Remember Petula Clark? She used to sing, “The lights are much brighter there, You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares.
So go downtown, things’ll be great when you’re downtown — no finer place, for sure downtown — everything’s waiting for you.” It is fun to kick the dust off your shoes, grab the kids, jump on the train and partake of Chicago’s glitz and glam. For the drama lovers in the family, the Chicago Theatre offers special family shows and also a great tour. The schedule through June offers a tour once a day, Monday- Thursday at noon and twice on Saturday at 11and 12.
The website http://www.thechicagotheatre.com/tour/index.html tells what you can expect from a tour. “The tour encompasses historical and architectural highlights of the building, including the grand lobby areas, majestic auditorium and backstage space (when possible) where performers through the years, including Julie Andrews, David Copperfield, Sammy Davis, Jr., John Denver, Joel Grey, cast of The Family Guy, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Jones, Diana Krall, Annie Lennox, Dean Martin, Liza Minnelli, Bob Newhart, Olivia Newton-John, Conan O’Brien, Frank Sinatra, Neil Young and Widespread Panic have left their autographs on the walls of dressing rooms and corridors.
“Our guides will share with you the stories of the visionaries who opened The Chicago Theatre, whose influence on popular entertainment in Chicago is still recognized today. Tours also include the photo exhibit in The Chicago Theatre’s lower lobby, “Chicago: Three Centuries of Theatres.”
One of the best parts of the tour is a demonstration of the landmark Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. The cost for an adult ticket is $12 and children 12 and under pay $10. If you have a preteen or a shopaholic, downtown is a great place to just window gaze and dream. A waltz through Macy’s and the small downtown boutique shops, as well as the staples like Feline’s Basement, are a shopper’s dream. To check out some upscale offerings, go to Watertower Place and ride the escalator up, up and up! At both Macy’s (seventh floor) and at the Watertower information booth, if you tell them you are from out of town, you can get a coupon book.
One of the best kept secrets enjoyed by the 10-or-over crowd is the tour of Macy’s, the former Marshall Fields store on State Street. Macy’s State Street is the second largest department store in the world. With more than 800,000 square feet of space, you will marvel at the Walnut Room and the Tiffany Ceiling, both over 100 years old. The “lost fountain” is also a must, along with a stop for a purchase of the store’s wonderful Frango mints. A guided or audio tour will provide your child with an amazing history and architectural insight into the store that is a Chicago staple.
If you want more architecture and don’t mind spending a bit of cash ($28 per person during the week and $32 on the weekend) there is nothing like seeing Chicago from a
