Our Chicago Staycation

As you know, we're still not really traveling. We have a road trip planned, but only because it looked like things were getting better and then as quickly as that came, it went back to being horrible again. So, yes, we will be going on that trip, but that's probably it for the near future. For now, we're continuing our Destination Date Night series. 

We've been wanting to visit Chicago for quite some time, and we've done a few virtual tours during the pandemic to help feel like we're going somewhere and to support tour guides who are out of work for the time being. One was a haunted history of Lincoln Park and another was a cool haunted river tour. (Can you tell we like haunted stories?) So, while we're waiting until we can really visit Chicago, this was the next best thing.

I chose a great evening view of the Chicago River, because I knew that would be a big part of our "trip". I liked that we could see the skyline. I also chose a background with the Buckingham Fountain, a landmark of Millennium Park that isn't The Bean (Cloud Gate) that is part of everyone's photos. I thought this was a more interesting and unique view and didn't make me think of Anish Kapoor and how he's the jerk of the art world. If you don't know this story, please take some time to read about it when you're done here. 

A lot of my backdrop had a blue color, so I went full out and added a bight blue tablecloth to my table then added some Chicago mainstays: 

• Ferris wheel, first built in 1892, and now an iconic part of Navy Pier (a different wheel was built for this). This was America's answer to the Eiffel Tower. 
• The Chicago flag. I didn't actually know that cities within states had their own flags, but the Chicago flag is pretty good looking.
• The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. This was a fun one, since I love the Wienermobile and once looked into touring with it. Oscar Mayer moved from Germany to Detroit and then to Chicago where he started his famous deli brand. I figured I needed a mini version of the mobile, and all orders come with a Wienermobile whistle, which is what you see in the mums.

I also just threw out a jar of flowers that complemented the rest of the things.

I decided to order the things I would definitely eat when I visit Chicago, that I can actually get here at a Chicagoan restaurant.  

The first was a deep dish Chicago pizza with sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Generally, we get thin crust or regular pizza, as I find that deep dish is too filling. Because of that, I only ordered a personal size to share. 

Next, I ordered a giant calzone. Okay, I didn't have an option to order a size, but this was way more than 2 normal people can eat.

Chicago has tons of microbreweries now, so I know I would have stopped into one of those places and gotten a taster of some of those and tried some delish bar foods. 

Beer and pizza are great together. 

While we ate, we took a long, leisurely stroll along the waterfront. The video we watched was taken during Covid, so we had pretty unobstructed views of everything and that was nice. Then we moved onto dessert, because of course we saved room for that.

Make way for...cheesecake. Yes, none of these things we've eaten were anything super special, but it is what that region of the country is known for and easily found nearby where we live, and (bonus) was offered by delivery. It wasn't life changing or super exciting, but it was nice and chill and we ended up with leftovers, too.

As we wrapped up dessert, we watched some videos of the must-eat foods and must-do things in Chicago. 

Cheers to a Chicago staycation. If you want to have your own, you totally can. Here are some ways to make it special:

• A backdrop of the Chicago river/skyline
• One of Buckingham Fountain
• Chicago Bean/Cloud Gate statue
• Chicago flag
• Ferris wheel
• This is the wooden one I got, but it's pretty bad for splinters, so this one might be better
• And you don't have to put this one together at all
• Wienermobile
• I also like this one from Funko
• Or this beanie one
• Beer tasting tray
• This one has funky glasses, but nowhere to mark which beer is which
• Chicago Bears merch, like this jersey
• Or Cubs merch, like this hat
• Plan your trip like a local with the Not For Tourists Guide
• A YouTube playlist - this is mine that you can use

I won't be making a follow-up post to this, because I have this 48-hour guide for you. Our next date will take us down under with a visit to Australia. 

I hope you enjoyed this and are planning a fun staycation for yourself/your family. If so, let me know in the comments and/or tag me in any of your social media posts so I can see where  you went!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I may be compensated should you choose to make any purchases through them. This allows me to keep this blog running for you. 

When Travel Throws You a Curveball

Travel is awesome, but it doesn't always go smoothly even at the best of times. You have to learn to roll with the punches and be ready to employ a backup plan at any given time. If you're a person who does as little travel planning ahead of time as you can, you're probably used to that, but if you're not, it's sometimes hard to change things up at a moment's notice. Right now, with Covid restrictions changing all the time, things may be open or closed or have modified hours.

Know your alternatives

As an avid planner, I generally schedule out all my vacation days so I get to all the cool stuff I know I want to do. That said, I always add the alternate open times for things just in case something happens and I can't go or I find something last minute that I really want to do. That way I can move things around if needed. Maybe something happened that delayed us on Monday and we missed X, but I know that X is also open on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, which means I can reschedule it to one of those days if it's something we reeeally want to do.

Be open

You never know what you'll find when you travel. Sometimes someone suggests a thing you've never heard of or an amazing opportunity pops up that is only available at a certain time. Don't lock yourself into everything you want to do ahead of time. 

The first time we went to London, we had a London Pass and went out to Chislehurst Caves, where we were also going to follow with a visit to Wimbledon, but when I asked our tour guide if we should do that or Eltham Palace (both on the Pass), he steered us to the much lesser known Eltham, and I was so glad he did. It was not crowded, it was interesting, and we never would have gone there had someone not recommended it.

Book most of your activities ahead of time

Avoid sold out tickets for things that you really want to do by purchasing tickets or making reservations before you leave home. Some things book months in advance, so it's good to know what those are and to lock those in beforehand. 

I bought tickets to Las Vegas' new Omega Mart and Museum of Dream Space already, in order to assure we could go while we're in the city for such a short time and can visit early in the day, avoiding crowds and so we don't have to rush.

Don't overbook yourself

Yes, I schedule out my days, to the point that we have an itinerary, but I always allow more time than I think we'll need and usually that gives us extra downtime or time to wander around more or to do things we see on the fly. 

I also plan in time to do laundry, which forces me to go back to my room and chill. I unwind from the day, rest my feet and go to bed on time to get enough sleep for my next day. Sometimes we get takeaway on these evenings, and then we don't have to go back out. If you're in a rental or a place with a kitchen, this might be when you make a meal in or eat leftovers.

Knowing that things don't always work out the way you want them to doesn't mean you can't have a great vacation. Expect the unexpected and you'll never be disappointed, or at least learn how to deal with it so you don't feel like your whole trip has been ruined or you're too stressed to go on. Knowing things can and will change is your key to making the most of your trip and the time you have at your destination.

How do you roll with the punches when you travel?

Should You Book That Trip?

We're all dying to get back out in the world, but should you book that trip? With Delta on the rise, Europe is closing to Americans again, and other countries aren't doing that well when it comes to cases either. While we're still staycationing at home, we're also planning to take a socially-responsible road trip next month. I think some international travel can be safe, but, like many others, I'm not ready to get back on a plane again yet. 

It seems like travel restrictions  are changing on a daily basis, so you really need to look at all aspects of a trip before you go ahead and book. 

How many trips ahve you cancelled or postponed in the last 18 months?