Fountain, inside Grant Park
Cost: FREE
Hours: Anytime
A 0.7 mile-walk from the hotel, this landmark rococco fountain was built in 1927 and is surrounded by gardens in Grant Park. It may be too early in the season for the fountain to be running, but it's still worth seeing. From here, stroll through the surrounding gardens or cross Lake Shore Drive to walk along the Lakefront Trail, parallel to the endless blue of Lake Michigan.
Cost: $14 for adults
Hours: 10am-5pm daily.
If you do the river cruise through the CAC, you can add admission to the Center for only $5 and go anytime during the weekend, after the cruise. This museum is very well done. A model of Chicago has more than 400 buildings.
Cost: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, college students with ID $10, children 12 and under free.*
Hours: Friday 11am-6pm. Saturday 10am-5pm. Admission ends one hour before close each day.
*Admission is free if you’re a member of a museum that’s part of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM).
This historic home served as the inspiration for my character Hiram Sloane’s house in Veiled in Smoke. If you’ve read the novel recently, you may recognize many of the characteristics.
Cost: Basic admission for out-of-state adult: $26
Hours: 9am-5pm daily. Last admission at 4pm.
* Admission is free if you’re a member of a museum that’s part of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Travel Passport Program. Admittance Policy: Two adults and up to two children, 17 and under. Proof of valid membership and photo ID are required to receive complimentary basic admission. Special exhibitions, 3D theater tickets, and coat check are not included.
The Field Museum collection grew out of items on display in the 1893 World’s Fair, aka Columbian Exposition. Of the 65,000 natural and cultural exhibits at the Fair, many later found a permanent home in Chicago at the newly created Field Columbian Museum, named both for the World’s Fair and for Marshall Field, who donated $1 million toward the museum. A docent should be able to tell you how to tell which exhibits on display at the Field Museum today are from the 1893 Fair.
Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library
Cost: FREE
Hours: 9am-5pm
This main branch of the Chicago Public Library is 0.4 mile from the hotel and a sight to behold, inside and out. The first public library began in Chicago after book donations poured in from England after the Great Fire of 1871. The collection was housed in an old water tank first, and then in City Hall before coming to the first dedicated public library in what is now the Chicago Cultural Center, which we will visit Saturday morning. The Chicago Public Library, founded in 1873, now has 81 locations around the city.
Cost: FREE
Hours: Anytime
To walk beside Lake Michigan, leave our hotel and head east on Monroe Street for about three blocks. Just after crossing Lake Shore Drive, hop onto the Lakefront Trail and head south for a stroll that will take you through city parks and past the famous Buckingham Fountain. The Lakefront Trail is a paved eighteen-mile stretch divided into pedestrian and bicyle use, with access to the lake for those who want a closer encounter with one of the Great Lakes.
Cost: FREE
Hours: Anytime
Adjacent to The Art Institute, Millennium Park (0.1 mile from the hotel) is best known for being home to the reflective scultpture "Cloud Gate," aka "The Bean." But Millennium Park boasts much more, including Crown Fountain and Lurie Garden, an award-winning masterpiece of botanical landscaping. Throughout the year, and for every season, native perennials and bulbs give the garden great diversity, creating a haven for wildlife, birds, and insects.
Museum of Science and Industry
Cost: Adults $21.95, children 3-11 $12.95.*
Hours: 9:30am - 4pm
*Admission is free if you’re a member of a museum that’s part of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Travel Passport Program. Up to two adults and four children under 18 living in the same household get in for free. One adult must be member cardholder. Complimentary general admission only. Must present valid membership card and photo ID at the general ticket counter. Proof of Residence Required.
The Museum of Science & Industry, originally built as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World’s Fair. Explore the Wooded Island next to MSI, also constructed for the World’s Fair.
Cost: Free
Hours: The Pier is open year-round, until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours of restaurants and shops vary.
No tickets required to visit.
It’s hard to imagine, but during the Great Fire of 1871, people ran off the pier and jumped into Lake Michigan to survive the wall of flames surging after them. Today, Navy Pier is full of shops, restaurants, public events, and the Ferris Wheel. (Did you know George Ferris originally invented the Ferris Wheel for the 1893 World’s Fair?) Check out the Web site for more ideas of what you can do there.
Riverwalk
Cost: FREE
Hours: Anytime
The Chicago Riverwalk is 1.25 miles of pedestrian walkway right next to the Chicago River. Restaurants and cafes line the walk, along with multiple boat cruise companies and the Chicago Architecture Center. We will walk a small section of this together after lunch on Saturday as we visit the site of the Eastland Disaster but you may enjoy walking more of it in your free time.
