Destination Guidebook for Chicago, Illinois
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If there is one thing that defines Chicago, it is this city's world-class architecture. There are dozens of tours to guide you around the city's famous buildings, landmarks, public sculptures and lively ethnic neighborhoods. You can see the city by boat, bus, trolley, horse-drawn buggy, on foot or even by fire truck.
World-class museums are another top draw. Exhibits covering history, science, the natural world, the oceans, the heavens and some of the world's finest art are all available for curious minds and enthusiastic gallerygoers. Topping the list are the John G. Shedd Aquarium, the venerable Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry.
The Chicago Children's Museum is at Navy Pier, but the pier is not just for kids. People of all ages ride the pier's giant 150-ft/47-m Ferris wheel (the view from the top will inspire you to spend more time on Chicago's lakefront). Navy Pier hosts a plethora of free and fee-based entertainment, amusement rides, restaurants and theaters. It's also home to many tour boats, from speedboat to dog-friendly to dinner cruise. Chicago Architecture Foundation offers the most informative river tour. Afterward, relax in one of Chicago's lovely urban parks. Grant Park is downtown along the lake, Millennium Park is the newest and most impressive, and Lincoln Park has a zoo, pond and conservatory.
Finally, try to get out of downtown for a day. There's a lot to see and do within a short drive or train ride, and Chicago's neighborhoods are what make it one of the world's great cities. Highlights include the homes of Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway in Oak Park, great amusement parks, Brookfield Zoo, the Chicago Botanic Garden and even a Baha'i temple (one of only seven such temples in the world). | Historic Sites | Top  |
Every visitor to Chicago should plan a visit to the Chicago Cultural Center first. The beautiful old building was once the Chicago Public Library and is now the site of free performances and films, eight art galleries, a shop and a cafe. Many of the performances take place in Preston Bradley Hall on the third floor, which has the world's largest Tiffany dome ceiling. The Chicago Office of Tourism has the largest of its three visitors centers on the first floor. There, you can gather information and maps as well as book a city tour. Free one-hour tours of the Loop and North Michigan Avenue (as well as many other neighborhoods), led by members of the Chicago Greeter service, depart from the Chicago Cultural Center. To arrange a Greeter tour, call 312-744-8000 or visit the Web site at http://www.chicagogreeter.com. Monday-Thursday 8 am-7 pm, Friday 8 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-6 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm. Closed major holidays. Admission is sometimes charged for special performances. 78 E. Washington (at Michigan Avenue; wheelchair accessible entrance at 77 E. Randolph St.), Chicago. Phone 312-744-6630 or 312-346-3278 for recorded information. http://www.chicagoculturalcenter.org. The home of the renowned architect is filled with bold geometric designs and soaring spaces in his signature Prairie style. In order to see the interior, you must take the guided tour (offered Monday-Friday at 11 am and 1 and 3 pm, Saturday and Sunday every 20 minutes 11 am-3:30 pm). Self-guided audio tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District, where you can see 13 buildings of his design, are available daily 10 am-3:30 pm. Guided tours of the historic district are available on weekends. US$12 adults, US$10 seniors and children for the guided tour of Wright's home or the historic district; US$20 adults, US$16 seniors and children for a combined ticket. No tours are given on major holidays or the last week in January, when annual preservation work takes place. No interior photography allowed. Purchase tickets at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Shop. 951 Chicago Ave. (about 30 minutes west of downtown by car), Oak Park. Phone 708-848-1976. http://www.wrightplus.org. This small center houses a collection of Pullman-related artifacts and an information desk. It is a good first stop on your walking tour of this South Side planned community from the 1890s. George M. Pullman, founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company, built it for his workers. He's credited with causing the country's first labor strike by lowering workers' wages without lowering their rents. Fortunately, his taste in architecture and urban planning was better than his labor-relations skills. His now-landmarked "most perfect town" features blocks of neat, preserved, brick row houses and parks, portions of a shopping arcade and the Hotel Florence, which is under renovation and closed to the public. Daily except Monday 11 am-3 pm. Guided tours May-October on the first Sunday of the month at 1:30 pm. US$5 adults, US$3 students, US$4 seniors. 