Things to Do in Chicago with Dogs: 36 Hours in Downtown Chicago with Dogs

 While we love traveling, we have found everything has become twice as expensive owning dogs. Besides the cost of our own trip, boarding for two dogs can be as much as our own hotel (per night!). We've been learning more about trips to include our pups which include things we all like to do.
I recently realized the New York Times has compiled their "36 Hours in..." series into a book. 
And I thought it would be fun to make our own dog-friendly version.
Last week we wrote about 1 day in downtown Chicago with your dog.
This is our Part II.

Riverwalk

This time leave from your hotel heading in the opposite direction down Michigan Avenue. We discovered that while Miss M can navigate things like this with ease (and in costume!)  her Kryptonite is bridges. We could only cross towards the loop by going under and walking along the river. The area is fairly empty and quiet which can be good for dogs who are scared by noises.
If you are traveling in the summer, one of our favorite experiences is the Mercury Canine Cruise   which is a dog-specific architectural tour where you can cruise with your pooch down the Chicago River and part of Lake Michigan.

The Loop

The Loop is the part of downtown south of the Michigan Avenue shopping area where most people work. It's encircled by our Brown Line elevated train (which runs in a loop!) which makes it especially noisy and busy if your pup can handle it.
 In the Loop you will see much of Chicago's amazing architecture, take photos outside the famous Chicago Theater signs and over the holidays you can even visit the famous Marshall Fields windows (we did!).While most visitors don't know and they spend hours waiting in line at another location, this is where you should visit Chicago's Garret's Popcorn on Jackson or Madison (yes, it really is that good!) where you will be in and out in minutes. We also like Do-Rite donuts.
We never recommend dog parking, so only do this if you're with someone else.
Dogs aren't allowed in Millennium Park, but you can sit in Grant Park, or one of the pocket parks.

Public Art

Mr. B finds his dad!

Chicago has a lot of outdoor art including a huge Picasso statue in Daley Plaza, infamous Art Institute Lions and these unusual body sculptures in Grant Park. You can hang out in any of the plazas, or grab something to eat and sit at Buckingham Fountain.

Museum Campus and Lakefront

Some of the best views of the city are walking along the Chicago lakefront and through the museum campus. The area south of the museum campus is more isolated, and it even has stairs, which are perfect for these types of Pier Picnics. Take the lakefront path back to your hotel.

What are your must-see's that you would include in your 36 Hours?

Also:
Our dogs are cultured!
City Dogs
Dogs in Hotels
City Lights, Navy Pier, and Dogs in Nordstroms

How to Be a Tourist with Dogs: Chicago "In One Day"

We've written before about how E and I aren't really museum people, and most of our vacations are spent walking around, eating, and exploring the city we're visiting. We always talk about how much more fun things could be if we included the pooches, though we suspected some things might be limiting. On our latest downtown adventure, we found the perfect balance of exploring Chicago with our pups. In true Frommer's style, here is our version of the "In One Day" tour:

Hotel Home Base:

When people asked us about dog-friendly hotels in Chicago, we never really knew what to recommend. Though after a recent experience with the James Hotel Chicago, they have become our go-to dog-friendly hotel. The gladly accepts all sizes and breeds of dogs and the staff is beyond friendly always giving the pups a friendly pat and running to grab the door for us. They provide dog beds and food bowls. The hotel is also in a really convenient location near north Michigan Avenue across from the Trader Joe's (perfect for picking up extra dog treats, people snacks, and inexpensive late-night bottles of wine). It's also near Chicago Avenue which is the entrance to the lakefront path and within short walking distance to all the activities described below so you can always make quick trips back to rest at the hotel.

Morning Walk to Navy Pier:

Start with an early morning walk to Navy Pier. Since things were less crowded downtown at this time, you can walk down Michigan Avenue taking the Illinois underpass over to Navy Pier. Usually Navy Pier can be unpleasantly filled with crowds, but if you go in the early morning you will be able to beat the crowds with plenty of photo opps and views.

You can pick up an (overpriced!) Chicago hot dog from a cart and check out some of the best skyline views in the city. See more of what our pups did at Navy Pier here, including a video from Mr' B's camera. 

