France Travel

FRANCE HOTELS - FRANCE TRAVEL For Best Hotel Rates Phone Toll Free 1 800 426 5445 Or..Request Online France Hotels, Hotel Location Maps, Photos, Reviews Toll Free Access to Travel Experts... and Best Rates! G ateway C ities Paris Nice Lyon M ajor C ities Cannes Monte Carlo French Alps R egional C ities Aix-En-Provence Avignon Bordeaux Marseille Nantes Strasbourg Tours More European Cities Austria Salzburg Hotels Vienna Hotels Innsbruck Hotels Kitzbuehl Hotels Belgium Brussels Hotels Antwerp Hotels Bruges Hotels Czech Republic Prague Hotels Denmark Copenhagen Hotels England London Hotels Manchester Hotels Bath Hotels Stratford-Upon-Avon Hotels Finland Helsinki Hotels Germany Berlin Hotels Dusseldorf Hotels Frankfurt Hotels Hamburg Hotels Munich Hotels Stuttgart Hotels Bonn Hotels Dresden Hotels Heidelberg Hotels Cologne Hotels Greece Athens Hotels Crete Hotels Rhodes Hotels Holland Amsterdam Hotels Rotterdam Hotels The Hague Hotels Hungary Budapest Hotels Ireland Dublin Hotels Italy Florence Hotels Rome Hotels Venice Hotels Milan Hotels Bologna Hotels Capri Hotels Genoa Hotels Naples Hotels Sardinia Hotels Sorrento Hotels Palermo Hotels Taormina Hotels Umbria Hotels Norway Oslo Hotels Poland Warsaw Hotels Portugal Lisbon Hotels Algarve Hotels Russia Moscow Hotels St. Petersburg Hotels Spain Barcelona Hotels Madrid Hotels Granada Hotels Marbella Hotels Seville Hotels Palma de Mallorca Hotels Scotland Edinburgh Hotels Sweden Stockholm Hotels Switzerland Geneva Hotels Lucerne Hotels Zurich Hotels Basel Hotels Berne Hotels Davos Hotels Interlaken Hotels Lausanne Hotels Lugano Hotels Montreux Hotels St. Moritz Hotels Zermatt Hotels France Car Rental Rates & Reservations

Mexico Travel Specialists offer

Mexico Vacation Travel: Hotels, Resorts, Luxury Villa Vacations and Honeymoons Mexico Vacation Travel: Hotels, Resorts, Luxury Villas Luxury Travel, Honeymoons and Cruise Guide Virtuoso Vacations Specialists Mexico Luxury Vacations: Call 1 800 330 8820 to book. Open Everyday! 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We have tons of money saving specials: free nights, free meals, room upgrades, and wonderful inclusions such as free golf and spa visits. During certain times of the year we can give you a free air ticket from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Mexico , or a $250 air credit from other cities. Free car with a 7 night stay at 40 different hotels, or receive a credit of $199 value, and apply it to another car category. We have every airline to Mexico , so you can choose the airline you prefer. You get frequent flyer miles on most of them. We can get you discount first class, or business class tickets. You can book your activities ahead of time to assure peace of mind. Imagine the romantic Mexico vacation setting of your dreams. A snow white beach. Think of the love of your life beside you. Then imagine a carefree Mexico vacation with all the details taken care of by our competent staff. Mexico Vacations, Hotels, Resorts, Cruise, Honeymoons Welcome to Mexico , the country that has it all ! Discover beach r esorts , colonial cities , archeological sites , and countless natural settings . In Mexico , you can do any number of activities , such as golfing , sailing or simply relaxing at a resort as you absorb our rich cultural heritage and relish the culinary delights of our country. During your stay , enjoy the hospitality and world - class services and establishments that make Mexico a modern country, yet full of customs and tradition . Mexico vacations are easy to research, plan and purchase at Travelwizard.com. Our award winning destination guides contain thousands of listings that include all the hotels and resorts , the best luxury hotels and resorts , and great boutique hotels for couples and families . Featured are vacation activities, restaurants, attractions, diving, snorkelling and shopping for all destinations. We offer honeymoon , golf , all-inclusive spas , and luxurious villas rentals . Travelwizard.com has all the Mexico cruise itineraries and options, and a staff of Master Cruise Specialists ready to assist you . We also provide cultural travel experiences, personal enrichment travel and exotic luxury tours , designed specifically