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    Chicago

    United States

    Chicago

    City

    Chicago, located in northeastern Illinois on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, is the third-largest city in the USA with around 2.7 million inhabitants.

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    Chicago, located in northeastern Illinois on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, is the third-largest city in the USA with around 2.7 million inhabitants. You come primarily for its architecture: After the Great Fire of 1871, the Home Insurance Building, considered the first modern skyscraper, was built here in 1885.The city center is called the Loop, named after the elevated train that circles the business district. In the Willis Tower, you stand on the glass balcony The Ledge on the 103rd floor, about 412 m above the street. The Millennium Park, opened in 2004, features Anish Kapoor's sculpture Cloud Gate, and the Art Institute of Chicago mainly displays Impressionism and American art.The architecture tour by the Chicago Architecture Center on the Chicago River lasts around 90 minutes and passes more than 50 buildings. From O'Hare Airport, the Blue Line runs 24/7, taking 40 to 45 minutes to reach downtown.
    Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago is the third-largest city in the USA with around 2.7 million inhabitants. The city center is the Loop, encircled by the elevated train, featuring skyscrapers, Millennium Park, and the Art Institute; along the lakefront are the Museum Campus and Navy Pier. You can get around using the CTA's L trains and buses, Divvy rental bikes, or on foot along the Riverwalk. The city is renowned for its architecture, blues music, and unique street food scene. Outside the center, the north around Wrigleyville, home to the Cubs' baseball stadium, is especially worth visiting.

    Sights in Chicago

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Millennium Park and Cloud Gate
    Attraction

    1Millennium Park and Cloud Gate

    Anish Kapoor's sculpture of 168 welded stainless steel plates was unveiled in 2006 and is popularly called "The Bean." Its curved surface reflects the skyline and clouds; Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion is also in the park.
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    Art Institute of Chicago
    Museum

    2Art Institute of Chicago

    Founded in 1879, the museum features Edward Hopper’s 'Nighthawks', Seurat’s 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte', and Grant Wood’s 'American Gothic'. Two bronze lions guard the Michigan Avenue entrance; Renzo Piano’s Modern Wing opened in 2009.
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    Willis Tower Skydeck
    Attraction

    3Willis Tower Skydeck

    The Skydeck on the 103rd floor is 412 meters above the street; since 2009, The Ledge's glass boxes protrude about 1.2 meters from the facade. The tower, called Sears Tower until 2009, was completed in 1974.
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    Navy Pier
    Attraction

    4Navy Pier

    The pier, opened in 1916, extends a kilometer into Lake Michigan. The 60-meter Centennial Wheel was added in 2016. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater plays on the pier, and summer brings Wednesday and Saturday fireworks.
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    Chicago Riverwalk
    Attraction

    5Chicago Riverwalk

    The Riverwalk on the south bank of the Chicago River stretches from Lake Michigan to Lake Street, completed in 2016. Restaurants at Marina Plaza, terraced seating at River Theater, and floating gardens at the Jetty line the way, with excursion boats departing near the lake.
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    Field Museum
    Museum

    6Field Museum

    The Field Museum moved in 1921 to the lakefront Museum Campus, home to Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. Its most famous exhibit is Sue, an approximately 12-meter-long T-rex skeleton.
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    Restaurants in Chicago

    1

    Pizzeria Uno

    The original home of Chicago-style pizza on Ohio Street in River North, serving Deep-Dish Pizza, Pasta, Steaks, and Burgers.
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    2

    Al's #1 Italian Beef

    Eatery for Italian Beef Sandwiches and Hot Dogs on West Taylor Street in Little Italy.
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    3

    Giordano's

    Chicago restaurant chain branch for high-sided deep-dish pizza, plus Italian classics, beer, and wine.
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    Food and Drink in Chicago

    Chicago's cuisine is down-to-earth and closely connected to the city's immigrant communities.
    Deep-Dish Pizza

    Deep-Dish Pizza

    Originated in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno. The pan's high rim holds a lot of cheese, topped with a chunky tomato sauce.
    Stuffed Pizza

    Stuffed Pizza

    Nancy's Pizza and Giordano's developed this variant in the mid-1970s with a second dough layer over the filling.
    Tavern-style Pizza

    Tavern-style Pizza

    Thin, crispy crust, cut into squares, originally served in pubs without plates, on napkins.
    Chicago-style Hot Dog

    Chicago-style Hot Dog

    Beef sausage in a poppy seed bun with mustard, onions, green relish, pickle, tomato, Sport Peppers, and celery salt; ketchup is not included. This combination originated during the economic crisis at the Maxwell Street stands.
    Italian Beef

    Italian Beef

    Thinly sliced roast beef in seasoned broth on French bread, "hot" with Giardiniera or "sweet" with peppers. Al's Beef has been selling it since 1938.

