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#916089 by honey lamb
18 Jan 2016, 23:32
Aer John has been the dutiful son once more and as a joint birthday/Christmas pressie is offering me a flight on the EI network. Having had an absolutely superlative trip with him in September to New York, I want to keep that memory special so New York is out of the equation. I had considered other destinations but my heart keeps tugging me back to SFO and from there several options to meet up with friends or try new adventures on the west coast.

However part of me is wondering about Chicago. My only experience of it was transiting there in January 2002 en route from JAX to LAX before flying home to Ireland (we took the scenic route home!!) What is there to do in Chicago? How many days need I stay there (given that 4 days in NYC is plenty before one goes into overload) Will I like it? What is there to do? I'm aware that some V-flyers have gone there and said that Chicago is now their favourite city so suggestions please.

I'm thinking in terms of early April when EI has 2 flights some days and SFO has daily flights.

SFO has my heart but my brain says try something new. Over to you!
#916093 by pjh
19 Jan 2016, 08:52
Give Chicago a whirl. We enjoyed it as a short break destination city. If I look at my TR for 2009 I see the following

"Navy Pier / Gino's East / Hancock Tower / Lincoln Park & Zoo / RJ Grunts / Bandera / The Bean / Chicago Greeter / Adobo / Second City / Untouchables Tour / Lou Mitchells / Billy Goat Tavern...."

Heavily food based, I recall. I'd be happy to go back and investigate more this time around.
#916097 by virginboy747
19 Jan 2016, 10:42
They are the two places I would choose to live if I had to live in the USA. Check the weather though as ORD is much more pleasant when it's hot and down by the lake is beautiful
#916102 by dickydotcom
19 Jan 2016, 11:49
Beware Chicago weather in late winter though. If the jet-stream drops down a bit, and it seem to a lot, they get the lakes effect where large quantities of water gets picked up across the lakes and dropped on the southern shores as snow. (We spend far too much time watching the weather channel in Feb/March when we are in the states)
Dick D
#916108 by SlimpyJones
19 Jan 2016, 16:51
I've not been to SFO so I can't offer a comparison, but I went there for a week a couple of summers ago and it was great. If you are based in downtown the main tourist attractions are all within walking distance, and a stroll or bike ride along Lake Michigan is lovely in the sunshine. If you grab a CityPass there is a good saving to be made on the main attractions.
#916119 by mikethe3rd
19 Jan 2016, 22:16
We didn't get on with Chicago. We went for 4 nights at the beginning of October and the weather had taken a turn. The previous week it was in the mid twenties and blue skies whereas we arrived to low cloud and a high of 10. After the end of day 2 we cancelled our 4th night and flew down to Florida for an extra night there. We just didn't think there was a lot to do that interested us. I think it might be a whole different experience during the summer. It also didn't help that the VS flight lands at midday and we ended up in bed by 8pm!

I love SFO any time of year so that certainly gets my vote but if you do end up in ORD I can at least highly recommend the Virgin hotel. Full free bar between 6&7pm and free room upgrades with status. I hate it when the hotel is the highlight of a trip (excluding Dubai)!
Virgin Atlantic

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