The Chicago Blues Festival kicks off June 12 through June 14 in Grant Park. Each day of the FREE fest tells a different story about life, loss, independence and freedom and this year we will celebrate the life and work of Robert Nighthawk on the centennial of his birth. Daily Festival hours are from 11am to 9:30pm.

On June 12th, there will be a special 70th Birthday Party for Eddie C. Campbell! He is considered one of the most distinctive, original bluesman ever and is one of the last of the originators of the West Side sound of Chicago blues still performing. The celebration begins at 8:20pm, Friday on the Petrillo stage in Grant Park.

Saturday and Sunday belong to the women of blues! Bettye LaVette performs at 8:20pm, Saturday at the Petrillo stage. LaVette is one of the greatest soul singers in American music history and possesses an incredibly expressive voice that exudes a formidable level of strength and intensity as well as vulnerability. Closing out Sunday night (8:20pm on Petrillo) is Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. Jones is considered a legend for making new music sound “old School.” And The Dap Kings, sometimes a back-up band to Amy Winehouse, have been sampled by everyone from Kanye West to Jurassic 5, together Sharon and The Dap Kings promise to funkify the Blues Festival.

What better way to celebrate the Real Pirates exhibit at the Field Museum than a Pirate and Pizza Party! Guests of the hotel are invited to attend the poolside celebration on April 18, 2009 from 4pm-6pm.

Complimentary pizza will be served and young pirates can enjoy the family friendly pirate themed actvites and games.

In honor of the Real Pirates exhibit at the Field Museum, we would like to see your Real Pirates!

Now through May 31, 2009 e-mail us a photo of your favorite person or pet dressed like a pirate and you will be entered into our random drawing. One Grand Prize winner will receive a complimentary two night stay at Best Western River North Hotel and four tickets to the Real Pirates exhibit at the Field Museum.

E-mail your entries to: contest@rivernorthhotel.com

Best Western River North featured in Best of the Midwest Magazine

We are pleased to announce that Best Western River North Hotel has been featured in the new edition of Midwest Living Magazine’s Best of The Midwest annual edition.

 If there are three foods that Chicago is famous for, they are pizza, hot dogs and Italian Beef. Talk about a “taste” of Chicago and yet still reasonably priced.

Al’s Italian Beef located two blocks from River North is Chicago’s #1 Italian Beef since 1938. A regular (6″) Italian Beef is only $3.59.  Visit www.AlsBeef.com.

At Portillo’s Hot Dogs a Chicago Style Dog starts at $2.45. Portillo’s is located just one block from River North Hotel.

A deep dish Chicago Style Pizza, while worth every penny, can sometimes become costly. We’ve found the perfect solution: At Pizzeria Ora,  located at 545 N LaSalle, you can get traditional deep dish pizza by the slice. The right amount of food at the right price! Visit www.pizzeriaora.com.

Start your day off right at the Ohio House diner. Just across the street from River North Hotel you can enjoy a breakfast of two eggs, two pancakes, two sausages and two bacon strips for only $4.55.

Historic Navy Pier® is Chicago’s lakefront playground. And it’s the Midwest’s #1 tourist and leisure destination, attracting more than 8.6 million visitors a year.
Navy Pier is the place where all of Chicagoland and tourists from around the world have come together since 1995 to enjoy the beauty and the thrills of a day on Lake Michigan. From rides to restaurants, exhibitions to entertainment, shopping to dining cruises and tour boats Navy Pier has it all - in a location unlike any other!
There’s so much to do in our 50 acres of parks, promenades, gardens, shops, eateries and attractions.

There is no admission to Navy Pier you are free to stroll about as you please. All summer long Navy Pier offer twice weekly free fireworks displays.  Chicago’s FREE Navy Pier trolley can be boarded just three blocks from Best Western River North Hotel. There is a charge for some Navy Pier rides and attractions. The food court at Navy Pier offers a variety of affordable selections.

Lincoln Park Zoo is a world of wildlife in the shadow of skyscrapers. Located within a verdant park just minutes north of Chicago, the zoo has been a natural, free oasis for generations of animal lovers, who come to hear a lion’s roar echo off nearby apartment buildings, see gorillas climb trees as the Sears Tower looms in the distance, or forget where they are as they immerse themselves in tropical rainforests, dry-thorn forests or spacious savannas.

We invite you to the wildest spot in Chicago, where each year millions of visitors marvel at wild wonders as they play and learn about the natural world in a living, breathing, roaring classroom. Visit lpzoo.org for more information. Lincoln Park Zoo is a short bus or taxi ride from Best Western River North Hotel.

Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. The park is open daily from 6am-11pm. Admission is always free. The Welcome Center has information about the park, including maps and program schedules. The Welcome Center is located at 201 E Randolph St.  A variety of free Summer Activites has been planned.

Many of Chicago’s world-class museums offer time slots where general admission is free. General Admission does not always include all exhibits, fees may apply for certain exhibits.

Chicago Childrens Musuem - Thursday Evenings Free. First Monday of each month children 15 and under are free.

Art Institute of Chicago - Tursdays 5pm-9pm

Museum of Contemporary Art - Tuesdays Free.