for the sophisticated traveler. Don't miss our Virtual tours and enjoyable streaming videos we've provided to enhance your visit, and to help you plan a perfect Mexico vacation. You will find everything you need here except the sunscreen. Whether you are looking to plan a Mexico honeymoon or a business conference for 1,000 associates, we have the information you need to help make your next trip memorable. Northern Mexico: Known for its extreme weather conditions and characterized by its deserts, nature reserves and rugged mountain ranges. Some cities in the region are key industrial and business centers. Central Mexico: The Mexican heartland. Here youll find plenty of natural surroundings, picturesque towns full of life and color, and beautiful colonial cities, some of which have been declared World Heritage sites. Southern Mexico and The Gulf: Lined with the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, this region offers an abundance of marshes, mangrove swamps and forests, all of which are ideal for ecotourism outings and exciting outdoor adventures. Yucatan Peninsula: The gateway to the Mayan world. Here you can enjoy the white-sand beach resorts and the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea , where you can scuba dive along the worlds second largest coral reef. You can also swim in fresh water pools in submerged caverns, known as cenotes . The Pacific Coast: In this region, youll find cities and towns with rich cultural and culinary traditions, as well as some of the best beaches for water sports like surfing and fishing. 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ITALY Travel Guide Overview

VirtualTourist.com - Italy Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Italy Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in Italy member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums ITALY Travel Guide Overview | Hotels | Forum | Things To Do | Top Member Pages | Deals | Members | Meetings & Events Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Italy Destinations Members Keywords Sponsored Links for Italy Marriott Hotels Enjoy stylish luxury hotels with Marriott's new rooms. Book now. Costa Rica Vacation $995 10 Day Escorted Tour, All Inclusive 53 Years. Smart Shoppers Compare. Hotels Compare Prices, View Photos & More! Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Now Vacation In Paradise Visit Atlantis, Paradise Island for the vacation of a lifetime. Cheap Hotels at Expedia Expedia Special Rates Means We Guarantee Our Low Rates on Rooms. Italy Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com Italy Forum Join a Discussion Travelling from Florence to Venice (1 replies, 7:53 PM Dec. 26, 2005) Need traveler to Italy for school project (1 replies, 12:25 PM Dec. 22, 2005) Italian wine (21 replies, 6:32 AM Dec. 23, 2005) Be the first to reply to these questions Accommodation in Pesaro and other cities on the Adriatic coast (no replies yet) Anyone with advice on Perugia (no replies yet) Accomodations near Milan airport or bus station? (no replies yet) » All Italy Discussions » Post a Italy Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! Italy Deals Holiday fares for flights to and within Italy starting 39 euros! (2 comments, 12:17 PM Dec. 26, 2005) Train travel in Italy for as little as 10 euro (2 comments, 8:49 AM Dec. 19, 2005) 20% Rail Discount for Non-Italians (0 comments, 8:10 PM Nov. 7, 2005) » All Italy Deals » Post a Italy Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Popular Italy Hotels In: Rome Venice Florence Milan Verona Pisa Italy Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com Italy Local time: 11:43 pm Wednesday, December 28, 2005. TravelPro Sale - LuggageGuru.com Great hotels from $53/pp. Hotels in Italy Flights to Italy Map NEW! Members living here: 4,950 Member tips: 56,654 Member pictures: 93,018 Popular Destinations in Italy Rome Venice Florence Milan Verona Pisa Valeggio sul Mincio Naples Pompeii Trieste Genoa Bologna Siena Torino Bergamo Padova Lucca Palermo Sorrento Lago di Garda San Gimignano Catania Bolzano Ravenna Positano » More Destinations in Italy Regions in Italy Abruzzo Basilicata Calabria Campania Emilia-Romagna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Marche