Blown Away By How Much There is to Do in The Windy City
Two words describe what I was most looking forward to seeing in Chicago; “The Bean.” That’s the iconic mirror reflective piece of art formally called “Cloud Gate,” featured in Chicago’s Millenium Park.
And yes, you might say that I travelled to Chicago to take a selfie with “The Bean” but we also had a HUGE list of must-see attractions that warranted a visit to Chicago.
Chicago is a culture-filled, picturesque city on the shores of Lake Michigan. It features stunning skyscrapers, parks, museums, entertainment, and incredible food (like the iconic Chicago deep dish pizza) that I must say, did not disappoint.
I wish I could tell you that I was brave enough to go up the Willis Tower’s Skydeck Chicago, but I could not do it. The Ledge, an all-glass balcony, hovers off one of the world’s tallest buildings. And since I’m confessing my travel failures right at the start, I also did not go on the thrill ride at the 360 Chicago observation deck as well. Maybe my next visit to Chicago … or maybe not.
Chicago is an amazing city and I found enough places to enjoy panoramic city views just not the heart-pounding attractions for thrill seekers.
And speaking of city views, let me tell you about where I stayed in Chicago.
Judging a Hotel By Its Cover: The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
There were many hotels to choose from in Chicago, but the second I spotted the unique design of The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, other hotels paled in comparison. It’s hard to describe the façade but the tall, narrow shape of the building along with the steel trusses and recessed windows make it look like a Lego creation.
Here’s some cool facts: The Godfrey Hotel Chicago is the flagship property for The Godfrey Hotel brand. The unique architecture perfectly complements the luxurious accommodations, gourmet cuisine, and cool nightlife offerings. Not to mention, this is a well-deserved, 4-star hotel.
One area of the hotel that stands out is the I|O Godfrey rooftop bar and event space that expands across approximately 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space on the 4th floor of the hotel. It’s a sight to behold with spectacular views of the city.
So Many Things To Do and See in the Hotel’s River North Location
The Godfrey Hotel is only three blocks away from shopping, dining, and entertainment on the Magnificent Mile. We began exploring Chicago at Millenium Park, only 1.5 miles away from the hotel, an area called “The Loop.” As I mentioned, Cloud Gate (“The Bean”), was my first highlight but next on the list was the J Pritsker Pavilion, a shiny silver architectural masterpiece of its own. The Crown Fountain, also known as “Squirting Faces,” is another huge piece of public art, one that sprays water from digitally produced mouths.
Grant Ulysses Park, dedicated in 1844, covers 319 acres along Lake Michigan, home to the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Along with the iconic Art Institute of Chicago, you must visit the Field Museum of Natural History, where you’ll meet the very tall “Sue” … the most complete tyrannosaurus-rex ever discovered. If you love sea life or stars, be sure to visit the Shedd Aquarium or the Adler Planetarium, that is the very first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere.
Strolling along Navy Pier gazing above at the iconic Ferris wheel is a sight to behold. Enjoy delicious Chicago food at the pier and hop aboard one or more of the unique boat tours available. We took the Architecture River Cruise tour and learned a lot about Chicago’s most iconic architectural sights, while we had an amazing view of downtown Chicago.
Right at the end of our 3-day getaway, we finally made the walk from the hotel to the Magnificent Mile, an iconic shopping district, for some shopping and fun window browsing. And, as if that wasn’t enough shopping, we also visited the Fashion Outlets of Chicago and spent another 3 hours shopping at some of our favorite brand name outlet stores.
As for nightlife, we were very pleased to return to the hotel each evening directly after dinner for much needed relaxation with drinks at the hotel’s rooftop bar. So, I can’t vouch for the Chicago nightlife, but we noticed the many jazz and blues bars in the city while we were out sightseeing. We personally did not have any security issues in Chicago, but like any major city, you must stay vigilant if you’re sightseeing at night.
There were just too many “must see” places to see on one Chicago visit. But we definitely made sure to fit in enough time to try the many iconic Chicago foods and add five pounds to our waistline in doing so.
Chicago Food is Spectacular
Deep Dish Pizza, Chicago hot dogs, grilled steaks, the Chicago restaurants give New York food a run for its money. Yes, I’m a former New Yorker but I was highly impressed with the Chicago food offerings. I had no idea that there were so many types of classic vs. tavern-style Chicago pizza. And hot dog toppings? Yikes, there were at least six or seven toppings to add to a hot dog.
Considering myself a pizza connoisseur, my favorite pizza was from Lou Malrati’s restaurant. Another favorite was the lunch we had at Portillo’s Hot Dogs where we enjoyed both Italian beef sandwiches and the hot dogs. The Chicago Dog at Portillo’s was a Vienna Beef hot dog topped with mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers, tomato, pickle spear, celery salt on poppy seed bun … and served with fries on top!
