Visit Chicago - The DON'Ts of Visiting Chicago

hey the fellow travelers mark here with Walters room today we're here at Chicago Millennium Park we've got the beam behind us and today we have for you are the don'ts of visiting Chicago and this city's fantastic tons of great museums awesome people amazing food weather sometimes it's good sometimes it's bad but the thing is even great stays like Chicago we got the things you want to do we got the things you don't do so the first time I have for you probably the most important don't I have for you when you come to Chicago is don't drive and don't deal with the parking look Chicago traffic is horrible all year round all day long all the times whether you're heading out to a hare the airport drive in here downtown taking the interstate around the city driving is just chaotic here and the thing is the people are very aggressive drivers too so it could be a little hair-raising white-knuckle E when you are driving here in Chicago so just have a heads up for that so if you can just just don't drive when you're here and also going along with that don't deal with the parking oh my gosh parking downtown Chicago is insane expensive somewhere between college tuition and a mortgage payment I think that's where cut the where parking is here in Chicago so what I recommend is come in with the Train fly in use public transport whatever try not to drive when you are here now the thing is if you are driving to Chicago and you got a park and stuff like that get the park at your hotel and just leave it use public transport use uber use whatever you can walk around the city easily because you don't have to get out try to drive find another place to park play another insane expensive parking rate when you're there just don't do that okay and that kind of leads into our second donuts don't worry about not driving because the CTA the Chicago Transit Authority actually has really good public transportation here in Chicago I mean this is what public transportation should be in the US they've got the L the elevated train going around that'll take you all over the place the bus system here awesome and the thing is it goes to pretty much every tourist place you want to go as a tourist you can go there on public transportation and what's cool is actually the price for the public transportation here in Chicago is actually a fair price too so it's really cool so make sure you do use that public transportation when you are now my next don't for you here in Chicago is don't worried about being bored this city is chock-full of world-class museums festivals concert all kinds of awesome stuff to do you've got the Art Institute of Chicago one of the best art museums in the world you got the Shedd Aquarium what are the top aquariums in the world you got the Field Museum what are the best natural history museums in the world you got the Museum of Science and Industry one of the best science museums in the world you see where I'm going here the planetarium there's all kinds of great stuff here broadcast museum you got all kinds of great museums here you don't like museums that's fine hit the theater here pay a fractional price you pay in New York and see fantastic shows of the theaters here in Chicago and around oh you want to do stuff with your kids great you got you got great American you go to the music parks that are here there's all kinds of amazing things to do here in Chicago so you're never really bored when you're here because there's always something else to do what else do we need to do what's next what's next what's next and if you come here in the summertime I know I'm not here in the summertime right now will you come this summer there's all kinds of great festivals going on when you're here my personal favorite is that taste Chicago which is right behind the camera here you go there try different foods from different restaurants throughout the city oh my god it is a fantastic experience so you always got something to do what do you wanna watch sports yeah you can watch the Bulls play you can watch the Bears the Cubs the whites ice you can see them the fire I mean there's so many sports to do watch see things to do bike riding all kinds of stuff here believe me you will never be bored when you're here in Chicago oh yeah there's also great nightlife you know Russ tree or go party in Wrigleyville yeah there's all kinds of stuff to do when you're here so don't worry about being bored okay the thing is a lot of people don't realize is when you're a tourist a lot of times you stay downtown or in the loop you know I'm running up the Magnificent Mile then I'll stay in the loop I'll stay down in this area here which you don't realize this don't just stay in the loop in the downtown area go out and explore this really cool suburbs to go check out go to the North Shore go see Evanston go ahead out and go to you know go to gurney yes and go to the Great America stuff like that the Lincoln Park Zoo go out to Greektown there's all kinds of ins things you can see and do in the Chicago area that's not just in the loop because there's a tourist most of times we're kind of down here in the loop in the downtown area kind of stuff maybe a little bit north of there on Michigan Avenue and we don't get out there and see things so make sure you go out and explore and that public transportation will take you out there okay you can grab a metro train hit some of the suburbs as well so that is really kind of a cool thing another deal and I guess I should say so if you're going to be staying downtown which you probably will don't expect a lot going on after 6 or 7 o'clock at night downtown because this is more of a work area so people go home so it's like a ghost town at night here and on the weekends so do have a heads up for that you know keep your eyes open a little bit more in the evening time here because honestly you're down here one maybe two go to a show at one of the theaters maybe go to out to eat but there's not a lot of things going on here also the shops here downtown actually closed earlier than the malls and the suburbs and stuff like that so just have a heads up for that so kind of going on with that ghost town kind of feeling it sometimes you think ghost town oh should I be worried well that kind of leads into another don't I have four here at Chicago don't be lack of days ago with your safety here probably the most dangerous thing for a tourist though is when you cross the street because the drivers are a little nuts here and they're quite aggressive so do have a heads up when you're crossing the street don't just stand at the end or stand in the street when you're getting ready to go make sure you're paying attention that's one thing another thing if you feel uncomfortable in any party you don't feel right go hop into a store or hop into a restaurant it's ok call a cab call Newberry and head out I mean there are some parts of Chicago you don't want to go to I'm sure the comments section you'll hear a lot of things down there but what I'd recommend is ask your hotel hey we're looking to go here is it okay is that okay just ask them and that's one thing you see anywhere in the world there's good parts of town there's bad parts of town so do have a heads up for that and do ask where you should go or shouldn't go because the city is fantastic but there are issues you got to think about always keep your eye out I mean some of the things might