What is there for fun to do in Chicago?

What is fun to do in Chicago, Illinois ?

• I would like to go out to eat somewhere nice in Chicago but I don't know where to go. I would also like to go somewhere where I could have some fun. Keep in mind I'm going to be 17.

• Answer:

  17 years old in Chicago? Okay, to eat, you'll find a ton of places. You asked for some nice places, and keeping your age - and thusly your spending power in mind - here are a few suggestions: - Frontera Grill is nice, but as no reservations are taken for a party less than 5. This is celebrity Chef Rick Bayless' authentic regional Mexican cuisine (don't expect fajitas and cheese enchiladas, but do expect to be wow-ed). Although it can get a bit pricey, I think without alcohol, you should be able to have an appetizer, an entree, and a interesting N/A beverage plus tax and 20% tip for about $50-$60 per person. - Avec is really cool and super yummy. Under Chef Koren Grieveson, you'll find long, wooden communal tables, a menu filled a great assortment of small and large plates of mediterranean-influenced American cuisine (I recommend sticking to the small plates and trying different things), and it's open till midnight! Small plates can vary in size and price, but I think you could pull it off without alcohol and leave stuffed for around $50-$65 per person. Plus you'd be the shiekest 17 year old around... very much "in the know." - There's also Pizzeria Uno and Pizzeria Due (pronounced doo-way) serving the original Chicago-style pizza. All of these are in RiverNorth of Downtown TO DO: -Take the Redline Train to Belmont: there's some good shopping for younger people (teens-20's), some good street-style food (chicago dogs, Philly's Best, Orange, PIzza, etc). You can walk south down clark or broadway and stop in cool shops along the way. - Downtown you'll find NavyPier which has a ferris wheel, a 3D IMAX, and mall-style shopping, as well as different boat rides touring Lake Michigan and the river (you can also buy boat tour tickets at Michigan avenue where it crosses the river, and I recommend it highly!) - North Avenue beach is always fun during the summer, and marked by a giant ship-looking building that serves food. -Michigan Avenue is always great for big brand shopping: H&M has cool clothes and inexpensive, the Apple Store here is huge, and there are a zillion other shops. It's famous. You can also go the lounge/observatory in the famous John Hancock building and see the entire city while you drink an $8 coke. - Get tickets to a live recording of a TV show (Oprah, Jerry Springer, Judge whoever, although off the air, many more like these are still filmed in Chicago) Hope that helps,