Chicago
Soaring architecture on the shore of a great lake, world-class museums, deep-dish pizza and the blues.
- Best time to go
- May to October, for warm days on the lakefront and outdoor festivals
- Local time
- –
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Reading time
- 4 min
- Language
- English
After a great fire destroyed much of Chicago in 1871, the city rebuilt itself as a laboratory of modern architecture, and it was here that the skyscraper was born. Today, its skyline along Lake Michigan is one of the most dramatic in the world, and the city is home to world-class museums, theatre, music and food.
Chicago is a city of neighbourhoods, from the historic Loop to the bars of Wicker Park and the Mexican murals of Pilsen. Its lakefront, lined with parks and beaches, is a joy in summer. Winters are bitterly cold and windy, but the city's cultural life never stops.
The top 9 in Chicago
- 1
The Chicago River architecture cruise
Photo: NorbertNagel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A boat tour along the river, led by expert guides, is the best introduction to the city, gliding past a century and a half of landmark buildings, from the Gothic Tribune Tower to the corncob-shaped towers of Marina City.
TipThe Chicago Architecture Center's tours are excellent; book ahead in summer.
- 2
Millennium Park and Cloud Gate
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A park on the edge of the Loop, home to Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate, the giant mirrored sculpture known as "the Bean", the Crown Fountain, and Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion, which hosts free summer concerts.
- 3
The Art Institute of Chicago
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One of the great art museums of the world, with outstanding Impressionist paintings, Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Grant Wood's American Gothic and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, and a modern wing designed by Renzo Piano.
- 4
Willis Tower Skydeck
Photo: Zakarie Faibis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The tallest building in the world for more than two decades after it opened in 1973, the Willis Tower has an observation deck on the 103rd floor, with glass boxes called The Ledge that extend out from the building, over a sheer drop. On clear days, you can see four states. The 360 Chicago observation deck in the former John Hancock Center is an alternative, with a bar.
- 5
The Riverwalk and the Magnificent Mile
Photo: Ryan Dickey from Evanston, IL / Chicago, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A walkway along the south bank of the river, with cafés, bars and kayak rentals, below the bridges of downtown. North of the river, the Magnificent Mile, part of Michigan Avenue, is the city's grand shopping street.
- 6
Navy Pier and the lakefront
Photo: J. Miers - User: (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A pier stretching into Lake Michigan, with a Ferris wheel, restaurants, boat tours and summer fireworks. The lakefront trail, popular with cyclists and runners, runs for about eighteen miles along parks and beaches.
- 7
The Museum Campus
Photo: Joe Ravi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A lakeside park south of the Loop, home to the Field Museum, with Sue, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found; the Shedd Aquarium; and the Adler Planetarium, with great skyline views.
- 8
Wicker Park and Pilsen
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wicker Park is full of independent shops, bars and music venues. Pilsen, south-west of the Loop, is the heart of Chicago's Mexican community, with colourful murals, bakeries and the National Museum of Mexican Art, which is free.
- 9
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park
Photo: Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A suburb west of the city, where the architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived and worked for twenty years and designed many houses. His home and studio, and the nearby Unity Temple, can be visited on tours.
When to go
Summer, from June to August, brings warm weather, beaches, outdoor concerts and festivals, including the Chicago Blues Festival and Lollapalooza. Late spring and early autumn are also lovely, with fewer crowds. Winter, from December to March, is very cold, often well below freezing, with biting winds off the lake, but the city is festive and museums are quieter.
Getting around
The "L", Chicago's elevated and underground train system, and buses cover the city; pay with a Ventra card or contactless bank card. The Loop and the lakefront are easy to explore on foot, and the Divvy bike-share system is useful in good weather. Water taxis run along the river in summer.
O'Hare International Airport is linked to downtown by the Blue Line in about forty-five minutes; Midway Airport is on the Orange Line.
Local tips
- Dress in layers: the weather by the lake changes quickly, and the wind can be fierce.
- Tip 18 to 20% in restaurants; sales tax is added at the till.
- Book architecture cruises and popular restaurants ahead.
- Stay aware in quiet areas at night, as in any big city.
- Look out for free museum days for Illinois residents, which can be busy.
- Most visitors to the United States need a visa or ESTA authorisation.
Eat and drink
Chicago is famous for deep-dish pizza, baked in a tall pan with the cheese under a thick layer of tomato sauce; for the Chicago hot dog, served "dragged through the garden" with mustard, onion, relish, tomato, pickle, peppers and celery salt, and never with ketchup; and for the Italian beef sandwich. The city also has an outstanding fine-dining scene and great Mexican, Polish and Korean food. Catch live blues at one of the city's historic clubs.
Where to stay
The Loop, the historic business district inside the ring of elevated tracks, is convenient for Millennium Park, the Art Institute and the river cruises. River North and Streeterville, just north of the river, are packed with hotels, restaurants and nightlife near the Magnificent Mile and Navy Pier. Lincoln Park, further north, is leafy and residential, with a free zoo and the lakefront nearby, while West Loop, around Randolph Street's "Restaurant Row", is the place for food lovers.
Day trips
Indiana Dunes National Park, about an hour's drive or train ride around the southern tip of the lake, has beaches backed by huge sand dunes. Milwaukee, ninety minutes north by train, is known for its breweries, lakefront art museum and the Harley-Davidson Museum. Closer to home, the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe has nine islands of gardens on a lake.