Travel tips for the US in June and July? Any hints appreciated.

[cooder]

Awesome, thanks again for all the tips and taking time for us here! Much appreciated!
Chicago sounds awesome by now and we will likely stay 3 or 4 days there at the end of our trip before we fly home.

Breweries are not so much my thing any more since I stopped drinking any alcohol a few years ago, it just kept me awake at night, even just a glass of wine with dinner. And I don't miss it at all.
However, cool cafes, suburbs with flair and nice to stroll around ticks our boxes, food too.
Also wondering, since I'm into Blues and Jazz and that sorta music, what happens with 'Sweet Home Chicago'? Is there a few good Blues Clubs and live clubs that aren't just tourist traps? Same question regarding New York, I'm sure there would be some cool Jazz over there...
Back in 2015 we loved New Orleans but not Bourbon Street so much (was good for a laugh...) but Frenchmen Street and clubs there. Also back then we loved Clarksdale MS.

Cheers guys!

[timbo_93631]

My niece lives in Chicago and we did a family trip there about 7 - 8 years ago.

There is a terrific architecture tour in Chicago.  It's a boat ride on the Chicago River through the heart of the city and the guide describes the history of the city through the architecture as you ride past.  You can read about it here.

You would probably also like the Museum of Science and Industry.  When we were there the lower level was dedicated to an HO scale model train layout that replicated a section of downtown Chicago.  I think that exhibit is still there, but you should check.

Also, if you spend any time in Chicago, you have to go to Chicago Music Exchange.  Visit their website, you'll agree.  I made 6 people with no interest in musical instruments hang out there for an hour or two while I went room-to-room gawking at everything.  I even got to play a $27k Strat.

RE the Museum of Science and Industry:  I just remebered this!  They have a freakin U-Boat!!! U-505, and I believe they give special tours with WWII vets.  I am not sure if it is difficult to get on one of them, I read an article about it when the kids were at the dentist a few weeks back and I thought, "soooo cool, but Chicago is far from middle GA!  If I ever have business up thattaway....."  So, consider a trip to the museum, especiall if you can get one of those WWII vet guided trips, that is a seriously limited time offer.

RE clubs in Chicago:  I think the one club/bar that Joel Paterson plays at very often is the Green Mill, and I believe it is a pretty serious Jazz club, maybe folks here have more input.

[cooder]

My niece lives in Chicago and we did a family trip there about 7 - 8 years ago.

There is a terrific architecture tour in Chicago.  It's a boat ride on the Chicago River through the heart of the city and the guide describes the history of the city through the architecture as you ride past.  You can read about it here.

You would probably also like the Museum of Science and Industry.  When we were there the lower level was dedicated to an HO scale model train layout that replicated a section of downtown Chicago.  I think that exhibit is still there, but you should check.

Also, if you spend any time in Chicago, you have to go to Chicago Music Exchange.  Visit their website, you'll agree.  I made 6 people with no interest in musical instruments hang out there for an hour or two while I went room-to-room gawking at everything.  I even got to play a $27k Strat.

RE the Museum of Science and Industry:  I just remebered this!  They have a freakin U-Boat!!! U-505, and I believe they give special tours with WWII vets.  I am not sure if it is difficult to get on one of them, I read an article about it when the kids were at the dentist a few weeks back and I thought, "soooo cool, but Chicago is far from middle GA!  If I ever have business up thattaway....."  So, consider a trip to the museum, especiall if you can get one of those WWII vet guided trips, that is a seriously limited time offer.

RE clubs in Chicago:  I think the one club/bar that Joel Paterson plays at very often is the Green Mill, and I believe it is a pretty serious Jazz club, maybe folks here have more input.

Sounds awesome, Timbo! thanks for hint! And I will try to catch Joel, sounds like a great tip as well.
Other cats that I'm listening to a lot lately and would love to catch in a club if ever possible, will google where they are floating around at a time when I'm there:
Bros. Landreth
Josh Smith
Kirk Fletcher
Marcus King

Hope I can repay all these kind tips when some of you guys might make a trip downunder here... could give lots of travel tips for NZ (and I'm sure AlanP and NZdog would chime in too) plus a cuppa and a jam or so...

[EBRAddict]

Missouri is hellishly hot and humid in June and worse in July. Dress appropriately, bring (or buy) hats and sunscreen.

[cooder]

Missouri is hellishly hot and humid in June and worse in July. Dress appropriately, bring (or buy) hats and sunscreen.

