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Old Posted Jul 22, 2017, 10:47 PM
marothisu marothisu is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chicago
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller View Post
I live in River North and have gotten to enjoy Navy Pier for the past year as more and more of it have opened up. The renovations have really improved the south side of the Pier and made it a far better experience.

It's not as crowded as it once was though it is full of people. There are rows of trees to shade yourself on a sunny day. Getting a margarita and taking a stroll down the pier is a nice way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon. The vistas of the city are worth the walk alone. The local restaurants and shops they have added in and outside are vast improvements. I went out to Rainbow Cone last weekend just to experience the south side institution's signature offering. It was great! And the new park space and theater have great views both east and west. It's a very nice space and a great addition. The landscaping has changed the whole entryway into a walk through a park rather than a walk through a drive-through.

Now, it still has the tourist trap vibe. That will probably never change. But it's not as bad as the old adage, "true Chicagoans never go to Navy Pier." Also, the shifting of funds intended for disadvantaged communities is a real shame. McPier should be able to survive without such sleight of hand.
I'd actually like to check it out. I have a co-worker in NY who grew up in New Jersey but has a good amount of family in the Chicago area. He hadn't been to Chicago in 5+ years and visited a few weeks ago. He mentioned being shocked at how nice parts of Navy Pier are now (and downtown of course) and way different than what he had remembered from the last time he visited Navy Pier maybe a decade ago.

Side note to all of this - he liked Chicago this time around so much and how it had changed since he'd been there last that now he wants to move from NY to Chicago. Now he's kind of sounding like people on here "I don't understand why so many people want to live in NYC when Chicago offers much of the same stuff for half the price"
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