A thirsty traveller: Chicago

By Dominique Ritter

Nacional 27

A busy day in the Windy City can leave a tourist thirsty for more… or just plain thirsty. Here are five tours and some tipples to top them off.

1. Architecture appreciation

Michigan Ave.

The tour: architecture tour
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Chicago Architecture Foundation is the best source on the city's built environment. Thematic tours reveal why Chicago is America's open-air architecture museum ­– from Mies van der Rohe's minimalist Modernism to Frank Lloyd Wright's organic Oak Park homes.

224 S. Michigan Ave., 312-922-3432

The tipple: Kir Royale
Housed in the Reliance Building (1895), the granddaddy of all skyscrapers, the Atwood Café is an intimate (and architecturally appropriate) locale for a bubbly post-tour refreshment. Today the building is the Hotel Burnham, named in recognition of D.H. Burnham and Company, the firm that created the steel-frame structure noted for its enormous Chicago-style windows and terra cotta tiles.

1 W. Washington St., 312-368-1900

2. On the waterfront

The tour: waterfront cruise
For a different perspective on the Chicago skyline, check out the view from the comfort of your own chartered yacht. Private Collection Cruises' 50-foot Collective Aspiration explores the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Ahoy, matey!

800 S. Wells St., 312-859-1212

The tipple: Trinidad Beachcomber
Nacional 27's Adam Seger may only be 27, but when it comes to cocktails, he is strictly old school. Inspired by a purist approach, his drinks are made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients and mixed with house liquors and homemade infusions. His Beachcomber, a lemony spin on the traditional Pimm's, will satisfy the thirstiest of sailors.

325 W. Huron Ave., 312-664-2727

3. Take me out to the ball game

Wrigley Field

The tour: Cubs game
Is there anything more baseball than a Cubs game at Wrigley Field? Reminisce about Pete Rose's 4,191^st career hit, recreate a Ferris Bueller moment (“Hey, batta, batta, batta! Swing, batta!”) and root, root, root for the home team (even if they're losing).

1060 W. Addison St., 773-404-CUBS (2827)

The tipple: Beer on tap…
…TurboTap, that is. Chicago is home to Laminar technologies, creators of the latest innovation in beer pouring – a tap that employs “enhanced fluid-flow technology” to deliver the same beer taste with less foam. Quenches beer-thirsty crowds four times faster than the conventional tap! Available at Wrigley Field concession stands.

Cloud Gate

4. People watching

The tour: public art viewing
Millennium Park's latest oeuvre is Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza. The 110-tonne elliptical sculpture is seamlessly forged of shiny stainless steel. And the effect? The giant mirror interacts with its environment by reflecting the people below and the skyline and clouds above.

The tipple: bottle service
After an afternoon with the masses, seek out the company of Chicago's most exclusive club set at Stone Lotus Lounge. Customize your top-of-the-line bottle service with a menu of innovative mixers like passion fruit-coconut punch and hibiscus soda, meticulously crafted by mixologist Dale Levitski. Sip tip: Reserve in advance.

873 N. Orleans St., 312-440-9680

5. A Mile apart

The tour: shopping on the Mile
The stretch of Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and Lake Shore Drive (a.k.a. the Magnificent Mile) is a shopper's paradise. From Apple to Ermenegildo Zegna, you will find (and ogle) it here. For very chic boutiques, try Oak Street.

The tipple: Peninsula Martini
The Peninsula Chicago bar's deep sofas and soothing lighting make the perfect setting for a restorative post-retail cocktail, mixed from mandarin vodka, Chambord, champagne and lime juice. Cheers to that!

108 E. Superior St., 312-337-2888

(Dominique Ritter is the editor-in-chief of onAir. She wrote about luxury Vietnam in the January issue.)

Getting there

In partnership with United Airlines, we offer the most daily non-stop flights to Chicago. Book now. And don't miss out on our great deals on car rentals and hotels (nightly rates starting as low as $61 CAD).

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