Yes the relies have warned us... and when we were there in 2015 for wedding in August it was still hot and muggy at times.
Lovely to be there and looking forward to it all!

[timbo_93631]

I'll have to take you up on the cuppa next time I'm in Aeotearoa!  I'm working on a grazing allotment here that hopefully will lead to some dairying in the next few years.  If it works out I'll be paying a visit to some old friends in Matamata that are doing some very innovative stuff with organic milk, stuff that we need here in the US!

[cooder]

I'll have to take you up on the cuppa next time I'm in Aeotearoa!  I'm working on a grazing allotment here that hopefully will lead to some dairying in the next few years.  If it works out I'll be paying a visit to some old friends in Matamata that are doing some very innovative stuff with organic milk, stuff that we need here in the US!

That would be great Timbo! I'm in the South Island, but everything is closer down here compared to the US, we're a wee bit smaller... so drop on by! We've got a guest room and a music room full of toys, many of which you've seen, some not yet.

[sonnyboy27]

My niece lives in Chicago and we did a family trip there about 7 - 8 years ago.

There is a terrific architecture tour in Chicago.  It's a boat ride on the Chicago River through the heart of the city and the guide describes the history of the city through the architecture as you ride past.  You can read about it here.

You would probably also like the Museum of Science and Industry.  When we were there the lower level was dedicated to an HO scale model train layout that replicated a section of downtown Chicago.  I think that exhibit is still there, but you should check.

Also, if you spend any time in Chicago, you have to go to Chicago Music Exchange.  Visit their website, you'll agree.  I made 6 people with no interest in musical instruments hang out there for an hour or two while I went room-to-room gawking at everything.  I even got to play a $27k Strat.

My wife's family is from Chicago and so I spend quite a bit of time out there. I second all of these things. The architecture tour is very well done and a nice relaxing way to view the city (bring sunscreen and a hat).

If you're interested in history then the Field Museum is also really cool. It's like Chicago's version of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

As for food, I'd say go try deep dish pizza at one of the following three chains: Gino's East, Giordano's, or Lou Malnati's. They're kind of the benchmark of deep dish pizza in my experience (although locals have strong opinions about each one). A Chicago style hot dog and a "dipped" Italian beef sandwich are also musts if you want to check all of the Chicago foods off the list. If you're looking for a snack on the go then pick of some popcorn from Garretts. They have stands all around the city. Get the Chicago mix which is a great cheese popcorn mixed with caramel corn. These are basically all of the "Tastes of Home" that my wife ensures we get every time we visit.

[Bret608]

I'm only a couple of hours from Chicago now, but lived in New York for five years so let me speak to that since others have given great Chicago tips already.

For museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art are at the top of the list. For music stores, I would probably recommend Ludlow Guitars or 30th St. Guitars over others. I'm not sure which of the classics over at 50th St. are still open! Rudy's closed which I liked better than Manny's or Sam Ash. For shows, I would just check listings to see if anyone you like will be on when you're there. The Knitting Factory was the place I gravitated to the most, but other than that there are so many venues that it would be hard to say there's one you absolutely have to go to. I feel like I ended up at Irving Plaza quite a lot. Honestly, when I lived there I was lucky enough to meet most of my music heroes...in other words, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong! 

[cooder]

Awesome, thanks Bret608! Yes there's a lot of super coll stuff covered in Chicago, so thanks for heads up regarding NY!
Getting travel fever now...!

[ahiddentableau]

For museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art are at the top of the list.

I second those recommendations.  The Met is just incredible.  The breadth of the collection is just astonishing.   Kind of like the Lourve in that way, you could spend days there.  They have a great collection of arms and armor if you're into that.  They have that suit of Henry VIII's armor that you see on all the history shows--kind of like the ultimate DIY project if you ask me.  MoMA is also crazy good.  But I'd also add the Guggenheim to the list.  Not just because of the collection but because of the building.  Really cool Frank Lloyd Wright design. 

I'd also consider the Whitney and that newer museum dedicated to film (I googled it, it's called "The Museum of the Moving Image".  Maybe they should have thought harder snappy name...), but I've never actually been to those places--I've just read about them.  But they look cool.

Also, now that I know there's a U-Boat in Chicago I'm dying to go back.  I've always wanted to see one of those, even if the staff and other patrons aren't likely to appreciate my solo attempts to recreate scenes from Das Boot.