First Class Chicago makes pairing history with a Chicago vacation rental an incredible experience. Staying in an historic brownstone pairs architectural history with Chicago’s gangster background like fine wine and cheese. Whenever you think of Chicago you cannot help but think of Al Capone’s own ‘gangster squad‘ and the history tied to the Prohibition Era. In fact, to come to Chicago and not enjoy these sites robs you of a piece of what made Chicago the city it is today. All the memorable names in gang history were here.

Visit the Biograph

In 1934, John Dillinger, the most prolific bank robber in human history, was shot at the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Even today when you approach the old Biograph, now the Victory Gardens Biograph, you can’t help but be transported back to another time. The same Marquee stands in front of the same building that stood during Dillinger’s day. Made of red brick, the Biograph Theater is one of the only remaining examples of early Chicago theater design. It is an architectural icon unto its own. The inside of the theater was recently modernized so now you can take in a play in a historically significant monument.

The home where Al Capone lived with his family for many years, still stands on 7244 South Prairie Avenue. Or for the real enthusiast, you can go down to the site of the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre which took place on February 14, 1929.  Al Capone’s mob, dressed like police officers, lined up men of the North Side Gang and executed them. The garage where the massacre occurred, which stood at 2122 N. Clark Street, was demolished in 1967.  In stark contrast to this violence is the grassy, shaded parking lot for a retirement home that remains.

Speakeasys – the Original Gangster Hangouts

Mere steps from one of First Class Chicago’s historic brownstones is the adventure of enjoying a cocktail in a former speakeasy. Chicago is full of them. During prohibition, Chicago would not be forced dry. These underground and illegal establishments blossomed in every neighborhood of historic Chicago. The Green Door Tavern , so named because restaurants with green doors told their patrons that there was a speakeasy inside, still exists as the oldest Chicago tavern. In the heart of the Chicago Loop you can also sip a Dry Gin Martini at the Exchequer Restaurant and Pub  which was famous for being one of gangster Al Capone’s favorite hangouts. Check out a full list of former speakeasy pubs.

Take A Gangster Tour

If you don’t want to do all the research on your own, a fun option suited for those of you staying in either of First Class Chicago’s famous historical Brownstones or one of our high rise apartments  is a Chicago Gang Tour. Untouchable Tours provides fun, no hassle tours of all the memorable Chicago gangster spots.

Be a part of history when you put yourself in the locations where bullets rang out in the night and where bars were raided and hundreds of gallons of alcohol seized. Go back to 1920 – 1930s Chicago when you stay at a First Class Chicago vacation rental in our Historic Brownstone and explore Chicago’s fascinating gangster history.

First Class Chicago Vacation Rentals

Are Chicago Brownstones really that special?

Chicago Brownstone vacation rentals at First Class Chicago are very special, indeed. Brownstone is an actual special brown sandstone. The sedimentary stone used in Chicago Brownstones was mined in New Jersey and Connecticut. Brownstones were so popular in the late 19th and 20th century that the mines that once fed Chicago are now closed. This stone was used to clad the outside of some of the most beautiful homes in Chicago. It is more than just brown brick, it is a special, beautiful façade. First Class Chicago specializes in Chicago Brownstone vacation rentals. You can find all the low down on what is and what is not a genuine Chicago Brownstone here.

What on earth is a Chicago Brownstone?

Chicago Brownstones have, traditionally, been found in the most affluent and lovely neighborhoods in Chicago, such as the Gold Coast. After the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, Potter Palmer, a famous millionaire, came to the Gold Coast area and built his mansion. The Palmer mansion is a 42-room castle, still glorious today. Other millionaires came after Palmer and created an area of great luxury and beauty. Today, everyone can appreciate Astor Street in the Gold Coast area, filled with Brownstones. Alongside these homes you can browse the incredible shops and enjoy the famous International Museum of Surgical Science along the shore of Lake Michigan.

Why would I want to stay in a Chicago Brownstone vacation rental?

Choosing First Class Chicago allows you the opportunity to experience a Chicago Brownstone on your own. You can stay in an exquisite Gold Coast Chicago Brownstone with all the history on the outside, completely remodeled on the inside. We offer two one bedroom/one bath options, one on the second floor and one on the third floor. Both boast hardwood floors and are designed with top of the line materials for your discerning taste. Enjoy them in the summer months or curl up next to the stone fireplace with a good book picked from one of the many specialty bookstores in Chicago.  For larger parties, or those needing more elbow room we also have an amazing two bedroom option, complete with arched front windows and all the accoutrements you need to make your Chicago Brownstone vacation truly magical.

