Attractions and Destinations for a Trip to Chicago
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General Information
Chicago is one of the largest and most important cities in the USA, ranking third in its number of residents. It is located in the northeast of the state of Illinois on the shores of Lake Michigan in the Midwest of the USA. Despite not being close to other famous tourist destinations in the USA, over 48 million tourists visit it every year.
City Data:
Area: 606 sq km Population: 2.7 million residents Elevation: 181 meters above sea level. State: Illinois Time Zone: 8 hours behind Israel time.
♦ Recommended Accommodations in Chicago
Most popular tourist sites are concentrated in the city center. For those arriving without a car, it is recommended to stay in the Magnificent Mile area and tour primarily on foot.
A recommended suite hotel in a perfect location is: Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile, a 4-star suite hotel, free breakfast, indoor pool, gym, parking, and Wi-Fi. Two luxurious and central hotels are: Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago
A 5-star hotel with spectacular views from large windows, indoor pool, gym, parking, and free Wi-Fi. Or: The Peninsula Chicago A 5-star hotel, indoor pool, quality restaurant, gym, and free Wi-Fi.
recommended 3-star hotels in the city center:
Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Downtown/River North Includes suites with a kitchen, indoor pool, gym, free internet, and parking.
Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown
Includes family suites, free breakfast, indoor swimming pool, free internet, and parking.
For families arriving with children who are interested in entertainment and shopping, it is worth staying in one of the northern suburbs such as Evanston, which is located between the city center and the theme park and large shopping centers. A nice family 3-star hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Evanston, indoor pool, restaurant, parking, free internet, refrigerator, and microwave.
Or another 3-star hotel in Evanston:
Hyatt House Chicago/Evanston, free internet, parking, bar, and free breakfast.
Book guided tours in Chicago from GetYourGuide.com:
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Attractions and Trip Destinations
Chicago gained a dubious reputation in the past due to crime organizations, but today the popular tourist areas in the city center are safe, and the city offers a wealth of museums, gardens, culture, and some of the most beautiful urban landscapes. The city has over 500 city parks and dozens of beaches on the shores of Lake Michigan, between which lies a wonderful nearly 30 km trail on the lakeshore intended for pedestrians, runners, and bicycles. Chicago also has a river flowing to the lake, which also features a wonderful pedestrian promenade along its southern bank called the Chicago Riverwalk with impressive architecture and a variety of restaurants and shops. Chicago is known for its skyscrapers. Four out of the ten tallest buildings in the USA are located there. In fact, the world's first "skyscraper" (which was only 9 stories high) was built in Chicago back in 1885. Chicago loves to do everything big. It has the longest street in the world: Western Avenue, a boulevard about 38 km long, and the largest exhibition center in the USA: McCormick Place (at an area of over 204,000 square meters!). Chicago is also a city of innovation and inventions: the world's first Ferris wheel was inaugurated there in 1893, The first association in the USA for homosexual rights was established in Chicago in 1924, and even the world's first McDonald's branch was opened in Chicago in 1955. Sports fans will greatly enjoy visiting Chicago because it has a team in each of the main professional leagues (basketball, football, baseball, and more). Chicago has been known since its inception as a city of festivals and many events are held there. The first car race in the USA was held there in 1895! The world's largest free food festival, Taste of Chicago, is held in the city, alongside beer, art, and music festivals. Most festivals are naturally held during the summer months.
Guided Segway tour in Chicago:
Recommended guided tours in Chicago from Viator:
City Viewpoints:
It is recommended to start the city visit by going up one of the skyscrapers located in the "Downtown": The tallest and most famous of all is the Willis Tower, which is still known by its previous original name: "Sears Tower." It is a 110-story building, 442 meters high (520 meters including its antenna), which was the tallest building in the world for 25 years from the moment its construction was completed in 1973. On a clear day, one can see four states from it: Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The tower has an elevator considered one of the fastest in the world, ascending at a speed of about 490 meters per minute.
For those looking for more action, it is recommended to go up the impressive John Hancock Building, considered one of the city's symbols. The building's height is 344 meters, and it has a hundred floors of offices and apartments, including a swimming pool on the 44th floor considered the highest in the world. The observation deck is located on the 94th floor and allows a 360-degree view of the city and Lake Michigan, and also has amusing multimedia stations that teach much about the city. In the tower is a modern and unique attraction called "Tilt" - 8 moving windows, one for each person, which move at a 30-degree incline and allow a unique angle on the landscape spread below.
After the observation, it is worth walking on North Michigan Avenue, which is the main street of the city and among the most famous in the world. Its most famous part is called: "The Magnificent Mile," where all the most famous luxury stores are. It has about 460 shops, 275 restaurants, 60 hotels, and a variety of attractions.
"NAVY PIER"
A pier about a kilometer long on the shores of Lake Michigan which is Chicago's tourist pier. The place is full of attractions, shops, restaurants, and shows. The pier was built in 1916 as a US Navy facility. Only in the 90s did it become an attractive entertainment area, including a variety of unique shops and restaurants, museums, a movie theater, theaters, and even a small amusement park. From the pier, it is recommended to take an architectural boat tour on the river that crosses the city and passes between all the impressive buildings under many bridges.
The Shedd Aquarium
The second-largest aquarium in the USA, featuring about 20,000 marine animals. The aquarium has the oldest marine creature in the world: an Australian lungfish nicknamed "Granddad" who is 85 years old. Among the variety of marine animals, the aquarium has white beluga whales, penguins, giant octopuses, and glowing jellyfish.
