🇺🇸 Chicago One-Day Trip Guide 🌆

Took a weekend trip to Chicago and packed in all the must-see spots + local gems! Here’s your optimized one-day itinerary 👇 🥯 The Bean / Starbucks Reserve / Lake Michigan — All Covered! 1️⃣ First Stop: Millennium Park “The Bean” (7:30-9:00 AM) 📍 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 ✨ Come EARLY! By 7:30 AM, it was almost empty — perfect for photos without crowds. Gets packed later! ⚠️ Keep your bag in front — better safe than sorry around tourists. 💦 The reflective Crown Fountains are right next to the Bean. Get low, place your camera near the water — killer reflection shots especially with morning light! 2️⃣ North Walk: Architecture + Food + Fun (9:30 AM-3:00 PM) 🚶 Walk north from the park — you’ll pass: • Trump Tower — look up! The architecture is impressive. • Chicago Riverwalk — super chill with a nice breeze ☁️ • Starbucks Reserve — perfect break! We tried the seasonal cold brew + a mushroom flatbread 🍄🤤 (Skip the deep-dish pizza — $30 and overrated. Starbucks pizza >>) 🍔 Weird & Fun Detour: Hamburger University (McDonald’s Global Training Campus) 📍 1040 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 👀 Looks like a mini campus — free exhibits & a McDonald’s. Fun if you’re into fast-food culture! 🍦 Purple taro ice cream? AVOID. 🚫 Tastes like artificial perfume. Strawberry forever! 3️⃣ Evening: Park Chill + Lake Michigan Sunset (5:00-7:30 PM) 🎵 There was a concert at Millennium Park (too crowded for us), so we escaped to a quieter nearby park — so relaxing on the grass! 🌅 Before sunset, head to Lake Michigan: • If you have architecture cruise or observation deck tickets — go for epic elevated views! • No ticket? No problem! Grab a bench by the lake — watch the sky turn gold and pink. Perfect ending. This route covers iconic spots + hidden fun — highly recommend for a chill yet full day! 💙 #Chicago #TravelGuide #TheBean #MillenniumPark #LakeMichigan #USATravel #BudgetTravel #ChicagoSpots #SoloTravel