11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago. Phone 773-785-8901. http://www.pullmanil.org. This historic structure is one of only a few buildings to survive the Great Fire of 1871 and is among the most frequently photographed sights in the city. Appropriately, it now houses City Gallery, which displays a changing exhibit of Chicago-themed photographs by local photographers. Gallery open Monday-Saturday 10 am-6:30 pm, Sunday 10 am-5 pm. 163 E. Pearson St. (at Michigan Avenue), Chicago. Phone 312-742-0808. Chicago's third-tallest building is still among the tallest in the world. On a clear day, you can see four states, and it has a better view of the lakefront than the Sears Tower does. An enclosed observatory (with interactive computer stations, telescopes and photo ops) and a windy, open-air viewing deck are located on the 94th floor. Open daily 9 am-11 pm. Last ticket sold at 10:30 pm. US$12 adults, US$10 seniors, US$8 children ages 5-12. 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-751-3681. http://www.hancock-observatory.com. A U.S. naval facility during World War I, this waterfront property is now Chicago's top tourist attraction as well as a convention center, with 50 acres/20 hectares of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, meeting facilities, an outdoor theater, a museum of stained-glass windows, an 18-hole Chicago-themed miniature-golf course, a climbing wall, a funhouse maze, a 3-D ride and a 440-seat IMAX theater. The intimate Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Children's Museum are among Navy Pier's most popular attractions. During the summer months, you can hear local bands for free at the outdoor Bud Light stage, catch a concert at the Skyline stage and watch one of the fireworks displays that run every Wednesday and Saturday night. Don't miss rides on the carousel, the old-fashioned swing ride that twirls above a pond of water and the giant Ferris wheel. If boat rides are your fancy, the Pier is home to more than 10 resident boats that offer views of the skyline and the city from both the lake and the river. You'll find a variety of options, from lunch or dinner cruises and sightseeing speedboats to the city's water taxi. Navy Pier is open daily from 10 am; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Closing times vary seasonally. Some outdoor attractions are open year-round, but always weather permitting. Call ahead or visit the Web site for current information. Free, but admission is charged for many exhibits and shows. 600 E. Grand Ave. (at Lake Michigan), Chicago. Phone 312-595-7437. Toll-free 800-595-7437. http://www.navypier.com. No other city in the nation claims as many outdoor sculptures and works of art by world-famous artists. City ordinances require that municipal buildings set aside a portion of construction or renovation costs to purchase outdoor artwork. A small sampling of the more than 100 outdoor sculptures in the Loop includes the famous Untitled by Pablo Picasso, at Washington and Dearborn; The Four Seasons mural by Marc Chagall, at Monroe and Dearborn; Batcolumn by Claes Oldenburg, at Madison and Jefferson; Miro's Chicago by Joan Miro, on Washington between Clark and Dearborn; and Flamingo by Alexander Calder, at Dearborn and Adams. A second Calder sculpture, Universe, is located inside the Sears Tower on Jackson between Wacker Drive and Franklin. Don't pass up one of the city's oldest works on the east side of the Wacker and Michigan Avenue bridge: Defense, Regeneration, the Pioneers and the Discoverers (1932), or Cloud Gate, a staggering 110-ton/100-metric-ton elliptical reflecting sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park. Agora by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, installed in Grant Park in 2006, features 106 cast-iron figures each 9 ft/3 m high in a "forest" of armless, headless bodies. May-September, there's also a large collection of sculptures at Navy Pier. Standing 110 floors and 1,454 ft/451 m high, the Sears Tower is the tallest building in the U.S. There are spectacular views from the tower's recently renovated and fully enclosed Skydeck on the 103rd floor, where visitors can see four states (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan) on a clear day. Kiosks, educational exhibits and telescopes make it a great place with or without children. During the summer months, it's best to visit after 5 pm to avoid crowds. April-September daily 10 am-10 pm, October-March daily 10 am-8 pm. US$12.95 adults, US$9.50 children ages 3-11. 233 S. Wacker Drive (entrance on Jackson Boulevard), Chicago. Phone 312-875-9696. http://www.the-skydeck.com. Chicago has a plethora of world-class museums. However, the costs and waiting in long lines can bog down even the heartiest tourist. Try the Chicago CityPass to save time and money. You'll have access to five major attractions at a substantial savings—and you won't have to wait in ticket lines. Each ticket (in a booklet of five) allows one visit per venue—the Sears Tower Skydeck or the Hancock Observatory, plus the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the Museum of Science and Industry—over the course of nine days. You can purchase the CityPass at any participating attraction or order in advance online. US$59 adults, US$49 children. Toll-free 888-645-5324. http://www.citypass.com.
