Local Expert
Lisa Davis
I am a Chicagoan through and through. I live in the Old Town area of the city with a view of Lake Michigan and Lincoln Park Zoo (well, the zoo's petting zoo to be precise - better view anyway than the…
I am a Chicagoan through and through. I live in the Old Town area of the city with a view of Lake Michigan and Lincoln Park Zoo (well, the zoo's petting zoo to be precise - better view anyway than the main zoo because it includes a beautiful lagoon with trees and flowers). Neighbors include Second City where the great John Belushi and Chris Farley used to perform, as well as Chicago's #1 Sunday night spot Stanley’s (because of the live karaoke) where you will see Michael Jordan when he is in town. I am a Cubs season ticket holder (sorry White Sox fan), Pilates instructor, beach volleyball fanatic (Yes, Chicago's North Ave. Beach looks just as good as any beach in southern California; in the summer, of course.) and marathon runner (This year's Chicago Marathon will be my fifth.). I am also a highly respected and trusted editor and writer who has worked and written for such publications as Working Woman, Reader’s Digest, Chicago Tribune, Spa, New Haven Register, UR Chicago, About.com, and most recently as editor of Frequent Flyer magazine. I created and published a book called Mileage Pro: The Insider’s Guide to Frequent Flyer Programs, which was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top ways to improve your travels in 2006. I am considered an expert in business and luxury travel (and Chicago of course) including spas, hotels, airlines, destinations, golf and frequent flyer programs. Sought after for this expertise, I have appeared on Fox News, CNBC, ABC, to name a few, and in numerous national press articles, including The Washington Post, USAToday and The New York Times. I am a correspondent for a Sirius Radio travel show and am the creator and author of a spa and hotel column called Travel Well on Justsaygo.com.
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Fireworks Aren't Just on the Fourth of July
I must admit, I am a little leery to do a post on Navy Pier - it can be a bit of tourist trap, but, it does offer some things that locals love: margaritas waterside (at the Navy Pier Beer Garden, which is on the east side of the pier; http://www.chicagosbestbeergarden.com/eats.html) and free fireworks on Wednesday (9:30 p.m.) and Saturday (10 p.m.) evenings with rock music. Navy Pier also has a six-story IMAX Theatre that is cool (and literally "cool" on a hot summer day) and a Ferris Wheel that is too high for me but has incredible views of the city - it is just really, REALLY big. I rode the Ferris Wheel once and being afraid of heights, I suffered a bit but if you have no fear of heights, it is an incredible ride.
If you have money to spare, you can see the free fireworks from one Chicago's Tall Ships (for about $80) that leave Wednesdays (7:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (8:00 p.m.) You will cruise for about two hours before the fireworks begin. Seeing Chicago from Lake Michigan is pretty amazing - the skyline is one of the best I have seen. Call 888-881-3284 for reservations.
Tip: If you go to Navy Pier from downtown, be sure to stop and get Chicago's famous popcorn from the Garrett Popcorn Shop. For those who don't count calories, try "The Mix" - CaramelCrisp and CheeseCorn. A bag of "The Mix" is great to munch on during the fireworks. http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/