Best Chicago mall to go to?
 

Hey, I will be taking another trip up to Chicago, this weekend. I'm looking for stuff to do. I picked out most. I'm normally not into malls but I read somewhere that there are two malls, Chicago Place and Water Tower Place (I think), that are 8 stories! I don't know, but somehow that fascinates me, since all the malls in my area are only 2 stories. What are the differences between those two malls? I probably will only get the chance to go to one.

An unrelated question. What's to do in and around Union Station? I may be stranded there for a few hours.

They're so many stories because they're built UP instead of OUT like most malls. To be completely honest the Woodfield Mall (in the suburbs) probably has more stores. However, both malls are nice and fun to walk around for a while. I would recommend Water Tower Place because the Macy's is huge and really nice (I'm pretty sure the Macy's goes all the way up) plus, even if you don't like girly stuff the American Girl Store is pretty neat to walk around.

Also, Water Tower Place is kindof at the epicenter of the Magnificent Mile. If you're sick of the mall and want to walk up and down Michigan Ave. and see what's there you're pretty much in the thick of things. Their website is www.shopwatertower.com

As for Union Station, the Sears Tower is close to there (just across the river). That's the business district so you're close to the Chicago Board of Trade Building (also known as Wayne Tower from the Batman Movies) and a lot of other *veryimportantpeople*.

Navy Pier is within walking distance from there, but it'll take a while to walk there (I think it took live-in and I about 45 minutes or so when I visited him before I moved here - maybe longer but we did make a few little stops along the way). It's a short and cheap cab ride, though. Grant Park is also directly down Jackson Blvd toward the Lake. My idea of "walking distance" and other peoples' ideas of it are very different though.

Union Station also has event space which I've heard is beautiful so you should check that out, too.

I would really suggest (if the weather permits it) walking around the business district where Union Station is (or as live-in calls it, the "purple zone") if the weather is nice and you can. There's lots of stuff to look at and I think it's interesting stuff.

Well, I was gonna put my two cents into this thread, but I think you covered it all, agzg! :)

I should add that the Olympic Committee is going to be here this weekend, so be prepared to see a lot of protests (they've already started).