The Adler holds the distinction of being the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere. Watch the 3-D multimedia StarRider show that incorporates real images from space probes into shows on aliens, black holes and Mars. Explore a museum exhibiting the history of space travel, timepieces, ancient scientific instruments, space-age hardware, a meteorite and the evolution of astronomy. The museum's historic Sky Theater has shown the night sky since 1930. Summer hours daily 9:30 am-6 pm; winter hours daily 9:30 am-4:30 pm. First Friday of every month is "Far Out Friday" with extended hours: 9:30 am-10 pm. Admission ranges US$10-$23 adults, US$6-$19 children and US$8-$21 seniors. Cheapest rate includes no shows while the highest rate includes two shows. US$5 for each additional show; US$20 adults, US$17 seniors and children after 4:30 pm on Far Out Friday, includes admission to shows and special demonstrations. 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Phone 312-922-7827. http://www.adlerplanetarium.org. Hands-on exhibits for preschoolers through preadolescents on such topics as dinosaurs and waterways. Also features an engaging inventing lab, where kids can create alarm clocks and flying machines. Three stories of construction, mazes and educational fun on the already kid-friendly Navy Pier make this a must-see for young families. Sunday-Wednesday and Friday 10 am-5 pm, Thursday and Saturday 10 am-8 pm. US$9 adults and children, US$8 seniors, free for children younger than 1 year old. Free for all visitors after 5 pm Thursday. 700 E. Grand Ave. (on Navy Pier), Chicago. Phone 312-527-1000. http://www.chichildrensmuseum.org. This privately endowed institution, formerly the Chicago Historical Society, presents the history and multicultural diversity of Chicago and Illinois in permanent displays and revolving exhibits. Highlights include miniature re-creations of the Great Chicago Fire and life-size displays of significant eras in Chicago's history. The museum offers walking, bus and train tours of important neighborhoods and city treasures. Monday-Saturday 9:30 am-4:30 pm (Thursday till 8 pm), Sunday noon-5 pm. US$14 adults, US$12 seniors and students, free for children age 12 and younger; free for all visitors on Monday. 1601 N. Clark St. at North Avenue, Chicago. Phone 312-642-4600. http://www.chicagohistory.org. On Chicago's south side, this museum, named in honor of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, a Haitian fur trader and Chicago's first permanent settler, explores the culture and history of African Americans. Permanent exhibits include paintings by Henry Ossawa Tanner, original historic documents, wood and ivory carvings from Africa, and historic photographs. Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. US$3 adults, US$2 seniors, students and children age 6-12. Free on Sunday. 740 E. 56th Place (57th Street and Cottage Grove), Chicago. Phone 773-947-0600. http://www.dusablemuseum.org. Before he went off to write, hunt, drink and fish in various exotic locales, Hemingway grew up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park in the early 1900s. The museum focuses on the first 20 years of his life and exhibits photos, letters and other memorabilia, as well as video presentations. There's a gift shop, too. Nearby is the stately, turn-of-the-20th-century home where he was born. It is open for tours. Both the museum and the house are open Sunday-Friday 1-5 pm and Saturday 10 am-5 pm. Combined admission: US$8 adults, US$6 seniors and children. 200 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. Phone 708-848-2222. http://www.ehfop.org. One of the finest museums in the world, the Field Museum has exhibits that trace the natural history and the biological and anthropological aspects of our cultures and environments. To a child, that means mummies, dinosaurs, Native Americans, extinct animals and exotic lands. You'll fall in love with Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found. It (they don't know if Sue was male or female) towers over the main hall. An interactive video explains how Sue was found and put together. The museum is best seen on several visits—otherwise, it becomes overwhelming. Daily 9 am-5 pm, last admission at 4 pm. US$12-$25 adults, US$7-$12 children ages 4-11. Some of its 52 discount days fall on Monday and Tuesday January-May, September and October. 