Travel journals > USA

Revisiting Chicago

Dec 06, 2017 Avatar Linda Kahn-Ferrell Linda Kahn-Ferrell
#Chicago

Having been born in Chicago (I moved to California in 1985), it is always fun to go back as a tourist. Chicago is a vibrant city that has much to offer such as history, culture, architecture, food and music.

I went there to stay at the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, as well as to attend a concert at Wrigley Field (home to the famous Chicago Cubs). The Sofitel’s location is just perfect for shopping, eating, entertainment and enjoying all that Chicago has to offer. From here it is easy to walk to shops, restaurants or take a short ride to the museums or Lincoln Park Zoo. The restaurant, Café Des Architectes, offers seasonal menus featuring contemporary cuisine with French roots. The rooms are very spacious, with lots of windows from which to see the city, Lake Michigan and the John Hancock Tower. The Sofitel is good for leisure as well as business travelers.

Since I had the day free before attending the concert I walked two blocks to Michigan Avenue and took the bus north a few miles and spent the afternoon at Lincoln Park Zoo. As a teenager, I used to ride my bike along the lake and walk around the zoo since there is no entrance fee. What a different experience to enjoy the exhibits at my own pace and see what I wanted to see. It is such a beautiful zoo, with botanical gardens and located in the city.

The highlight of my trip was going to Wrigley Field for the James Taylor/Bonnie Raitt concert with my friends. I was so excited

because we had field seats, meaning I was on the baseball field where the Cubs won the World Series. Having gone to many games in my youth here, it was an amazing experience to be on the ground and looking up into the stands & bleachers.

Finally, I must mention that there is one thing that I tell people to do who are going to visit Chicago, which is to take the Chicago River Architectural tour. On this popular tour, you will learn quite a bit about how Chicago was built by world famous architects, along with the history of the Chicago Fire of 1871.