Molise Piemonte Puglia Sardegna Sicilia Trentino-Alto Adige Tuscany Umbria Valle d'Aosta Veneto Top Pages About Italy 1. Italia Nel Cuore by croisbeauty 117 Tips 375 Pictures 2. Italia - Prego! by iandsmith 133 Tips 154 Pictures 3. The Many Faces Of Italy by deecat 88 Tips 103 Pictures 4. Beautiful Italy by sim1 84 Tips 89 Pictures 5. The Best Time To Be In Italy by Ciambella 52 Tips 69 Pictures » View all rated pages (413) » View newest pages » Build your own Italy page Tips and Photos about Italy in General Overview General Tips Tips: 1,094 - Pictures: 862 Restaurants Tips: 290 - Pictures: 161 Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 342 - Pictures: 211 Things To Do Tips: 1,647 - Pictures: 1,480 Nightlife Tips: 97 - Pictures: 58 Off the Beaten Path Tips: 496 - Pictures: 435 Tourist Traps Tips: 123 - Pictures: 63 Warnings or Dangers Tips: 228 - Pictures: 92 Transportation Tips: 324 - Pictures: 188 Local Customs Tips: 334 - Pictures: 243 Packing Lists Tips: 96 - Pictures: 48 Shopping Tips: 60 - Pictures: 40 Sports Travel Tips: 21 - Pictures: 17 » See tips about a specific place in Italy More Sponsored Links for Italy Visit the New Delta.com Low fares to Italy & other destinations. Low Change Fees! Italy Hotels View photos, maps, reviews, rates and book: pay only on check out ! Italy Villas For Rent View a comprehensive collection in the country and on the coast. Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Disney Vacation Club Mouse

Magical Mountain - Disney Vacation Club News | Columns | Travel | Forums | Emporium Disney Company News Disney Travel Center Magical Disney Forums Disney World Columns Theme Parks & Water Parks Disney World Resorts Disney World Dining Disney World Reviews Disney World Photos Downtown Disney Disney Cruise Line Disney Vacation Club Mouse | Tunes™ Podcast New Products Apparel Art of Disney Books Disney At Home Movies Music Disney iTunes Disney Pins Prints/Posters Theme Park Products Disney Auctions Disney Movie Reviews Disney Company Stock Magical Mountain Gear Countdown Clock Gear Mouse | Tunes™ Gear Enter Arrival Date 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 05 06 Enter Departure Date 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 05 06 Magical Mountain Toolbar Magical Countdown Clock Countdown Clock Member Area About Us Magical Mountain News Syndicated Content Scrapbook Advertising Contests Emporium Policies Privacy Policy Terms of Use Contact Us Disney Vacation Club Become part of the magic by owning a part of Disney through Disney's time-share, The Disney Vacation Club. Lastest DVC Resale Properties: Beach Club--150 Points--$12,750.00 Old Key West--230 Points--$16,560.00 Old Key West--84 Points--$4,200.00 Old Key West--62 Points--$5,208.00 Saratoga Springs--200 Points--$15,600.00 Boardwalk--100 Points--$8,400.00 Boardwalk--150 Points--$12,750.00 Old Key West--210 Points--$15,960.00 Beach Club--120 Points--$10,200.00 Beach Club--320 Points--$26,200.00 View All DVC Resale Properties So what is The Disney Vacation Club? Well it basically is Disney's versionof a time share. There are a number of benefits to joining the DVC. First, the value of the pointsthat you purchase will never change. The same value you receive today, will be thesame value you receive in 30 years. While the cost of staying at a Disney hotelrises by 5-10% per year, this is a great hedge against inflation.You also receive discounts on your Unlimited Magic Passes, discounts at Pleasure Islandand Disney Water Parks as well as 10% off merchandise at Disney Stores nationwide. The Vacation Point System When you become a Disney Vacation Club member, you purchase a real estate interestin the club. This real estate interest entitles you to an annual allotment of vacationclub points. The larger the real estate interest purchased, the more pointsyou are alloted. The minimum purchase amount of points allowed for purchase iscurrently 150. Your Home Resort You also have the benefit of being able to reserve at your home resort upto 11 months in advance of your check out date. Your home resort is the resort atwhich you purchased your interest ( Old Key West , Beach Club Villas , Boardwalk Villas , Vero Beach, Saratoga Springs , Hilton Head Islandand Villas at