Activities in Illinois
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Chicago Cubs
By far the local favorite, the Cubs play at Wrigley Field. Tickets are available at the box office, through the team’s website, or by calling 800-843-2827 (within Illinois) or 866-652-2827 (from out of state). The cheapest tickets (about $18) are the ‘upper deck, restricted view’ ones, and they’re not bad. But know this: unless you plan waaaay ahead (like in March), the game you want likely will be sold out. No big deal – you still have options. First, try the box office for standing-room tickets ($12). They release these about two hours before the game if it’s a sell-out. Next, try the rather frightfully named ‘scalpers.’ These guys stand across from the ballpark entranc…
reviewed
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Oak Park Visitors Center
During Wright’s 10 years in Oak Park, he designed a whole heap of houses. Stop at the visitors center and ask for the architectural walking-tour map (usually a free, photocopied page), which gives their locations. Ten of them cluster within a mile along Forest and Chicago Aves; the homes are privately owned, so all gawking must occur from the sidewalk. Moore House is particularly noteworthy. First built in 1895, it’s Wright’s bizarre interpretation of an English manor house. In his later years, Wright called the house ‘repugnant’ and said he had only taken the commission because he needed the money. He claimed that he walked out of his way to avoid passing it.
reviewed
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Chicago CityPass
Flexible (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Chicago CityPASS is the best deal in the Windy City, giving you discounted admission to five of the city's premier attractions. The Chicago CityPASS ensures you…
Not LP reviewed
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Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park is a 2100-acre shoreside pocket within the national lakeshore; it’s located at the end of Hwy 49, near Chesterton. It has more amenities, but also more regulation and more crowds (plus the $10 vehicle entry fee). Away from its mobbed beaches, the park does offer secluded natural areas. In winter cross-country skiing is popular, while summertime brings out the hikers. Seven numbered trails zigzag over the sandscape: Trail 4 climbs up Mt Tom, the highest dune at 192ft; Trail 2 is good for spring flowers and ferns and is well-used by skiers; and Trail 8 surmounts three of the highest dunes, paying off with killer views of the region.
reviewed
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Working Bikes Cooperative
If you’re going to need a bike for more than a few days, consider buying a recycled two-wheeler from Working Bikes Cooperative. The nonprofit group trawls local landfills and scrap yards for junked bikes, then brings them back to its warehouse and refurbishes them. Half get sold in the storefront shop; proceeds enable the group to ship the rest to developing countries. WBC now recycles 10,000 bikes annually this way. It’s a great deal – you’ll get a sturdy, well-oiled machine for the bargain price of about $50 or so. When you’re finished, you can donate the bike back. Note you will have to factor in the cost of a lock and a helmet.
reviewed
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Chicago City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
Flexible (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
See all the sights of Chicago at your own pace! On a Chicago City Hop-on Hop-off Tour you can get off the bus at any scheduled stop to visit Chicago's most popu…
Not LP reviewed
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Aveda Institute
Aveda makes nice-smelling, plant-based beauty products. The Institute teaches future cosmetologists to use those products on people. So what you get here are discounted services by students who use Aveda goodies to beautify you. Haircuts ($14 to $16) are the most popular offering, but you can also get treatments such as the Caribbean seaweed body wrap and minimassage ($50); a Dead Sea salt exfoliation and massage ($45); and a variety of facials ($30 to $50), each of which includes a bonus foot soak with hot stones. Attention men: Aveda can remove your back hair (from $30).
reviewed
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Chicago Sunset Dinner Cruise with Buffet
3 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Celebrate a night out in Chicago with dinner, dancing and sightseeing aboard a three-hour luxury cruise on Lake Michigan. Glimpse top Chicago attractions like N…Not LP reviewed
from USD$92.34 -
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Four Seasons Hotel
Service is taken seriously here. Call for food day or night and they’ll attempt to fulfill any request, on the menu or not. Even the little ones are pampered – with munchkin-sized bathrobes and a special teen-interest concierge in summer. Slip into the spa for a four-seasons aromatherapy treatment with scents from winter, spring, summer and fall. Then relax further, dipping into the pool beneath the Romanesque domes. The elegantly tailored rooms are scheduled for an update in ‘08, so expect even more amenities to come.
reviewed
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Third Coast Surf Shop
The VW-bus-driving dudes at Third Coast Surf Shop will help you catch that Lake Michigan wave. They provide wetsuits and boards for surfing, skimboarding and paddleboarding (rentals per day $20 to $35). For novices, they offer 1½-hour lessons (including equipment $50 to $70) right from the public beach from June through September. It’s a great place to learn since the waves are nice and gentle in summer. The shop also offers sandboarding lessons ($50) at nearby Warren Dunes.
