Hey Apartment Dwellers! Are you traveling to Chicago and only have 48 hours and not sure what to do? Do you go to Millennium Park or The Bean? Where do you get the best deep dish pizza? What’s the best hotel with a good location?

Have no fear, we’re here to help! Read on for the top things to do, see and eat in Chicago!

To See

• Walk Lake Shore: located just minutes from Navy Pier and The Magnificent Mile, Lake Shore has recently undergone a $39 million renovation. There’s plenty to do here that will please everyone in your group: beaches, lakes, spacious green space, live music, restaurants, and bars.

• Millennium Park – A can’t miss tourist spot for sure with everything from concerts, films, workouts, exhibits, family fun and more.

• The Cloud Gate aka The Bean – Of course we had to visit The Bean, which is located in Millennium Park. Simply put, it’s an “impressive bean-like silver structure that is a great place to take memorable vacation snapshots.” Bonus points: you’ll get the city of Chi-town off the reflection, in your photos!

• Walk along Edgewater: Edgewater is just minutes north of downtown Chicago and hugs the shores of Lake Michigan. There’s plenty to see here including beautiful beaches and sprawling parks. We spent time browsing antique shops and boutique grocery stores and farm stands. 

To Do

• Listen to live Music at Navy Pier’s beer garden: When you’re traveling with a group of girls, it’s hard to find something everyone agrees on. But you can never go wrong with live music! The beer garden is a great place to relax while listening to local tunes! Plus, you’ll still be in the heart of Navy Pier where you can still be a tourist!

• Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain: I definitely recommend visiting this, as it’s one of the largest in the world with water display shows happening every 20 minutes on the hour. It has been designated as a Chicago Landmark and is considered “one of the finest ornamental fountains in the America.”

• Visit Garret Popcorn: The long lines are worth the wait for these savory and sweet treats. I recommend the Garrett Mix which “combines sweet Caramel Crisp with savory Cheese Corn.” It makes the perfect gift to bring back to the family or office!

• Cupcakes and Cocktails at Mad River: Looking for something different to do with your friends? This is it! They provide the cupcakes and you do the decorating. We had a blast learning different frosting techniques and which flavors go together. 

• Browse Foursided Paper Store: We loved visiting Foursided for the unique gifts, frames, prints and postcards. Any of these make the perfect gifts to bring home as a keepsake for yourself or for family and friends

To Eat

• Café Ba-Ba- Reeba: This is place to be for brunch, tapas, pintxos and sangria. The bacon-wrapped dates were my fave! All the food was delicious and perfect for sharing. The laid-back environment is great for a big group.

• RPM Restaurants: If you like Italian food, this is the place to eat! With a big group we ordered a couple of appetizers and entrees to try everything.  A must try:  Mama De Pandi’s Bucatini Pomodoro, Maine Lobster Ravioli, Prime Beef Meatballs,  Greek Salad, Peppered Beef Carpaccio and Pappardelle Bolognese.

• When in Chicago, you must try Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.

• Wheat’s End Café – This is a cute little café with great gluten-free options, and delicious coffee.  

Come back soon to see how you should spend 48 hours in New Orleans! 

This post was brought to you by Jenna Tabrizia, Community Manager at Camden Post Oak. 

Jenna started working at Camden Post Oak June 2015 as your Community Manager. You’ll usually see her with a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato in the morning and indulging in Raspberry Chocolate for her afternoon fix. Jenna graduated from LSU. Stop by, say hi and she’ll be there to answer any questions and greet you with a smile and a hug!