Destination….Chicago

One of the most overlooked cities in The United States by foreign travelers, Chicago offers a cosmopolitan experience accented with charm, warmth, luxury & culture.   A city of 8 million inhabitants, Chicago is able to accommodate all budgets, has great public transportation, two major baseball teams, world renowned architecture, shopping, fantastic dining and fine art.  Chicago was built along Lake Michigan, second largest of the Great Lakes by volume, and an amazing park district has preserved the land along the lake, allowing locals and visitors alike, free access to every inch of the Chicago lake front. 

 

Downtown Chicago is a bustling city where locals, live work and play.  The downtown area is a great starting point for any traveler.   Four and five star hotels are plentiful on “The Magnificent Mile” yet budget travelers need not scurry to the outskirts of the city.  The downtown area offers something for everyone in terms of accommodation.  Top picks for luxury accommodation: Park Hyatt and the Sofitel.  Top picks for boutique hotels: The James and The Sax Hotel.  Top picks for budget travelers: The Avenue Hotel, The Talbott Hotel, The Tremont Hotel, Hotel Indigo and The Majestic Hotel.  

Almost every inch of the city is accessible by the CTA, either by “EL”, Chicago’s subway and elevated train system, or by public busses.  Three day passes can be purchased in any subway station.  Aside from public transportation, taxis can be found on nearly corner in the downtown area.  One can get from one end of the city to the other by taxi for about $15 to $20 depending on traffic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re into sports, Wrigley Field, built in 1914, is located in the heart of the city, in a neighborhood called Lakeview.  Lakeview has many attractions including great bars and shopping surrounding the park.  A day at Wrigley Field is unlike many other baseball experiences, friendly Cub fans make for great hosts and the park has often been referred to as the World’s Largest Beer Garden.    

 

When it comes to architecture, Chicago is an American leader.  Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Bertrand Goldberg, Frank Gehry, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, just to name a few, all have played an integral part of Chicago’s skyline and landscape.   Buildings and public spaces that may serve as points of interest to architectural enthusiasts include: The Auditorium Building, The Chicago Cultural Center, The Merchandise Mart, Crown Hall, Glessner House, The John Hancock Center, Lake Point Tower, Marina City, The Daly Center, The Robie Residence, Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower), The Civic Opera House, United Terminal at O’Hare and Millennium Park.  For tours of Chicago architecture, The Chicago Architecture Foundation is your best resource http://www.architecture.org

 

If you’re coming to Chicago for the shopping, keep in mind that the City of Chicago has one of the highest sales tax rates in the US, be prepared to pay 10.25% for sales tax.  Unlike Europe, the US does not offer a refund of sales tax to foreign visitors at the airport.  The good news is, shopping is considerably less expensive than in other metropolitan areas around the world.  You can find famous boutiques like Prada, Chanel, Yves St. Laurent, Gucci and Louis Vuitton all in the Gold Coast area.  Additionally, there are many local owned boutiques that carry lesser known designers and some local designers with limited distribution.  Boutiques like Ikram & Ultimo in the Gold Coast neighborhood and Helen Yi, P. 45 and Hejfina in the Bucktown neighborhood.  Spring of 2009, Barney’s New York will open its doors to their new location in Chicago, a larger store with a rooftop restaurant for their shoppers.  For bargain shoppers, there are multiple outlet malls only a short distance from downtown, “Chicago Premium Outlets” in Aurora, approximately 40 miles from downtown, offers 120 Outlet stores of popular designers and mall stores like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor.   

 

If you are thirsty for culture, Chicago is the right place.  The Art Institute collection, particularly the Impressionist, is impressive by any standard.  The Museum of Contemporary Art has also achieved an enviable ranking for modern collections bringing thought provoking exhibits and performances to Chicago.  The Lyric Opera of Chicago is regarded as one of the top opera houses in the world, showcasing top talent in award winning productions.  The Lyric Opera is only third to NY and San Francisco in the United States.  The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a highly regarded, classical orchestra.   In addition to some classic favorites, Chicago is home to one of the best Mexican art collections in the US, the Mexican Museum of Art in the Pilsen neighborhood.  Check out many of the smaller music venues while in Chicago, the legendary Metro, The Double Door, The House of Blues, Buddy Guy’s or The Green Mill for jazz.

 

 

 

Chicago is well known for the numerous theaters throughout the city.  The critically acclaimed Steppenwolf, founded by Gary Sinise, calls Chicago home.  Actors like John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Plimpton & John Mahoney launched their careers at The Steppenwolf.  Chicago is a hotbed for the theater community, from the famous improv, The Second City, where the likes of Peter Boyle, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Jeremy Piven, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have all performed.  Other notable theaters include: The Bailiwick, Collaboraction Theater, the impressive Redmoon Theater or the Circle Theater in Forest Park, and finally, Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier.

 

If you plan to buy art in Chicago, get your walking shoes on.  The Gallery district in River North has much to offer, one can walk for blocks visiting dozens of galleries in the popular neighborhood.  In recent years, due to the rising cost of real estate, many galleries have moved into the West Loop area, therefore, one should not neglect the West Loop when seriously considering a gallery tour.     

 

Chicago is also great for those who like to travel off the beaten path.  Whether it is a cool bed and breakfast, a nature conservatory like the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Bahai temple or The Lighthouse in Evanston, beatnik style café’s like Heatland Café in Roger’s Park, great Mexican food in Pilsen, German –town, now known as Lincoln Square, or Swedish –town, now known as Andersonville, whatever you are looking for, venturing into the little neighborhoods of Chicago, will uncover many hidden gems. 

 

Willing to dig a little deeper for a true Chicago experience?  You may have to travel a little but you could visit the McDonald’s Museum in Des Plaines, about 15 miles from downtown Chicago.  The Leaning Tower of Pisa was replicated next to the YMCA in suburban Niles, about 15 miles outside of downtown.  While you’re out that way, pay a visit to Super Dawg drive-in for a true Chicago dog where a waitress will bring your dog to your car while you wait. 

 

Other suburban adventures include: Six Flags, Great America, The Brookfield Zoo, The Volo Car Museum, Ribfest in Naperville, Ravinia in Highland Park, The Botanical Gardens in Glencoe and The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.   

For more information or to book at trip please contact us HERE OR phone us at 312.263.1991 or 800.677.8875

Tagged as: Chicago, Chicago Architecture, Chicago Hotels, Downtown Chicago, Shopping in Chicago, The "El", The CTA, The+Cubs, Travel, Wrigley Field