When we planned our trip, we weren't sure where to go after New York.
So many ideas came to our mind, but at the end the decision was 3 days in Chicago. We were afraid that we'll get sick of the big buildings, streets and city lifestyle in general, because this was our third city in a row.
Oh boy, were we wrong! Yes, it is just another big city in the states with huge skyscrapers and traffic jams. But it's also so much more. It's like modern New York - cleaner and more organized. At least, that's my impression.
We were situated in the old town, which is a lovely neighborhood and if you ever find yourself in Chicago, take some time to walk around it. This part has some amazing buildings, streets, cafes etc. Also, I definitely recommend Chicago Getaway Hostel for your stay. Amazing place with expert staff was just enjoyable.
For our first day we decided just to experience the city by walking around. We started from our place towards downtown, following the Lakeshore road. That turned out to be a great plan. You can pass a lot of parks and the road towards the city center is really unique.
The road lead us to the lake Michigan. And I was stunned with the view. The shore and the horizon were so big, that I couldn't believe I'm looking at the lake. So far in my life, whenever I saw lake I also saw the beginning and end of it. Now I know it doesn't need to be like that. The beach was full of people and it had a lot of volleyball fields. It reminded us a bit of Barcelona, with the buildings in the background and sandy beach up front.
We reserved the evening for experiencing the night view of the city, which is really something special. Take a night walk on the riverside, I promise you'll enjoy it very much. All that walking made us very hungry so we decided to try out the famous Chicago deep-dish pizza.
When you come to Giordano's you have to pre-order first, then wait at the bar for approximately 50 minutes and then you go for your table just to wait for 10 more minutes. But trust me – it's worth it! That was the best pizza in my life, it's simply melting in your mouth. Now I understand what's with all the fuss.
The next day we went on an Architecture Boat Tour, which was another must-do thing in Chicago. And I agree. It was super fun and educating sailing on a river through the city. It was a new, creative way of exploring a city. You see everything from different perspective, which makes this trip a unique experience.
What kind of a trip would it be without me going to some viewpoint? We went on Skydeck and 360 Observation Deck. To save you some time (and money) I recommend you just the Skydeck, it's more cooler and the view is better.
Although the other one has the tilt experience, where you lean over the city, Skydeck offers you to stand on the glass above the city, which I think is the better option! But of course from both of them you get some stunning views.
Post about Chicago wouldn't be post about Chicago if I don't mention the famous Bean. That's why you'll get two photos, a night one and daily one. Although I'm not sure I understand it, I have to admit that it's really cool seeing the reflection of the city in it. Also, the whole Millennium park is full of surprises and interesting sculptures. You can spend the whole afternoon wandering around it and constantly finding something new.
Streets of Chicago are definitely not boring. Amazing thing happened when we stumbled upon these guys. They made a show that day, so I simply have to dedicate few lines and photos of this post for them.
And that's it! Somehow, among all the photos I take, I always manage to have just one that becomes my favorite. This time I'm saying goodbye to you with it.