Looking for an exciting labor day weekend getaway we decided to travel to good old Chicago. With air fares sky high this time of year we decided a long over due road trip would be a fun idea. Leaving home at 7am we hit the road. Along the way making a few key stops. We found a Tanger shopping outlet and pulled over to pick up some great deals. Once in the Illinois area we stopped off at Ikea in Schaumburg, IL. Ikea is a wonderful store full of home furnishing, decor and organization supplies. Not to mention everything in the store is reasonably priced. Anytime I am away from home and there is an Ikea in the vicinity it has to be visited by me.

Back on the road we finally reached the city area and got stuck in heavy rush hour traffic. About 45 minutes later, due to the traffic we arrived at our hotel. We stayed at the Avenue Chicago within close proximity to all shops and museums. The hotel had a great rate for the weekend, but we did have to pay for valet parking. But parking is a cost that you will have to pay at any hotel in Chicago should you decide to drive. We opted to not drive any further during this trip and instead used public transportation to get anywhere we needed to go.

Our second day we visited Wrigleyville and went by Wrigleyfield where a game was in the 5th inning. There was a lot of energy in this area. Tons of bars and shops, as far as the eye could see. A very nostalgia area to visit where you can get that old baseball feel and see fans who are truly dedicated to their team. For the evening we decided to dine with a friend of mine who is in school in the Chicago area. She choose Cafe Iberico for us to dine at. Not only was this one of her favorite places to dine, but also for the many other people waiting as well. The cafe had a huge selection of items to choose from, with so much variety and everything reasonably priced. The food tasted amazing and service was a little slow, but the food quality and taste made up for that.

On our final day we opted for fun. We visited Navy Pier and rented a couple bikes and road around the pier and surrounding areas. The bikes were easy to ride and it was wonderful to bike on a beautiful sunny day. A very cheap and fun plan for any family visiting Navy Pier. After the bike ride we decided to ride the ferris wheel. If you are afraid of heights you may beware of this, but you should feel 100% safe inside the secure enclosure on the wheel. The ferris wheel offers the best sites of the city and should not be overlooked. There is so much to do in the Windy City that it would be great location for anyone to visit.

My final review would be:

Avenue Chicago – gorgeous hotel with a great location & friendly staff
Navy Pier – tons of entertaining things to do by the water
Cafe Iberico – best tapas in Chicago
Wrigleyfield – reminiscence to the old KC Royals days
Ikea – affordable home furnishing
Weather – temperature mildly warm and perfectly sunny