Going to Champaign for Game - Any Suggestions?

[BostonNit]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champaign for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champaign on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

 

[interrobang]

Don't go to too much champagne before the game. You might miss the game.

 

[Booty Maximus]

France is lovely this time of year.

 

[BostonNit]

France is lovely this time of year.

But they play futbol not football there.

 

[BobPSU92]

Papa Del's Pizza.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champagne for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champagne on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

All I can think about is Giordano's Pizza in terms of my chicago area must-dos. Maybe grab a pie and just keep it with you in whatever journeys our more-knowing brethren suggest. Quartino and Gibson's are both good for dinner but I don’t have much else to compare them to in Chicago.

 

[Booty Maximus]

But they play futbol not football there.

Stay an extra week and go to the Ryder Cup!

 

[MtNittany]

In ChiTown, go eat some hot wings at Jake Melnick's.

 

[nittanyduck]

Easy on the Champaign
Heavy on the Urbana!

 

[Lion84]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champaign for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champaign on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

The Architectural Boat Tour along the River Downtown is definitely worth it. Wendella is a good company to use but there are others as well. The Field Museum is pretty cool as well. I grew up North of the City so have been to all of the places downtown before. Shed Aquarium is nice as well.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

The Architectural Boat Tour along the River Downtown is definitely worth it. Wendella is a good company to use but there are others as well. The Field Museum is pretty cool as well. I grew up North of the City so have been to all of the places downtown before. Shed Aquarium is nice as well.

We went to the NW Game in ChiTown a few years back. The Wendell’s tour is a great time and is both interesting and educational. Nice suggestion! Do that and get a good deep dish or a hot fudge sundae at
Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop that is located very near Wendella’s dock.

 

[Wandering Spectator]

Head over to West Lafayette Saturday morning for the Purdue vs BC homecoming game.

 

[Frabjous]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champaign for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champaign on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

For Saturday in Chicago, Bang Bang Pies & Biscuits for breakfast
http://www.bangbangpie.com/ and the Museum of Science & Industry afterwards. Check out the U Boat there.

 

[BostonNit]

Head over to West Lafayette Saturday morning for the Purdue vs BC homecoming game.

I saw that. I'm actually gonna do that. Would've gone to either the Big House or ND game but Ann Arbor is too far for me to catch my flight and ND plays late Saturday.

 

[BostonNit]

Any alumni tailgating outside Memorial?

 

[ApexLion]

Saw this BostonNit:
Event Details

• When
• Friday, September 21, 2018
  
  
• 
  
• Time
  5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Central Time
  
  
• 
  
• Where
• Hilton Garden Inn - Champaign
  
  
• 1501 S. Neil Street
  
  
• Champaign, IL 61820
  
  
• For parking options and stadium policies, please click here.
  
  
• Planner
• Penn State Alumni Association
  
  
• 
  
• 
  Registration Fees
• $25 Alumni Association Member
  $40 Non-Member*
  $15 Children (ages 6-18)
  Free Admission (ages 5 and younger)
  
  *Consider becoming a member today!
  

 

[BoilerBulldog]

I saw that. I'm actually gonna do that. Would've gone to either the Big House or ND game but Ann Arbor is too far for me to catch my flight and ND plays late Saturday.

Enjoy! Try the IM lot for tailgating. It’s the non permit required lot and usually pretty fun. Probably $20 to park.

 

[BobPSU92]

Easy on the Champaign
Heavy on the Urbana!

True. Urbana is nicer.

 

[EdH85]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champaign for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champaign on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

2 hour Architectural tour on the Chicago River. Very interesting and they have a little bar on the boat.

 

[Bardo]

All knowing board...

I just booked an incredibly cheap trip (through Chicago) to go to Friday night's game. Flying Boston - Chicago early Thursday AM. Have a hotel in Champaign for Thurs and Fri nights. Flying back out of Chicago late Saturday night.

Looking for some fun stuff to do in/around Champaign on Thursday and Friday. Alumni stuff? PSU gatherings? Tailgates? Must visit restaurants? Etc.

Also, any particularly cool stuff to see in Chicago on Saturday? I've been to the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc. Looking for something different there too.

Thanks in advance!

For the best deep dish pizza in Chicago, go to Lou Malnati’s. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[BostonNit]

Thanks for the ideas. Keep 'em coming.

Any "can't miss" foods in Champaign-Urbana or Lafayette?

