What is Rent? Musicals in Chicago near our Chicago Hotel

Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson and is based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme. The musical describes the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians trying to survive in New York’s Lower East Side in 1989. The show, after debuting in 1994, moved to Broadway where it received critical acclaim and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production closed in 2008 after a 12 year run, the ninth longest in Broadway history.

The American Theatre Company: Musicals in Chicago 

The American Theatre Company is a well known performing group. Founded in July 1985, the company has been known to but on shows that were dedicated to, “exploring, nurturing and developing theatre that addressed and affected the real working-class people of Chicago.” The company is constantly re-inventing themselves and performing both well-known and original plays for the citizens of Chicago and its many visitors. They are dedicated to partnering with local playwrights and take part in many local festivals and events.

Theatre Information for Musicals in Chicago 

The theatre company is located at 1909 West Byron Street, Chicago Illinois, just 15 minutes from our Ramada Chicago hotel. The Box Office hours for the theatre are:

Monday – Friday: 12pm to 6pm
Saturdays: 1pm to 8pm (on performance days)
Sundays: 12pm to 5pm (on performance days)

You can also purchase tickets for the show online at the American Theatre Company’s website.

If you’d like to contact the theatre with questions, you can get a hold of them via email at info@atcweb.org or by phone at 773-409-4125.

Musicals in Chicago – Stay at our Hotel Near Downtown Chicago

Our Chicago hotel is a strong supporter of local arts, and, as a result, we’re proud to say that we’re conveniently located near some of the best Chicago musical and other performing arts venues. Staying at the Ramada Chicago Hotel ensures that you not only receive the best service you can during your stay, but that you’re nearby many of the best activities and events that the city of Chicago has to offer.

What is Circus Zirkus? Great Events this Summer in Chicago

Finding things to keep your kids entertained isn’t always easy. This summer in Chicago we’re doing our best to make sure that you have everything you need for a great vacation that will keep your entire family happy and one of the best events is Circus Zirkus. Bring your kids down to the Chicago Children’s Museum where they will be able to:

• Practice their tumbling, juggling and other circus-related skills
• Create classic circus posters
• Swing on a flying trapeze
• Take a turn on the spinning hoop
• Try spinning tricky plates
• Get dressed up in wacky costumes, props and apparel (including clown shoes, of course!)
• Sell hot dogs and ice-cream
• Staff the ticket booth or just cheer from the bleachers

Whether your kids want to try their hands at performing or just want to take in wonderful atmosphere that a circus has to offer, this even is sure to delight kids of all ages. The show is open daily from 10am until 5pm. If you join the museum, the event is free and it is also free for children under the age of 1. For everyone else tickets are $12.00. If you visit the museum’s website, you can see the dates of special free events, and plan your trip around them to save some money.

Stay near the Chicago Children’s Museum at our Chicago Hotel near Downtown

Our Chicago hotel near downtown is the ideal place to stay if you’re thinking of checking out the many great tourist attractions in Chicago. Many of the best museums, art galleries, shopping and other visitor hot spots are located near or in downtown Chicago and our hotel is conveniently situated within easy travel distance of many of them. Why not visit our Ramada Chicago hotel website and learn more about our great packages, room rates and offers, and see if we’re the right Chicago hotel for your next visit.

The Chicago White Sox are one of the American League’s 8 charter franchises, and were established as a MLB team in 1900. The White Sox won the World Series most recently in 2005, and continue to be a great team to watch, whether you’re a sports fan, or you’re just looking for a fun day at a ball game. In town with your family? Watching the Chicago White Sox is a great way to entertain for your family for the day. Home games are always a thrill at U.S. Cellular Field with an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation swaying even the most skeptical audience members to enjoy the games. You can purchase tickets on the Chicago White Sox’s website with prices ranging from $16.00 up to $50.00 for regular seats.

Quick Facts about the Chicago White Sox from our Chicago White Sox hotel

• Founded: 1893 in the minor leagues before moving to Chicago in 1900 and becoming major league
• Formerly Known As: The Sioux City Cornhuskers
• Uniform Colors:  Black, Silver & White
• Team Motto: “All In”
• Team Fight Song: “Let’s Go, Go-Go White Sox” by Captain Stubby & The Buccaneers
• Team Mascot: Southpaw
• Team Rivals: Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians

Coming to Town? Stay at our Chicago White Sox Hotel & Try one of our Chicago Hotel Packages

Our Chicago White Sox hotel, is conveniently located just 10 minutes from the U.S. Cellular Field as well as Downtown Chicago, making it the perfect headquarters for your next trip to Chicago. We are always offer great deals and Chicago hotel packages including: our Chicago Bed & Breakfast Package, our Family Chicago Package and our Shopping Chicago Package, always perfect for guests coming to town for a day at the ball park!

