American Tour: The city of Chicago boasts a beautiful waterfront and fabulous views
The Sloaney Travel Team recently embarked on an American Tour. We explored several cities during our visit across the Atlantic, which occurred at the end of October. The timing of our trip allowed us to experience the pre-election buzz, admire beautiful fall colours and also enjoy the fantastic Halloween celebrations, with an authentic trick or treat experience.
The first stop on our tour was Chicago. We decided to fly in and out of two different cities and arriving in Chicago meant that we were able to complete our longest flight first.
Whether you are planning an isolated visit to Chicago or stopping off here on the way to another destination, this vibrant American city has a lot to offer. As readers of The Sloaney will know, our travel pages focus on luxury experiences, but we also have a keen interest in family travel and ensuring that we explore destinations with young travellers also in mind.
Chicago proved to be a fantastic city to visit with all the family, with plenty of things to see and do. It is the most populous city in Illinois and situated on the shore of Lake Michigan in the Midwestern United States.
Where to stay in Chicago
We stayed in Virgin Hotels Chicago, which provides the ideal city pad. Virgin Hotels is a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand, with a collection of properties that intermix a passion for food and beverage with music, design and culture.
Virgin Hotels Chicago has an excellent location, with many of the main attractions nearby. The hotel stands tall among the Art Deco masterpieces and modern skyscrapers that form Chicago’s famed skyline.
On arrival, Miss Ricky’s is the perfect setting to enjoy a coffee or tipple. It has a great atmosphere and also does a delicious brunch (among other meals). Cerise is the hotel’s chic rooftop cocktail lounge. This is on the 26th floor, which means that it has breath-taking views. Live DJs play throughout the day and into the night, to give an extra sense of fun to this skyline hotspot.
The rooms at the hotel are spacious, with contemporary décor. The arrangement of two double beds works really well for a family of four, with children sleeping in one bed and parents in the other.
Room features vary and you can enjoy the benefits of personal bars, lavish lounge areas and spa-sized baths. Many have excellent skyline views.
What to do in Chicago
One of the best ways to see the skyline is to visit the Skydeck. This is not for the faint-hearted and it offers jaw-dropping views that span up to four states. The queues are managed very well, with each visitor allowed 90 seconds for photographs on the glass ledge at the very top of the building and a photographer on standby to capture the special family memories.
If you are not brave enough to step out on to the glass, then you can spend as long as you like browsing other parts of the building and taking in the vista through the panoramic windows.
Another good activity to enjoy with children is an architectural boat ride along the waterfront. These are popular and require pre-booking. The 45-minute tour is the perfect amount of time for little ones. The guide discusses each of the key skyscrapers and provides interesting insight into the history of the buildings, finishing up with a view of Lake Michigan.
A walk along the waterfront is also recommended. The Riverwalk is lovely and gives children the chance to burn off some energy. You will pass different bars and cafes, including the Chicago Brewhouse, where you can try a good variety of local beers.
Where to go for lunch in Chicago
For lunch, we definitely recommend trying Shaw’s Crab House. We stumbled across this restaurant but were later also recommended it by friends. Shaw’s Crab House is a Chicago institution that has a longstanding commitment to offering top quality ingredients since 1984. It is one of the best places to dine in the city, with a relaxed ambience and incredible seafood.
The oysters were excellent. The New England Clam Chowder looked incredible, as did the three-course set menu. There was a dedicated fresh fish and seafood menu, along with crab specials. In addition to the typical seafood dishes that you would expect in a place like this, there was also a selection of excellent sushi available.
And finally…
You can’t visit an American city without exploring the shops and Chicago doesn’t disappoint on this front either. Macy’s is a short walk from the hotel and will meet all your shopping needs, with several other high street stores also nearby.
Another priority during a brief visit to this city should be ‘The Bean’. This is an impressive outdoor mirrored sculpture, which is formally known as Cloud Gate.
We only had a couple of days in Chicago. While we felt as though we had managed to explore a good chunk of the city, it is somewhere we would definitely like to visit again. It is a fun city, with lots to see and plenty of activities for children to enjoy. There are so many fantastic restaurants and bars for adults to discover, with shopping and theatre experiences also among the highlights.
Virgin Hotels Chicago positions you in an excellent location in the city. You can access either the waterfront or Cloud Gate with ease and explore the many shops and bars, while also making the most of the fantastic luxury facilities that are provided within the hotel.
The Little Sloaney Verdict on Chicago
Following the launch of our Little Sloaney editorial section, we now cover many luxury experiences with children in mind to help feedback to our readers who have young family members.
Our Little Sloaney team share their highlights in their own words….
“The beds in the hotel were really comfy. I loved seeing ‘The Bean’. The views were really cool from the Skydeck and the buildings were so tall. You could see so far. I found the boat trip interesting and took my camera along so that I could get some photographs from the water”. Rose, Aged 7.
“The bit I liked the most about Chicago was going on the boat. It was good to be able to see all of the toy buildings from the water. I liked being up at the front and the people organising the trip were really nice. I also liked running around along the waterfront and looking at the pumpkins that were on display”. Michael, Aged 5.
Booking Information
Organise your stay at Virgin Hotels Chicago here: Virgin Hotels Chicago | Boutique Hotel in Downtown Chicago
Credits: Words LT; Photography GH