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive (at Roosevelt Road), Chicago. Phone 312-922-9410. http://www.fieldmuseum.org. Highly regarded for its diverse collection of paintings, sculpture, photography, video and film, all produced after 1945. Artists whose works appear in the permanent collection include Andy Warhol, Chicago's own Ed Paschke, Jeff Koons and Max Ernst. The museum's programs include First Fridays, an after-work party (6-10 pm) with live entertainment, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres from Wolfgang Puck's on-site restaurant; experimental films throughout the year; and a popular summer solstice party that lasts all night. Tuesday 10 am-8 pm, Wednesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, closed Monday. Puck's at the MCA serves light lunches and snacks Tuesday-Saturday and brunch on Sunday. US$10 adults, free for all visitors onTuesday, US$10 in advance for First Fridays program, US$15 at the door. 220 E. Chicago Ave. (one block east of Michigan Avenue), Chicago. Phone 312-280-2660. http://www.mcachicago.org. A rare treat and great side jaunt, this small museum displays holography from around the world. It takes less than an hour to see everything, leaving plenty of time to people-watch at a bistro along West Randolph Street, right around the corner from the museum. Wednesday-Sunday 12:30-4:30 pm. Also open Monday and Tuesday for prearranged group visits. US$5 adults, US$4 children. 1134 W. Washington St. (at May Street), Chicago. Phone 312-226-1007. http://www.holographiccenter.com. Ride down into a coal mine, peer inside an elaborately decorated fairy castle containing 2,000 miniature objects or walk through a model of a human heart. The German U-505 submarine from World War II, which has been on display since 1954, rests in a space 45 ft/14 m underground for viewing from above. In the Henry Crown Space Center, you can ride in a simulated space shuttle as it locks onto the space lab and view the actual Apollo 8 spacecraft that orbited the moon. Reservations are recommended for the Omnimax theater (call for show times and ticket prices). Monday-Saturday 9:30 am-4 pm, Sunday 11 am-4 pm. In summer, Monday-Saturday 9:30 am-5:30 pm, Sunday 11 am-5:30 pm. US$13 adults, US$12 seniors, US$9 children; several free admission days throughout the year. 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive (at 57th Street), Chicago. Phone 773-684-1414. http://www.msichicago.org. The highlight of this museum is the year-round Butterfly Haven, a 28-ft-/9-m-tall greenhouse that is home to local and tropical butterflies, popular with both children and adults. You can also walk through a simulated Midwestern prairie and go inside a beaver lodge without getting soaked. Monday-Friday 9 am-4:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5 pm. US$9 adults, US$7 seniors and students, US$6 children ages 3-12. Free on Thursday. 2430 N. Cannon Drive (in Lincoln Park at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive), Chicago. Phone 773-755-5100. http://www.naturemuseum.org. In a city with as many museums as Chicago, it may be a surprise that a university gallery would be a must-see. But the Smart, as it is called, boasts a deceptively large collection, with more than 10,000 objects, including works ranging from old masters to Mark Rothko, as well as the late Chicago favorite-son painter Ed Paschke. Special exhibits vary throughout the year. The adjacent Elden Sculpture Garden is worth a visit in warm weather. Tuesday-Friday 10 am-4 pm (Thursday till 8 pm), Saturday and Sunday 11 am-5 pm. Smart Museum cafe open daily. Free. 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., Chicago. Phone 773-702-0200. http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu. This museum and research center offers changing exhibits that explore Jewish identity and culture from the past and present, with an eye toward the future, as well as a kosher cafe and a theater. There's also a library and a gift shop. Sunday-Wednesday 10 am-6 pm, Thursday 10 am-7 pm, Friday 10 am-3 pm. Closed Saturday. US$7 adults, US$5 seniors and students. Free Tuesday morning and Thursday evening. 