reviewed
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Bailly/Chellberg Visitor Center, Indiana Dunes
The park service has done a fine job of developing trails through a range of terrain and environments in the Indiana Dunes. The Bailly/Chellberg Visitor Center, about two miles south of the beaches, is the start of the Bailly/Chellberg Trail. The 2½-mile trail winds through the forest, passing restored log cabins from the 1820s and a farm built by Swedes in the 1870s. Among the diverse plants growing here are dogwood, arctic berries and cactus.
reviewed
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Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show
by Viator
Welcome to the only speakeasy dinner show in Chicago Tommy Gun's Garage! Just say the password and you'll be transported back to the roaring twenties. You'll be…
Not LP reviewed
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Ruby Room
- Chicago, USA
- Activities › B&b
Take an Anusara yoga class, go on a guided intuitive journey or get your chakra massaged. Ruby Room is primarily a spa and a ‘healing sanctuary.’ Eight simplified rooms are boiled down to the essence of comfort. No TVs, no telephones, no elevator, no breakfast. Instead, expect 500-thread count sheets, pristine white interiors, pillow-top mattresses and Aveda products. Free wi-fi is the only thing that may spoil your peace. No children under 12.
reviewed
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Chicago Segway Tour
3 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Hop on the most innovative tour to hit Chicago in years! Gliding around the Windy City on your very own Segway, you'll see all the famous sights - Buckingham Fo…
Not LP reviewed
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Chicago Grand Half-Day Tour
4 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
This comprehensive half-day tour of Chicago is the perfect introduction to the Windy City! Discover the highlights of Chicago’s North Side and South Side and en…Not LP reviewed
from USD$39.99 -
Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center, Indiana Dunes
Lake Michigan's prevailing winds created the 21 miles of sandy beaches and dunes that comprise Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Behind the sands, large areas of woods and wetlands have become major wildlife habitats and breeding grounds for an incredible variety of plant life. The Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center provides details on beaches plus free hiking, biking, birding and eco-tourism guides.
reviewed
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Chicago Dinner Cruise
3 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Step aboard the Chicago Dinner Cruise and enjoy a three-hour escape on Lake Michigan. Relaxing in the elegant ambiance that only a true luxury cruising vessel c…
Not LP reviewed
from USD$115.46 -
Chicago Pedway Walking Tour
90 minutes (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Explore Chicago by following the heated tunnels, walkways and passages that connect the city’s famous landmarks and buildings. Your comedic guide takes you on a…
Not LP reviewed
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Sluggers
Tired of watching your favorite Cubs or Sox player strike out, and think you could do better? Give it a try at Sluggers, a popular bar and grill across from Wrigley Field. Sidestep the drunk fans and giant screen TVs and head to the 2nd floor, where there are four batting cages. Ten pitches cost $1; you’ll begin feeling the pain pretty soon after your efforts.
reviewed
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Small-Group Chicago Food Tour: Wicker Park and Bucktown
3 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Let your local guide lead you through the streets of Wicker Park and Bucktown as you search for authentic and local cuisine at six different cafes and restauran…Not LP reviewed
from USD$50.00 Advertisement
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Chicago Segway Night Tour
2 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Hop on the most innovative tour to hit Chicago in years! Gliding through the Windy City on an eco-friendly Segway is the coolest ride of the 21st century! Far e…
Not LP reviewed
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Chicago River and Lake Architecture Tour
by Viator
Chicago is renowned for its stunning and original architecture, and the most relaxing way to see it is on a cruise on the Chicago River! You'll learn all about …
Not LP reviewed
from USD$36.10 -
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Sydney R Marovitz Golf Course
The nine-hole course in the park enjoys sweeping views of the lake and skyline. The course is very popular, and in order to secure a tee time golfers cheerfully arrive at 5:30am. You can avoid that sort of lunacy by spending a few dollars extra to get a reservation. Public fees cost $22 to $25 in summer. You can also rent clubs here.
reviewed
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Chicago City Tour and Lake Michigan Cruise
4 hours (Departs Chicago, Illinois)
by Viator
Discover Chicago from both land and water on this scenic half-day tour. Take a narrated coach tour through the city’s South Side and see highlights including Gr…Not LP reviewed
from USD$49.99 -
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McDonald’s Cycle Center
The McDonald’s Cycle Center at Millennium Park offers 300 bike storage spaces, repairs and showers to make bike commuting an appealing option for workers. It’s also a convenient place to pick up rental bikes (per hour/day from $10/35), including road, hybrid, tandem and children’s bikes.
reviewed
