Most of the Hotels close to downtown were well over $200 per night, but for whatever reason the Club Quarter was only $137. So after check out the reviews on Trip Advisor I made my reservation. This is the first hotel that I have stayed out where you have no actual interaction with the front desk.
On the day that I was scheduled to check I received an email inviting me to download the Club Quarter App, which I did. Once I had the app downloaded and I had signed in, the app authorized me to complete my check-in through the app. When I arrived at Union Station I completed the remote checking and as I was walking down the street received my room assignment and key through the app.
Once at the Hotel, all I had to do was go up to my room and use the blue tooth key on my photo to access my room. One security feature that I liked was that guests have to use their room key to operate the elevators.
Once in my room, while I found it rather small, but clean and well made. While the room was small the bathroom was larger with a nice walk in shower. For the price, my room will serve me very well during the my Chicago Stay.
I stayed in last night, opting to have supper in the Elephant & Castle Pub located immediately adjacent to the hotel. It's a takeoff on an old style English Pub, while the food and beer was slight more expensive than I am accustomed to, it was very good and filling.
After a good nights sleep I was up early this morning and walked a couple of blocks to a Dunkin Donuts for a light breakfast and coffee.
Like I said earlier, my hotel is located right in the middle of downtown close to a number of attractions including, Willis Tower, Buckingham Fountain and Cloud Gate, known as the Chicago Bean.
So after my coffee I walked down Adams Street to it's intersection with Wabash Street. It is here that I find the Chicago Art Institute. Also located a this intersection is a small sign that is of particular interest to me. You see, right here in the middle of downtown Chicago, just a few blocks from the shore of Lake Michigan, the Mother Road begins. Yes, at this intersection Route 66 begins its 2,451 mile journey west to California.
After snapping a few photos of the Historic Route 66 sign I walked a couple of blocks north to Tribune Plaza in Millennium Park. Here I find workers putting the finishing touch on the outdoor Ice Rink which is much like the one at Rockefeller Plaza in New York, only smaller.
Just a few steps from the ice rink is Cloud Gate, a 110 ton sculpture that is a popular tourist attraction known for it reflection of the Chicago Skyline and the clouds above the city. Tourist also find it amusing to photograph their reflections which appears in the sculpture. I was no difference and had to snap a few pictures of myself.
From Cloud Gate it was a little less than a mile walk down to Buckingham Fountain. This is the large fountain that was featured on the opening of the TV show "Married with Children." I was disappointed to find that the fountain was down for maintenance and not working. But I did walk around an snap a few photos.
The parks along Lake Michigan are filled with sculptures and works of art including one of Illinois favorite son, Abraham Lincoln. This 9-foot tall statue of President Abraham Lincoln show the president seated and reflecting on the loneliness and the burden he felt during his presidency.After walking down to to the Shore of Lake Michigan it was time for Lunch. No visit to Chicago would be complete without having a real Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. I made the short walk to Giordano's Pizza. It was recommended by several people and by the looks of the crowd it is quiet popular.
So for lunch I had the Individual size cheese, sausage and pepperoni deep dish pizza. It was really quiet good and filling. It was a drastic change from the traditional pizza but again it was unique and very good.
Getting to the sky deck is not an easy task. You must first go through security and then purchase your $24.00 ticket. Once you have your ticket you get in line for the 60-second elevator ride to the 103-floor.
Once on the 103rd floor you get a magnificent view of the Chicago Skyline and for miles in every direction. When I work up this morning it was cold and overcast but as the day wore on the clouds gave way to sunshine which afforded me a wonderful view from the sky deck.
Once on the 103 floor you can spend as much time as you want, but once you get to the actual sky deck, which is a glass enclosed ledge where you can photograph yourself standing above the ChicagoSkyline, you only have about a minute to snap your photos. You are time by employees who keeps the lines moving.
I ended up spending about an hour total at the top of the Willis Tower and after buying a magnet for my collection I made my way back to ground level and walked back to the Hotel. A check of my FitBit show that I have walked a little over 21,000 steps, or a little over 10-miles.
Once back at the hotel I took a little break before heading out for supper. Since Wake Forest was playing North Carolina State tonight, I decided to return to the Elephant & Castle where I could have a beer or two and watch the game over dinner.
Turns out that Wearing my Wake Forest pullover was a good move on my part. Seems that Chicago folk are very hospitable. I ended up watching the entire game in the pub and in the end not only did the patrons pay for my drinks but to celebrate the Wake Forest victory a new friend Dave Argossi paid for my meal. I love Chicago.
It was a little after 10 when I got back to my room and after a long day of walking around the Windy City, I was soon off to bed. Tomorrow I will check out of my hotel and make the walk back to Union Station where I will spend most of the day before boarding the Eastbound Capital Limit for Washington D. C.
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