THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Hey guys! For my post today I want to talk about all the best things to do in Chicago, Illinois. I know my blog website is titled, "Out of Illinois," but I feel like I need to make an exception just this one time. Chicago is a very special place to visit and there is so much to see and do. That's why I feel like I need to let you guys know about all the fun things you can do in Chicago if you are ever there. Maybe you're going to Chicago for business or maybe just for a relaxing day trip. Whatever the reason is, there is enough to keep you amazed. Be on the lookout in the near future for blogs posts about me visiting Nashville, TN and San Diego, California. Without further ado, let's begin!

Side Note: All of the pictures you see in this post were taken by me.

Visit the Jay Pritzker Pavilion

When I first saw this in Chicago I had no clue what it was. I don't think my brother even knew what it was. That's when we asked our good friend who knows EVERYTHING: Google. That's when we found out it was the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. The place is known to play music. It sure was a sight to see! I remember music being played on stage when we were visiting and it was so relaxing. When you stand under the structure, it feels like there is a monster over you with a whole bunch of tentacles. It's pretty amazing. 

Explore Lake Michigan

I think it was about 85 degrees out the day my brother and I visited Chicago, so we got hot pretty fast with all the walking around. It felt so good once we got to Lake Michigan because there was a really nice breeze that cooled us down and the sound of the water made me want to take a nap. That's not the only reason you should visit Lake Michigan! It also has such a beautiful view. When I say explore Lake Michigan, I mean walk around the edge of the lake as much as you can because it's something truly special. You can't see this in my photo above, but to the right of this photo about a mile down there is a very long dock that takes you a long way out onto the lake.

Visit Cloud Gate 

This sculpture is called Cloud Gate, but my brother and I call it the "Mirror Bean." We don't know what it is or where it came from, but that doesn't really matter because this was one of the reasons why we went to Chicago in the first place! We mainly wanted to see it because it looks pretty amazing and everyone says it's really cool to stand under it because it mirrors your reflection around for a full 360 degrees. If you are interested in knowing where it came from or who built it, then please click HERE. Not only does it list the history behind Cloud Gate, but the Jay Pritzker Pavilion is on there too if you're interested in knowing the history behind that as well! 

Visit Skydeck Chicago

This was my favorite thing to do in Chicago. This was the MAIN reason my brother and I went to Chicago in the first place. We wanted to visit Skydeck Chicago. It's the tallest building in Chicago standing at 1,353 feet in the air. The glass boxes that extend out from the building are 4.3 feet long. The view is incredible! I don't know if you can see the traffic below my feet in the picture above, but my brother and I are really high up. It took some convincing for me to go because I am afraid of heights. It's not a serious fear, but it still bothers me here and there. Before I went I kept on saying, "What if the glass breaks?" It had me worried. However, the glass is very thick and almost impossible to break. There was a story released on the Internet back in 2014 about the protective coating cracking under a whole bunch of tourists and they were scared because they thought it was the glass. However, there hasn't been any reported cracks on the glass since it's been built. It's totally safe. If you would like to plan a visit, then please click HERE.        

 

 

 

THE HOTTEST TIPS TO KNOW WHEN VISITING UNIVERSAL ORLANDO

Hey guys! Before I get started on the topic today, I wanted to let you guys know why I keep posting about Universal Orlando. There is a lot of content to talk about when it comes to Universal Orlando and I want to make sure you are all absolutely prepared when you take your first trip to this wonderful place. I thought I knew everything the first time I visited, but I was so WRONG. I'm 90% sure this will be my last post about Universal Orlando because I'm pretty sure after reading this post, you'll be fully prepared for the adventure that awaits! I might do one more post talking about an experience I had, but we'll see. Today I am going to be talking about the hottest tips you should know when visiting Universal Orlando. I want to make sure you guys don't make the same mistakes my brother and I made!

Side Note: I don't have any pictures for what I am about to discuss, so I used pictures from free image sites.

1. Bring a Backpack 

ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS bring a backpack when you visit Universal Orlando. The first time my brother and I went to Universal Orlando we didn't bring a backpack and we regretted it. The reason you should bring a backpack is because so you can carry everything in it. Your tickets to everything in the park, sunscreen, drinks, Advil (or whatever medicine you prefer), souvenirs, extra clothes, etc. You'll need pain medication because of headaches you can get for staying in the park all day long (The trip back and forth to the park and the hotel is too much of a hassle) or if your feet start to hurt from so much walking. You'll also need extra clothes because if you go on a day that is really hot outside, then your clothes will be drenched it sweat and you'll want to change them. This is why you need to bring a backpack!

2. Always Rent a Large Locker 

   

At Universal Orlando there are different size lockers that you can rent for the day to keep your items in whenever you go on rides. You have to scan your finger print (more on that later) and then it randomly chooses a locker for you. It opens up and you put your stuff inside and then you close it and it locks shut. However, when my brother and I visited for the second time and remembered to bring a backpack, we had no clue there were different size lockers (we didn't use lockers the first time we visited). We only thought there was one size. We ended up stuffing the backpack in the locker. It took a lot of pushing. Unfortunately, it ended up ruining my brother's backpack for good. The thing that made us feel bad was the fact that we eventually found out that there were different size lockers in different areas of where the lockers were kept. We felt like idiots. Click HERE if you want a simple walkthrough on how to rent a locker at Universal Orlando. 

3. Use the Same Finger for the Fingerprint Scanner

  

Before you enter the park, you have to scan your finger AND show them your ticket for early park admission (if you decide to purchase that before your visit). They do this in case someone finds a pass on the ground because then they could just show the people at the entrance the pass and be let into the park for free. The fingerprint scanner identifies you. You have to use the fingerprint scanner when entering the park, using lockers and taking the Hogwarts Express train from park to park. You must use the same finger when using the fingerprint scanner because it won't identify you with any other finger. Also, it won't identify you if your finger is wet, which could be caused by sweat. Just make sure to wipe your finger off before using the fingerprint scanner. If you follow these steps, then everything should work out fine.

4. Still Arrive Early with the Early Park Admission Pass

If you decide to purchase the early park admission pass when visiting Universal Orlando, then I would HIGHLY advise that you still arrive even earlier to wait in line for the early park admission. Let me explain. If the park's planned opening was 9am, then they would open at 8am for early park admission since it is one hour earlier. Now, the bus at your hotel starts picking people up and taking them to the park at 7am for the early opening at 8am. BE THERE WAITING FOR THE BUS AT 7AM! There are a lot of people who get early park admission, so if you arrive around 7:30am waiting for the park to open at 8am for early admission, then there will already be a LONG line. That just increases your wait time on rides because all of those people in front of you will hightail it to the main attractions leaving you in the dust. If you follow all of these steps, then I guarantee you will be one of the first to arrive at the main attraction you are most looking forward to.