Wilderness Lodge ). You can reserve up to 7 months in advance at any other Disney Vacation Club location. For more information on a DVC Home Resort please click here to view Shontell Crawford's column about the ins and outs of theDisney Vacation Club. Member Getaways Another perk of being a Disney Vacation Club member is Member Getaways.Through Member Getaways, you can exchange your reserved Disney Vacation Club Resortaccommodations for over 300 fantastic destinations around the world, including selectpremier hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort and Walt Disney World Cruiseline. The member getaways include Internationalresort exchanges, Unites States resort exchanges, World Passport Collection, Concierge Collection,The Disney Collection, and The Adventure Collection. Disney Vacation Club by Resale Want to get a good deal on a DVC Resale? Click here to view Disney Vacation Clubproperties that are for resale by our affiliate partner, DVC By Resale. DVC By Resale is owned by Shontell Crawford, a licensed real estate broker dealing primarily with DVC property. Disney Vacation Club 2005 Annual Dues The following is a listing of per-point annual dues for 2005 Disney Vacation Club properties: Beach Club Villas - $4.26 Boardwalk Villas - $4.41 Hilton Head - $4.03 Old Key West - $3.86 Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa - $3.82 Villas at Wilderness Lodge - $4.35 Vero Beach - $4.86 Discuss the Disney Vacation Club in our Magical Forums Home - News - Columns - Travel - Forums - Emporium - Photos - Contact Us © 2002-2005 Magical Mountain, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Magical Mountain™ website is a hobbyist/enthusiast website for the fans of The Disney Company.Magical Mountain™ is not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with, The Walt Disney Company, Disney Enterprises, Inc., or any of their affiliates. Some images are © The Walt Disney Company. No part of this site may be reproduced without permission. Love Bug (Special Edition) Mickey And The Gang: Classic Stories ... Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club Pin Disney Transport Bus Die-Cast Vehicle Clue - The Haunted Mansion Edition

Chicago Vacation

Chicago vacation tips? | Ask MetaFilter MetaFilter AskMeFi Projects MetaTalk December 28, 2005 2:55 PM PST Home Archives Tags Search Login New User Tags: chicago tourism November 8, 2005 Chicago: I'm visiting Chicago for the first time in a couple of weeks. I'll be there for the weekend with a friend, staying at the Hotel Allegro , and I'm looking for suggestions regarding fun things to do. Where should I go and what should I see? For example: Is the Museum of Contemporary Art worth the trip? Is the Navy Pier a waste? Is the train a convenient way to get around, or am I better off renting a car? What sort of attractions are within a reasonable distance of my hotel (located, I believe, in the Loop). That sort of thing. I've already got tickets to the Second City. Thanks in advance. posted by gd779 to travel & transportation at 5:39 AM PST the responses to my question earlier this year were pretty dang helpful. posted by sluggo at 5:54 AM PST on November 8 The Allegro is right in the Loop and you're right near the trains, so you have lots of options. You're within blocks of shopping (State Street), theaters, and lots of mid to high end resteraunts and bars. Millenium Park is about a 5 minute walk. The Art Institue is about a 15 minute walk away. For loads of shopping Michigan Avenue (the Magnifcent Mile) is 15-20 minutes away on foot. It's all pretty touristy where you are, so it depends what you're into. I've never found anything fun about Navy Pier, but if you're looking for carnival food or overpriced t-shirts that's the place to go. Check Gaper's Block (from MeFite Me3dia) for a look at some of the cooler things happening in the city while you're here. CitySearch and MetroMix have even more things to look at. posted by Slack-a-gogo at 5:56 AM PST on November 8 See also here posted by einarorn at 5:58 AM PST on November 8 Just about any of the museums are a full-day visit, including the Art Institute. If you are using public transportation, Argyle street and Devon make for pleasant international shopping