A stay at the historic Millennium Knickerbocker is a special occasion for anyone but especially for a little girl that wants to take her American Girl Doll downtown for a little fun! The Knickerbocker has a fabulous location just footsteps away from Water Tower Place--the home to the American Girl Store--as well as many other Chicago attractions. While it is close to the magic, it is about a block from Michigan Avenue so is actually pretty quiet. An ideal place for some relaxation after a busy day on the Magnificent Mile!
The accommodations are certainly impressive and the hotel has retained some of elements of its 1920's grandeur. Opened in 1927, the hotel has many stories to tell and actually has a historical tour you can take on Friday afternoons. One of our favorite stories is about the speakeasy that Al Capone's brother Frank ran on the 14th floor. The stairwell that speakeasy patrons used to scurry down during raids is still in the hotel.
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| Down this stairwell ran speakeasy patrons escaping cops. |
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| Being swept away by the ceiling of the Crystal Ballroom. |
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| Comfy and cozy! |
Since the Knickerbocker is so close to the Magnificent Mile, we were able to capitalize on a lovely summer evening to walk around and do a little browsing. There was an evening concert right in front of the John Hancock Building which was fun.
We also stopped in Hershey and Ghiradelli--who could resist? Of course, we came out of Hershey with a cookie. Shhhhhhh...........
For dinner, we ate The Local Chicago which focuses on American comfort food kicked up a notch. We loved our meals and could barely leave without licking our plates! I had the pot roast which was outstanding and my husband had the Thanksgiving dinner which is served every Thursday. My daughter went a little lighter since she had just devoured a cookie and had the local greens salad with goat cheese. Great food and a quieter location, a bit away from the Mag Mile.
The next day, we began with big breakfasts at NiX in the Knickerbocker. The NiX has quite a breakfast selection and also features a kids' menu!
Then, we walked around some of the quiet streets closer to the lake. We headed back to the Mag Mile for a little shopping and lunch at American Girl Place.
My daughter and I enjoyed some quality time while the hubs went to enjoy a little relaxation himself enjoying a coffee in peace. We had a great time at American Girl but I must admit that the service was filled with foibles so we probably would have enjoyed another meal at The Local Chicago much more! But, we were together so we had fun anyway!
Also inside of Water Tower Place is a large Lego Store with an impressive Lego display with significant Chicago buildings constructed in Lego form--definitely worth a look! Harry Caray's and the Chicago Sports Museum are on the top floor, that may also be worth a peek. (There is a charge for the museum.)
After American Girl, we visited the Museum of Contemporary Art which is behind Water Tower Place closer to the the lake. This was our first visit, so we did not know what to expect. We discovered some really unique art and truly enjoyed the experiential exhibit where you could walk through art--including a hot air balloon! Nice to know that this place is close to Water Tower Place for something else to do!
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| Walking through a hot air balloon! |
We wanted to make sure to get home before hitting the *Chicago traffic,* so we took a pleasant walk back to the Knickerbocker to collect our things. Really, such a nice calm little visit with so many things to do in a small place! I love short visits that are exciting but with little fuss!
You can read more about my stay at the Millennium Knickerbocker over at Trekaroo.
Disclosure: My family was provided with complimentary accommodations, amenities and breakfast in order to make an accurate review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.
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