Parks, Ballgames, and Towers: Navigating Chicago for First-Timers

by April Anderson-Zorn 

“You’re so close to Chicago! You must know all there is to do in the city!” I live in downstate Illinois, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive or an Amtrak train ride to Chicago. Though I don’t frequent the city as much as I used to (thanks to a kid and the onset of my forties), I’ve traversed one of my favorite cities enough to pass on some tips and tricks to you, soon-to-be conference attendees. Hopefully I’ll help you find fun, good food, and save you a few dollars in the process.

Driving in? Save money by parking in extended parking lots and taking the train into the city. Parking at downtown hotels can be expensive, even for the day. If you are planning to drive to the Annual Meeting, as I’m sure many of my Midwest Archives Conference colleagues are planning to do, consider a monitored parking lot option at either Midway or O’Hare airports. Both have convenient transportation to the main terminals where you can catch a train into the city.

Bring your walking shoes! The hotel’s location is perfect for exploring downtown Chicago’s shopping and cultural offerings. While you could call for a rideshare, you can also walk across Michigan Avenue for a lovely twenty-minute stroll to the city’s museum complex. There, you’ll find the world-famous Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium. If you are a zoo or museum member back home, be sure to check for free or reduced admission through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the North American Reciprocal Museum Association, the Association of Science and Technology Centers, and the Association of Children’s Museums. While you can get a great city pass for some of Chicago’s tourist hotspots, I’ve found using my town’s zoo and museum reciprocal programs to be a big cost saver.

Don’t miss the zoo! By the way, the Lincoln Park Zoo is free! You will have to take a cab or a rideshare to get there, and be sure to go with plenty of time. This expansive zoo has almost 200 animals and acres of beautiful gardens. My advice: go to the McCormick Bird House and say hello to resident Tawny Frogmouth. Often mistaken for an owl, this beautiful bird has the best ‘are you kidding me?’ attitude—I’ve even made it my Zoom profile picture. After a long day at the zoo, consider a stop on Clark Street at the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company for their famous Pizza Pot Pie. They only recently started taking reservations, so make one soon or you’ll be waiting a long time for melty, cheesy goodness.

Green spaces downtown. Closer to the hotel, you can explore one of my favorite spots—Millennium Park. You’ll pass some amazing destinations, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, and the Chicago Cultural Center. Along with the usual summertime music and art festivals at Millennium Park, you can partake in outdoor workout sessions on Saturdays and an outdoor movie on Tuesdays. East of Millennium Park is the recently renovated and newly named Maggie Daley Park, which offers mini golf, a climbing wall, a kid’s play area, gardens, and lots of natural green space.

Take in a game. In the before-times, I often found myself on the North Side of Chicago, going to a game at Wrigley Field (go Cubs!) and enjoying a few frosty adult beverages with some fried cheese curds at Murphy’s Bleachers. Or maybe you’re a Comiskey Park fan (though now it’s named Guaranteed Rate Field) and want to see some White Sox action and have a beer at Turtles Bar and Grill. Both ballparks are a short cab, rideshare, or Red Line “L” trip away from the hotel and will have home games during ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2024. The Cubs will face the Blue Jays at home August 16–18, while the White Sox will face the New York Yankees August 12–14.

Oh, and one last thing! It might be named the Willis Tower now, but it’s still the Sears Tower for many Chicagoans and downstaters alike. Visit the beloved building and venture out on the Skydeck, a clear platform above the city, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. . . . if you dare!

As published in the May/June 2024 Archival Outlook