At Jibaritos Chicago, we enjoyed the most amazing Puerto Rican food, especially the “Jibarito sandwich,” that is made with smashed, fried plantains instead of bread. Inside the sandwich was steak, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and garlic mayonnaise.
We immensely enjoyed a Polish dessert called “Paczki” that is similar to a jelly donut. We also ate cheesecake, brownies, and ice cream. I must warn you about the addicting caramel and cheese popcorn combo mix from the Garrett Popcorn Shop. Delicious popcorn that we basically inhaled!
Chicago Was More About the Town, Less About the Hotel Stay
By now you can tell that Chicago is as the song says, “a great little town” to visit. You must be wondering how it was to stay at The Godfrey Hotel. You know what they say about “judging a book by its cover,” which I told you I did? Well, in this case, the inside of the hotel was just as nice as the outside.
The Godfrey Hotel is a modern, beautiful, and immaculately clean hotel that offers a nice touch of luxury. However, you visit Chicago for the sites (and food) not for the hotel you stay at. So, while I appreciated the comfortable room to sleep in and the amazing views at the I|O Godfrey rooftop bar, everything else experienced was outside of the hotel in Chicago’s River North.
I am not in any way dissing The Godfrey Hotel because it was a lovely stay. Just compared to the incredible sightseeing and tourist attractions, the hotel was just not the highlight of the trip. But I did love the great amenities at the hotel.
Since Chicago is ideal for walking or taking public transportation, The Godfrey Hotel offers ample parking opportunities so you can park your vehicle and go out and explore. There’s convenient valet parking ($77 per day fee) and self-parking ($52 per day fee.)
A few standout hotel amenities:
:: 24-hour fitness center with state-of-the-art treadmills, elliptical trainers, and strength/weight training equipment
:: The Spa Boutique by Windy City Massage
:: Room service
:: Valet laundry
:: Dry cleaning service
In addition to the I|O Godfrey rooftop bar, The Godfrey Hotel also feature the YASEMI Modern Mediterranean restaurant. It’s a casual dining environment that offers Mediterranean dishes from Greek salads to kebabs and seafood. The menu is designed for “sharing,” so that allows you to taste a variety of selections. The breakfast was delicious!
Guest Rooms With Fascinating Views
Chicago’s river north city skyline view from The Godfrey Hotel looks like a beautiful postcard! There are different views from different sides of the hotel. The hotel offers 221 spacious, relaxing, and modernly styled guest rooms and suites with free high speed WIFI, luxury bedding, modern furniture, and fancy lamps. Accessible bedrooms are available.
Each guest room and suite also offers fully mirrored closet doors, a plush sitting chair, spacious workstation with ergonomic task chair, Wet bar with sink, coffeemaker with Illy coffee, and a Smart fridge. The bathroom features a huge walk-in tiled shower with rain forest shower head, luxurious linens, complimentary bath products, plush bathrobes, and more. Additional room amenities are a 46″ HD LED television with premium channels, iHome docking station, in-room safe, an iron, and an ironing board.
The Godfrey Hotel’s Rooftop Bar: I|O Godfrey
Located on the 4th floor of the hotel, I|O Godfrey is a large, lovely rooftop bar and restaurant, a popular nightlife spot in Chicago. Boasting a fully retractable roof, it’s open year-round to accommodate the everchanging Chicago weather. There’s both an indoor bar and an outdoor lounge, complete with fire pits and the most magnificent Chicago skyline views. The furniture is modern, brightly colored, and makes for such a fun and inviting atmosphere. I was told that during the winter months, they put up rooftop igloos that look cool but keep patrons warm. There’s also a weekend brunch and happy hours.
Chicago May Just Be My New Favorite City
From the panoramic views of the Chicago skyline seen from the I|O Rooftop Lounge or the attractions in and around Chicago’s River North neighborhood, a 3-night stay in Chicago turned out to be an amazing experience. No doubt, there will be a return visit to Chicago to complete the “must see” sightseeing list. The next time, it would be fun to squeeze in some sports like watching the Chicago Cubs play at historic Wrigley Field or see the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks or the Chicago Bulls.
I want to stress again how much we appreciated all that The Godfrey Hotel Chicago offered regardless of the little amount of time we spent inside the hotel. It was still nice to have a beautiful, comfortable place to stay after a full day of exploring the town. The room was modern, clean, spacious, with a breathtaking city view. The location of The Godfrey Hotel was ideal for getting to all the highlighted attractions. One note is that it can be a bit noisy outside the hotel at night, not surprising since it’s a downtown Chicago location.
If you’ve never been to Chicago, you may think it’s just another city. But it’s so much more than that. Chicago is home to Lake Michigan, a massive body of water, that when you look out on it, it reminds you of the ocean.
Oh, when you visit Chicago, make sure to wear comfortable shoes for walking. And bring items that will prepare you for the dramatically changing weather in Chicago. And, yes, it can get “windy” in Chicago.