Tourist for a Day - Navy Pier

Growing up in close proximity to Chicago, Navy Pier is one of the places I have seemed to avoid over the years. Talking to many other city natives and they feel as I do. It screams tourist trap, aka "let me take your money!" in an outdated cheesy voice. Other than rushing to the Shakespeare theatre, the last I frequent the famous pier was on a school field trip. And it was in the middle of winter. However a recent trip with my family gave me the opportunity to set aside my skepticism and seek out any hidden gems within the famous spot. 

This made me laugh while fitting my expectations. Good 'ol McDonalds. 

The details on this carousel were lovely, reminding me of something from Coney Island. 

The highlight of the experience however was this beauty from a little place called The Churro Factory. It was a small walk up building that had a whole menu devoted to varieties of the famous fried dough delicacy. Normally it takes me forever to decide what to order but after reading Churro Fiesta, I was immediately sold. Two fresh churros (churri?) were drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup and then nestled between whipped cream and topped off with plenty of sprinkles for full fiesta effect. 

 In conclusion, I have decided to cut Navy Pier some slack. While it still has the potential to clean out your wallet in a matter of minutes, there are some quality aspects that even a well experienced Chicagoan can enjoy. And if you just go for a Churro Fiesta, I wouldn't blame you.