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A trip to Chicago is not complete without a meal at Lou Malnati’s!

Three people smiling for a selfie beneath a large illuminated Lou Malnatis marquee sign on a white tile wall. Slice of Chicago deep dish pizza with tomato sauce and grated parmesan on a yellow plate, full pie in a cast iron pan behind it
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Chicago skyline.

Chicago skyline at sunset viewed from the river with skyscrapers reflecting golden light on the water
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We had a great time on the Architectural Boat Tour of Chicago.

Chicago skyline skyscrapers seen from the river, featuring a tall glass tower reflecting neighboring buildings under a clear blue sky. Willis Tower glowing golden at sunset above the Chicago River, surrounded by downtown skyscrapers under a blue sky Marina City twin corncob towers in Chicago showing curved concrete balconies and open parking levels at dusk Tall blue glass skyscraper with a stepped twisting facade shot from below against a clear sky in Chicago
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The L crossing the river in Chicago.

Chicago L train crossing the Lake Street Bridge over the Chicago River with downtown skyscrapers behind it
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Tammy had read about Soloway Coffee, a Ukrainian owned coffee shop in Chicago, and we rented some bikes and rode to the Lincoln Park neighborhood to try it out. They had Kyiv Cake, which I had never had, and it was great. They had Napolean Cake but the person in front of us bought he last slice!

Busy interior of Soloway Coffee in Chicago with customers waiting at a white tile counter and a menu board on the wall. Small round Kyiv Cake with hazelnut-studded chocolate cream piped on top, coated in ground nuts, on a blue-rimmed white plate
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While making our way to a coffee shop in Lincoln Park we ran across Oz Park in Chicago. It was a fun discovery. We didn’t have time to find the Lion though.

Shiny metal Tin Man statue on a concrete pedestal in Oz Park Chicago with a plaque from the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce 1995 Bronze Scarecrow statue on a stone pedestal in Oz Park Chicago, with a plaque reading The Scarecrow, surrounded by green trees Bronze statue of Dorothy and Toto from Wizard of Oz, with red shoes and basket, on a stone pedestal in Oz Park Chicago
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We visited the Art Institute of Chicago specifically to see one of the original Great Wave pieces that they have there. The Great Wave is one of Tyler’s favorite pieces of art. We also checked out the contemporary and modern galleries.

Auto-generated description: A framed artwork depicting Hokusai's famous The Great Wave is displayed on a wall with descriptive text explaining its significance and origins. Auto-generated description: A large, framed pointillist painting depicting people relaxing in a park is displayed in a gallery, with two women observing it. Auto-generated description: A cubist painting depicts a reclining nude figure with abstract geometric shapes and muted colors.
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While walking from Buckingham Fountain to the Art Institute of Chicago we took in the Abraham Lincoln: The Head of State in Grant Park.

Bronze seated statue of Abraham Lincoln on a granite pedestal in Grant Park Chicago surrounded by trees
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Buckingham Fountain in the early part of the major display.

Buckingham Fountain shooting a tall central jet of water with Chicago skyscrapers visible behind it under a clear blue sky.
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“The Bean”

Auto-generated description: A large, reflective bean-shaped sculpture is surrounded by people and set against a backdrop of tall buildings in an urban park.