“Twenty years from now you’ll be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.” – Mark Twain

This year, I’m definitely planning to travel more. Chicago was on my list, so my boyfriend & I went for our anniversary—a short trip but fun nonetheless. Here's a recap, along with some tips if ever you plan on going to this beautiful city soon!

DAY 1

We arrived the city at 9am on a Friday and it started snowing—my first time seeing snowfall! It was really cold and I’m glad I was prepared and all layered up. Although check-in time is at 3 p.m., we were able to check-in early at The Godfrey and got to rest for a bit. The Godfrey is in the heart of the city and almost everything was walking distance or a $5 uber ride—it was nicely convenient.

A glimpse of our room and the city view from our window! It was a gloomy Friday morning.

First stop, Wildberry Pancakes and Café. I usually prefer waffles over pancakes but reviews say that their signature berry bliss pancakes were a must, so I ordered that instead and I loved it! After brunch, we headed to Millenium Park to check out the bean.

I love museums so we had to stop by and explore The Art Institute of Chicago. We didn’t have much time but I loved their exhibits! 

After a long day of exploring, we were famished. So we went to Giordano's for dinner because we've heard great things about their deep dish pizza, and they were right, it doesn't compare to the BJ’s deep dish that most of us know. All the toppings were inside the pizza, almost like a pie, and the cheese was just complete gooey goodness. This is a definitely a MUST when you’re in Chicago.

DAY 2

We started our day with breakfast at The Eastman Egg Company, which offered a variety of tasteful egg sandwiches. I got The Captain and added avocados—so good! Then, Intelligentsia Coffee for a latte.

My favorite part of the trip was going to Skydeck that features The Ledge, which is a glass balcony extending four feet at the 103rd floor of Willis Tower. It supposedly gives you a view of four states. It was breathtaking (and a bit scary, haha). The regular line takes about an hour to a couple hours so I recommend getting the fastpass!

Dinner and drinks at The Purple Pig, and another breathtaking view of our room view at night.

DAY 3

Our last day in Chicago was pretty short since our flight back home was at 4 p.m. so we made sure our last meal was a good one. And If you knew me well, you know that I love eggs. There was a brunch spot called Yolk that was only a couple blocks from our hotel and I ordered a Tour De France, which was 3 different French toasts in one plate. It was sweet and fruity, just the way I like it! To complete the salty and sweet combo, Peter ordered the pot roast egg’s benedict—which I also recommend.

Our last stop was Café Integral, a cute little café at Freehand Hotel. They offer drinks and bites with a very homey setting!

Other Tips:

• If you’re going to Chicago during the winter time, don’t forget to layer up! Thermals, chunky knits, winter boots, gloves, scarves, beanie, etc.
• Map out all the places you want to go to and choose a hotel that’s in the vicinity. It makes it easy to go from one place to another (especially when in extremely cold or hot weather conditions).
• Try as much restaurants as you can. The food in Chicago is AMAZING. I have nothing bad to say about the places I went to. But WARNING: most good restaurants have about an hour to an hour and a half wait time, so don’t wait to go until you’re extremely hungry. Also, most restaurants have waiting apps where you can put your number down so that you can leave and come back when the table is ready for you.

Lastly, here’s a short clip of our trip—my first video ever, guys! You can check out my channel and subscribe here. Hope you enjoy!