608 S. Michigan Ave. (across from Grant Park), Chicago. Phone 312-322-1700. http://www.spertus.edu. Few visitors fail to be impressed by the lineup of famous paintings at the Institute. They include Georges Seurat's Un Dimanche a la Grande Jatte (part of the museum's fabulous collection of late-1800s European works), Grant Wood's American Gothic, Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and Georgia O'Keeffe's Sky Above Clouds IV. The Institute frequently hosts major traveling exhibits. Don't try to see everything in one visit—with more than 300,000 works of art, it will be overwhelming. Make a couple of trips and use a map if you're interested in specific paintings—the Institute is enormous and somewhat confusing to navigate. Some work, including Marc Chagall's stained-glass windows, may not be on view during construction of the museum's US$200 million Modern Wing, scheduled to open in 2009. The Garden Restaurant, located on the lower level near the Columbus Drive entrance, offers fine-dining lunches and a full bar. From late May through early fall, McKinlock Court is open for outdoor dining. The Cafe offers self-serve light lunches and snacks such as pizza and Caesar salad. Summer hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 am-4 pm, Thursday and Friday 10:30 am-9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5 pm. Regular hours: Monday-Wednesday and Friday 10:30 am-5 pm, Thursday 10:30 am-8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5 pm. US$12 adults, US$7 seniors, students and children 12 and older, free for children younger than 12. Special exhibits extra. Free on Thursday from 5 pm year-round, and free on Friday from 5 pm during the summer. Free all month in February. 111 S. Michigan Ave. (at Adams), Chicago. Phone 312-443-3600. http://www.artic.edu/aic. The mission of the Oriental Institute is to document and study the languages, history and cultures of the ancient Near East. The museum, on the University of Chicago campus, houses an impressive collection of artifacts from Egypt, Sudan, Palestine and the rest of Asia. The gift shop is considered one of the city's best. Tuesday and Thursday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Wednesday 10 am-8:30 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm. US$5 adults, US$2 children. 1155 E. 58th St., Chicago. Phone 773-702-9514. http://oi.uchicago.edu. If you really want to immerse yourself in nature, drive about an hour west of the city, where you'll find the vast (1,700 acre/690 hectare) landscaped gardens and manicured lawns of Morton Arboretum. Trees, shrubs and flowering plants are on display year-round. Both the Web site and the information line report which plants are in bloom each month. The grounds are so large, you may want to take the 30-minute or the hour-long tram ride. Daily 7 am-7 pm or sunset, whichever is earlier. US$9 adults, US$4 children ages 3-12, discounted entry on Wednesday. Tram ride (closed during winter): US$9 adults, US$8 seniors, US$6 children. 4100 Illinois Route 53 (25 mi/40 km west of Chicago at Interstate 88), Lisle. Phone 630-968-0074. http://www.mortonarb.org. This 155-acre/63-hectare nature center, originally the site of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium, is a serene oasis in an urban neighborhood. The complex includes the headquarters of the Chicago Audubon Society, an educational facility that is home to a real beehive and a 46-acre/19-hectare nature preserve featuring four native habitats—woodland, wetland, prairie and savanna—where owls, foxes, hawks, snails and countless insects can be spotted from nature paths. Among many annual festivals at the center is the popular Maple Syrup Festival held in March. Daily 10 am-4 pm. Free. 5801 N. Pulaski Road, Chicago. Phone 312-744-5472. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. | Neighborhoods & Districts | Top |
Chicago is anything but a bland cookie-cutter town. Neighborhoods around the city offer a wide range of income, culture and ethnicity. As the neighborhoods grow, they create some unlikely alliances. The trendy shops and edgy art galleries on Division Street add spice to rows of stately Victorian mansions surrounding Wicker Park. The 19th-century workers' cottages, crafted by Eastern European families of The Ukrainian Village, are maintained by young suburban couples attracted to reasonably priced real estate and funky bars.
