Chicago: Out and Back in 12 hours
In an effort to take more trips but also save money, my sister and I have started doing out and back trips. We came across the idea of an out and back trip from the Instagrammer, Maddie Smith (@onthemovewithmad). The objective is to fly out to a city in the morning, hang out all day, and then fly back home that evening.
Cost of the Trip
I subscribe to Going’s email service to be notified of cheap or mistake fares. Taking advantage of an email for a cheap flight and not spending money on a hotel, we could save money and visit more places. We chose Chicago for our first out and back trip because Southwest was having a $39/one way sale. So we could get a roundtrip plane ticket for less than $100. On top of that, the flight was under an hour and a half one way, so it wouldn’t cut too much into our time spent in the city.
Abraham Lincoln Statue in Lincoln Park
We splurged and parked in the parking garage at the Nashville airport because there was a call for rain that evening. We also purchased a day CTA pass to use the Chicago public transportation system to get around to the different neighborhoods we wanted to visit.
Airfare - $77
BNA Parking Garage - $15 (we split in half)
1-day CTA pass - $5
Total Cost Per Person - $97
Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier
Chicago Theatre
Downtown Chicago
What to Pack
Since we did not have a homebase, such as a hotel, we had to pack light for our trip. We both brought a small backpack with us for the day trip. I found mine at TJ Maxx. I packed a small amount of makeup and a hairbrush to touch up after the flight. There was a small chance of rain, so we packed an umbrella just in case. Since we knew that we wanted to hangout at the North Avenue Beach, I packed a small microfiber towel to either sit on the grass or sand as well as dry off if we got in the water. Lastly, I packed a portable power bank to charge my phone in case we were able to find an outlet while out and about sightseeing.
My biggest tip is be mindful of what you pack because you will be lugging it all day everywhere you go. After walking 30,000 steps that day, my backpack did start to feel pretty heavy.
Millenium Park
One Day Itinerary
Morning
Fly out at 6:45am: Departed Nashville’s BNA airport and arrived at Chicago’s Midway airport at 8:15am. Purchased a day pass for the public transportation system.
Breakfast: Hopped on the the L and headed to the Lake View neighborhood. We passed by Wrigley Field on our way to enjoy a delicious breakfast at Cafe Tola.
Wrigley Field
Mid-Morning
Explored Lincoln Park: After breakfast, we got back on the L and made our way south to walk around Lincoln Park, where you can visit the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Lincoln Park Zoo (both free).
North Avenue Beach: Strolled along the “beach” at North Avenue Beach. We did not end up getting in the water, but I did pack a microfiber towel just in case I needed to dry off. Also, some kids had drawn a hopscotch game, so of course we had to take time out to play.
North Avenue Beach
Hopscotch at North Avenue Beach
Lunch
Red Mango: Still feeling full from breakfast, we grabbed a smoothie at Red Mango and rested a bit while we charged our phones. I did bring a power bank, but it was nice to have a little rest anyway.
Afternoon
Millennium Park: After lunch, we strolled through Millennium Park. The Bean was under renovations, so there were barriers all around it making it a little bit difficulty to snap a picture.
The Bean in Millennium Park
Late Afternoon
Riverside Walk: Next we headed to the Riverwalk for a relaxing stroll along the water. I have previously done an architectural boat, but this trip was just sat on the grassy knoll and watch the boats float on by.
River Walk
River Walk
Evening
Dinner in River North: After enjoying the Chicago Skyline by the river, we were starting to get hungry. We had made reservations for dinner at Quartino, so we started walking to the River North neighborhood. We definitely had too much food…and too much wine. But it was so worth it.
Sunset at the Navy Pier: We ended our time in Chicago, walking the Navy Pier and watching the sunset behind the Chicago skyline.
Navy Pier Ferris Wheel
Night
Fly home at 9:45pm: After a day full of walking and exploring, we boarded the L for the last time just as it started to rain. Luckily, we wouldn’t have to go back outside as we were headed to the Midway airport. We landed in Nashville 11pm exhausted from our fun filled daytrip.
Tips:
Use public transportation and walk to save money.
Wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Be mindful of the items you bring with you as you will have to carry them around all day.
We spent over 12 hours in Chicago and walked over 30,000 steps! It was definitely a fun experience to hang out in Chicago for the day. My sister and I are already planning our next out and back trip.
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