Day 2 - Inside Mordor

[GardoneVT]

Be sure to spend some time at the Field Museum of Natural History, one of my favorite places growing up there as a kid in the '50s-'60s.

Heck, the OP needs to spend the whole day checking out the museums. I was home schooled as a kid and my mom would routinely take me to the Shedd, Museum of Science and Industry (further south on the LSD) and Adler Planetarium. I learned more in those four years then I have in the last ten years of traditional schooling.

Back to topic. Three things the OP needs to do.

ONE, find the Chicago Department of Revenues website. Check it weekly. Run your license plate through the ticket tracker every week, because the DoR are more vicious then Afghan warlords. Just because your car doesn't have an orange sticker doesn't mean you have no citations.... Ask me how I know.
Two unpaid tickets and the Denver Boot is sure to grace your car

Two, look up each of the museums I listed above, as each one has free days during the week. IIRC Thursdays are when admission to the Shedd and History Museum are free, although extra exhibits and 3D movies inside aren't free....nor is parking, but that's Chicago for ya.

Three, eat. While Chicago's known for pizza and whatnot, plenty of ethnic places exist which are fabulous eats. I know of a grand Thai place in a hotel on N Granville which serves the best Pad Thai you'll eat this side of the International Date line.

[Totem Polar]

I was home schooled as a kid...

Totally OT, but this statement strikes me as being in accord with your quality posts around here.

Carry on.

[Shellback]

Besides the gun laws, and politics in general, Chicago has some of the neatest things to do in any major large city in N. America. Awesome museums, parks, restaurants, etc.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is amazing, and free! Shedd aquarium as mentioned, Navy Pier... Try using Yelp or similar and you'll be amazed at how much cool stuff there is.

[tremiles]

I grew up in the W. subarbs and lived there for 26 years. As many have already said, there are places you go and places you don't go. For the most part, the places you don't go don't have anything you need. My dad worked downtown, so I spent a fair bit of time in the museums as a kid. My favorites were always the Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd, and the Art Institute. Don't become a Cubs fan. It's an exercise in repeatedly smashing your kitten with a meat tenderizer.

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[SAWBONES]

Heck, the OP needs to spend the whole day checking out the museums. I was home schooled as a kid and my mom would routinely take me to the Shedd, Museum of Science and Industry (further south on the LSD) and Adler Planetarium.

I completely agree, and didn't mean to imply a one-time visit; I spent many full days at the Field Museum.

Science and Industry is also a many visits proposition, including the WWI submarine and the coal mine.

The Adler Planetarium and the aquarium at least once or twice.

[PPGMD]

I don't understand the love for the Chicago dog. The only type that are even marginally acceptable are the char dogs. Flavorless tomato and a limp pickle do not a good hot dog make, even if I do like the poppy buns.

I can absolutely get behind the Italian beef sandwiches and the pizzas, though.

Based on your description you've only had cheap copies.

The Chicago dog and pizza are the only reasons why Chicago should be allowed to continue it's existence.

Yes I am still bitter about that shit hole of a city. They gave us Obama, and they destroyed Meigs field.

[RevolverRob]

Be sure to spend some time at the Field Museum of Natural History, one of my favorite places growing up there as a kid in the '50s-'60s.

I moved to Chicago, because I am getting my PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago working in conjunction with curators at the Field Museum. Translation - One of my offices over the next five years will be inside of the Field Museum! It is super awesome being a paleontologist sometimes. When I saw the Field Museum for the first time, I knew I wanted to move here. The gun laws suck and the weather isn't great, but a geek like me can't resist being let loose, with the keys, literally, to a million square foot museum.

Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes everyone! We are sorting things out and really enjoying the weather and culture here. Chicago might have a reputation for crime, but all the people we've met doing an honest day's labor as about as nice and kind as can be and extremely helpful. We are definitely going to be exploring the city a bunch, fortunately my wife's sister and her husband live here in Chicago and are only about 5 years older than us, meaning we have some peers, family, and friends to help us get moving here. I think we'll be headed to Peaquod's for dinner tonight, for some deep dish pizza.

-Rob

[GardoneVT]

I completely agree, and didn't mean to imply a one-time visit; I spent many full days at the Field Museum.

Science and Industry is also a many visits proposition, including the WWI submarine and the coal mine.

The Adler Planetarium and the aquarium at least once or twice.

They've also got that Pan Am 707 that's cut away in the middle, which is quite a sight given it being suspended over three stories of thin air. I'll stop here before I catch a bout of homesickness.

Edit-come winter, the Auto Show at McCormick place is a car nuts dream. That was an annual tradition at my household, and should be at yours too.

[Don Gwinn]

People are giving you great advice here. Frankly, I like Chicago. And I'll go one step further: I find people friendlier, especially in crowds, in Chicago than in the suburbs.

I liked the Laserlyte trainers a lot at NRAAM. I would venture my non-expert opinion that the LL guns are all about trigger practice. You can't install "real" sights to replicate your "real" gun, and they won't fit perfectly in holsters made for Glocks (I assume?) But if you want to practice a trigger press without a firearm, they have a nice break and a very definite reset. If NextLevel doesn't answer me soon on buying a new trigger group for my SIRT, I'm liable to end up with a LL.

Watch those parking tickets; Chicago is famous for mailing them out to people all over the state whether they've been to Chicago recently or not. Supposed to be just the occasional glitch, but a lot of us down here in Springfield figure they get a certain number of people who just decide to pay rather than fight.

[LittleLebowski]

I moved to Chicago, because I am getting my PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago working in conjunction with curators at the Field Museum. Translation - One of my offices over the next five years will be inside of the Field Museum! It is super awesome being a paleontologist sometimes. When I saw the Field Museum for the first time, I knew I wanted to move here. The gun laws suck and the weather isn't great, but a geek like me can't resist being let loose, with the keys, literally, to a million square foot museum.

Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes everyone! We are sorting things out and really enjoying the weather and culture here. Chicago might have a reputation for crime, but all the people we've met doing an honest day's labor as about as nice and kind as can be and extremely helpful. We are definitely going to be exploring the city a bunch, fortunately my wife's sister and her husband live here in Chicago and are only about 5 years older than us, meaning we have some peers, family, and friends to help us get moving here. I think we'll be headed to Peaquod's for dinner tonight, for some deep dish pizza.

-Rob

If you say you'll be studying with Neal Schubin, I will be intensely jealous.