Gingerert

Afternoon all,

My family are visiting from the UK for ten days in August, and I was wondering if there were any truly remarkable places I should take them in either Milwaukee or Chicago? They're being typical of my family and telling me to "find something fun", but I haven't got a clue!

Any suggestions...?

ugacrew

The following is for Chicago,

What days in particular. Something is going down along the Northern waterfront. It's the Chicago Air and Water Show. Aug 15,16,17
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/we...eEnumValue=183

Genos East Pizza
Billy Goats Tavern
North Michigan Avenue
Shedd's Aquarium
John Hancock Tower
Sears Tower
Navy Pier (briefly)
Fermi Labs (if you have any geeks among you)

Scouse Express

MILWAUKEE:


The "Safe House" Pub/Restaurant is located across from the Pabst Theatre, in Milwaukee. It's full of secret compartments and hidden doorways. It's quite an experience and is a must visit.

Saturday August 16th, take them to "Irish Fest" at the Henry Maier Festival Grounds on the Lakefront. http://www.irishfest.com It opens at 12 Noon, and is open till very late. Top Irish Band "The Saw Doctors" will be there for an evening Performance. Mrs. Express and I will there for the weekend. Admission is about $15 each, for the day. Sunday morning there is a Catholic Mass at the Marcus Amitheatre, next to the Festival Site. Admission to the Festival, is free with a Non-Perishable Food Donation, at the entrance to the Mass.

Kopp's Frozen Custard is at 76th Street, just south of the intersection of I-894, at Greenfield. Great experience, also.

CHICAGO:

96th Floor of the John Hancock Center, on Michigan Avenue, you will find the "Signature Lounge." It's free to get up there, but, a beer will cost about $6+gratuity (well worth it).

Other attractions include a cruise on Lake Michigan, the Field Museum, shopping on Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

Giordanos, at Superior and Rush will serve up Great, Chicago-Style Stuffed Pizza.

Just a few for starters.


Jim.

Tracym

I second the Billy Goats recommendation.

For Chicago style pizza downtown, I prefer Uno's or Due's.

Wendella boats does a cruise down the river, talks about all the architecture, and then goes out on the lake, very nice.

The Field Museum is nice. Museum of Science and Industry bored us.

The skydeck at the Sears Tower in addition to having the great view, and all sorts of Chicago history pics and writing all over the inside walls - kind of neat to see.

As someone mentioned, Irish Fest in Milwaukee is great. Other weekends, they have other festivals at the same festival park - we just went the Germanfest - not as good as Irish Fest, but still nice.

In Milwaukee, you can tour either Miller (ick) or Sprecher (?) breweries and get a free sample at the end. That may or may not be a good thing.

Gingerert

They're coming out from the 11th - 21st, so that sounds quite cool. My Mum loves all that stuff in particular.

I've heard of both of those! I'm definitely up for secret doorways, passwords and ice cream. Just like Harry Potter, I reckon.

Hmm... American beer...


Thanks for all the suggestions! I knew someone on here would come through for me! I'm going to present said family with list and they can make up their own damn minds. "Find something fun", indeed...

Tracym

I don't drink American beer either. Haven't tried Sprecher though - they were trying to convince me it was more like European. Dunno...

The Miller tour was kinda cool though, but I wouldn't give up the other stuff to do it.

I just remembered, you can tour the Jelly Belly factory near Milwaukee too.

And there are some Rodeos in Wisconsin - Great Midwest Pro Rodeo rings a bell...

pejpm1

There is a restaurant in Chicago called Geja's Cafe. It's a fondue place (I know that sounds rather 70's and unstylish) and it's absolultey amazing.

http://www.gejascafe.com/

I dont really like Milwaukee, but I've heard that Safehouse is good. Maybe go to a brewers game at miller park? Or you could check out the statue of the Fonz!! It's being dedicated on 19th August!

http://promo.onmilwaukee.com/bronzethefonz/

Its a bit of a drive, but maybe you could check out Madison. I love it there during the summer.

Gingerert

We had the most hilarious experience at Jelly Belly once. In Pleasant Prairie, near where we live, they have a distribution center and they offer free tours. So, we were bored one Saturday and decided to give it a try... and we were taken around a massive warehouse full of cardboard boxes and shown large TV screens with footage of other factories on them. There was no factory. No workers in white suits. Not even a single jelly bean on the floor to stamp on! AND yet we were still made to wear protective hats to protect the "food".

I laughed so hard I nearly puked up all the jelly beans I'd eaten...

And the most amusing part was that all the Americans on the little train with us thought it was great!

I thought it wasn't a patch on Cadbury World. I also don't think I've done this story justice in my re-telling. You really had to be there to experience to sheer crapness of it all.

Gingerert

One word: awesome.

USBound

if you're feeling flush i would HIGHLY recommend Fogo de Chao...


http://www.fogodechao.com/locations/chicagoIL.htm

some of the best meat i've ever had... oh and they do good salads too... but i've never tried it.

Gingerert

I'm a pesky vegetarian but my family eats meat. Thanks for the tip!

(I figure they're bringing lots of dosh with them on holiday... maybe they feel like splurging on me...)

Glen Ellyn Service Crew

Good for you, I'm a veg*n too try this link for veg*n eats in Chicagoland, city and 'burbs.

http://j3n.net/food/

lj2

Just wanted to second the 96th floor of the Hancock Building Signature Lounge suggestion. Brilliant - if you can get there at sunset even better IMO (allow a good 45 mins to queue though). Amazing.

The other thing which is a MUST in Chicago, is the architectural river cruise. Go to Navy Pier for a wander around, which is OK, and the cruises leave from there and are genuinely interesting, funny and pretty. You will love it, never mind the family!

Tracym

I think that's basically the same tour I'm talking about - the longer one goes out on the lake too.

The one I took was called Wendella I think, boarded at Michigan Ave and the river though.

Hiro11

Sorry to disagree with my fellow posters about Chicago, but I say avoid Geja's, Uno's, Billy Goat and Navy Pier like the plague. Trust me.

Instead go to The Field Museum (lots to do with kids), The Lincoln Park Zoo (likewise, and it's free), Portillos (great hot dogs, burgers and chocolate cake), the Shedd (although the Oceanarium is currently closed), and, if the kids can stand it, The Art Institute. Also, the Hancock has a better view than the Sears, go to the Oak Street beach and definitely check out Millenium Park. The aforementioned boat trip is a great idea, not to be missed.

There's lots of options for eating. Get a Zagats.