Chicago in the Summer: 8 Places to Go
[ad_1]
As the pandemic ebbs in the United States, many travelers have been favoring outdoor, away-from-it-all getaways. According to the travel planning site TripIt, over Memorial Day weekend, major cities like Washington, D.C., and New York were trending down, while outdoorsy spots like Palm Springs, Calif., were newly popular. “Two-thirds of my clients are booking houses, ranch stays and hotels in smaller coastal communities,” said Shawna Owen, the owner of Huffman Travel, part of the Virtuoso Network.
But as residents of big cities know, their hometowns are roaring back to life. Take Chicago’s Loop neighborhood. It was a ghost town at the height of the pandemic. Now, the area south of the Chicago River, known for its architecture and art-infused green spaces like Millennium Park, is abuzz with new hotels and restaurants and performances at Grant Park, which have returned after a pandemic hiatus.
The nearby West Loop, an industrial quadrant that runs on the east side of the Chicago River, has been flourishing since pioneering chefs like Stephanie Izard (Girl and The Goat), Sarah Gruenberg (Monteverde) and Paul Kahan (The Publican) opened restaurants there about 15 years ago. Incredibly, new hot spots emerged during the pandemic, including a groovy boîte modeled after an old school Chicago “slashie” (a hybrid liquor store and bar).
All of this plus a star-studded lineup for Lollapalooza in late July signals what could be the tail end of the city’s Covid-19 cultural drought.
Throughout the summer, a portion of State Street, the Loop’s main drag, from Lake to Madison, will close to traffic for a multi-block pop-up called Sundays on State. On tap: D.J. sessions with Soulphonetics, creative movement classes by Ballet Chicago, live mural painting, karaoke-style Broadway singalongs by Porchlight Music Theater, and a lounge by Southside Jazz Coalition where you can listen to vinyl. There will also be recreation (yoga, ballet, self-defense classes), dining and retail vendors on site. Events run July 11 to Sep. 12, with no events scheduled on Aug. 1 or 15; free.
At his debut restaurant, Rose Mary, the “Top Chef” winner Joe Flamm channels the lively, local spirit of family-run Croatian taverns, or konobas. Flavor-packed dishes like citrusy coal-roasted beets with pistachios, honey and kaymak (a thick cheese); beef burek; puffed pastry stuffed with onions and mozzarella; roasted clams with smoked ramp butter and bread crumbs; and gnocchi with pasticada (beef cheeks seared in bacon fat and slow-cooked with prunes and figs) pair perfectly with a wine and beer list also sourced from the region. The whitewashed walls accented with brick, red clay and deep blue tile succeed in evoking the rustic beauty of the Adriatic. Coming soon: a chef’s table experience with a bird’s-eye view of the open kitchen. Entrees start at $17 (932 West Fulton Street, 872-260-3921).
Madison Street Corridor
Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021.