Perhaps more than any other US city, Chicago personifies America. There is cultural diversity with a vast mix of races and ethnic backgrounds, music in the form of jazz and the blues, fanatical sports fans, fascinating architecture and a host of attractions. This is a metropolis with a difference for while the skyscrapers that dominate the horizon appear to spring up from Lake Michigan, there is a real verve and spirit that sets this working city aside. Chicago has earned the name the 'windy city' with good reason, and while prices are cheap from January-March, the temperatures are normally so low (often freezing!) that you will spend most of your time indoors. The prime time to visit is in the summer and there are major events taking place on most weekends during this period. Chicago has its own international airport and flights from the UK take between eight and nine hours.
Ideal for adult travellers, Chicago has a mature vibe, fascinating architecture and cultural diversity…
In Chicago there is a reverence of maturity from the sophisticated nightlife scene of traditional music and good theatre, to the impressive historical sites and museums. Consequently this is an ideal trip for adult travellers who want an active holiday and enjoy being on the go. There is some appeal to families though, as there are a handful of attractions that are suitable for youngsters.
As Chicago has the largest public transportation system in America, getting around won't be a problem and the train and bus systems are both relatively inexpensive. It's a good job too, because there is plenty to pack in from the Loop to the 'inner circle'.
The most well known attraction is Sears Tower, which was once the tallest building in the world. The view from the top is spectacular and gives you a sense of perspective about what is left to discover including Lincoln Park, which follows the shore of Lake Michigan for several miles. It takes its name from a standing statue of Abraham Lincoln, and visitors could consider the park a holiday destination in its own right with so much range including bathing beaches on the lake front, a golf course, many gardens and the extremely popular Lincoln Park Zoo, which houses many exotic animals and includes an endangered species carousel that can take up to 50 riders.
Chicago is packed with culture with many galleries and museums to enjoy. There is real variety in what's available with the Art Institute of Chicago spanning 5,000 years of art guarded by impressive bronze lions, the Field Museum of Natural History, home to the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil that has ever been discovered, and the Museum of Science and Industry which has innumerable interactive features and more than 2,000 exhibits. It's also worth taking a trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Home, which features guided tours of the house of America's most renowned architect, and for a taste of more recent history head to the Chess Records recording studio, which was once used by the likes of the Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry, but has now been turned into a blues museum.
You'll never run out of shopping opportunities in Chicago, particularly at the 'Magnificent Mile', which accentuates the American love of huge apartment stores and massive shopping malls. For something less mainstream, the Midwest bastion is full of fine-art shops, antique stores and boutiques. There is even an antique market to be explored on the west side of town that is regularly used by more than 200 dealers, along with the Indie Designer Fashion Market which is a showcase for the city's young talent.
By night, Chicago comes into its own with a bustling and varied nightlife scene. The city isn't generally about clubs or discos, although it does have some, but instead there are trendy bars and remnants of the style and atmosphere of the past with blues and jazz clubs such as Buddy Guy's Legends and Green Mill, a cocktail lounge full of international jazz acts. Spin is the most popular venue among gay visitors and is probably the leading dance location in the city, while the Spy Bar is also extremely hip with good-looking 20-somethings revelling to the house music. Chicago is also famous for offering an extensive variety of cuisines ranging from steaks and pizzas to international dining.