and dining, low key and few crowds. (Red line north to Argyle. Devon is a bus trip.) Public transportation in the central Chicago area is great unless you have plans to get into the surrounding suburbs. posted by KirkJobSluder at 6:19 AM PST on November 8 If you're looking for bars and clubs and things that less touristy check out the Reader . The paper is free and can be found all over the city. It comes out on Thursday afternoons, and from the Allegro you can pick one up at Rock Records, which is exactly one block South on Washington (it's at about the same spot on that block as the Allegro is on Randolph). There are loads of ads and listings, so you should definitely be able to find something to do. TimeOut is also now in Chicago, and you can pick that up anywhere that sells magazines. posted by Slack-a-gogo at 6:19 AM PST on November 8 Oh, I love the Hotel Allegro. I put my maid of honor up there as a thank you when she came into town for my wedding. I think you'll be absolutely fine with relying on the train/buses. If you need to get somewhere that's not really accessible for whatever reason, you'll be able to get a cab really easily. I enjoyed going to Chinatown. You can take the Red Line south a few stops. It's not like San Fransisco or New York, but it's fun. posted by sugarfish at 6:27 AM PST on November 8 The Pier is nice for an hour or so but it's primarilly food and drink. There's the Shakespeare Theatre there if you're so inclined, tho. In the summer Second City runs shows there as well - I saw The Trial of Friar Lawrence there and it was superb. The aquarium is awesome too. I resisted going, having grown up in Miami and with no shortage of great aquatic displays, but went on my most recent visit and it was excellent. Beautiful, well laid-out and well worth the money. The perfomance shows are corny as such things always are, but still neat. Presumably they're done screwing around with the bean so make sure you go see it. It seems like a moronic concept but it's impressive up close. And take a picture . posted by phearlez at 6:35 AM PST on November 8 Whoops - I meant to suggest going to one of the Second City shows while you're there, too. posted by phearlez at 6:35 AM PST on November 8 When I was in Chicago, I was pleasantly surprised that I could get a five day bus/train pass [not including the Metra] for $18. This was definitely the way to go for travelling. There were very few places that I couldn't get to this way, be sure to bookmark their trip planner . posted by jessamyn at 6:36 AM PST on November 8 If you do decide you'd rather not take the Bus or trains, just take cabs. By the time you rent a car and pay for parking you'll come out close enough to even that it's worth it to pay for the convenience. posted by Wallzatcha at 6:41 AM PST on November 8 If you'll be using public transportation, use this site or just call 836-7000 from any Chicago area code and they'll plan your trip for you (i.e. tell you where to get on, get off, and transfer). posted by jtron at 7:11 AM PST on November 8 These may be a little too off the beaten path for your visit, but catching a show by The Neofuturists or browsing the stacks at Quimby's Bookstore will yield unexpected pleasures. If you opt to visit the more readily accessible Shedd Aquarium - may as well walk an extra block and catch the show at Adler Planetarium as well. Great views of the city from out there. posted by tristero at 7:13 AM PST on November 8 The Art Institute of Chicago has one of the greatest Modern Art collections in the world. If you like art, don't miss it. posted by scottr at 7:14 AM PST on November 8 I would recommend Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind The historical society offers tours of the city via the brown and purple lines on Saturday and Sunday. Navy Pier is not a waste if you would like to see an IMAX movie, eat at McDonalds, or buy something that says Chicago on it. I think the art museum and the Shedd are great. posted by srburns at 7:17 AM PST on November 8 The Allegro is great, the restaurant downstairs (320 Grille?) has the BEST scallops appetizer I have ever had. There is a fondue restaurant on the north side called Geja's (I believe it's pronounced "yay-ya's"). It's a good