Chicago Dog Show Events and Activities

There are many different Chicago Dog Show events over the three days, and you can get a full list of them from the kennel club’s website. The highlights of the show include:

• The Purina Canine Pro Plan Performance Team
• Dancers with Woofs a non-profit freestyle canine dance group
• The agility demonstrations and competitions
• Freestyle team dancing competitions
• The police K9 unit which will make an appearance
• Nose work and water rescue demonstrations

Tickets for the Chicago Dog Show are available at the door and cost $15.00 per adult, $12 for Children over 12 and seniors, and entry is free for children under the age of 12 (for the Friday show) and then 18$ per adults on the Saturday and Sunday with prices remaining the same for children and seniors. They also have a $2 Chicago Dog Show coupon available on their website which you can print off in advance and bring with you to the event.

Want to learn a little more about how to watch a dog show before heading over to McCormick Place for the Chicago Dog Show 2012? Visit the IKC website where they’ve posted all the information you need to know about the dog shows, their history and tips for getting the most out of your Chicago Dog Show spectator experience!

More Reasons to Visit the Chicago Dog Show: Special Chicago Dog Show Hotel Rates

Since we’re dog-lovers here at the Ramada Chicago Hotel, we want to make sure that you all have the opportunity and incentive to come visit us for the Chicago Dog Show. As a result, we’re offering special rates for visitors coming to town to see it! Call our Chicago Hotel reservation desk for more information on our special Chicago Dog Show hotel rates.

Top Reasons to Visit Chicago according to Frommer’s: Edible Adventures, Shopping and Culture

Located on Lake Michigan, Chicago is a city made up of eclectic neighbourhoods, sophisticated culture, and an amazing variety of foods, tourist sites and top shopping locations to keep your entire party entertained during your visit.

Where to Eat in Chicago

One of the top reasons travellers like to visit Chicago is to experience our many top restaurants and dining gems spread across the city. From Devon Avenue to Argyle Street, there are numerous food locales in Chicago with a variety of styles, flavours and atm

ospheres for every taste and budget. Culinary tours of the city are available for visiting foodies to help you get acquainted with the many eating options available to Chicago’s many visitors.

What to do in Chicago

Chicago is a city where a visitor would find it difficult to run out of things to do. No matter what you interests or vacation style, whether you’re travelling alone or with family and friends there’s plenty of Chicago attractions for every Chicago visitor to do when visiting our windy city including:

• City and architectural tours
• Bike, canoe and even segway tours
• High-end shopping in Downtown Chicago and the surrounding areas
• Culinary adventures across the city
• Scintillating night life
• Art galleries and well-developed art culture
• Destination worthy dining
• World class Chicago museums
• Chicago’s Navy Pier with, shops, dining as well as beaches

If you decide to visit Chicago based on Frommer’s well-respected opinions, you should plan on finding a hotel that situates you conveniently near all of the above tourist hot-spots. Our Ramada Chicago Hotel is a popular Chicago hotel located nearby Downtown Chicago and puts you and your family right at the epicentre of Chicago’s tourist industry. If need an extra incentive to visit Chicago and any of the above tourist recommendations catch your fancy, we have special hotel packages including:

• Chicago Bicycling Hotel Package
• Shopping Chicago Hotel Package
• Family Chicago Hotel Package

Contact our hotel near Downtown Chicago today to learn how we can make your trip to Chicago live up to Frommer’s high recommendations.

The U-505 is the only German submarine captured by the U.S. Navy during World War II and is now featured at the museum as part of a 35,000 square-foot interactive exhibit. The exclusive private tour begins at 8:15 am on  Sunday the 20^th of November, and lasts for 2.5 hours. The tour, which includes continental breakfast, a guided tour of the exhibit and an on-board tour followed by a presentation on a U-505 expert, only runs once in November and twice in all of 2011. The tour costs $50.00 for adults and $40.00 for children including breakfast, the tour and general admission to the rest of the museum once your tour is finished.

You can buy tickets for the event on the museum’s website, but be quick; the event is a popular one and is sure to sell out quickly! There are group rates available for the submarine tour through the same website and are a great way to save some money while keeping everyone you’re travelling with entertained during your stay in our Downtown Chicago Hotel.

If you can’t get to Chicago on the 20^th but are staying at our Ramada Chicago Hotel at another date in November you go on-board the submarine during free (with museum admission) 15 minute tours daily.

Chicago Hotel Packages

Our Family Chicago hotel packages are another great way to save some money on your vacation (money that can be spent on other fun activities in the Chicago area!) and if you’re visiting the museum, they include free shuttle service to and from the museum and our hotel!