First Class Chicago Vacation Rentals

There are so many amazing farmers markets in Chicago. You can enjoy all they have to offer when you choose Chicago vacation rentals. If you opt for a traditional hotel experience, you get to walk around these farmers markets but you cannot really taste, experience and enjoy the many flavors found there.

Whether you decide upon a brownstone Chicago Vacation rental or a high rise Chicago Vacation rental, you will have access to an updated kitchen with granite countertops, complete with a SubZero refrigerator, and stove. Unlike a hotel, your delicate fruits and vegetables will remain fresh and able to be savored today, tomorrow, or at the end of the week by your entire family.

Enjoy Home-made Meals in Chicago Vacation Rentals

Chicago vacation rentals give you the ability to eat what you want, when you want instead of being at the mercy of restaurants. This includes enjoying farmers’ markets fruits, vegetables, cheeses, nuts, grains, and prepared foods especially during the spring and summer season.

In Chicago, the farmer’s market season begins in May and runs through November. More than 70 vendors from a variety of locations come together. They release their season times and locations in late April every year. Check back here for up-to-date information on these seasonal offerings.

Year Round Farmer’s Market Right in Downtown

However, when staying in a Chicago vacation rental, you can also enjoy a year round farmer’s market right near your rental in downtown.

Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand offers fun throughout the year. They go beyond sustainably grown fresh fruits and vegetables to special tastings and cooking demonstrations. They are located at 66 E. Randolph St., in downtown and are easily accessible by public transit, taxi, bike or even on foot.

Click Here for Easy Directions to Downtown Farmstand from the First Class Chicago Highrise Condos at 30 E Huron St

or

Click Here for Easy Directions to Downtown Farmstand from the First Class Chicago Brownstone at 57 E Cedar Street

Don’t get left out by choosing a Magnificent Mile hotel or motel. Enjoy a Chicago farmers market and live it up with all the fabulous amenities Chicago vacation rentals have to offer.

First Class Chicago Vacation Rentals

I’m sorry, but size does matter when it comes to where I’m staying when I go on vacation. I’ll never forget our honeymoon when we stayed at this “boutique” hotel in the middle of Paris only to be disappointed how spatially challenged it was. The “elevator” was about the size of a vertically oriented coffin so I had to shove all our luggage in it, press the 3rd floor button, and then run up the circular stairs to try and meet it at the top before the doors closed on me with my luggage still in the elevator. Once we got to our room, it was one of those shoeboxes where you could potentially pull out the dresser drawer and accidentally hip bump your partner out of the window. The bathroom was a shower- toilet-sink, all in one closet contraption so that EVERYTHING was wet after you took a shower. Good times…

OK, enough about Paris, as we’ve all had those experiences. If you’re going to Chicago to hit all the shops on the Magnificent Mile wouldn’t it be nice to have a 900 or 1,800 square foot apartment to spread your wares and compare your shopping finds with your family or friends!? A typical Magnificent Mile hotel room is around 300 square feet and has no living room to lounge in, or kitchen to fix a snack or drink in, or bedroom door to close. And let’s face it, the Magnificent Mile hotel room you’d be in is a Stepford replica of the room next to yours as well as a room anywhere else around the globe in the same hotel chain . If you are traveling with your kids, you’ll run into the same issue we do at hotels when you head down to the $40 breakfast buffet just so your child can eat two handfuls of cheerios and then proceed to run under the carving station table playing hide and go seek. $40 for cheerios?? I’d much rather buy the three dollar box and have the kids fix their own bowl in the dining area of a Chicago vacation rental while Mom and/or Dad continues to catch a couple more Z’s in the separate bedroom.

Chicago vacation rentals are about living like a local instead of living like a guest. Whether it’s a Chicago vacation rental brownstone or highrise condo, it’s about the privacy, the personal experience, the amenities, the ability to cook if you want, the occasion to open that specially selected bottle of wine while watching the people stroll down a tree-lined neighborhood street, and most of all… the room to share it all with family or friends.

Consider First Class Chicago for your Chicago vacation rental and you’ll have the room to tailor your downtown Chicago experience. Size does matter.

www.firstclasschicago.com

First Class Chicago Vacation Rentals

Epic weather expected in Chicago this week and it looks like a warm one for the Marathoners.  Good luck runners!

Many thanks to our website designer Fuelhaus!  See their Wunderworks at www.fuelhaus.com

First Class Chicago Vacation Rentals