time, celler-like environment, full 3 or 4 course meal. Make a night of it, and expect to spend $50-$75 a person. Also, Mambo Grill on Clark street has amazing latin food. Don't rent a car- it's just too expensive. You can get everywhere you need to go by El or train. Thumbs up on Art museum, thumbs down on Navy Pier, especially in cold weather. The Field museum and Shedd Aquarium are both fun, and farther south The Museum of Science and Industry is amazing. If you are interested in Chicago history, the main building is what's left of what was built for the World's Fair in 1893. Check out " Devil in the White City " posted by bradn at 7:18 AM PST on November 8 The Art Institute is worth seeing, even if the layout is infuriating for the modern works. I like to go there for two hour chunks with a clear idea of what I want to see, in order to avoid museum fatigue (though I can go longer, usually the people I'm with start to whine like babies in the face of all the art. Also, I'm not shy about skipping stuff I think is crap in order to sit for ten minutes in front of the Rothkos. Which you should do.) The Museum of Contemporary Art is usually pretty solid, and can be done in an hour. The Contemporary Photography Museum is small, but absolutely fantastic with its rotating shows, and can also be done in an hour (and is an easy walk from the AI). Aside from that, if you feel like trecking, you can visit the Brookfield Zoo. It's an excellent spot if you're either with kids or on drugs. Or both. Even if you're not, the Rainforest exhibit is worth seeing sooner or later, but I'd be hard pressed to make the trip from the loop that far out just to see it. The Museum of Science and Industry is OK, if you want to feel wistful for the great public works projects of yesteryear, and feel deeply frustrated with the screaming children that decend like locusts to break everything tangible around while their parents ignore them. Most of the really cool stuff is gone, and computer monitors have replaced a lot. Instead of having an emphasis on the sheer achievement and monumentalism that made Modernism so amazing, it's turning into just a large hands-on museum, and one cluttered with the garrish and transient. Though they do have a WWII sub as a last gasp grab towards The History Channel viewers. The Aquarium is top-notch (though I again recommend drugs to push the experience over the edge into truly fantastic), but can have an ungodly wait to get in, especially on the weekends and whichever day of the week is the cheap one. You should see it at least once in you life though, it's really great. My second favorite aquarium, next to the one in Monterey Bay, California (which is totally different in scale and emphasis-- the one in Chicago is just huge and gorgeous, but there's no interaction with the fish). Right next door is the under-rated Museum of Natural History, which I enjoy quite a bit. But I also enjoy looking at the giant rings of trees, dinosaur skeletons and old decrepit mummies, so your milage may vary. For all of those places, you should endeavor to keep a few dollars with you for the plastic models that are die-cast right in front of you. They're probably toxic and cause cancer, but they're so damned cool. I'm working on a full set... If you like music, you should look to Out of the Past records, a dusty anarchic set of vinyl (seriously, no order at all) that has so many hidden treasures that it should be declared on the national registry. It's near the Museum of Science and Industry. Dusty Groove is good too, if you've got some time to kill and are around Wrigleyville. Lots of out-of-print stuff. Totally easy to blow cash there. I dropped $50 like breathing, and I'm a cheapskate... posted by klangklangston at 7:52 AM PST on November 8 Navy Pier will make your soul hurt for a couple of days hence. If you brave Michigan Ave. for shopping or the desire to get your toes stepped on, I'd recommend going to the top of the Hancock. It's a great view of the city and you can have a $12 martini. posted by MarkAnd at 7:53 AM PST on November 8 If you get a chance, try an Ino's burrito-- you won't regret it. There's also a nice little thai place on Michigan Ave. right near the Art Institute that's surprisingly