| Many people think that vacationing in Chicago is | | | | options that stand out. |
| prohibitively expensive. While it is true that there are | | | | Pizzeria Ora is located in the lobby level of the Best |
| many expensive hotels, restaurants, and attractions | | | | Western River North. Here, they specialize in |
| in downtown Chicago, there are also some that | | | | Chicago-style deep dish pizza. There are many |
| deliver high quality, without the high prices. With a | | | | Chicago-style pizza offerings downtown, but this one |
| little help, you can see the best of what Chicago has | | | | delivers delicious pizza at a better price and without |
| to offer without breaking the bank. | | | | the long waits of the tourist-oriented pizza |
| Let's start from the start : Accommodations. The | | | | restaurants in the neighborhood. |
| vast majority of Chicago's cultural and tourist | | | | Just 1 block north of the Best Western River North is |
| destinations are located in or near downtown | | | | another Chicago favorite, Portillo's. The prices are |
| Chicago. Not coincidentally, most hotels are also | | | | reasonable, and the menu includes everything from |
| located in or near downtown. This leaves you | | | | hot dogs to Italian beef to pasta and salads. Also in |
| without about 80 downtown hotel options to choose | | | | close proximity is Al's Italian Beef, a restaurant that is |
| from. | | | | heavy on locals, as well as flavor. |
| Being a very densely populated area, parking spaces | | | | And finally, let's talk about attractions. There are |
| downtown are at a premium. The average nightly | | | | numerous activities for visitors to Chicago that can |
| cost to park a car in downtown Chicago is around | | | | be enjoyed for little or no cost. To get a taste of |
| $35; and that is in addition to your room rate. The | | | | culture, try the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, |
| only downtown Chicago hotel that offers free | | | | or the Adler Planetarium. There are many days |
| parking is the Best Western River North. Located in | | | | throughout the year, in particular during the winter |
| Chicago's vibrant River North neighborhood, this | | | | season, that admission is free to all of the world class |
| Chicago hotel is a quick walk to the shopping of | | | | institutions. During the busier summer season, you can |
| Michigan Avenue, as well as the architecture of the | | | | save money by purchasing tickets from the Best |
| Loop. The accommodations are clean and modern, | | | | Western River North. |
| and the staff is friendly. In particular, Wallace, the bell | | | | Millennium Park is Chicago's newest world class facility, |
| captain, can give you directions anywhere in the city | | | | and is completely free to the public. Completed in |
| you may want to go. In addition to free parking, this | | | | 2006, the $475 million required to build it was |
| 7 story hotel also offers an indoor rooftop pool, | | | | provided nearly entirely by donations from |
| fitness center, and free wireless Internet access. This | | | | Chicagoans. Millennium Park covers 24.5 acres in the |
| hotel is truly a hidden gem in the big city. | | | | heart of downtown Chicago, and is the home to |
| Next, we will move on to dining. Once you are | | | | architecture and art work by Frank Gehry and Anish |
| parked at the Best Western River North, you are | | | | Kapoor, as well as the largest rooftop garden in the |
| surrounded by the best and most varied dining that | | | | world. |
| Chicago has to offer. The River North neighborhood | | | | While it is possible to spend a lot of money on a |
| has offerings from virtually all over the globe, and at | | | | Chicago vacation, there are many ways to |
| every price level. For our purposes, there are few | | | | experience the city without breaking the bank. |