48 Hours in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (B)

I love short trips. They give you just enough time to get a taste of a place by forcing you to highlight what you really want to do and see in your short window of time. Short jaunts are perfect for taking advantage of long weekends so you can bank holiday and vacation time for longer, more far-flung trips.

My Memorial Day Weekends stateside have typically involved the Jersey Shore, and I thought that would be on the docket again this year. But with Brendan due in Chicago for work the Tuesday after the holiday, we decided to do something different. Landing on Friday night and leaving Monday morning gave me and Finn two full days to explore with Brendan. Here’s what we did and what you can do, too, if you only have a weekend to explore Chicago.

We stayed near the Convention Center so decided to eat in the South Loop at Yolk. Yolk looks like a large cafeteria full of families, but don’t bypass it for its lack of small, breakfast-nook charm. The plates are huge and the food is solid. Consider one of the specialty eggs Benedict options like the pot roast or caprese, the chicken and (bacon!) waffles with sausage gravy and maple syrup or the West Coast crepes, stuffed with avocado, mushrooms and cheese. The service is fast, so if you don’t feel like lingering, it’s a great place to dine on quality food and dash. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).