cheap and pretty tasty. Or there's the Chicago Diner, if you go for upper-middle-class vegetarian food. posted by klangklangston at 7:53 AM PST on November 8 Oh, I second the Neo-futurists (or rather, I third it) - TMLMTBGB is the best! The architectural boat tour is one of my favorite things to do in the Chi - it's probably too cold for that, though, so maybe one of the walking tours sponsored by the architects? I know it sounds boring, but it's actually really interesting and fun and pretty. And please eat some pizza. Mmm, pizza. And also, don't get a car, you don't need one, and it would be a pain to park -- public transportation in Chicago rocks (and don't discount the buses, I love the bus system in Chicago). The bar at the top of the Hancock building has great views, too, if the weather is clear. posted by echo0720 at 8:30 AM PST on November 8 As others have noted, if you care even a smidge about art The Art Institute is a must. It's my favorite art museum in the US. Do not miss its spectacular collection of Joseph Cornell's work--the largest one anywhere. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a wide array of tours . If the weather is not abominable I highly recommend the river cruise. Devon street was mentioned--this is a great place to eat Indian food. If you like German food, the Berghof is a classic and very popular at lunch. And much to my chagrin as someone who grew up on the West coast and has been eating MExican food all my life, my hands down favorite Mexican restaurants are in Chicago-- Frontera Grill and Topolbampo . posted by donovan at 10:01 AM PST on November 8 Oh yeah, lemme recommend TMLMTBGB as well. Excellent. posted by klangklangston at 10:31 AM PST on November 8 These are all great suggestions, thanks! posted by gd779 at 10:47 AM PST on November 8 Go to the Hideout . Best music in a city which abounds in beautiful noise. posted by felix betachat at 11:36 AM PST on November 8 MeTa . (Just in case the dates work, gd779.) posted by felix betachat at 12:21 PM PST on November 8 Second the Hideout, definitely. Also second (third/fourth/whatever) the Art Institute, in particular the modern collection -- and the Joseph Cornell collection is, indeed, not to be missed. As for restaurants, I always love going to Reza's when I'm back in Chicago -- the fessenjen (cornish hen in pomegranate sauce) is spectacular. On the fancy-schmancy end, if you're in the mood (and have the means!), Blackbird is stellar -- I had one of the greatest meals of my life there. posted by scody at 12:26 PM PST on November 8 Check out Wicker Park starting with the intersection of Damen, North and Milwaukee. It's still a little piece of heaven in some respects. Record shops, coffee shops, thai food, noodle shops, the Double-Door and all sorts of assorted tomfoolery can be had. The Hideout isn't too far north of there either. You'll be on Randolph street which has undergone a huge resurgence. All sorts of awesome stuff if you get on Randolph and head west. Also, as touristy as it is, the area of Wells and Division has Second City and cool things to see. For Blues, avoid Kingston Mines and the neck-high frat crowd and head over to Rosa's on West Armitage. Of course you could always come to our meetup! ;) posted by KevinSkomsvold at 12:39 PM PST on November 8 ON REVIEW: The Out of the Past record store is NOT near the Museum of Science and Industry, despite my visiting it on the same day and somehow believing that it was. Out of the Past is at 4407 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60624. I still recommend you go there. posted by klangklangston at 5:12 PM PST on November 8 I love the area around Clark and Belmont Ave...get off the El at Belmont, walk to Clark, turn left and walk up the street toward Wrigley Field. Lots of cool shops and things there. You should also stop in the Marshall Fields flagship store on State Street. This is nothing like the Marshall Fields stores in the mall. It's a definite experience. Plus the Christmas windows will be done by then, so check those out. : ) posted by SisterHavana at 1:05 PM PST on November 10 « Older I love my lotus lamp. I hate t... | My company has an ISDN2 link w... 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