Travel Log: Chicagoland

Don't you just hear Frank Sinatra pushing those words out with such ease? "Chicago, Chicago -- that toddlin' town, that toddlin' town."

Either way, Chicago is one of the premier stops on the circuit. And the nice thing is that this trip brings big-city bang with a manageable pace of life in nearby Joliet (where the track is actually located).

Joliet has a listed population of 145,000 people and is considered the state's fastest-growing city. The traditional tourist stops aren't eye-wrenching, but they are worth seeing to get a feel for the area's culture, most notably the nation's most famous stretch of highway.

About an hour northeast lies Chicago, where attractions speak for themselves and are highlighted by landmark stops and outdoor parks.

Standing in the middle of Grant Park watching the water flow from Buckingham Fountain, you can bet your bottom dollar you'll lose your blues. Or so says Sinatra.

Wrigley Field Tour -- Ninety years in 90 minutes. It may sound difficult to achieve when talking about the nostalgia of Wrigley Field, but Cubs fan or not, the stadium alone is worth the stop. The Cubs host the Reds on Thursday and the Giants the rest of the weekend. The positive: Chicago visitors can catch a game. The negative: Tours of Wrigley Field are only given on non-gamedays, so visitors will have to catch the history lesson Monday morning before skipping town.
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chica20586 -- If tailgating is not your thing, head straight to downtown Chicago, plenty of festivals and of course the lakefront and shopping. Check out cityofchicago.org for a list of everything going on that weekend ...

RDOF_Posse -- Here are my picks for Chicago. I don't know anything about Joliet except that a prison is located there. The best overall: Grant Park, the lakefront parks east of downtown, Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza a.k.a. "The Bean," the whole Millennium Park Complex ...

Read more from chica20586 and RDOF_Posse

Join the Chicagoland Speedway Crew

Thursday: Mostly sunny with a high of 84 degrees, low of 63
Friday: Sunny with a high of 89 degrees, low of 69
Saturday: Cloudy with a high of 84 degrees, low of 62
Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high of 79 degrees, low of 57
Complete Forecast

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• Let NASCAR.COM help book your last-minute travel.
• Directions and aerial map of Joliet, Ill.

The Midwest trip continues after a week off, but this one is at the granddaddy: Indianapolis. What are the hot spots? Share your personal favorites here.