Our main purpose for going to Chicago was to see Critical Role live. With that said, we ended up having an extra day and a half to explore. I have been to Chicago several times, and there’s something comforting about visiting a city you have been to before. I know my way around public transportation and have an idea as to where things are in the city. What made this trip unique was that instead of driving to Chicago, we took the new Borealis train line to Union Station. This was so slick, and I’m open to taking the train again.

We left on Wednesday from Union Depot in Saint Paul, which is not far from us. We left at noon and arrived in Chicago just after seven. The train ride took about seven to eight hours. While it may seem longer than driving, there’s always an extra hour added to a trip for bathroom breaks and stops for food while driving. The train was on time, and the boarding process was smooth. The seats had more legroom than I anticipated, and I didn’t feel cramped. The final stop was Chicago’s Union Station. From there, we took an Uber to our hotel.

On Thursday, before the live show, we wandered around Millenium Park, which is where The Bean is. The Bean is what it sounds like, a sculpture that looks like a bean. It’s a must to go up to The Bean and take a selfie because the sculpture is reflective, so you see yourself as you take the picture. After walking around Millenium Park, we stopped at Giordano’s for Deep Dish Pizza. My husband had never been to Giordano’s before, so this was something we had to do. We went to the one right near Millenium Park, but there are several other locations throughout the area. We went with a classic Deep Dish with pepperoni, cheese, sausage, and green peppers. It was so good. Every time I go to Chicago, I have to eat Deep Dish Pizza; it’s the rule. From there, we went back to our hotel so I could get ready.

On Friday, I was tuckered out from the Critical Role live show, so this day was more chill. We had breakfast at Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe. We made our way to Navy Pier, which is something my husband hadn’t done before. Navy Pier has shops, the Children’s Museum, and a variety of restaurants right along Lake Michigan. It’s pretty to walk and it was sunny all day on Friday. After getting a mid-afternoon coffee, we walked to our hotel before meeting with friends for dinner. One of my good friends from college lives out in the Suburbs, so I try to see her whenever I visit. She was kind enough to drive far to meet us closer to the city. We went to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant called Handlebar. I had a Buffalo Chicken Wrap made from Seitan. I don’t think I have ever eaten Seitan before, or if I had, I didn’t know it. It was delicious. On Saturday, my husband and I hopped back on the Borealis train to head home.

Considering I was in Chicago for two days, it was a busy weekend! It has been a bit since I was last in Chicago, so it was good to be back. The Borealis train made the trip that much better. I would take the train again because no one wants to drive in downtown Chicago if they don’t have to.