Chicago: Pizza, Beer, & Rain

When in Chicago, do as the locals do! Which, in this case, was more of a requirement, as we were visiting family for a cousin’s wedding. This compact trip was rainy, chaotic, and quite an adventure. Reflecting on the trip, I believe we had a pretty authentic Chicago experience. We ate deep-dish, we saw a drag show, went to the top of the former tallest tower in the world, and, of course, witnessed a really touching wedding.

Thankfully, Anna organized most of our trip, including booking the lodging at Chicago Getaway Hostel. Our 8-bed room accommodated both Anna and I, her sisters, and a handful of cousins for the nights we were in town. It was clean, quiet, and centrally located. I highly recommend it for both price and accessibility.

During out trip, the rain was on and off, but mostly on. I brought one water-resistant coat (but not waterproof) and was often-times soaked through all my clothes. See the pictures below and imagine me trudging calf-deep through flooded streets. I guess the drainage in Chicago isn’t perfect?

The wedding at Floating World Gallery was beautiful and fun, and, of course, Anna’s cousins know how to party. The next day was full of exploration via city buses, including eating breakfast at the awesome restaurant Orange (see the pictures of the pancake flight below), eating deep-dish at a local’s suggested spot (Pequod’s), a real Chicago-style dog (Downtown Dogs), having the best beer I may have ever had in my life at Hopleaf (called Barista), and having an awesome time at a cabaret drag show at the Uptown Lounge. Our final day included a quick trip to the Willis Tower for an awesome panoramic view of the city, visiting the world-famous Cloud Gate (the bean!), and eating a slice of deep-dish at the restaurant the invented deep dish (Pizzeria UNO). We fit a lot in (especially in our stomachs) but still have a lot to see. I can’t wait for the next time I get to visit Chicago again.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Chicago?