Whirlwind Weekend in Chicago
What do you do when you can’t even with life? You hop on a plane to escape your reality, of course! After credits from previously bungled flights, + cheap prices from Denver to O’Hare, we went to Chicago for a weekend for less than $800! We stayed right on the water at the Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel downtown + the views from our room were spectacular!
Let’s be honest though, I know you’re not here to only hear about where we stayed + what airline we flew for our weekend getaway. Luckily for you (+ me!), I can report that the gluten free dairy free food scene in Chicago was just as spectacular as the views!
Friday night we went to a 100% certified gluten free restaurant. I can’t even tell you how freeing it is to walk into a place + know that you won’t have to deal with cross contamination + that you can eat everything on the menu! After a long morning of travel, + a time zone change, A wanted to do a cheap + quick meal so that we could spend the rest of the evening exploring the city. The meal was quick, but because I had a hard time not ordering everything on the menu it was not cheap. 1000% worth it though! We went to BIBIBOP Asian Grill. While this restaurant is not local to Chicago, it is 100% gluten free, dairy free, + new to me! Unfortunately, I was so hungry I didn’t snag a pic of my meal before I dug in. BIBIBOP Asian Grill is like an Asian chipotle style restaurant where you can either choose from the menu, or you can build your own bowl. I built my own (with all the extras!), + A went for a bowl off the menu. Both were absolutely delicious!+
After dinner we had reservations to go to The Berkshire Room which is a craft cocktail + whiskey bar. We each decided to go with the “Dealer’s Choice” where you picked your spirit, flavor profile, + the glass it came in. After making your selections, the bar tender made you your own craft cocktail. Neither of our cocktails disappointed!
Saturday was the best day in Chicago by far. We went to Firecakes Craft Donuts for breakfast, a Cubs game at Wrigley Field for lunch, the Sky Deck at Willis Tower, + we ended the day at the Navy Pier.
Firecakes had gluten free/vegan donuts + they were honestly the best I’ve ever had. It was so memorable that I went back Sunday morning + grabbed 2 more!! What surprised me the most on my trip was how allergen friendly Wrigley Field was! I was able to find a gluten free dairy free hot dog + dairy free soft serve ice cream (hello heaven!).
Skydeck at Willis Tower is a must see when visiting Chicago. It offers unrivaled views of the city from the 103rd floor. We went during the day, + I couldn’t have been happier with that decision. It was 360 degrees of skyline.
We ended up getting the expedited pass to the Sky Deck because it was the one thing on my list of attractions I wasn’t willing to leave Chicago without seeing. 100% did not regret this decision!
Because we got the expedited pass, we were able to go out on “The Ledge” without waiting in line. Even if heights make you nervous, you can’t pass this opportunity up!
Go to the Willis Tower during the day, but do not pass up seeing the skyline at night while riding the Navy Pier ferris wheel!
I personally don’t think skylines are any sexier than they are at night.
After the past year I’ve had, a whirlwind weekend in Chicago was just what my heart needed. Great food, a new city, + the perfect break from reality. If you’re ever thinking about going on a trip, you should heed Nike’s advice + “Just Do It”. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive + your trips don’t have to be week-long vacations. Sometimes all you need is a good deal, an adventurous spirit, + 48 hours to explore!
