chicago, expat, travel guide, sharethelove, travel usa

My favorite things to do in chicago

Chicago is one of the most exciting towns in the United States – and that is not just my opinion 🙂 Often I get asked about my favorite things to do, my favorite restaurants, bars and places to visit. As I am a fan of free travel guides to downloads I put all my highlights on a one-pager which you can download here. If you are more a person who wants to be convinced with pictures keep on reading. Enjoy the beauty of Chicago and send me a message when you are visiting!

 

Also follow me on Instagram (@sharethelove.blog) where I share my favorite spots in Chicago on a regular basis. 

where to Eat?

Chicago is full of culinary highlights! If you want to make it easy on yourself you can just walk along W Randolph Street in the Westloop and chose any of those amazing restaurants. However, I have my personal favorites which are: 

The Allis

The Allis is brunch, lunch, dinner, and bar location all at once! It has a very modern decor and great food. My German friends call it Hipster Paradise 🙂

the allis, chicago, restaurant, recommendation, travel, sharethelove

Green Street Smoked Meats

I am vegatarian so this is not exactly a good spot for me. However, I know you might enjoy good meat and all my meat-lover-friends assure me that this is the place to go. The location reminds me of a modern Bavarian beer garden! It’s cozy, family friendly and lean-back. Nothing fancy but very American. And it is actually right in front of the above mentioned “The Allis”. 

the allis, chicago, restaurant, recommendation, travel, sharethelove

Bixi Beer

I almost don’t want to give away this location as I fear I won’t be able to get a table ever again when you realize how amazing this spot is. Modern cuisine mixed with almost Cuban interior and open rooftop. Do I have to say more? 

Lou Malatnis

Definitely not healthy but a must for every food tourist. Deep Dish Pizza is what Chicago is famous for and Deep Dish is what you get here. Counting calories makes no sense at all why you can easily ask for the amazing buttercrust! There are several places to eat Deep Dish in the city but this one is my favorite. If you are feeling sick the next day don’t say I did not warn you 🙂

the allis, chicago, restaurant, recommendation, travel, sharethelove

Let's connect
on social media!

Big Star

Mexican Food meets modern design meets actually affordable cuisine. I love to sit on the patio in the summertime but you can also sit inside when its getting cold. It’s perfect for lunch with lots of vegetarian options and Mexican beer!

etta

Brand new Italian restaurant on two floors with amazing pasta! It’s cosy to sit and the menu is perfect for meat lovers and veggies alike. Can’t wait to go back!

Pub Royale

If you are looking for fancy finger food with great beer you have found your place! Mixing all the different flavors is what Chicago is all about. Love it!

Want some good vibes in your inbox? Travel Guides? Coaching Exercises?

My top 5 Activities

Ride the bike

Chicago does not only has a great public transport system but also several bike rental possibilities. The company behind the bike rentals is called DIVVY in Chicago. A day pass costs 15 USD and when you manage to plug into a station every half hour 15 USD is all you need for a full day of biking around town. 

 

My recommendation is to take the bikes up north along the Lake Michigan and stop at the beach or Lincoln Park. Especially the way back in the evening is breathtaking when you are looking straight at the city. 

Blue line to Wicker Park

I miss the European city structure with one centre where no cars are allowed and you can find smaller shops. For me, Wicker Park area is the closest to a European city centre although it is definitely not free of traffic. Take the blue line to Damen and walk around the area enjoying great coffee and window shopping. 

chicago, travel, activities, travel guide

Art, art & Art

Enjoy the Art Chicago has to offer with all its variety. The most popular museums are the Art Institut and the Contemporary Museum – both two of my favorites in the city. As a Bank of America customer you have free entry every 1st weekend of the month and I am definitely making use of that! Also great for rainy or cold days as you can spend a whole day in there. 

chicago, travel, activities, travel guide

Enjoy the River (day)

You can either do a guided boat tour ($$$) or you safe this money for a rooftop cocktail and take a yellow taxi boat to Chinatown (only 5 USD one way). Hurry before the summer ends and the river is frozen again! 

Enjoy the River (NIGHT)

In the evening I recommend walking the riverwalk in the Chicago loop area. The architecture is so pretty at night and there are several stops to take pictures and enjoy the sea of light. 

chicago, travel, activities, travel guide

All these spots and my favorite jazz and rooftop bars are part of my "Chicago-Recommendation-one-pager" for free download

There are so many more spots I love in Chicago so keep an eye out for some updates in the future. Sign-up for the Sharethelove Newsletter or follow me on Instagram for following my life in beautiful Chicago as a German Expat.  

Thanks for sharing the love and stopping by

Kate from Share the Love, expat, expat wife, expat life

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy

chicago recommendations

Send this article to a friend & share the love:

You also might like:

Why do women decide to leave the 9 to 5

About 62% of the workforce has taken a career break in their professional history at some point (LinkedIn, 2022). While in the past, career breaks have been a huge stigma and often led to career breakers not re-entering the workforce at all, we are experiencing a new era. But why is it that especially female employees, committed to their profession and boosting recognition and acknowledgment, are deciding to take a career break? In this blog post, I am shedding some light on the reasons for taking a career break and its implications.

Read More »

Why career coaching is so essential in times of new work

As a coach, I have seen a visible increase in the need to explore different career options. While some clients are finally planning to tackle going back to work after a long break, other clients are seeking a shift in their current career feeling their skills and values are not matched with their current profession. During the pandemic the buzzword “The great resignation” came up, illustrating the global need for creating a new work-life balance. In this article, I will highlight some interesting global facts around the topic of the great resignation and explore why coaching is such an essential tool for employees (and potential employees) to gain realignment with their careers.

Read More »

A Different Approach to Everyday Life: A Return to One’s Own Values Abroad

Living abroad not only opens up a completely new view of the country and its people. The perception of worldwide cultural differences also does something to one’s own ideas. What is desirable? What belongs to the things that are absolutely necessary and what are things that are considered absolutely necessary in one culture and play no role at all elsewhere? This becomes very vivid if you make yourself aware of an everyday situation in a very concrete way. In this article, I look at the different designs of children’s rooms around the world and what this has to do with a return to our basic instincts. 

Read More »

Alltag anders: Die Rückbesinnung auf eigene Werte im Ausland

Das Leben im Ausland eröffnen einem nicht nur eine vollkommen neue Sicht auf Land und Leute. Die Wahrnehmung von weltweiten Kulturunterschieden macht auch etwas mit den eigenen Vorstellungen. Was ist erstrebenswert? Was gehört zu den Dingen die man unbedingt braucht und was sind Dinge die in einem Kulturkreis als unbedingt notwendig angesehen werden und woanders überhaupt keine Rolle spielen? Ganz plastisch wird das wenn man sich einmal ganz konkret an einer Alltagssituation bewusst macht. In diesem Artikel widme ich mich der unterschiedlichen Ausgestaltung von Kinderzimmern weltweit und was das mit dem Zurückbesinnen auf unseren Urinstinkt zu tun hat. 

Read More »
expat assignments, global mobility, willingness to move abroad, moving abroad

Why less families decide to move abroad

Are families less willed to move abroad in this world of uncertainty? How will expat assignments change within the next year? How to make the decision of moving abroad or working from home in another country? This article is shedding some light on the future of global mobility in the world we are living in right now.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy