proposal ideas for CHICAGO?

[cqdiep]

Hi everyone. My GF and I are going to be going to Chicago for Labor Day weekend, and I''m thinking of proposing then. Do you have good ideas to do this in Chicago? I haven''t been there before. I was thinking doing it on top of the Sears building, but I don''t know if they let tourists go up there. Thanks for any ideas you guys give.

 

[Regular Guy]

A great city. Good luck with this.

To help you, do a search on this Forum, "Proposal Ideas," with the word: Chicago, and see quite a number of threads, one of which is this one.

Regards,

 

[cqdiep]

Hi Ira, thanks for the thread link. It was really helpful. I''m leaning towards the botanical garden. She loves flowers, and there won''t be many people around us.

 

[flutterby]

Chicago is a great city and that would be a wonderful time to propose. You can go the top of the sears tower at the sky deck, not overly romantic, but surrounded with tourists so if you are looking to create an ''event'', that might work. Also, Levy restaurants does all the catering on the 99th floor. If you talk to them, they could probably put together something romantic for you there.

I personally would do something more low key. Like go to the Adler planatarium and then afterwards go for a walk around the lake and propose. Another beautiful area is cafe brauer in lincoln park, it is actually in the park near the zoo and it is very pretty with a great skyline view. You can rent swan shaped paddleboats and go around the pond there. It is very small town in the big city kind of place. If you do that there is an amazing restaurant right near by (in the park as well) called North Pond. It is romantic, beautiful views and excellent locally grown organic food. Bruce, the chef was a James Beard winner.

If you have other questions, let me know. I''m in the hospitality business in the city and can answer any questions.

Navy pier is a great place as well, it is amazingly beautiful, but as a city dweller, too touristy for me. But she might just be overwhelmed (in a good way) with the scenery.

 

[cqdiep]

msflutter, thanks for all the info. I''ve heard a lot about the Signature in the Hancock building. What do you think?

 

[bar01]

The botanical gardens are great, but they are about a 40 min drive north of the city (near where I live).

Personally I think the Hancock and Sears towers are too commonplace for proposals.

I like the ideas mentioned in previous posts about fireworks at navy pier or a horse and carriage ride on Michigan Ave.

Also there is the new Millennium park and Cloud Gate (the bean) but last month I was there it was still most covered up for construction.

I also like the idea about proposing in front of the old water tower on Michigan Ave. It was the only structure to survive the great chicago fire. Some good karma and a message for your future marriage to endure.

 

[flutterby]

Not sure if I know how to paste pics, but I tried to post some pics of Cafe Brauer for you. Signature Room is nice, it has a good view, if its not cloudy, and it a very popular place to propose. I go there after work every once in awhile for champagne service and it is a nice place. Carraige rides are considered romantic as well. I however would not find it romantic being pulled by a horse through busy downtown traffic with bus fumes blowing in my face, which is pretty much so the experience of carraige rides downtown.

It really all depends what you think she would like. Does she want the attention of a restaurant starring at her? Does she want an intimate setting? It all depends what she idealizes. I would not want a popular place, but there is something to be said for the signature room. I personally would want somewhere pretty and somewhere that obviously took some planning and thought.

I''m sure whatever you choose will be beautiful!



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[Blue824]

Bertrand, you must live up near me.

CQ -- The Botanic Gardens would be BEAUTIFUL, so many pretty spots. But if you don't want to make the trek up there, harder for a tourist, I'd imagine, because I also don't know of any public trans that would take you there...if you went up there you could head to the symphony or whatever is playing at Ravinia for the evening, which is really nice to do. If you don't want to head out of the city, how about up in Lincoln Park? Theres the lagoon, the beach, gardens through out the park, like msflutter recommended. Thats what i thought of before i saw her post, really nice to walk through and many places for a quiet intimate moment. Lots of restaurants close by to celebrate afterward. I guess I really love LP so that would be my choice.

You can go up to the top of the Sears Tower, however, sometimes there can be a long wait and there are lots of people. The Signature is nice, great views, drinks/food. It is a popular place to propose as also previously mentioned.

ETA these links for your research:

directions to the botanic gardens:
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/directions/index.html#Anchor%20public2

Ravinia: Ravinia - Home

North Pond: Welcome To North Pond

 

[Blue824]

Ok after I posted & edited that I came up with two more options. One I have not been to, the other I have not been to in a looong time.

The one I havent been to is the Garfield Park Conservatory, apparently the largest indoor gardens in the world or something like that but they also have outdoor gardens. Here is the site:
Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance

The other one was the Lincoln Park Conservatory. I remember going there when I was younger, but I havent been in ages. I think they have an Orchid room that I remember.

Anyway, I figured since those have indoor options you might want to keep those names handy for a rainy day

 

[cqdiep]

Well, we''re going to be staying with her cousin, who lives in Chicago. So it wouldn''t be troublesome to find transportion to the Botanical Garden. I still like this idea the best because it''s in an open setting, not too many people around, and she loves flowers and plants. Plus, we would celebrate later that night by going to the Signature Room. Does anyone know the estimated cost of the Signature Room for 2 peoples? Can anyone post pics or links of the Navy pier? This has been highly recommended also, so I''ll like to see some pics. Thanks people, for all your ideas!!!

 

[Erin]

Labor Day weekend is pretty busy

Grant Park is full for Jazz Fest and Navy Pier has Games & Toys Fair that weekend.
Remember, Saturday night are the fireworks

 

[cqdiep]

There are fireworks every Saturday??? That''s awsome.

 

[jellybean]

Date: 8/16/2005 1:07:13 PM
Author: cqdiep
Well, we''re going to be staying with her cousin, who lives in Chicago. So it wouldn''t be troublesome to find transportion to the Botanical Garden. I still like this idea the best because it''s in an open setting, not too many people around, and she loves flowers and plants. Plus, we would celebrate later that night by going to the Signature Room. Does anyone know the estimated cost of the Signature Room for 2 peoples? Can anyone post pics or links of the Navy pier? This has been highly recommended also, so I''ll like to see some pics. Thanks people, for all your ideas!!!

The Signature Room ain''t cheap, but it''s not the most expensive place on the planet either.

I posted on the other Chicago Proposal thread that Navy Pier has a huge ferris wheel. One of my friends was proposed to on the ferris wheel when it reached the top. I thought it was pretty brave of her fiance to bring the ring up with him! He didn''t actually put in on her finger until they reached the ground.

 

[flutterby]

It will take over an hour to get up to the botanical gardens, they are not in the city of Chicago. The Garfield Park Conservatory (which blue824 mentioned)is a beautiful garden. A friend of mine got married there during the Chihuly exhibit. Its a bit away from downtown, but it is very nice.

Another idea if she likes gardens is in Lincoln Park at the Nature Museum. They have a beautiful butterfly garden.

Signature Room is really not pricey for the city. You just need reservations and make sure to get a good table. The dining room seats 350 and the bar around 500. So if you arent sitting by the window there really isnt anything special about it, at all. As the food is just average. Entrees are $25-35 with some steak and seafood combos being more. Appetizers are $10-12 and you can get martinis for $9 and cheapest champagne service is around $80. Just to give you an idea. It really isnt pricey for downtown, but it certainly isnt cheap.

If you decide to stay up in lincoln park (and propose in the park or the nature museum) and you dont want to go to North Pond (one of my favorite restaurnts, average tab for my boyfriend and I is $200) you might want to get reservations at Gejas. It is an amazingly charming fondue restaurant, always rated the top romantic restaurant in the city.

Whatever you do, get reservations in advance! And have fun in the city, it really is beautifiul here.



Hope this

 

[bopitaddict]

i proposed at navy pier in april and it was really nice. labor day weekend might be a little packed that weekend. i didn''t propose on the ferris wheel, but did it at the end of navy pier - there weren''t that many people around. also, you might look into a midnight cruise aboard the odyssey, where you cruise along the shoreline and enjoy the skyline view... i went on it once with my FI and it was pretty romantic, they have a few different levels where you can just spend QT together alone. good luck! the signature room is also nice and the carriage ride ideas along michigan avenue is nice too... grant park and millenium park are nice walks as well...



Odyssey

 

[flutterby]

Oh, I forgot, check out metromix.com. It is full of reviews of every restaurant in the city and you can search for anything from movies, to concerts, to bars and restauarants. It has several local reviews of everything!

 

[Blue824]

Shoudnt take an hour unless you go during rush hour. I work in Lincoln Park and live right near the Botanic Gardens, the exit you take is the one I get on to head to work usually. Takes me 30ish minutes in light traffic. Usually doesnt even take an hour during rush hour. Its only 25 miles outside the city. However, I am rather oblivious to speed limits. While Navy Pier is fun to visit if you havent been there before, it does get very crowded and I know when I''m down there its like I just want to get to where I"m going and get out of there...even when it is really crowded at the gardens you can find a private spot. Sometimes they have concerts in the bell towers at the gardens...I forget what it is exactly, but might want to check out that schedule. If you do head to Navy Pier, make a reservation at Riva. Its yummy and nice views of the lake.

The date is fast approaching, good luck with the rest of your planning!! Obviously let us know if you have more questions or need to know specifics. So exciting

Be sure to tell us about it when you get back!

 

[jellybean]

Geja''s is a fondue restaurant. It''s nice but we went there once and my sweater totally *reaked* of the fondue oil for weeks to come -- after washing it 3 times! Thus, we haven''t been back there. But a lot of people like it.

 

[Blue824]

Do you have an update for us?

 

[cqdiep]

Well, our plans for Chicago was postpone for Labor Day weekend, but we''re going in 2 weeks, so I''ll propose then. The ring came and here are some pics of it. I was so excited when it came, and couldn''t sleep all night. I''m thinking of proposing in Millenium Park during the day on Friday when we get there. Wish me luck.

 

[cqdiep]

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[cqdiep]

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[cqdiep]

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[cqdiep]

 

[cqdiep]

 

[cqdiep]

 

[Blue824]

Its beautiful! She''s going to love it!

Now you won''t have to deal with the Labor Day tourist crowds at least, which will be nice for you two! When you get back, be sure to share with us

 

[mjboone13]

I still like the botanical gardens. There is a fountain out in front of the zoo by the conservatory that is amazing. There was actaully a wedding there last weekend. I would not do Mil. park. Very touristy!

Up north of the conservatory (botanical gardens) there are lots of walking paths around a couple of ponds, with great sitting areas and benches.

Another spot not too many go to is the Garfield Conservatory. It is another nature conservatory on the SouthWest side of the city. not to much to do around there, but the place is amazing. That is where i would want my wedding.

hope this helps. and good luck.

 

[mjboone13]

oooops.
got confused. Botanical gardens and the Lincoln Park conservatory are different. I vote the Lincoln Park Conservatory. They have amazing exhibits of Orchids and ferns and palms. It is right next to the zoo (which is free), and the fountain i described before. The nature musuem is also very beautiful. A "off-the-tourist" track is also right there, the Lilypond Garden. It is a secluded little oasis of small ponds. very few people know about it. it is right acrros the street from the Nature Musuem and next to the zoo and conservatory. i live right there so i am very familiar with it.

the picture is from the entrance to the Zoo looking at the fountain and the conservatory in Lincoln Park.

 

[cqdiep]

Okay, I''ve decided to take her to Lincoln Park instead of Millennium Park. However, I need some of your help on finding a place to eat inside the park. The North Pond doesn''t serve lunch on Friday. I plan on taking her there Friday afternoon and have lunch. Are there any other places to have lunch that is semi-romantic? There''s Cafe Brauer...has anyone eaten there before?