Charming Chicago

Leaving Dubuque, Google Maps routed us through a slice of rural Wisconsin and Illinois, dotted with quaint little farmhouses and corn fields as far as the eyes could see. After a week on sparsely populated byways, driving into Chicago looked like chaos. Thankfully, the highway system here is so well-organized, and with the route programmed into the iPad, it was a breeze to navigate. 

So, where does one actually camp in the middle of the third largest metropolis in America? The convention centre of course! Self-contained RVs can stay in the parking lot at McCormick Place, a massive convention space just south of downtown. No services and it backs on the railroad, but within a 5 minute walk of the Lakefront Trail that heads 5 km up to downtown, all for $35/night.

Our first full day in town was overcast so we decided to hit the Wicker Park neighbourhood, strolling along the elevated Bloomingdale Trail to Humboldt Park and taking in the quintessential tall narrow brownstones. Then lunch at Big Star where dogs are welcomed on the patio. The taco joint featured some of the most interesting fillings I’d ever heard of, including a taco of mole-seasoned carrots with date sour cream. In the afternoon we took in our server’s “hidden gem” recommendation - the Garfield Park Conservatory. 

I monitored the Weather Network to pick our major sightseeing day for downtown Chicago, and was not disappointed! It was a massive walking day - I think we clocked over 18 km between 9 AM - 5 PM (like a regular working day LOL) - and thanks to Chicago’s great network of public paths and parks we enjoyed pretty much every minute. Except for Coco getting freaked out in the really busy city streets, and getting ripped off paying $12 US for a tiny plastic cup of wine along the Riverwalk...I digress. 

In Kelowna, people are marching for public access to foreshore. This is one thing Chicago has totally done RIGHT! Though I imagine it wasn’t a given, just like in Kelowna, it developed over time as the city grew. Here there is over 16 miles of pedestrian trail along Lake Michigan and it connects to all the major city parks and a path leading into the Chicago River. And it’s all ALIVE with art, sports fields, and the city’s major attractions. One of the best cities we’ve visited!