Known as the Windy City and with world-class museums and cultural attractions alongside a thriving business hub, Chicago hums with energy. Visit Barak Obama’s former home, shop until you drop or take a trip to the lake. The city has breathtaking architecture, great bars and night life which all illustrate why Frank Sinatra immortalized Chicago as “My Kind of Town.”
What to do in Chicago
See the city from a different angle on Navy Pier
Check out the Midwest’s top tourist destination, Navy Pier. Home to its boardwalk, 150-foot Ferris wheel, boat and Segway tours, and countless dining or shopping options, Navy Pier is your chance to mingle with the locals and see the city from the sky.
Shopping heaven on the Magnificent Mile
All in one eight-block stretch The Magnificent Mile houses boutiques, department stores such as Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue, and designers labels, with MaxMara and Burberry to name but a few.
Sample the delights of deep dish pizza
More a stuffed pie than pizza, the deep dish is laden with delicious toppings, cheese and a Chicago favourite, sausage. Check out Pizzeria Uno on East Ohio Street, for some chunky, authentic pizza.
Go to a game
Named by Sporting News as ‘Best Sports City’ in America, Chicago is passionate about all variety of sports. Head on over to the city to check out the mighty Bulls, ‘da Bears and one of the NHL’s oldest teams, the Blackhawks.
Appreciate art
You’ll find collections of modern European painting and sculpture, contemporary art, architecture and design, and photography inside The Art Institute of Chicago. It houses one of the finest art collections in the world that spans centuries of human expression. Even though it is slightly busier, visiting during the weekend means you’ll be able to experience the gallery’s free public lectures.
The Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago is home to the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. You’ll experience what it would be like in the centre of a whirling tornado, and you can crawl inside the only WWII-era German submarine in the U.S.
Visit the lakeside
Chicago is a waterfront metropolis and stretches across 26 miles of lakefront. No matter what time of year you are here, a trip down to Lake Michigan is a must.
Go for a nightcap
The relationship between Chicago and alcohol go way back. Prohibition is an integral part of Chicago’s history and the drinks scene in the city has continued to flourish. M Lounge on the South Loop is one of the city’s top spots, where mixologists create mouth-watering drinks using locally sourced ingredients. Or check out Studio Paris, located in Paris Club on Hubbard Street. It has a retractable glass roof and an impressive champagne and wine list.
Test your nerves on The Ledge
Skydeck Chicago in Willis Tower will be sure to test even the most confident With views spanning up to four states, the four glass balconies positioned 1,353 feet in the air make The Ledge one of the more memorable ways to see the city.
Get some jazz
Chicago is full of history and a trip to one of the city’s infamous jazz bars will take you down path of Chicago’s musical heritage. Check out clubs such as Jazz Showcase in the historic Dearborn Station building, the Green Mill Jazz Club on North Broadway, and The Back Room, located on North Rush Street.
WHERE TO STAY
The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
Located adjacent to the Hotel Felix in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, this 16-story upscale boutique hotel features stunning architecture and a stylish overall interior. The space comes complete with over 220 rooms, 24-hour fitness centre and a 12,000 square-foot rooftop bar and lounge. The Godfrey Hotel Chicago – 2013 – www.godfreyhotelchicago.com/ Tel: +1 312 649 2000
Langham Chicago Hotel
The landmark, riverfront Miles van der Rohe building is transformed into a haven of European hospitality, with 330 spacious guest rooms; the award-winning, 9,000-square-foot Chuan Spa; and dining bound to rival Langham’s other Michelin Award-winning restaurants. Catch views of the lake and the river from the guest rooms or the 20,000 square feet of elegant meeting facilities. Langham Chicago Hotel – opened 10th July 2013 –www.chicago.langhamhotels.com Tel: +1 312 923 9988
Virgin Hotel Chicago – Late 2013 / Early 2014
The founder of Virgin Airlines, Sir Richard Branson, is bringing his new lifestyle brand to Chicago. Virgin Hotels will open a new location in the historic Dearborn Bank Building in the Loop. Specifics on design and amenities have been mum for now, but expect a stylish and elegant establishment fitting of its River North location. Construction began in May on the 250 room hotel, with a projected date of completion in late 2013, early 2014 – www.virginhotels.com.
DINING IN CHICAGO
Chicago’s West Loop neighbourhood is an emerging food hotspot in the city. The area is Chicago’s meat packing district and since Opra opened her studio in the area 30 years ago, people have been moving there. Recently, the area has been the chosen choice for many of Chicago’s top chefs to open new restaurants.
Below is a small selection of the restaurants in the area:
• Girl and the Goat – Head chef Stephanie Izard is the first woman to win a season of America’s Top Chef programme. She opened Girl and the Goat with the intention of creating fun meat, fish and vegetarian dishes with an emphasis on farm to table. Girl and the Goat – www.girlandthegoat.com,
• Belly Q – One of the trends Chicago is seeing is BBQ. Belly Q is a modern Asian BBQ restaurant created by Chef Bill Kim, who has taken classic Asian dining and created a mouthwatering menu. Diners can choose from a pre-BBQ’d menu or enjoy their dishes grilled in front of them. www.bellyqchicago.com
• Au Cheval – A twist on the classic American diner with old favourites reworked, such as the wild boar sloppy Joe. www.aucheval.tumblr.com
Kenwood was once a retreat for wealthy Chicagoans who, to escape the industrial noise of downtown Chicago, built palatial homes on the Lake Michigan shoreline. One of those homes is of former heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali (4944 S. Woodlawn Ave.) who lived one block away from Elijah Muhammad, a religious leader in the Nation of Islam.
Before moving into The White House, the 44th President of the United States called Chicago home. Barack Obama’s Georgian revival mansion (5046 S. Greenwood Ave.) is under heavy security and often blocked off in four blocks from every direction. But the residential pocket of his Hyde Park neighbourhood is lined with beautiful family homes and striking Prairie-style architecture.
