Chicago Hotels & Holidays
USA, North America
Chicago, with a population of around three million, is part of a greater metropolitan area that straddles Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, and is home to over nine million people. Located on the second largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, its climate is moderated by its proximity to the water, so the city does not get as hot as other mid-western cities in the summer. This city has been referred to as the most American of all U.S. cities, and it is famous for being the home of the Chicago Cubs, the baseball team that plays out of Wrigley Field.
Chicago Holidays Planner
Chicago is famous for its pizza, both the all-in deep dish variety and the thin crust. Sweet Italian sausage is a topping that is a local favourite, and certainly the deep dish pizza is the more famed variety of pizza that originated in this city. Another American food that has been honed to perfection in Chicago is the hotdog, piled with plenty of toppings like relish, pickle, onion, mustard and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. The bun is very important.
While in Chicago, it's hard to miss the Magnificent Mile, a shopping vista on Michigan Avenue known for its mid-range and high-end shops. Located between the Gold Coast, an affluent lakeside neighbourhood, and the nightclub district on Rush Street, the Magnificent Mile is a must for seasoned shoppers.
The Art Institute of Chicago is worth a visit and has over 300,000 works of art on display. North of the Institute you'll find Millennium Park, which was completed in 2004 and features remarkable fountains and sculptures designed by international artists.
You can arrange a tour of the Chicago Mercantile Exchangeby calling ahead, or arranging it through the CME website, giving you a unique perspective on how the gears of American capitalism markets work.
One option that you may want to consider is a dining out tour of Chicago, one that offers the chance to have an appetizer at one restaurant, a main course at another, and finish with dessert at a final restaurant. A dining tour offers you the opportunity to sample specialties at famous restaurants that you may otherwise not have experienced.
If in town during the baseball season, you'll want to go to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs home game. The stadium is one mof the oldest in America, built in 1914.