Women-Friendly Travel in Chicago
The Chicago women-friendly travel guide places explicit women-friendly and family confidence signals first, while keeping uncertain details visible for review.
Chicago
Westfield North Bridge
The mall is bright and spacious with high ceilings. There are jewelry, clothing, and bath and body shops here. Address: 520 N. Michigan Ave. Phone: 1-312-327-2300
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Armitage Avenue
Get a unique shopping experience at Armitage Avenue, where chic boutiques find homes in beautifully restored 19th century buildings. Here you can buy anything from unique furnishings to hard-to-find cosmetic brands to hip fashions and toys. Address: Between Halsted Street and Racine Avenue, Lincoln Park Near De Paul University www.armitageshopping.com
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Bucktown/Wicker Park
These side by side neighborhoods cater to the creative and hip crowd. Find hottest clothing styles from established and up-and-coming designers. Unearth that long lost gem at a used record store or vintage accessory shop, or browse independent art galleries. This shopping area though a bit gritty, is definitely trendy.
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Old Orchard Shopping Center
A suburbanite’s answer to Downtown shopping, Old Orchard, has a wide range of stores from Macy’s, Nordstrom, Ann Taylor and Bloomingdales to a host of specialty stores featuring jewelry, watches, gifts, home furnishings, etc. There is a food court plus full service restaurants. For family entertainment, there are a number of cinemas too within the complex. A large outlet of Barnes and Noble, the famous bookstore is also housed here. Address: 34, Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL 600077
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Chicago Premium Outlets
Find an exciting collection of 120 outlet stores from the world’s leading designers and brand names, offering savings of 25% to 65% every day. Address: Chicago Area, Aurora, IL Phone: 630-585-2200 www.premiumoutlets.com/chicago
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State Street
From Randolph Street south to Congress Parkway stretches State Street. It has become a hot destination for bargain hunters because of the popular discount stores located there, such as Loehmann’s, T.J. Maxx and Filene’s Basement. With a little patience and perseverance you can pick out some good designer-label deals.
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Chicago Tribune Store
Take home gifts from the Chicago Tribune Store with the newspaper logo on T-shirts, mugs, laptop briefcases and other items. Another unique way to commemorate your visit to this city is to get a Front Page reproduction or color prints of photos from the newspaper’s archives.
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City of Chicago Store
The City of Chicago Store is located in the Waterworks Visitors Center. Here you can find all sorts of Chicago related souvenirs. Also available are guidebooks and posters. A multitude of municipal related souvenirs can also be found, such as parking meters and street signs.
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The Oprah Store
Who has not heard of the Oprah Winfrey Show? Well, just across the famous Harpo studios, is this shop that stocks all things Oprah. Gift items with the Oprah logo, T-shirts, teapots, baby clothes, handcrafted home accessories as well as books by Oprah-approved authors are available for you to purchase. There is also a small selection of designer outfits and shoes worn by the great lady herself. Though highly priced, take consolation in the fact that these are sold at a mere fraction of the original retail. Address: 37 N. Carpenter Street Washington Street Phone: 312-633-2100 www.oprah.com
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Alan Koppel Gallery
This gallery displays modern works of art as well as Italian and French furniture from the 1920’s. Koppel specializes in 20th century photography. Address: 210 W. Chicago Ave. Phone: 1-312-640-0730
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Aldo Castillo Gallery
This gallery features a variety of work by artists from Latin America, Portugal and Spain. Address: 233 W. Huron St. Phone: 1-312-337-2536 Website: www.artaldo.com
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Ann Nathan Gallery
Ann Nathan Gallery-this gallery displays exciting art pieces in clay, metal and wood, as well as photographs and paintings. Address: 212 W. Superior St. Phone: 1-312-337-2536 Website: www.annathangallery.com
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Architectural artifacts
It is well organized, bright, and features everything from garden ornaments to vintage bathroom hardware and American and French Art Deco lighting fixtures. Address: 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. Phone: 1-773-348-0622 Website: www.architecturalartifacts.com
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Broadway Antique Market
This is a two level vintage mega mart. You can find both expensive as well as affordable pieces here. Address: 6130 N. Broadway of Hollywood Ave. and Lake Shore Dr. Phone: 1-773-743-5444
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Jay Robert’s Antique Warehouse
This selection is diverse and includes unique pieces such as stained glass, statues, tapestries and fine furniture. Phone: 1-312-222-0167 Address: www.jayroberts.com
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What to do with Children in Tow
Chicago can boast of being a very child-friendly city with all there is for them to see and do.
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Chicago Architecture Foundation
Chicago's architecture is unparalleled. As the grand avenues of Paris are exemplary of the nineteenth century, and the canals of Venice of the Renaissance, so do the skyscrapers and neoclassical monuments represent modernity. The Chicago Architecture Foundation works to advance knowledge and public interest in architecture and design.
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Chicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center was built between 1893 and 1897 as a public library. It is built in the Neoclassical style, with touches from the Italian Renaissance. When the new Harold Washington Library was built in 1991, it was converted into a cultural center. The Cultural Center is also renowned for its intricate and ornamental details, including white Carrara marble staircases, delicate mosaics, glass, stone, and mother of pearl adornments, and vaulted ceilings. There are two large domes on the third floor, including one made of Tiffany-stained glass.
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Fine Arts Building
The Fine Arts Building, also known as the Studebaker Building, was built in 1885 for the Studebaker company by architect Solon S. Beman. It is a striking example of Romanesque architecture. Studebaker soon vacated the building, and it was renovated into a hub of fine arts. As the name would suggest, it is filled with offices, art galleries, lofts, recording studios, and shops, nearly all related to the world of art.
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Sears (Willis) Tower
Until the completion of the new World Trade Center in New York City, the Sears Tower is the tallest building in the United States, standing 442m (527m to the spire). It was built between 1969 and 1973 as headquarters for the Sears corporation, formerly the largest retailer in the world.
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Adler Planetarium
The Adler Planetarium was built in 1930 by philanthropist Max Adler and is part of Chicago's Museum Campus. It was the first modern planetarium in the western hemisphere. Though it has since become a little dated, there is still a lot to see here.
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Buckingham Fountain
One of the world’s largest fountains, the Buckingham Fountain is located in the middle of Grant Park. It was a gift to the city from Kate Sturges Buckingham, in memory of her brother Clarence Buckingham. The Beaux-Arts-style design, finely wrought bronze sculpture and innovative use of technology make this one of America’s finest fountains. The fountain runs during warm-weather months with a light and water display from 9:00pm to 10:00pm.
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Field Museum
Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History was founded in 1893 during the Colombian Exhibition. It was moved to its current location in 1921 and is named for Marshall Field, the museum's first benefactor and retail giant Marshall Field. The magnificent Classical Revival building is located along Lakeshore Drive in Chicago's Museum Campus, along with the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium.
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Grant Park
Located between the Loop and Lake Michigan, Grant Park is known as Chicago's front yard. It covers 319 acres. The park was built after the 1871 Great Chicago Fire on landfill and the 1893 Columbian Exhibition was held here. It is named for former president/Civil War general and Chicago-area native Ulysses S. Grant. The recently completed Millennium Park is at the northwest corner of the park, and acts as a gateway.