Chicago Cultural Center
An extremely magnificent and impressive building with stained glass and mosaics that was once the home of the Chicago Library and today serves as the Mayor's reception hall. Free guided tours are held on-site.
Amusement Parks
North of Chicago (about a 45-minute drive) is Chicago's most recommended amusement park: "Six Flags Great America." The park combines a theme park full of roller coasters with a recommended water park.
For those who prefer only a water park, the largest in Illinois, it is recommended to drive about 45 minutes west of Chicago to the "Raging Waves Waterpark" where there are a variety of facilities for every age and courage level.
Museums:
Chicago has 56 museums, many of them large and leading in their field in the USA. Among the most popular museums in the city are: The natural history museum, "The Field Museum," famous for its dinosaur bone collection including the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the world, nicknamed "Sue." In addition to dinosaurs, the museum has treasures from ancient Egypt. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, an interactive museum considered one of the largest science museums in the world. The Adler Planetarium and astronomy museum, considered the oldest planetarium in the world. The Art Institute of Chicago, featuring the largest collection of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris. Art enthusiasts will be happy to discover that Chicago has more than 120 galleries and over 700 works of art scattered in the streets.
City Parks:
There are several large and impressive parks in central Chicago.
Grant Park
The park is located in the business district of Chicago. This park includes Millennium Park, the large Buckingham Fountain, and the campus of three museums dedicated to nature.
Millennium Park:
Millennium Park was inaugurated in 2000 in honor of the millennium celebrations and features special sculptures. The most famous, which became one of the city's symbols, is Cloud Gate, a giant mirror in the shape of a bean pod.
Buckingham Fountain:
This is one of the largest fountains in the world and is designed in the shape of a wedding cake.
Lincoln Park
Another popular park is Lincoln Park, a sprawling urban park on the shores of Lake Michigan where the Lincoln Park Zoo is located, which offers free admission. The park features a large variety of interesting animals, including polar bears, gorillas, lions, zebras, water birds, as well as a petting zoo, bird sanctuary, and swan lake.
The park also houses the Lincoln Park Conservatory, which is charming. In the southern part of the park is an organized swimming beach on the lake: North Avenue Beach.
Shopping in Chicago
Of course, "The Magnificent Mile" with its hundreds of shops and also the variety of nearby shopping streets are a paradise for shopping enthusiasts. However, for "outlet" fans, it is recommended to visit the largest and most recommended factory outlet center in the Chicago area: Chicago Premium Outlets, located about 35 minutes west of the city center and featuring 165 brand name stores. Gurnee Mills Outlet Mall is the most recommended shopping and entertainment center in the Midwest and includes, in addition to over 200 stores, a reptile zoo, Rainforest Cafe, a Disney store, movie theaters, and more. It is located about a 45-minute drive north of Chicago's city center.
Shows and Nightlife
New Orleans is indeed the main jazz city of the USA, but you might be surprised to discover that the term JAZZ originated in Chicago back in 1914. Chicago is a wonderful city for music and theater lovers, with over 25 theaters and over 225 music clubs. Several examples combining food with entertainment: A recommended bar with live music shows: Signature Lounge at the Hancock Center. A pub where blues shows are held: Kingston Mines Dinner with a cool show: Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show
Foods, Restaurants, and Markets
As expected of a large and cosmopolitan city, Chicago has restaurants of all kinds and styles.
Booking recommended food tours in Chicago from Viator:
But alongside gourmet restaurants, there are over 2,000 hot dog stands in the city, the most popular in Chicago (the number of stands is greater than the total number of all branches of common burger chains in the city). The most recommended restaurant to try the local hot dog is Portillo’s Additionally, DEEP DISH PIZZA was invented in Chicago back in 1943. It is worth eating it at the restaurant where it was invented: Pizzeria Uno (which became a popular chain throughout the USA). Another popular historical pizza chain specializing in local pizza is Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
Another typical Chicago food is the Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich. It is highly recommended to eat it at: Al’s Italian Beef A popular dessert in the city (besides the many Italian ice creams and cupcakes common in every corner) is Caramel Cake. It is particularly recommended to try it at Brown Sugar Bakery. For market lovers, a visit to the Chicago Green City Market is a must. It takes place during the summer months (May to October) on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Lincoln Park. In the winter, it moves to an indoor structure in another location. It is considered one of the most recommended markets in the USA, and in addition to fruits and vegetables, you will find all sorts of goodies: cheeses, pastries, honey, and more.
Arrival
The most convenient (and usually the cheapest) way to reach Chicago is by flight. Chicago has two airports: the large international one, O'Hare International Airport, which is one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Another airport, "MIDWAY," is used primarily for domestic flights within the USA. Chicago is the starting point of the most famous historical road in the USA: Historic Route 66, and fans of driving and the Wild West can begin their journey there along the road that reaches Arizona.
Weather in Chicago
Chicago has many nicknames. The most popular is "The Windy City" because strong winds often blow there. The weather there is very unpredictable. In the summer, it is usually hot and humid during the day, but more pleasant in the evening, while the winters there are freezing with temperatures that can reach many degrees below zero and, of course, snowstorms. Therefore, it is worth visiting from May to October.
Trips Outside Chicago
A visit to Chicago integrates excellently with visits to additional destinations northwest of it in the nearby state of Wisconsin:
♦ In Wisconsin Dells, which is a paradise for family trips.
♦ Milwaukee - situated on the shores of Lake Michigan and abundant in parks, swimming beaches on the lake, marinas, and a compact center with a cute indoor market. It is known for the Harley-Davidson Museum located there, and it is recommended to dedicate at least two full days to it and its attractions.
♦ And in Madison, the capital of Wisconsin.