Aaargh......what to pack for America trip? Please HELP!

[TwoNoisyBoys]

Hello Ladies :) I very, very rarely post, but lurk all the time and wonder if you could help me at all...........I'm due to go on a fabulous ten-day trip with my lovely new(ish) man to Illinois and Chicago in late October. I've hardly travelled at all, and just don't have a clue what to pack.....I don't know what hotels we'll be staying in, as he's doing all the booking, so don't know whether I'll be able to wash clothes....all I know is that we'll be sight-seeing and shopping in the day, and out every night WHERE DO I START?! Thanks

It will be cold and a biting wind in late October. I'd go for skinny jeans and long boots as your basic, with a warm coat and layers on top as it will be hot indoors so you'll need to peel off

Layers! A decent (wind proof coat).
Is he going into the countryside of Illinois or just in Chicago?
There are lots of nice shopping opportunities in Chicago. You will probably be able to wash clothes, as most places do (unless ultra posh and then they can do laundry). Is he a clubs type person? Is he into sport?

Ooh, yes, I hadn't even thought about a coat! Skinny jeans and boots sound good.....and yes, layers. (It sounds so obvious when you say it!) He's at a conference somewhere in Illinois for 3 days, then the rest of the time we'll be in Chicago itself, I think. I haven't got the exact itinerary yet I'm hoping that I will be able to do some laundry, as I've worked out I'd need twenty pairs of knickers ALONE! I'm not very good at this 'packing' business.......! Mummytime, No, not a clubs person, and definitely not a sports person! I think evenings will be spent eating and drinking with maybe a bit of dancing Thank you ladies!

I would make sure you have shoes for walking, as there are nice bits to walk around. The Lake is amazingly huge, and it can get windy by it, but it is also beautiful/romantic. Do go for any sport if you can get tickets, as its worth it for the atmosphere, very different from watching sport in the UK.

Thank you mummytime .....great ideas! And yes, I think he'd love to watch some sports......it's just the playing of them that he doesn't do