 

[fastlax16]

All I can think about is Giordano's Pizza in terms of my chicago area must-dos. Maybe grab a pie and just keep it with you in whatever journeys our more-knowing brethren suggest. Quartino and Gibson's are both good for dinner but I don’t have much else to compare them to in Chicago.

Tourist trap and a chain restaurant, along with Lou's. I literally live above the river north giordano's and it is 100% tourists. No one who lives in Chicago eats there. If you want deep dish in Chicago you go to Pequods. Art of Pizza is good too. Best steakhouses are Bavette's and Gene and Georgetti's. Gibson's is great as well.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Tourist trap and a chain restaurant, along with Lou's. I literally live above the river north giordano's and it is 100% tourists. No one who lives in Chicago eats there. If you want deep dish in Chicago you go to Pequods. Art of Pizza is good too. Best steakhouses are Bavette's and Gene and Georgetti's. Gibson's is great as well.

Thank you. Putting it in my travel notes for the next time I go to Chicago.

 

[Booty Maximus]

Something else to add to your itinerary.

 

[AvalonJohn]

All I can think about is Giordano's Pizza in terms of my chicago area must-dos. Maybe grab a pie and just keep it with you in whatever journeys our more-knowing brethren suggest. Quartino and Gibson's are both good for dinner but I don’t have much else to compare them to in Chicago.

All I can think about is Giordano's Pizza in terms of my chicago area must-dos. Maybe grab a pie and just keep it with you in whatever journeys our more-knowing brethren suggest. Quartino and Gibson's are both good for dinner but I don’t have much else to compare them to in Chicago.

Pizza, I second Giordano's. Best chain I've been to in Chicago and surrounding areas:
https://www.portillos.com/index.html

Get the beef sandwich and know what you want by the time they get to you ....

Have fun and don't forget to support the hookers ......

 

[Bigal1978]

Steak

 

[pandaczar12]

You can do all the touristy stuff in Chicago in about a half day. it's an extremely disappointing city, unless you love traffic. Catching a game at Wrigley is about the only worthwhile other thing to do, and they are not home. But they are playing at the White Sox which would be pretty cool to see, although their stadium is trash.

Head on down to 3 Floyds for dinner and a beer, that's the best advice I can give you.

 

[Brian LB-U]

Tourist trap and a chain restaurant, along with Lou's. I literally live above the river north giordano's and it is 100% tourists. No one who lives in Chicago eats there. If you want deep dish in Chicago you go to Pequods. Art of Pizza is good too. Best steakhouses are Bavette's and Gene and Georgetti's. Gibson's is great as well.

I had a bad experience at Gene & Georgetti's. Might be an outlier, but my steak was horribly prepared. I sent it back (only time I've ever done this) and it was returned to me burned to a crisp. I will not go back.

 

[Woodpecker]

Thanks for the ideas. Keep 'em coming.

Any "can't miss" foods in Champaign-Urbana or Lafayette?

I can't in good conscience call it a "can't miss" but I had a pretty good steak there ~30 years ago at (possibly) Alexanders.

 

[4IUSox2]

Any place on Halsted in Greektown. Great Italian places on Taylor street near UIC. Also at Calo on N. Clark. Shaw's or Harry Carey's downtown. Great ball park food at the Cell if you go to Sox/Cubs.

 

[PogeyKahn]

You can do all the touristy stuff in Chicago in about a half day. it's an extremely disappointing city, unless you love traffic. Catching a game at Wrigley is about the only worthwhile other thing to do, and they are not home. But they are playing at the White Sox which would be pretty cool to see, although their stadium is trash.

Head on down to 3 Floyds for dinner and a beer, that's the best advice I can give you.

If you like riding a bike, I'd try to rent a halfway decent one and ride from the Shedd Aquarium area all the way up to Evanston and back right on the lakefront. There is an OK path, and if it is hot you can hang out at the Oak Street and North Beaches for a while and maybe take swim. The water is still very warm, and if it is hot it is visually pleasing.

Chicago is great if you are not stuck in your car and have easy access to the nice neighborhoods near the lake (River North, Lincoln Park, ect).

I agree with the River Boat tours, and it does not to be the "architectural" tour if you do not have a lot of time. Navy Pier is a giant tourist trap, but it is not too bad for an hour or so.

I'd pick up a polish or red dog and fries and the Wiener Circle on Clark if you get hungry, especially later in the night. I a sure it is a little touristy now, but it used to be the real deal when I lived down the street.