Chicago, USA
The Windy City
Welcome to the Windy City, Chicago. Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States. Plan on spending at least a few days in Chicago to really absorb all the glory the city has to offer.
TIP: Chicago is known for its freezing winters and its hot summers. Be sure to check the weather before making your trip! But, there are activities to do all year long in this wonderful city.
Transportation
Chicago is home to the “L”, the elevated train. The “L” is like a subway, but most of it is above the streets, connected by bridges. There are also stations that are below ground. The “L” can connect you to different parts of the city.
Chicago is also a very walkable city because most of the tourist destinations are centralized and close together. The streets are easy to follow. If you get lost, look up and find the Willis Tower as a point of reference!
Ubers and taxis are also common to take in Chicago. They are pricey, but may be worth it if you are traveling with other people.
Museum Hub
Chicago is a museum hub! There are many great museums that will attract all kinds of people’s interests.
For the museum lovers there is a Chicago City Pass that costs $110.90 for adults and $90.47 for children. The pass allows you access to 5 attractions. You can visit the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, and the Field Museum along with 2 of the following: Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, 360 Chicago Observation Deck, or Adler Planetarium. You have 9 consecutive days to use this pass.
Art Institute of Chicago: Highly recommended for all art lovers. The museum is huge! You can spend the whole day wandering around. Tickets: $25 adults, $19 seniors, teens, and students, Children are free
Field Museum: See dinosaur bones, cultural exhibits, animal facts, and more! Tickets: $27 adults, $20 child, $24 senior and student
Alder Planetarium: To infinity, and beyond! Explore the glories of space at the Alder Planetarium! Tickets: $19 adults, $8 children
Museum of Science and Industry: Science nerds? This is your Disneyland. Learn all there is to know about science and experiments. Tickets: $21.95 adults, $12.95 children
Contemporary Art Museum: Enjoy the beauty of contemporary art! Tickets: $15 adults, $8 seniors, students, teachers, Free for youth
Mexican Art Museum: Interested in learning about the Mexican culture of Chicago through art? Check out this great art museum in the latino neighborhood of Pilsen and stop at a Mexican restaurant for lunch! Tickets: FREE!
Sports Fans
When in Chicago, be sure to check out a sporting event! Don’t know anything about sports? No worries! Sporting events are for everyone. Sometimes it’s not always about the sport, but about being in the environment. Here are the Chicago teams to visit.
Baseball
Chicago Cubs: Home games played at Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field is surrounded by a great town filled with bars, restaurants, and Cubs fans!
Chicago White Sox: Home games played at Guaranteed Rate Field. You can even have a tailgate barbecue before the game!
Football
- Chicago Bears: Home games played at Soldier Field. Amazing stadium, but dress warm for the winter games!
Basketball
- Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan fans? Watch a Bulls game at the United Center!
Hockey
- Chicago Blackhawks: The Chicago Blackhawks have won 6 Stanley Cup titles! Go to the United Center to see an action packed hockey game!
Soccer
- Chicago Fire: Head back out to Soldier Field for a soccer match!
Classic Tourist Attractions
While exploring Chicago, there are a few items you should definitely check off your bucket list!
- Millennium Park: Be sure to stop by Millennium Park to see the Bean! Yes, a big glass bean. Sounds… interesting. Take your classic mirror picture with the bean and enjoy a stroll through the park. Traveling in winter? Be sure to rent some ice skates and go ice skating at Millennium Park or the Ice Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park, which is located right across the bridge.
TIP: As an ice skater myself, I recommend Maggie Daley Park rather than Millennium Park. It is a bigger space and you do not feel as crowded. Both are great for beginner skaters and the more experienced. TIP: Ice rink admission is almost always free, but you must pay for skates. You can always bring your own skates if you have them. (There are some hours and days when a small fee applies)
- Willis Tower: Looking to see Chicago from a bird’s eye view? Take the elevator up to the Sky Deck in the Willis Tower, the third tallest building in the USA. Hope you are not afraid of heights as you look over the city from the glass ledge.
Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain: Take a stroll through Chicago’s famous Grant Park. Enjoy the greenery and amazing views of the city.
