Chicago is a bold and brash city, once the second largest in the US, it still thinks it is. The bravado can be justified when you look at the wealth of the city and the grandeur as well as what it has given to the US.
In a huge city, you’d be forgiven for thinking you wouldn’t see much by walking but a day spent walking along Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown, followed by a detour into the business neighbourhood known locally as ‘The Loop’, will give you a great sense of what Chicago is all about.
Washington may claim the finest and most important museums in America but Chicago chooses to argue against that with its own found on Museum Campus. There you’ll find the fascinating Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum of Natural History with its gigantic and scary T-Rex skeleton nicknamed SUE. Follow this up with a look at living monsters at the Shedd Aquarium where you can watch whales and sharks or marvel at the antics of the dolphins. Save the best until last when you visit the Museum of Science and Industry where amongst thousands of hands on exhibits, you’ll find out all about how America invented itself to greatness.
Catch Some Rays
If you fancy getting a tan, dozens of very acceptable beaches, with warm water for swimming, line the shores of Lake Michigan. Some even have developed a chic atmosphere where you’ll need to look the part – no knotted hankies and deck chairs please!
Dining Out
Eating out in Chicago is an experience in itself. Home of the deep pan pizza, those made in the city are legendary whilst the Chicago hot dog is hot on its heels for deliciousness. If you want to go more upmarket than pizza and hot dogs, try Alinea, once ranked number one in America’s best restaurant list, it’s still in the top ten and serves fabulous food but more as an art form. With tasting menus at $125 or $225, it’s not cheap, but the food is very special.
From the same restaurateur but much cheaper is Boka which fuses a bizarre selection of styles including Japanese, Mexican, American and French to provide a dazzling menu from $50.
Sporting Action
Finally, in a city where sport is king, you must catch an event starring one of the city’s iconic teams. The Bulls and Blackhawks play basketball, the Cubs and White Sox entertain with baseball and Fire and Red Stars provide the soccer action.
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