Chicago Travel Forum

I'm coming into Chicago for a couple of days to visit friends as well as attend a hockey game before moving on to the next destination. I have a few hours after my arrival before meeting up with some friends, and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can do. I have been to the usual Millennium Park, Magnificent Mile already so looking for something new. If anything, I don't just walking the mile again and finding a book store to just sit down and read a book.

Tour the Art Institute and have Lunch outside in the Courtyard. It's a true Chgo. experience! That or head out to Navy Pier for a Carousel Ride ( 400 ft high!!) and possibly a boat tour. The city looks gorgeous from the Lake.

Chgo. is a wonderful friendly city, enjoy!

( Edited for corrections!)

Tour the Art Institute and have Lunch outside in the Courtyard. It's a true Chgo. experience! That or head out to Navy Pier for a Ferris Wheel Ride. ( 150 ft high!!) and possibly a boat tour. The city looks gorgeous from the Lake.

Chgo. is a wonderful friendly city, enjoy!

Depending on your timing you could:

take an architectural cruise on the river or lake

take the el down to Chinatown and poke around the junk shops, have some lunch, grab something from one of the bakeries, only takes about 10-15 minutes to get down there by el

arrange for a Chicago Greeter tour, it's free and they will take you to any neighborhood

take a walking tour of Chicago with the Chicago Architecture Foundation

pop into some of the beautiful buildings downtown, some that come to mind are the Marquette Building, the Pittsfield Building, the Rookery, State of Illinois Building, Palmer House, Chicago Cultural Center

take the el over to Wicker Park/Bucktown, lots of funky shops and places to eat anything from a slice of pizza to gelato to a full blown meal

walk or rent a bicycle and go along the lakefront path

take a bus up to the Lincoln Park Zoo, it's free and so is the conservatory next door

pay a visit to any one of the top notch museums-Art Institute, Shedd, Field, Chicago History Museum, Adler Planetarium

do a self guided tour of some of the public art-there's a Picasso, Miro, Chagall and Calder all within walking distance of one another

The previous suggestions are wonderful.

Chicago has great neighborhoods and great neighborhood taverns that serve remarkable beers from around the world. Two outstanding bars which are "musts" for any beer-lover are the Map Room (1949 N. Hoyne, just off Armitage in Bucktown) and the Hopleaf (5148 N. Clark in Andersonville). The Hopleaf also has really good food.

Since you mention books you could also check out the Harold Washington Chicago Public Library which is not far from Millenium Park.

Take the elevator to the top of the John Hancock building for one of the best views in the USA.

You can have a drink on the 95th Floor of the Hancock and not pay for the Observatory, same view.