24 Hours in Chicago
For our first post we wanted to highlight the beautiful city where we grew up and where Roamli was founded. The 3rd largest city in the United States, Chicago is often times overlooked and associated with staples such as The Bean, Wrigley Field, and deep-dish pizza. While these are all amazing things, there’s so much more to discover around the city. We compiled a list of some of the must-see hidden gems that you might not find on your typical travel blog or recommendation. From beautiful buildings, trendy murals, and awe-inspiring monuments we’ve got you covered below!
We’ll start in the South Loop at the corner of Roosevelt and Michigan Avenue with one of our favorite outdoor art pieces, the “Agora Installation”. Designed by artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, the term “Agora” refers to urban meeting places of Ancient Greek cities. The installation is comprised of dozens of 9-foot-tall, 1,800 pound bronze statues that are made from hollow pieces of iron. The work of art was funded through many private donors including Robin Williams, who contributed over $700,000 to bring this work to Chicago’s Grant Park.
Heading north along Michigan Avenue it’s not hard to miss the famous Art Institute of Chicago, however tucked away just behind the building lies the “Fountain of the Great Lakes”. Completed in 1913, the fountain was designed by artist Lorado Taft and depicts five women arranged so that the water flows in a way to recall the waterflow through the five Great Lakes of North America. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy a peaceful sanctuary near the busy central-hub of Chicago.
If you keep heading north you’ll pass by many other famous works of architecture including the “Old Republic Building”, “Chicago Motor Club", “Wrigley Building”, which will eventually lead you to your next stop, the “Tribune Tower”. Completed in 1925, this building was the home of the Chicago Tribune, Tribune Media, and Tribune publishing as well as WGN radio before it finished it’s last broadcast in 2018. The original Tribune Tower was built in 1868 but was destroyed 3 years later during the Great Chicago Fire. This neo-Gothic masterpiece was designed by a team of New York architects led by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood before eventually becoming a Chicago Landmark in 1989. Several buildings throughout the world reference the tower’s infamous design including the Grace Building in Sydney, Australia and the One Atlantic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
At this point you’ll have traversed through a few neighborhoods in Chicago including the South Loop, the Loop, and River North. Our next stop will guide you to Gold Coast at the intersections of Rush and State street. “Mariano Plaza” is located in the heart of what’s colloquially known as the Viagra Triangle, home to some of Chicago’s most famous restaurants and bars including Gibson’s, Tavern on Rush, and more. Named after Louis Marino, he was a reporter and editor for the Chicago Daily News who was also an editor for the World Book Encyclopedia. Mariano Plaza is the perfect place to people watch and enjoy a coffee, ice cream, or beer at one of the nearby establishments.
After a break you can make your way towards Lincoln Park, stopping at the corner of Clark and North to view a monument known as “Abraham Lincoln: The Man”. Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, this original 12-foot statue was erected in 1887 and honors the 16th President of the United States who served on the Illinois Legislature before eventually joining the U.S. House of Representatives for the state. At the time of the statue’s unveiling following his death, Lincoln’s only grandson was present among a crowd of 10,000. Today there are replicas of this statue placed around the world to honor Lincoln’s legacy.
Heading deeper into Lincoln Park you’ll find one of the most “Instagrammable” sights in the city known as the “Education Pavilion”. Throughout the year you’ll find couples taking engagement photos, students taking graduation photos, and many more events like open-air fitness classes as this picturesque location offers sweeping views of the Chicago Skyline and Lincoln Park South Pond. Inspired by a tortoise shell, the Education Pavilion is a laminated structure consisting of prefabricated, bent-wood members and interconnected fiberglass pods. You’re not too far from the Lincoln Park Zoo either at this point so if you’re in the mood to see some animals you’re only a few steps away. Also entry is completely free!
If you go west on Webster Avenue out of the park you’ll find yourself at the corner of Lincoln and Webster where you’ll look down an alleyway and find a local favorite known as “Snarf’s Sandwiches Mural”. Snarf’s is a family-owned sandwich shop that first opened in Boulder, Colorado in 1996 and is known for it’s mosaic artwork built specifically for each location. This mosaic depicts several Chicago icons but also includes a yellow brick road, associated with the nearby Oz Park just across the street. You can hunt down some of the statues located throughout the park named after L. Frank Baum’s, “The Wizard of Oz” including one of Dorothy and Toto, Tin Man, and more.
At this point you’ll have walked nearly 6 miles throughout the city so we’ll leave you some additional recommendations to explore on your own! Some of our local favorites include Calder’s Flamingo (50 W. Adams Street), the Palmer House Hotel (17 E. Monroe Street), the Cheshire Cat Mural (1166 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Chicago Honey Bears Mural (910 W. Chicago Avenue), and Pritzker Music Pavilion (210 E. Randolph Street).
You can find hundreds of free tours of Chicago and other cities around the world through the Roamli app including fun scavenger hunts and other events to do solo or with friends and family! You can download the app for free through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Have any other fun recommendations in Chicago? Please feel free to sound off in the comments and happy exploring!
