By Vince Font
Chicago painted the river green on March 12, but locals will still be painting the town red beyond Patty's Day. Credit: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar.
This might sound strange, but every time I think about St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago I can’t help remembering the scene from “The Fugitive” where Harrison Ford uses the parading throngs to make good on his getaway from Tommy Lee Jones. While the actual parade and river dyeing happened over the weekend, the party will most definitely carry on past the actual holiday, making for a great last-minute trip if you can manage it.
Maybe it was seeing the waters of the Chicago River dyed green on such a big screen that started my fascination, or the fact that the people in the parade all seemed to be having such a good time that I’d rather have had the camera follow them for the next hour and a half. Either way, real life has a way of proving that sometimes it’s entirely impossible to climb into your favorite movie scenes — and that doing so in this case doesn’t have to be all that expensive, especially if you know how to round up some of the best cheap Chicago hotels.
Best Western Grant Park: If you don’t mind staying a few blocks away from the infamous river, book a room at the Best Western Grant Park, one of the best cheap downtown Chicago hotels. You can hike north on Michigan Avenue and then east on Balbo until you get to the corner of Columbus. On your way back, you can squeeze in some shopping on Chicago’s stylish “Mag Mile” back on Michigan Avenue. Nightly rates start at around $60.
Travelodge Hotel Downtown Chicago: A little bit further north on Michigan Avenue and a block west on West Harrison you’ll find another one of the best cheap hotels in Chicago, the Travelodge. From here, it’s only a short walk to the Loop and local watering holes. Formerly the Harrison Hotel, it’s got two restaurants and is close to Grant Park, Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago and the aforementioned “Mag Mile” shopping district. Nightly rates start at around $65.
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Vince Font is a freelance writer born in Puerto Rico and currently escaped to Utah. When not dreaming of interstellar travel, he’s on the hunt for weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations. Next stop: The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.