The Magnificent Mile: Shop til you drop at more than 450 retailers in downtown Chicago. Even check out the world’s largest Starbucks which is now open in Chicago!
Navy Pier: Be sure to head over to Navy Pier to experience Chicago’s beautiful views of Lake Michigan. There are many attractions for children, including a ferris wheel, mini golf, carousel, and a children’s museum. Traveling during the summer? Take a speedboat tour from navy pier to feel the wind through your hair and view the city from the lake! Navy Pier is also home to many restaurants, a variety of shops, and beaches.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Just a little north of the downtown area, you will find Chicago’s free public zoo. Check out all kinds of animals, perfect for both adults and children.
TIP: While the zoo entrance is free, parking is expensive. If you’re lucky, you can find free street parking a few blocks away.
Beaches
Chicago can be extremely hot in the summer, so be sure to pack your bathing suit and relax at one of Chicago’s beaches. No, Chicago is not connected to an ocean. It is a HUGE lake, called Lake Michigan. This lake touches four states, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The lakefront touching Chicago is not the cleanest water, but that does not seem to stop people from swimming!
North Avenue Beach: One of Chicago’s most popular beaches
Oak Street Beach: Close to downtown and The Magnificent Mile
Ohio Street Beach: Right next to Navy Pier
12th Street Beach: Close to the Adler Planetarium, away from the city center
For the Early Risers
Seeing the sunrise over Lake Michigan is by far my favorite thing about Chicago. So, here’s the plan. Step 1. Be sure to look up when the sun rises. Also, it is very important to go on a clear day. Depending on the season, you may be waking up VERY early and if it is a cloudy day, you won’t see the sunrise. Step 2. Pack a coffee, blanket, and snack. Step 3. Drive on Lake Shore Drive until West Fullerton Ave. Step 4. You can find street parking for free near the Lincoln Park Zoo. Step 5. Walk toward the lakefront, near the theater on the lake. Step 6. Take amazing pictures, a time lapse, drone videos, and enjoy the peaceful and amazing sunrise. Trust me, it is 100% worth it.
Food Tour
Hungry for more? Get ready to experience Chicago’s diverse food options all throughout the city. First things first, if you are traveling through Chicago for the first time, there are a few Chicago favorites that you can’t miss.
Chicago Favorites
Chicago hotdogs: Can’t pass up a Chicago hotdog. Basically, it is a hot dog with everything on it, BESIDES ketchup. Enjoy the tomatoes, onion, mustard, relish, and peppers, but forget about the ketchup. You can buy a hotdog at many small hot dog shops or even a food cart on the side of the street.
Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza: This pizza will make all the Italians out there start a riot. Chicago has found a way to make pizza even more unhealthy. By adding another pound of cheese! This pizza looks like a pie, and can be quite intimidating to eat. Beware, this pizza is very filling. Feelings are split about it’s taste: you either love it or hate it! Give it a try! Famous restaurants for deep dish pizza are Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s Pizzeria.
Italian Beef Sandwich: Enjoy a delicious sandwich filled with shredded Italian beef and peppers. A popular restaurant for a classic Italian beef sandwich is Portillo’s.
Garrett Popcorn: Are you a popcorn lover like myself? Stop by Garrett Popcorn Shop to try different flavors of sweet and salty popcorn. You can also find a mini shop in the Chicago airport.
Diverse Options
Chicago is separated into various little towns that are populated by various immigrant groups. Besides adding to the diverse population of Chicago, this also allows Chicago to be known for its amazing varied cuisine.
Chinatown: Be sure to stop by Chinatown for some delicious Chinese food and their amazing bubble tea. Come for “Dim Sum”: a traditional Chinese meal made up of small plates of dumplings and other snacks.
Little Italy: Check out the west side of Chicago to find all your delicious Italian restaurants.
Pilsen: After visiting the Mexican Art Museum, choose a delicious Mexican restaurant to enjoy lunch or dinner. Chicago has a large Latino population and is home to FANTASTIC Mexican food. You can even try ordering in Spanish to practice!
Greektown: In the mood for some Mediterranean food? Stop by Greektown for some great gyros!