just annoy you it's not really a safety thing you'll have guys you know you'll have guys hey can I have a dollar can I have a dollar I mean just all you got to say either give my dollars hey you know I'm sorry I'm mad or just walked by they won't give a real any trouble there but do be smart when you are here in Chicago because there are parts of towns you shouldn't go to and if you're not sure I don't ask your concierge hey this is where we're gonna go today what do you think is that okay there and they'll let you know and I would really just say it's you sure usual travel sense you know if you're coming down here and we're a lot of tourists are yeah keep your wallet your front pocket and stuff like that but overall I haven't had really any problems in Chicago but I know there are problems so do have a heads up but honestly this the biggest safety thing for you as a tourist is crossing that Street okay now another kind of safety thing I have for you is no set sign behind me says caution ice look don't mess around with the falling snow and falling ice if you come here in the winter it can be dangerous you see the building up there with that slant yeah the ice packs up the snow packs up it falls it can't be dangerous so don't mess around with those I know some torso like oh that's a cool picture I want to get that do you have a heads up with those and I guess another don't I'll kind of go along with that is don't think you shouldn't visit Chicago in the winter I'm here in the winter and the thing is the people in Chicago know that it's very cold and windy and snowy it can be here in the winter time in Chicago and they have prepared the city for you that means the museums and all the fantastic museums of restaurants all this stuff you can have a great sign inside when you're here so don't be scared for coming here in the winter months now I'm not gonna say it's the best time to come because you come here in January with the wind and you're walking like this maybe you're not gonna have as good of a time as you came here in the spring of the summer what you can hit the beaches and stuff like that and go out on Lake Michigan and do an architectural boat to her and things like that there's it's a better to come in the summer in spring then but don't think you can't come in the winter time okay and speaking of some tourist stuff don't forget to do one of those architectural boat tours when you're here look this is kind of the home of the skyscraper and you have amazing architecture throughout the city I mean I would say don't forget to stretch your neck out before you come to Chicago because you're gonna be looking up and seeing all these really cool skyscrapers well that's really cool with all these really cool buildings you know the Tribune Tower the Wrigley building yes the Sears Tower at Willis Tower how do you spell it there's all kinds of a Hancock building going around oh my gosh there's so many fantastic buildings to take in and architecture to come in if you take that architectural boat tour on the Chicago River it's really cool because they give you the history and the explanations of the buildings and the styles and it really brings a lot more outs when you walk around the city you really get a lot more bang for your buck when you look at these fantastic buildings now you notice I had a little problem saying Sears Willis Willis Sears Tower look my next don't for you is don't call it Willis Tower with the locals look it's always going to be the Sears Tower now if you might not know this it's actually spelled WI ll is tower but you pronounce it Sears Tower okay just so you know I mean it's one of those things it's changed names okay and the thing is Sears Tower or Willis Tower was at one time the tallest building in the world and they actually have an observation deck at the top you can go see it's probably one of the most popular pictures aside from the beam that I see from people and they go to Chicago but I'm going to tell you something if foregoing the Willis / tears tower don't feel that you have to pay to go up and get a great view of the city and that's the only place to get it what I recommend go to the Hancock building 96 floor there's a bar there it's free to go up and you have free views of this beautiful city but also what's cool is the drinks up there are actually pretty fairly priced so why not head to the Hancock go up the 96th floor hit the bar there have a great drink while you look at this great city that's a much better way to spend your money that you'd spend going up to the top of the co2 / Willis Tower spend that on a drink in the Hancock building that's what I would recommend now some other tourist things you should know about one thing is if you're going to go to Navy Pier which is a very much a tourist place realize don't expect to see locals at Navy Pier Navy appears I mean it's really developed for tourists it's nice for tours to go to I go there because I'm a tourist I'm not from Chicago I enjoy that but the locals will tell you oh that's a tourist thing so don't expect to see the locals there another thing I guess I should say about the locals don't expect to hear that Chicago accent you know you saw on TV back of the day ilex acid you the Chicago Bears bubbles people don't talk like that here anymore okay yes you'll find a few people that do occasionally but in general the Chicago accent sadly is kind of died off so you're not gonna hear that when you're here another don't with the people here don't trust everyone that tells you they're from Chicago because most likely they're from the suburbs actually Chicago the city proper is actually relatively small and most of the people in the Chicago metropolitan area live out in the suburbs so that person you meet that says oh yeah I'm from Chicago they might be from Evanston well they might be from Naperville Arlington Heights or Tinley Park or wherever and the thing is if you have people that are from real Chicago like they're born here in Chicago they grew up in Chicago and Chicago Chicago they will call out those people every single day oh really what's true you where'd you grow up which school do you go to oh oh you mean you're from Naperville oh right so you're not really from Chicago from the burbs okay sends a lot of a little fun thing you'll see what the locals here now another thing tourists love to do when they travel is eat and Chicago is no exception of those eating cities and my dome for that is don't don't don't don't come to Chicago on a diet they love huge portion sizes they love their food they love their meat they love their everything here and you're gonna eat a lot when you're here I mean the deep-dish pizza here the chicago-style deep-dish pizza yeah it's like this thick and you will just be so full and the thing is there's so many great restaurants here it's not just the deep-dish pizza and the Chicago hot dog no there's so much more year go to Greektown have amazing Greek food Little Italy there's great Ahmet there's great Mexican food here have some great Polish food German food there's so many different nationalities and ethnicities here in Chicago and they've brought their food here so you have amazing food when you're here so don't come on a diet just go and enjoy everything all right now I do have a couple don'ts for some traditional Chicago things one if you get the deep-dish pizza here in Chicago don't think you can finish the pizza yourself