Lakefront Walk:

After spending the morning at Navy Pier, take the lakefront path back towards your hotel. The lakefront spans over 18 miles passing along several neighborhoods along with skyline views. If the weather is nice out, you can even plan for this. 

Mag Mile Shopping:

If your dogs are tired, spend some time resting back at the hotel. Otherwise, you can do some dog-friendly shopping along Michigan Avenue. The Nordstrom's building is dog-friendly (with the exception of the 4th floor with the food court) and it even has a water bowl and treat stand in the back near the Nordstrom's entrance. We've also seen dogs walking through the Bloomingdales building at 900 North Michigan, we just need to doublecheck their dog policy.

Dinner:

After all of the new experiences, walking, and mental stimulation, our dogs were exhausted and they were happy to eat in the hotel while we went out to dinner by ourselves. If you aren't comfortable leaving your pups alone in the hotel room, head over to Portillio's for the best Chicago-style hotdogs, or  M Burger . Knowing how dangerous it can be to leave our dogs outside a store unattended, one of us always stays with the dogs while the other picks up food. (We wrote more about it here).
Or it's always fun to stay in the hotel with movies and room service.

City Lights:

Head out for one last night walk with the pups to see the city all lit up. Stop by Ghirardelli's for some caramel salted hot chocolate or ice-cream and check a less crowded Michigan Avenue. If your pups are interested in meeting people, walk by the Rush and Division street area. At night the area is known for drunken debauchery; someone even tried to grab Miss M's tush when she was walking there!
We also wrote more about nighttime adventures, here.

These are our recommendations for a 1-night downtown stay with your pups.
What would be your favorite part? And any locals have any other must-see's?

Also:
What we learned about staying in a hotel with dogs.
If you had a second day... 
Winter (with hats!)
We always love these staycation ideas

How to be a Tourist with Dogs: City Lights

E and I aren't really museum people. When we go on trips we usually spend most of the time walking around. Stopping to eat. Then walking around some more. And we usually talk about how much fun it would be to have the pups on vacation.

After experiencing this, we found a good mid-week hotel rate and we decided to Staycation downtown during our Spring Break. Being among the tourists made us feel more like tourists ourselves and really see the city from a new perspective. One of our favorite things E and I do on our vacations is walk around after dark to explore cities in a different way and see everything lit up by lights. Which was perfect to do with the pups in tow:

We all bundled up in thick coats and our matching scarves and headed out on the city. We were able to walk a little and eat a little (kind of like this!). We were able to grab take-out from Chicago's infamous Portillio's, and we created our own Chicago tradition of picking up salted caramel hot chocolate at Ghirardelli's. The pooches did some late night window shopping, and Miss M was especially impressed by the Princess Collection at the Disney Store.

Our first night we stayed in with the pups hanging out on the king-size bed and watching movies. By the second night the pups were so exhausted by their nightly walks, E and I were able to head out on the town by ourselves for a nice downtown dinner.

Does anyone else do any nighttime exploring?

PS. We've realized this and this are always fun dog-city vacation ideas.

And very Chicago-specific!

City Dog: Staying in a Dog-Friendly Hotel

The other week our pups had the chance to play Eloise as we needed to find some quick in-town accommodations for all of us. While we've done it once before, we've always been a bit nervous about dog-hotel logistics. Here are some things we've learned about staying in a dog-friendly hotel:

On Potty Breaks and Finding that Patch of Grass

While our pups are used to used to peeing like city dogs (we wrote more about it here), we found how important it was to have a central peeing location to limit the time spent on potty breaks. While there usually isn't much grass downtown, we were able to find a single patch on a side-street that became our dogs' go to space. We realized a lot of dogs must have frequented this spot, so it became our 'go-to' spot to keep our wandering around at a minimum.

Our dogs are also fine riding in elevators, though if your dog isn't used to confined spaces, or mirrors, it would be a good idea to request a room on a lower floor so you're able to take the stairs.

