How To Spend 24 Fun Hours in Chicago

Last summer I spent a mere 24 hours in Chicago. You may be thinking I didn’t do too much in that amount of time. Rightfully so since there is plenty to do, see, and eat in Chicago. So it may surprise you to learn I did a lot. Or it may not because if you haven’t realized already I always do a ton in a short amount of time. Not everyone has the luxury of several days or more in one place. So here is the fun I had in my 24 hours!

Once arriving in Chicago, instead of taking the train, we took the green Go shuttle van. The round trip was about $25. It was faster and dropped us directly at our hotel in the River North section of Chicago. We were staying at Hotel Felix at it had a great location to get to all the things we wanted to see. We arrived a bit too early to get our room, but we were able to leave our little bag and grab some breakfast at the suggestion of the front desk staff.

hotel felix chicago, il ©hollydayz
Hotel Lobby ©2016 HollyDayz

We took a short walk over to Yolk for breakfast. There was so much goodness to choose from on the menu that I would happily go back without a hesitant thought. The staff at Yolk were very upbeat and positive which made for a great experience. I ordered strawberry and banana crepes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. It was absolutely delicious and filling.

Yolk-in-Chicago, IL ©HollyDayz
Eggs, Bacon, Sausages, and a Strawberry and Bananas Crepe ©2016 HollyDayz

Once we were done eating we walked back to Hotel Felix and our room was ready. The room was beautiful and spacious. Due to the early morning flight it seemed so easy just to stay in the room and relax. The bed was comfortable too, but with only 24 hours there was much to see and do. I wish we had stayed for longer!

Chicago is a city full of amazing attractions and you can even purchase a Chicago CityPass to save some money on admission fees. If you plan on visiting lots of the local attractions, I’d recommend checking it out! If we had been in the area for more than 24 hours I would have definitely bought one!

hotel felix chicago, il ©hollydayz
Big comfy bed ©2016 HollyDayz

The first thing we did was meet up with Chicago Crime Tours. We were extremely happy to get on the air-conditioned bus because it was a warm day. The seats were very comfortable. The tour was really informative and entertaining of the crimes that have happened in Chicago including the mob, drugs being sold out of a McDonald’s drive thru, and so much more. It was a lot of fun.

chicagocrimetours @hollydayz
Area where the feds were on a stake out for John Dillinger who was across the street ©2015 HollyDayz

After having some fun on that tour we headed over to the Willis Tower, but for all those out there I know it will forever be the Sears Tower. I had to go up to the top and stand on The Ledge and explore the Sky Deck. The views from the Sky Deck were amazing! I was exited to stand out on The Ledge, just a word to the wise, don’t look down for too long. Gives you this weird, scary feeling after a while.

living life on the ledge skydeck chicago © HollyDayz
Living Life On The Ledge ©2015 HollyDayz

The lines to get up and down from the Sky Deck are pretty long. I would suggest a fast pass or to go very early, such as when it opens. Otherwise you need to allot more time as this could take up a good portion of it. Once we were finished at the Sky Deck we were able to enjoy the hotel for a little while.

WendellaBoats sunset cruise in chicago ©hollydayz
On the Chicago River ©2015 HollyDayz

We relaxed until it was time to head to the Wendella Boats Sunset Cruise. The cruise was great. They talked about all the beautiful architecture. Although we didn’t make it to Navy Pier, we did see it and many other things from the cruise. There was also alcohol and snacks on board. The cruise left the Chicago River and headed out to Lake Michigan. It was a chilly and I was very happy to have a hoodie on. We also moved from the top of the boat to the bottom because the wind was high.

WendellaBoats sunset cruise in chicago ©hollydayz
Night falling over the beautiful Chicago Skyline ©2015 HollyDayz

Once we got off the boat we were pretty hungry. You can’t go to Chicago without eating pizza. So after a small debate amongst the staff at Hotel Felix we ended up at Giordano’s. I wish someone would have told me that you should order once you get there because it takes 45 minutes to make pizza. Sadly no one did and it took much longer than 45 minutes to eat. At that point we were pretty hangry. The pizza was delicious and I took the leftover back with me to the hotel.

giordanos ©hollydayz
Deep Dish Pizza ©2015 HollyDayz

The next morning before heading to the airport we headed over to Cloud Gate aka as The Bean. You can’t go to Chicago and not see The Bean! I quickly walked a bit and also spotted the Jay Pritzker Pavilion where they have events in the park. The Crown Fountain was also pretty cool. I could see people running through there on a very hot day. The fountain is interactive and has LED screens with faces that change. It is pretty cool and a sight to see.

  • How-I-Spent 24 in chicago © hollydayz
    The Crown Fountain ©2016 HollyDayz
  • How-I-Spent 24 in chicago © hollydayz
    Cloud Gate aka The Bean ©2016 HollyDayz

After that we gathered our belongings and headed to the airport. A quick trip packed with so much. I look forward to going back to Chicago. There is much more to see and eat!


Have you ever been to Chicago? What did you do and how much time did you have?

How-I-Spent 24 in chicago © hollydayz

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