    Architecture, Blues and Museums

    After the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago was rebuilt, becoming a laboratory for skyscraper architecture, with the Home Insurance Building emerging in 1885. The 1893 World's Fair left behind two major museums: The Field Museum originated from its collections, and the Art Institute occupied a building constructed for the exhibition.Chicago Blues: The Great Migration brought African American musicians from the South to the city. Muddy Waters, who moved to Chicago in 1943, shaped the electrically amplified style with guitar and harmonica, and Chess Records spread his sound.Chicago Blues Festival: Since 1984, the annual festival, held around Muddy Waters' death anniversary, commemorates this tradition.Museums: The Art Institute, founded in 1879, holds approximately 300,000 works, while the Field Museum houses over 24 million objects.

    Nightlife

    1

    Green Mill

    Cocktail lounge with jazz on North Broadway in Uptown.
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    2

    Kingston Mines

    Blues club with live music on North Halsted Street in Lincoln Park.
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    3

    Buddy Guy's Legends

    Blues club with live music and Southern cuisine on South Wabash Avenue in the South Loop.
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    Traveling in Chicago

    The CTA's network of L trains and buses covers the city well. You pay with a Ventra Card, Ventra App, or contactless bank card, and two transfers within two hours are included.O'Hare: The Blue Line goes directly to the Loop. From O'Hare, the fare is $5, but the surcharge is waived with a day pass.Midway: The Orange Line goes to the Loop, at the standard rail fare of $2.50.Fares: Train $2.50, Bus $2.25. Passes: 1-Day $5, 3-Day $15, 7-Day $20. The Ventra Card costs $5, which is credited as transit value upon registration.Divvy: Single ride $1 plus $0.20 per minute (e-bike $0.44), Day Pass $19.90 with three hours per classic ride.

    Accommodations in Chicago

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    Campgrounds in Chicago

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    Nearby

    Illinois

    Illinois

    Illinois stretches from Lake Michigan in the northeast to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in the south and west, bordering Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Iowa. Beyond Chicago, your travels lead you to Abraham Lincoln’s sites, traces of Mississippian culture, and sandstone canyons along the Illinois River.The capital is Springfield, where Lincoln lived and is buried. Hence, the state bears the nickname “Land of Lincoln,” and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is located in Springfield. Near Collinsville, opposite St. Louis, lies Cahokia. This city of the Mississippian culture had an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants around 1100, and its approximately 30 m high Monks Mound is considered the largest man-made earthen mound north of Mexico. Since 1982, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.In Starved Rock State Park along the Illinois River, 18 canyons cut into the sandstone. In Galena, once the center of the USA's first major mining boom, around 85 percent of the buildings in the historic district, including the home of Ulysses S. Grant, are preserved. The hilly south is characterized by the Shawnee National Forest.
    Niagara Wine Route

    Niagara Wine Route

    Discover Canada's leading wine region, a sprawling landscape of vineyards and wineries, offering tastings, tours, and exquisite culinary experiences.
    Toronto

    Toronto

    Toronto, on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, is Canada's largest city and the capital of Ontario province. The CN Tower dominates the skyline, behind it lie neighbourhoods with very unique character, from Kensington Market to the Distillery District – and about half of its residents were born outside Canada.
    St. Catharines

    St. Catharines

    Known as 'The Garden City', St. Catharines is the region's largest urban center, offering a vibrant downtown, expansive parks, and close proximity to the Welland Canal.
    Welland Canal

    Welland Canal

    This impressive engineering marvel connects Lake Ontario with Lake Erie, offering fascinating insights into global shipping through its locks and visitor centers.