Beware of Sounds and Drain Mental Energy

Living in a multi-unit building, our pups get used to footsteps in the hallway, voices and doors shutting. Though even they were a bit alarmed with the footsteps and sounds outside the door. Our pooches aren't really barkers, though we were still afraid that if we left them alone Miss M might start singing. 

The first night when the pooches were still getting accustomed to everything we stayed with the pups watching movies, ordering take-out, late night room service, and picking up cheap wine from a nearby Trader Joe's.

 The second day we were able to spend a lot of time wandering around. Between the walking and the mental stimulation between the new sights and sounds (and meeting people!) the dogs were completely tired when we came back home, and they happily passed out while E and I were able to head back out for a nice dinner.

Suit Up

We knew how much the hotel loved dogs, but we know not everyone does. We know extra gear makes our pups more approachable, and since our pups were decked out in their black puffy coats and fancy snoods they were well-received by so many people. We received a 'what a handsome family' compliment, and overheard a woman saying to her husband 'Why are you in a short-sleeved shirt? Even the dogs out here are wearing scarves."

Being Respectful and Paying it Forward

We love when places are so open about involving dogs, so we always try to leave a good impression so people continue to think positively about dog owners. We worked to keep our room tidy, taking out any dog-related trash, wiping our dogs feet when we came back inside, being considerate in the elevators, and tipping well.

Finding Supportive Hotels:

We had a really great experience at the James Hotel Chicago. The hotel prides itself on being a dog-friendly hotel without breed and size restrictions. They also provide dog beds, dog bowls and treats. The staff was always beyond friendly giving the pups a pat and holding the door for us. The hotel charges a $75 dog fee for the entire stay, which was actually cheaper for us than putting the pups in boarding for the time we needed to stay. It also has a great location on Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown with easy access for walks along the lake, great restaurants (including take-out), and right across from a Trader Joe's. They also have very reasonable weekday stays, though last minute weekends are quite pricy!

On our last trip we also had a really positive experience with Drury Hotels which have several locations.

We would love to hear about other people's experiences. What are some things you've learned about having dogs in hotels? And what are some of your hotel recommendations?

Also:

Sometimes it's like this though it can also get like this. Or even this.

How to catch a cab with a big dog

Staycation with Dogs: Jardin du Chicago

We've always thought the best part of travel was discovering new things from other places and finding ways to incorporate them into our every day lives so each day feels like a vacation. But a vacation that includes our dogs. We spent much of the summer recreating one of our most memorable trips, but it wasn't until the other weekend when I re-discovered one of our favorite things right here in Chicago.

Our favorite part of our last trip was spending the day in Jardin du Luxembourg. Maybe it was being among the history. Or the ornate statues and gardens. Or just the ability to stop and relax.

Little did I realize we had our own urban "formal garden" option which also happens to be dog-friendly.

Sure, our garden wasn't built for royalty but the Humboldt Park formal gardens are part of the larger European-inspired park with its circular garden, pergolas, and statues. The park is framed by two large bison statues that were originally designed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition by the same sculptor who made the lions in front the Art Institute of Chicago (seen in this video here, with Boris!).
We even had a photo of Mr. B trying to 'get fresh' with the bison, here.

It is fun trying to see our city in a different way. What other types of vacation-like things do you do in your city with your pups?

Our other favorite part of the Jardin we were able to re-create and more historical urban parks.
And...Miss M stares at flowers.

Things to Do with Your Dog: Art-Filled Walks

 Since we don't have a backyard, we've become accustomed to going on several walks each day. So we're always interested in taking our routine up a notch.I was inspired long ago by Our Waldo Bungie's picnic and art walk with their pooches, and I've realized a few art-filled routes we have here in Chicago.

Sculpture Gardens

 This 2-mile long grassy stroll has over 60 large-scale contemporary sculptures, and Miss M has even learned to view the art with a discerning eyeball:

Downtown Free Public Art

 We sometimes take our city for granted, so it's always fun to act like a downtown tourist with our pooches (complete with cab ride!). The pooches were especially confused by giant leg Agora sculpture in Grant Park, and the giant fish by the Shedd Museum. We also have a huge Picasso statue in Daley Plaza, and a giant Marilyn Monroe that's leaving next week.

