OUTING 2011 -- UPDATED WITH A WINNER

I'll be booking as soon as YF names a hotel.

Really looking forward to this, as always.

 

I know whatever hotel is used will be centrally located. But if anyone is a little adventurous and wants to venture north from downtown, there's an area on the near northwest side where you can get the world's best hamburger, stop into a couple cool Chicago-style taverns and if you time it right, see some live music. All without the hassle that comes with the tourist areas. There's also a tattoo parlor in the middle of it all. I'll start digging up related links for anyone who might want to check out some non-touristy parts of the city.

 

Details:

Weekend of Saturday, July 23rd.

Hotel: DoubleTree Mag Mile: http://www.doubletreemagmile.com/

This is a recently renovated hotel. It is located at 300 E. Ohio St., which is in Streeterville, two blocks East of Michigan Avenue. (If you know Chicago, but don't recognize the name, it used to be called something else.)

Here's a map: http://tinyurl.com/3vjbkff

Rate: $129.00 per night + tax

I'll call them tomorrow to get a code or attach a name to the rate so people can start making reservations.

I asked them to hold 15-20 rooms from Thursday check-in through Sunday check-out, thought I don't expect everyone to stay all three nights.

The hotel has a bar in the lobby, a full service hotel, and an Einstein Bagels.

The garage gas a parking lot. If you are driving, let me know and I'll see about discount parking. Otherwise, I'll check with the garage across the street from me & see if we can get a discount.

The Cubs are playing the Astros. They have day games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

If anyone wants to stay an extra couple of days, the Sox are home on Monday night.

It looks like we should be able to get group seats for Saturday's game. I'm happy to lay out the money and order them so long as people commit.

We should be able to get tickets on Friday & Sunday as well for people who are interested in a lot of baseball.

I'm happy to plan some group dinners/drinking. I can also recommend some restaurants and activities for people who might want to slip away from the group for a period. (Or if their spouses want to slip away.)

Let me know if you have questions or if I left out any pertinent info.

Chicago is great in the summer. You'll have a lot of fun if you come.

Look for flights into MDW on Southwest if you are flying and let me now if you have transportation questions.

Thanks,

YankeeFan / Kevin Gallagher

 

For folks that want to attend Sunday's game, i thought I'd throw out the idea of watching from one of the rooftops across the street.

These places all sell individual game tickets and have tickets available:

http://www.skyboxonsheffield.com/

http://www.beyondtheivy.com/

http://www.3639wrigleyrooftop.com/

They're expensive -- around $125.00 per ticket -- but that includes food and drink.

As a kid, all I ever wanted to do was watch a game from there. I went to one of the Police concerts in one of them, but haven't seen a game from them yet.

I figure it might be kind of cool to watch one game in Wrigley and one from a rooftop.

Let me know if there's interest.

 

YF, I'm presuming that rate is for a room and not a suite?

Is it with one or two beds?

I'm looking on the website and I see they have a number of configurations available.

 

I would love to go, but it's just too close to the due date. I could make it interesting for you all by showing up and hopping up and down a lot. Or I could continually tip my drink glass over at dining establishments while announcing my water broke. Something to think about, at least.

Awesome you're doing this, YF.

 

One room, two beds.

Did DoubleTree start out as an all suite hotel? I can't remember. Anyway, it's not for a suite.

 

If you stay for a Sox game, you can enjoy a game at an actual modern ballpark where viewing the actual proceedings on the field is encouraged. YF, are you working on a group discount for Zima shots?















Come on, I had to do that.

 

Ugh. Midway.

People complain all the time about O'Hare. And rightfully so in a bunch of cases, but Midway? I'd rather mediate a debate between oop and RickStain than fly through Midway.

However, for that price, it might be the best option for some.

 

Midway looks like the world's biggest Greyhound terminal, based on my one stopover there a few weeks ago.

The train does run from both into town, so that's good news.