I know a lot of people go oh I get a paying piece or a pizza I got to meet him and finish it myself I don't know that that's like their tiny baby little tiny brother versus the chicago-style deep-dish pizza this stuff I'm talking like I can barely finish two slices that's how thick and big it is with all the meat and cheese and then the sauce on top that really thick crust I mean it will really fill you up I had some last night and I was smart I got the individual size the guy next to me he was a tourist from England he's like oh I'll get a small that's where I get at Pizza Hut at home like dude get the individual he's like no no I'll get it he said there he got through two and maybe a half pieces and didn't eat the end of them he's like I can't eat any more Mike I told you okay so do have a heads up for that also don't be surprised if it takes them about 45 minutes to cook that deep-dish pizza so while to be there also don't let them talk you into getting appetizers it's gonna be enough food anyway when you get the pizza okay so it's so ordering food appetizers just drink some of the good Chicago beer when you're here revolution brewery two brothers brewery maybe get some Goose Island when you're here but a three 1/2 is always good with pizza so do have that another don't with the food if you get that Chicago dog you know people always say well don't put ketchup on your Chicago dog it's true it's got so much other stuff on there it doesn't need it I mean it's got pickles and edited relish and tomatoes and mustard and and it's like sweet jalapenos that kind of things on top it's so good and it's got so many other flavors that it mix perfectly together that you don't need the ketchup so don't worry about that one of the great things about Chicago is actually it has something for everybody whether you like culture or they like food will they like sports with you like art there's all kind of stuff for everybody so what I want to say is don't forget to bring the whole family when you come here to Chicago because they have stuff for everybody yes you can do the amusement parks like great American stuff like that or you can do the Art Institute or the sight Museum of Science industry my kids love it every time we go there we spend an entire day there and that's what's so cool about Chicago the people are friendly they're cool with the kids being here there's stuff for them all the time so don't think this is just a romantic getaway place this is actually a really cool place for the whole family to come to ok and speaking of places you should go with the family or maybe not with the family it's up to you go into a game at Wrigley I would say don't think baseball's too boring to go to a game at Wrigley Field for those you don't know baseball is a very popular sport here in the US but a lot of people that don't know it think it's pretty boring and actually people that actually know baseball think it's kind of boring sometimes but the thing is going to a game at Wrigley to see the Chicago Cubs it's like the quintessential I know it's my favorite word in these videos quintessential Chicago sports visit ok the whole area it's called Wrigleyville there's tons of bars restaurants all kinds of stuff it's like it should call pardeeville because before the game during the game and after the games they have party time ok and you're drinking your beers and I haven't your fun and going to watch the Cubs play and school as a tourist the Cubs played during the day a lot of times in the summer they have eighty one home games okay most of them are during the day so you can see some sights during the day then the afternoon go ahead out to a game take it in sitting in the bleachers is the must but don't think that there's assigned seats in the bleachers you just kind of go where you want to go yes you buy overpriced beer but it's such a great experience to go to the game that really don't pass it up if you have a chance here in Chicago okay another don't I have for you has to do with the airport look there's there's O'Hare there's Midway here oh here is proud of the airport you're probably gonna fly into or out of and my don't feel is don't mess with O'Hare look if you've got a flight out and they say be there two hours early be there two hours early okay they say be there three hours earlier you be there three hours early because O'Hare is infamous for sometimes long check-in lines long security checkpoints stuff like that and it can take a long time and I know a lot of people that have missed flights because they didn't get through security fast enough so don't mess around with O'Hare if you're flying in international and you're transferring through Chicago you'll fly into terminal five and then you got to take the train to one of the other terminals the thing is when you do that you go out and the train is outside security so you have to go on that and then go back through security again to get back in the other terminal so do have a heads-up for that it will take you some time so don't mess around with O'Hare okay a couple more downs for you when you are going around Chicago don't expect to find a lot of public toilets you'll see a lot of restaurants in place will say no no free public toilet or something like that so you might need to grab a drink or something for you use their bathrooms another don't have for you if you're gonna take the metro out to the suburbs don't forget to pick up your ticket at the ticket station before you get on the metro because you can buy the tickets on the metro but they do charge you like five bucks more so if you're gonna go out there say the five bucks don't forget to pick up the ticket before you get on Sal just a couple other ones I want to put in will go back to the pretty bean for some more stuff and my last don't for you here in Chicago is don't pass up the second city look Chicago should be the first city you want to visit when you come to the u.s. because of the culture because of the sports because the festivals because of the awesome people you will love Chicago the Midwest feel here the friendly people the fun stuff to do it really is a fantastic city to visit that's why when you talk to people that come to the US you'll see it inordinate amount of people say I really love Chicago because this city rocks okay so I hope this helps you know a bit more about Chicago so you're more prepared when you do come here we have some other videos I have some really really old videos from being here but also some more recent ones like five things you should eat when you come here and other things like that to help you out also if you want some other don't play the don'ts of visit in the US are the don'ts of the Midwest chickasaw on our website at Walters WorldCom we're also on Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest and we really appreciate your likes subscriptions and if you do like travel videos like that hit that subscribe button hit that notification button and we put out new travel videos every Wednesday and Saturday so you can have good travel videos fun honest travel videos like this at least twice a week also we'd like to give a big shout out thank you to all of our patrons on patreon who helped make videos like this possible anyway we'll say bye from here in Chicago and have a good time I'm gonna go grab a three one two and now have my sub new pizza well big fat pizza and I'm gonna enjoy my day so bye from Chicago