Graffiti Safaris

We all love our everyday "graffiti safari's" which enliven our daily walks. Our area has a lot of "permission walls" which are areas which are designated for street art. They have also been transforming empty storefront windows into "pop-up art galleries".

Does anyone else have interesting art-filled strolls with your pooches? And Chicagoans...any other public art displays I should be checking out?

Staycation with Dogs: 'Graffiti Safari's' and Street Art Walks

When E and I went on a big trip over the summer, we realized one of the real values of traveling is finding something interesting from another place and incorporating into our daily lives.
Just like being Tourists in our own City. But we always wanted to find a way to incorporate our favorite things with our dogs.
When we were visiting Portugal, France and Italy we realized how prominent the street art really was:

Which you might recognize if you've seen the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop (also available on Netflix 'Watch it Now'.)
We even found Space Invaders:

Since we walk so much on a daily basis, we thought we'd all make like tourists and incorporate 'graffiti safari's' into our Daily Walks:

We do have a lot of permission walls within our neighborhoods, perfect for the pooches to pose in front of.

 Even former foster Bessie-Belle made like a model posing in front of her favorite wall.

 Plus this makes our daily walks so much more interesting!

Staycation with Dogs: Dome Walking Tour

When we went on a trip this summer, we realized that the best part of traveling was discovering new things we enjoy, then bringing them back to our everyday life...with our pooches. One of the main things we did  was walk around gawking at the amazing architectural designs and domed Cathedrals.

Then we realized, this is we actually live in a neighborhood filled with Chicago landmark domed cathedrals. In Ukrainian Village there are several beautiful European-style cathedrals nestled amongst the homes in a few block area. With the multi onion domes, gold-leafing and enormous mosiacs, it's almost like we stumbled into a far away land:

The cathedrals encompass a few-block area with beautiful tree-lined streets, because since we have to take the walks anyway, we might as well make them interesting:

Chicago Fall Tourist with Your Dog (and some Winners)

 After receiving a summer-full of some fantastic posts, we learned so many things we could do with our dogs. While we're sad to see the series go, it did inspire us to be creative and continue be a Tourist in Our Own City with the pooches, even though the great weather and summer festivals are over. Here are some ways to be a Tourist with Your Dog in Chicago during the fall:

Appreciate Fall Foliage in Turn-of-the-Century Parks 

 Through our SociaBulls walks we've been exploring more of the urban parks around the city. While they were gorgeous in the summer, we're excited to see how these Victorian-style parks look decked out in fall colors. Plus, it's even better with the company of 20+ of our favorite dog friends.

Take the Dog-Walking Desert Tour 

 We wrote before about the dessert tour we like to take in our neighborhood. We're excited to load up the pooches backpacks, pick up some fresh-baked ciabatta bread for some grilled cheese and tomato soup and finish with some pumpkin pie.

Take Downtown Art Walks

 Tourists flock downtown during the summer making it way too crowded for the pooches. Now we can catch a cab with the pooches and visit some of the city's outdoor art. I don't think the pooches have ever seen a  Picasso statue before.


Have 'Crisp Weather' Impromptu Picnics 

We love having impromptu picnics while on our daily walk, and though the weather is getting cooler, we can still grab a foldable pizza slice from Paula & Monica or a hot chocolate and baguette.
Does anyone else have any fun fall-weather activities you do with your pooches?

And Now for Some Winners....
Miss M and Mr. B wanted to use the Tourist in Your Own City Series to donate to the rescues of choice to the 2 posts with the most comments. The pooches will be donating $75 to Heart of America Humane Society to support dogs like foster dog Ginger in Kansas, City. And they will be donating another $75 to East CAN in Nashville which helps dogs like Charlotte.

 Also, Sirius Republic decided to give away 2 collars, through random drawing, open to everyone who submitted a post. Levi is very proud of his very own Sirius "Adopt Me' collar advertising his single status. We ranked the posts in the order they ran, and we used a random number generator to pick the following winners: Shiva from Nova Scotia, and Sadie, Maggie, and Hurley from Portland. Congrats!