Note from the Director of Programming: Calling all Chicagoans and Illinoisans! Tell us what you love about Chicago and the people of the Windy City!

by Rebecca Hendren

Calling all Chicagoans and those from Illinois: Tell us what we should do in Chicago! What tips and tricks do you have for us? I’d love to hear what makes the city—and Illinois in general—so special.

The ACDIS national conference is coming to the Windy City May 8-11, 2023. When you visit a new place, there’s nothing like getting tips and advice from locals. This year we return to Chicago for the first time since 2010 and the conference will be held in a lovely hotel that is right on the river, just steps from the riverwalk and ritzy shopping on the Magnificent Mile.

I have visited Chicago a few times before and my most memorable experiences were based on advice from friends who live there. For example, they urged us to take an architecture cruise on the river and they pointed us in the direction of some truly delicious meals, including my Chicago favorite: Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza.

I love experiencing new places. When we went to San Antonio, I was able to pop over and visit the Alamo to soak up some history. In Orlando, I didn’t get to Disney World, but I did go to Disney Springs to feel a little bit of that Disney magic and buy some Mickey Mouse candy that I could bring home to excited children. In Las Vegas, I had a fun evening out with colleagues being awestruck at the sheer size and audacity of the experience.

One of the great things about attending an ACDIS conference—other than the best-in-class education, unparalleled networking, and all-around fun, of course—is the chance to visit new cities. The conferences are always located in tourist areas where there is easy access to restaurants, shopping, and activities.

So, let’s crowdsource a conference travel guide this year! If you feel pride in your home state and want to share, or have experience visiting Chicago, please pen a short article or even just jot a few notes in bullet points. Send me your musings at rhendren@acdis.org and we’ll publish them over the next few months as we get closer to the conference to give those attending expert guidance on how to have the best time possible in Chicago.

I look forward to reading them!

Editor’s note: Hendren is the director of programming for ACDIS. Contact her at rhendren@acdis.org.