Channel: Wolters World

Views: 1,088,543

Rating: 4.76125 out of 5

Keywords: travel, europe, mark wolters, wolters world, travel advice, tourist attractions, travel vlogger, honest travel, fat travel guy, Chicago, Chicago Cubs, Chitown, Second City

Id: UT8SnicEct0

Length: 18min 25sec (1105 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 25 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/astink]

Don't wait for the crossing light, that's the Chicago way

[u/rumster]

The video was actually descent. I do agree with the chicago/burb fighting... When someone says I grew up in Chicago and I ask them what HS they went to they almost always say some damn suburban school. Annoys the shit out of me.

[u/ohheykayhay]

Wolters was one of my professors in college (U of I). A lot of the points in the video seem pretty obvious or general, but if you can’t tell, he’s a very engaging lecturer and super cool guy.

[u/chfilmschicago]

Turned off at 6:27, "there are parts of town you shouldn't go to; ask your concierge". K.

[u/neverdoneneverready]

Was he wearing crocs? He looks like Mario Battali.

[u/theserpentsmiles]

I don't think he got a single thing right. He couldn't even position his camera at the shitty bean to not show his shadow. Fuck him, fuck his bad advice, and fuck his channel.

[u/thebootsesrules]

He should’ve mentioned the fact that if you do need to drive, apps like parkwhiz & spothero can save you serious cash on parking.

[u/[deleted]]

I am going on a diet, shaving my beard and cutting my hair. Don't want to look like this guy.