Our Family Downtown Chicago hotel packages include:

• Accommodation for two adults, and two children for 1 night.
• Full American breakfast buffet for the whole family
• Free shuttle service between the hotel and the museum
• Scheduled free shuttle service into Downtown Chicago
• A special gift from our Ramada Chicago hotel to you!

The White House Exhibit

This is a great exhibit if your coming to Chicago. You will get to see parts of the White House that no one gets to see!

Its inside look at the People’s House that few people get.
The Museum’s new temporary exhibit, The White House: A Look Inside, offers an unprecedented up-close look at America’s most famous and beloved landmark. It takes you from the East Wing to the West Wing, through notable moments in history to the White House as it is today, in grand dimensions and true-to-life scale. Like the home that inspired it, this exhibit offers an awe-inspiring experience for the young and young-at-heart.

It begins with a photographic timeline of the White House: learn about its original construction, and the renovations and expansions throughout its 200-plus years. Gain new insight into the ever-changing role of the First Lady, and behind-the-scenes details on the daily life at the White House, supported by a legion of dedicated staff. See authentic artifacts from administrations throughout history, ranging from White House china to holiday cards. Learn more about the people – and even pets including a pony and a sheep – who have made their home in this famous house, with a special focus on the four Presidents who have lived in Illinois: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan and Obama.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a meticulously detailed, 60-by-13 foot, 1:12 scale replica of the White House. Complete with hand-carved chairs and tables, stitch-by-stitch carpet recreations and even tiny working televisions, this masterpiece of miniature is the result of more than 600,000 work hours. This gift “to the people from the people” is truly a wonder to behold.

Opening with Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light on November 20, the doors to the White House exhibit will be open through President’s Day, February 15, 2010.

Harry Potter Exhibit

The Museum of Science and Industry has the Harry Potter Exhibit at the museum until September 27th. Kids and there families are staying with us as were the closest hotel to the museum. I’ve never seen so many kids with us before. They usually come for the American Girl Experience but Harry’s got them beat. Here’s a link to the musem and the exhibit which is worth seeing.

After seeing the exhibit mast of the families are heading either to our nearby beach or Navy Pier. It’s great to see all the families here. They love the fact that they save at least $35.00 a day on parking here at the Ramada since its free here. I feel like I should be wearing round glasses and a special hat though also. Anyone know where I can get an owl?

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/harry-potter/

• Chicago is the third largest city in United States
• The name ‘Chicago’ is the French interpretation of the Miami-Illinois name ‘Shikaakwa’, which means ‘wild leek’.
• Chicago was founded in 1772, when Jean-Baptiste Pointe du Sable, a man from Haiti, established a settlement on the north bank of the Chicago River, calling it Eschikagou.
• Chicago is home to over 40 museums, more than 150 theaters and over 6,000 restaurants.
• Chicago boasts of housing three of the world’s tallest buildings, Sears Tower, Amoco Building and John Hancock.
• The world’s largest public library, Harold Washington Library Center, with a collection of more than 2 million books, is in Chicago.
• Roller skates, steel frame skyscraper, elevated railway, cracker jacks, zipper, window envelope, hostess Twinkie, pinball game and spray paint were invented in Chicago.
• More than 200 annual parades take place in the city of Chicago every year.
• Chicago is home to the largest building in America (excluding Pentagon), The Merchandise Mart, with 90 acres of floor space.
• Oceanarium, in Chicago, is the largest indoor marine mammal pavilion in the world.
• Chicago is home to one of the last free zoos in the world, the Lincoln Park Zoo.
• Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows backwards.
• Chicago is known as the ‘Candy Capital of the World’.
• The Art Institute of Chicago is home to the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world, apart from the Louvre (Paris).
• Kate Sturges Buckingham donated $750,000 to the city for construction of Buckingham Fountain as a memorial to her brother Clarence. The largest fountain in the world, it shoots a water jet 135 feet high.
• The Wrigley Building is the first air-conditioned office building.
• The first McDonald’s franchise restaurant, owned by Ray Kroc, opened in the suburb of Des Plaines.
• Chicago has 29 miles of Lake Frontage and 15 miles of public beach.
• Lake Michigan is more than 10,300 years old, 307 miles long, 118 across at its widest point, average depth is 279 feet, maximum depth is 923 feet
contains roughly 1,350 trillion gallons of water, covers an area of 22,300 square miles
• Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, has exterior walls that are embedded with authentic pieces of famous buildings including Westminster Abbey, the Alamo, Hamlet’s castle, the Great Pyramid, the Taj Mahal, Fort Sumter and the Arc de Triumph.