Coffee/Tea Shops
If you're looking for a place to unwind with a cup of good coffee or tea, you have many options from which to choose. Of course you'll find Starbucks everywhere, including inside our hotel and around the corner from it. But here are some other ideas to consider (I recommend checking their hours beforehand):
Intelligentsia Coffee Millennium Park, 53 E. Randolph St.
You'll find this one on most (if not all) "Best Coffeeshops in the Loop" lists. Priced a little higher than average with the quality to match, this place would appeal to the true coffee afficionado. It's between Macy's and the Chicago Cutural Center, so would be on your way back from the Riverwalk.
Dollop Coffee Company, multiple locations
Offering fresh coffee drinks and fresh bread/pastries, you'll find this shop in a few convenient locations. Currently, most close at 3pm. Closest to the hotel is 55 West Monroe Street, just a couple of blocks west. The 150 North Michigan Ave location is just outside Millennium Park, and 343 South Dearborn St. would be on your way to the Harold Washington Library Center.
Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea Millennium Park, 12 South Michigan Ave. (First Floor of Chicago Athletic Association)
This location, 0.2. mile from Palmer House, is tucked into the first floor of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, across from Millennium Park. Take a look at the ethically-sourced coffee and tea menu here.
Goddess and the Baker, 33 South Wabash Ave.
Fun atmosphere with sandwiches, salads, specialty coffees, and sweets. Here’s the menu for the Wabash location. This place is 0.1 mile from the hotel, and close to Millennium Park.
HERO Coffee Bar - Printer's Row, 439 South Dearborn St.
This coffee company gives back to charities. A half-mile from the hotel, it's right next to the Harold Washington Library Center, so if you're headed to the library, swing by for a cup of joe while you're at it. Or vice versa.
Russian Tea Time, 77 E. Adams St.
For anyone who wants to take a break from sightseeing and just relax one afternoon with a traditional Russian tea service, make a reservation at Russian Tea Time, which is 0.1 mile from the hotel. Go with a friend and share a samovar pot of tea. This place is in high-demand, so I’d recommend making a reservation early. Here’s the tea menu.
Dining Options
Around the hotel, you’ll find several options that you’re likely already familiar with, such as Chipotle, Subway, Jimmy Johns, Chick-Fil-A, etc. Here are some other ideas to consider:
The Berghoff, 17 W. Adams St.
This German restaurant has a history that goes back to 1893 when Herman Berghoff set up a stand in the Midway Plaisance. The restaurant has been 100% family-owned ever since! In addition to German fare, it also offers American foods and has several gluten-free options. It’s only 0.2 miles from the hotel.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, 410 North Michigan Ave.
Award-winning deep dish pizza, very reasonably priced, with gluten free options. There are several locations, but the 410 Michigan Ave. is walkable from the hotel. Find the menu here.
Exchequer Restaurant & Pub, 226 S Wabash Ave.
Another highly-rated dining option, only 0.1 mile from hotel. Sandwiches, entrees, ribs, pizza. Exchequer was once a speakeasy that Al Capone may have frequented. Famous for its ribs and deep-dish pizza.
Italian Village Restaurants, 71 W. Monroe St.
Established in 1927, this is the oldest Italian restaurant in Chicago--and they want it to feel that way. The ambiance is designed to evoke Tuscany at the turn of the century. It's proximity to our hotel (0.2 mile) makes this a great choice for those looking for an experience. The dessert menu alone is tempting.
Flo & Santo’s Pizza and Pierogi, 1310 South Wabash Ave.
Inspired by a real Polish and Italian couple who immigrated to Chicago, this restaurant offers a variety of classic Italian and Polish dishes along with specialty pizzas. There are some gluten-free options, but the owner points out that they have a smaller kitchen and there may be some cross-contamination.
Giordano’s, multiple locations
Another fabulous deep dish pizzeria with lots of Chicago locations. I don’t see any GF options on this menu, though. Also, I think the Rush Street or Navy Pier locations have the best ambiance. But the pizza is delicious everywhere.
With these pizza places, you could also order delivery and eat in your hotel room if you are completely zonked and prefer a night in.
The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, 1401 South Michigan Ave.
A refined dining experience in an old firehouse. If you're looking for a high-end meal in a historic location, this will fit the bill. Take a look at the menu here. The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant is 1.4 miles from our hotel and close to the Field Museum.
For more information about this trip, see the pages in the dropdown menu under The Windy City Saga Tour tab on the navigational bar at the top of this Web page. Or click these links for: