Killing time at Chicago layover

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sheilac

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We will have about a 4 hour layover at the Chicago station. Are there any sightseeing things we can do close by? We've never been.

Thanks,

Sheila
 
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sheilac said:
We will have about a 4 hour layover at the Chicago station. Are there any sightseeing things we can do close by? We've never been.Thanks,

Sheila
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If the weather is clear, no haze, the Sears Tower is a few minute walk just east from CUS. Some say it is a little pricey, but, again, if the weather is clear, the views are spectacular.
Here are a couple of shots I took a while back. we had a very nice weather day.

22619326-L.jpg


Amtrak Yards at Roosevelt Road

22619319-L.jpg


Chicago River and an El passing by.

22619332-L.jpg


Tom
 
sheilac said:
We will have about a 4 hour layover at the Chicago station. Are there any sightseeing things we can do close by? We've never been.Thanks,

Sheila
Click to expand...
I second the vote for the Sears Tower. It's right next door to the station and easy to walk to! Just pray for good weather.
 
I am glad you asked the question b/c I too will have a layover at CUS in late August and I was considering the Sears Tower if the weather is cooperative.

Are there any suggestions of any more time-killing adventures if the weather is uncooperative?
 
There is another skyscraper which I believe is called Hamilton Hancock. Is it worth for a view?

EDIT: Correcting the name of sky scraper, thanks to MrFSS.
 
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gswager said:
There is another skyscraper which I believe is called Hamilton. Is it worth for a view?
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Hancock, maybe? It is quite a distance from the Sears Tower. In the first of the pictures I posted above, it is the black building.
 
The John Hancock building is the other skyscraper that has a viewing room and a wonderful lounge and restaurant. If you have the time, I would definitely go here on a clear day. If you are going up for a drink in the lounge (they are pricey), you don't pay for the fee to see the view. The women's bathrooms have floor to ceiling windows looking out onto Lake Michigan.

I used to live in Chicago and go back numerous times a year, and the Hancock has become a fixture on our things to do list. If you like to walk, you can get a great feel for the city walking from Union station to Michigan Avenue (shopping mecca and location of Hancock). Suggested walking would be Adams Street Exit from Station (street runs East/West). Go East cross the Chicago River and then take a left on Wacker Drive. Follow it as it curves with the river and meets up with Michigan Avenue. Take another left where you will once again cross the river and enter into Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. You will get a good sense of the spectacular architecture of the city by taking this route.

Or You can take the same Adams Street and continue walking East until you hit State Street, then take a left. This is another busy shopping and business district in Chicago's Loop District. If you continue to follow State Street North you will also enter the Magnificant Mile District. (Michigan Avenue runs parallel to it and is 3 blocks east of State Street.

Option #3, is to take Adams until it dead ends into Michigan Avenue. This area houses many of the best museums, Bicentennial Park, Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, and Millennium Park. All of these green spaces nestle against the Lake Michigan Shoreline. It is a beautiful area and a great place to get a feel for Chicago's treasures.
 
if you are there during banking hours the federal reserve bank which is only 3 or 4 blocks from the station has a fun, free visitor center. they actually give you a free bag of shredded bills. we did it last fall when we had some extra time waiting for the empire builder and although visiting a bank might not be first on your list for vacation fun it was very enjoyable and free.
 
MrFSS said:
sheilac said:
We will have about a 4 hour layover at the Chicago station. Are there any sightseeing things we can do close by? We've never been.

Thanks,

Sheila
Click to expand...
If the weather is clear, no haze, the Sears Tower is a few minute walk just east from CUS. Some say it is a little pricey, but, again, if the weather is clear, the views are spectacular.
Here are a couple of shots I took a while back. we had a very nice weather day.

22619326-L.jpg


Amtrak Yards at Roosevelt Road

22619319-L.jpg


Chicago River and an El passing by.

22619332-L.jpg


Tom
Click to expand...
Sorry I'm late replying. Thanks for the suggestion and great photos, but I'm getting a little dizzy!
 
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rail rookie said:
Giordano's Pizza on Jackson St. I think its about 5 blocks away. Deep dish pizza thas is awesome. Fun place to and a quick walk from CUS.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think they mentioned this on the Food Network site.

Sheila
 
From a Chicago Native, I must say beautiful pictures. On that note how do you post pics. I wanted to post some pics of the New Orleans Street car when it was in Chicago, but cant figure it out.
 
From a Chicago Native, I must say beautiful pictures. On that note how do you post pics. I wanted to post some pics of the New Orleans Street car when it was in Chicago, but cant figure it out.
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To post pictures on this site you have to have uploaded the pictures to a site that allows a type of link that will show them in your post. I happen to use SMUGMUG which costs about $40 a year. There are others that are free and perhaps someone can mention some. I like the paid one as I know it will always work and it has unlimited storage.
Then, after you have uploaded your picture to post in a thread, you have to get its properties. The site where you have uploaded may do this for you or you may have to right click on the uploaded picture to get them.

High light the link that is show and in a thread here on this forum click the little green tree icon above where you type the text. Put the link you just copied in the pop up box and hit enter. It will show in you post as the picture you uploaded to your site.

NOTE - sometimes with some browsers, if security is set high, this site may refuse to let you insert the link without temporarily allowing it by selecting that option in a bar across the top of the browser window.

Sounds complicated, but once you've done it a few times, it becomes routine.

Tom
 
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Does anyone know if there is a supermarket near Union Station? I am scheduled for a 4 hour layover in Chicago on my way to Seattle (assuming the LSL isn't late... yeah, i know that's a big assumption) and wanted to find some fresh fruit and other food for the rest of the journey. Thanks.

- Noah
 
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nr272 said:
Does anyone know if there is a supermarket near Union Station? I am scheduled for a 4 hour layover in Chicago on my way to Seattle (assuming the LSL isn't late... yeah, i know that's a big assumption) and wanted to find some fresh fruit and other food for the rest of the journey. Thanks.
- Noah
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There is a brand new Whole Foods Market south on Canal Street, I'm guessing about a half-a-mile walk.

Not quite sure since I see the back of it when my Metra train exits Union Station
 
Darn, I looked at the Whole Foods website, and it says the store is opening August 8th.... I suppose I could stop there on my return trip. Thanks for the info!
 
nr272 said:
Darn, I looked at the Whole Foods website, and it says the store is opening August 8th.... I suppose I could stop there on my return trip. Thanks for the info!
Click to expand...
Whoops,

Sorry, like I said I can't tell from the back...hope you have a great trip!
 
nr272 said:
Does anyone know if there is a supermarket near Union Station? I am scheduled for a 4 hour layover in Chicago on my way to Seattle (assuming the LSL isn't late... yeah, i know that's a big assumption) and wanted to find some fresh fruit and other food for the rest of the journey. Thanks.
- Noah
Click to expand...
There is a market my wife and I have used many times for wine and snack purchases. It is located in a mixed use/apartment type buildding about a 4 block walk from the station. There is a McDonalds and a chinese restaurant also within it's walls. Not sure of the name, but it's kind of behind the Starbucks and opposite the Conveinience store.
 
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