Early this summer, my three cousins and I set off to explore the Windy City! We booked our flights just a few weeks before and left for the big weekend the day after our last finals at Penn State. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off summer 2018!
We landed at O’Hare International Airport very early, determined to soak in every last drop of our mini-vacation. Luckily for us, a good friend from school lives in Evanston, a town on the outskirts of Chicago and we were able to stay with her. We spent our first day exploring Evanston. It is also home to Northwestern, another Big 10 school, so it is definitely more lively than our hometowns. We walked along the beaches of Lake Michigan on Northwestern’s campus. Students and Evanston locals decorate the rocks that border the lake, making for some great photographs.
My friend, Grace took us to see the Bahá’í Temple. Little did we know, we would pull up to this massive, magnificent temple right in her hometown. We spent the rest of the afternoon driving through town and taking in the beautiful scenery and homes that overlook Lake Michigan.
The next day we went into the city to do some touristy things. Of course, we had to see The Bean and Millennium Park. I was so pleasantly surprised by how clean the city was and how nice everyone was. Chicago is a lot less crowded than New York and it definitely moves a lot slower. This was refreshing to say the least. We happened to be there on Cinco de Mayo and what better way to celebrate than by getting tacos! We ate at Broken English Taco Pub, a cute little Mexican restaurant a few blocks over from the Bean. It was definitely worth the wait.
At night we went out in Wrigleyville and much to my regret, sang some karaoke which appeared all over my snapchat story the following morning. I loved getting to know Grace’s home friends and seeing what its like to have the city right at your fingertips.
The next day was filled with a lot of walking. We went to the Lincoln Park Conservatory in the morning and made our way to Wicker Park on the 606, a walkway for bikers and runners. I absolutely LOVED Wicker Park. It was a lively little city with plenty of adorable boutiques, dining options, and parks. We went to The Bongo Room for brunch, where I devoured a lobster eggs benedict, followed by a mini shopping spree at local consignment shops and Urban Outfitters. The highlight of my day was strolling around the park with a homemade ice cream cone from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
Our little getaway-trip ended with our first bite of traditional deep dish pizza and a drive past Wrigley stadium. This was my first trip to the midwest and I loved every minute of it. Being the foodie that I am, I loved the trendy restaurants and atmosphere of it all. I would definitely recommend this beautiful place to anyone looking to get away.
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