Chicago hope: Saving money in Midwestern tourist mecca

June 20, 2000
Web posted at: 5:08 p.m. EST (2108 GMT)

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From CNN Correspondent Patty Davis

Editor's note: This is the second in a four-part series on how to travel affordably to some top tourist destinations

CHICAGO (CNN) -- It's already renowned for those wintry gusts off Lake Michigan. But these days, Chicago would rather be recognized as a tourist mecca.

Chicago is the fifth-most-visited city for domestic travelers and ninth for international visitors, who flock there to shop along the Magnificent Mile, revel in the restaurants on Rush Street and explore the city's many top-notch museums.

Like most big American cities, it's not exactly bargain central -- particularly for folks who want to stay at pricier downtown hotels -- but with a little strategic planning, travelers can avoid digging too deep in their wallets.

Chicago's No. 1 tourist attraction is Navy Pier, which was home to aircraft carriers during World War II but now houses the Chicago Children's Museum (free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m.), the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and many shops and restaurants. It also has a 150-foot-high (45- meter) Ferris wheel that's considered a prime spot for scanning the dramatic skyline.

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Another striking vantage point is from the Sears Tower. It's no longer the world's tallest skyscraper, but you can still see four states from its 1,353- foot-high (412-meter), 103rd-floor observation deck. A trip up costs $9.50 for adults and teens and $6.75 for youths ages 5 to 12. A family pass for up to five people (a maximum of two adults) is $28. Visitors can order tickets online to avoid a long wait in line.

To take in Chicago's distinctive buildings from yet another perspective, try a $21 river cruise. Or visit nearby Oak Park and tour the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and surrounding Wright Historic District.

One of Chicago's top museums is the Chicago Art Institute, known for its impressionist collection and famous American paintings such as Grant Wood's "American Gothic." On Tuesdays, admission is free for everyone.

Farther south, The Field Museum recently welcomed its newest resident, Sue, considered the largest and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossil. Nearby is the Shedd Aquarium, whose latest exhibit takes visitors on a journey to the Amazon.

Chicago also has a thriving theater scene and successful symphony, which spends its summers at the Ravinia Festival in the northern suburb of Highland Park. Ravinia tickets are $15 to $50 for close-up seats at the concerts, which range from classical to pop, but they're only $10 for lawn seating.

When you get hungry, sample some of the city's trademark deep-dish pizza. Or head to North Michigan Avenue for the Billy Goat Tavern, a longtime reporters' haunt that inspired the famed "cheezborger" sketch on "Saturday Night Live.

A cheeseburger there will run you $2.60. Then there's the other end of the scale at a fancier Chicago institution, Charlie Trotters, which has a fixed- price menu that'll set you back $110.

For shopping, North Michigan Avenue is the address of choice for some of Chicago's tonier stores. But more mainstream national chains like Eddie Bauer and The Gap have also opened up along the Magnificent Mile.

Chicago's a big sports town, even if the Chicago Bulls aren't the same basketball draw now that Michael Jordan's gone. In the summertime, long- suffering Chicago Cubs fans still hold out hope for baseball miracles at Wrigley Field, where bleacher seats are $6 and kids get in for $4. To the south, the Chicago White Sox play at the nine-year-old Comiskey Park, which replaced its aging predecessor. Tickets there range from $10 to $22 but are half-price on Mondays.

Walking is a fine way to tour Chicago, but when you need to get off your feet for a while, you can ride in a horse-drawn carriage for $30 a half-hour. For cheaper traveling, catch a bus or ride the "L" or subway trains for $1.50, or $5 for a one-day pass.

When it comes to getting around, there may be a more romantic option on the horizon. Mayor Richard Daley wants to borrow from an idea from Venice: authentic gondolas on the Chicago River. A 15-minute ride, including one song from the gondolier, would cost $15 per person.

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Venice-style gondolas expected to be plying Chicago River
June 14, 2000
'Sue,' the biggest T. rex, makes her public debut
May 17, 2000
FAA approves new flights to Chicago O' Hare
May 23, 2000
Chicago's cash cows hit the trail
October 29, 1999

Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
Art Institute of Chicago
Shedd Aquarium
The Field Museum
Sears Tower
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
Navy Pier
Billy Goat Tavern and Grill
Charlie Trotters
White Sox Baseball
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Ravinia Festival

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