In Pilsen, a few buildings such as St. Procopius Church and the Schoenhofen Brewery stand as reminders of the neighborhood's Czech roots. There, artists' lofts and coffee shops are pushing Latino families out of Pilsen toward Little Village. In addition to Wicker Park, The Ukrainian Village and Pilsen, the city offers tours of Devon Avenue, a Jewish, Russian, Indian and Pakistani neighborhood on the far north side with wonderful bakeries and silk shops. Also on the north side of the city is Andersonville, once settled by Swedish immigrants and now a hot spot for hip restaurants and young families. On the south side of the city is Bronzeville, an African-American community where restored gray stone mansions and blues clubs abut Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's steel-and-glass buildings of the Illinois Institute of Technology campus.
Chicago Neighboorhood Tours of these and other areas are sponsored by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and are a convenient and inexpensive way to see some of Chicago's far-flung neighborhoods. Each tour includes transportation, museum fees and a guide. Tours last two to five hours and cost US$20-$50. All tours leave from the Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph. Phone 312-742-1190. http://www.chicagoneighborhoodtours.com.
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This 385-acre/156-hectare green space is about a 45-minute drive north of the city in suburban Glencoe. Japanese and English gardens are just two of 26 specialty gardens, which also include natural Illinois prairies and one charming waterfall. More than 250 species of birds have been sighted in the gardens. Evening Island and the displays in the visitors center are especially pleasing to children. There are two very nice cafes. Daily 8 am-sunset. Free admission, but parking is US$15 per car, and tram tours are US$5 adults, US$3 children. 1000 Lake Cook Road (follow the Kennedy Expressway [Interstate 90/94] west to Edens Expressway [I-94] and U.S. Route 41), Glencoe. Phone 847-835-5440. http://www.chicago-botanic.org. One of the country's largest conservatories, the Jens Jensen-designed GPC grows more than 5,000 varieties of flora in eight exhibit houses, including the Palm House, Children's Garden and Sweet House, which shows visitors where chocolate comes from. Three outdoor gardens are in bloom May-September. The City Garden next to the Conservatory is 12 acres/5 hectares of free-flowing plantings on sculpted earth mounds, with several features such as a lily pool with a waterfall. Daily 9 am-5 pm, Thursday till 8 pm. Free (US$3 suggested donation during special exhibits). 300 N. Central Park Ave. (5 mi/8 km west of downtown), Chicago. Phone 312-746-5100. http://www.garfieldconservatory.org. A glorious city park, Grant Park is sandwiched between the cacophony of Michigan Avenue and the serenity of Lake Michigan. Be sure to see the beautiful Buckingham Fountain, which resembles the Latona Fountain at Versailles but is twice the size. The fountain operates April-early November and is lit up with a light show 9-11 pm. A full schedule of free outdoor movies and evening concerts is presented in Grant Park during the summer. Park borders are Randolph Street to the north, Roosevelt Road to the south, Lake Shore Drive to the east and Columbus Drive to the west. Phone 312-742-7529. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Lincoln Park is Chicago's vast park that runs along the lake north of North Avenue to Hollywood Avenue. It serves the more residential areas of the city. Within, you'll find Chicago's delightful zoo and the lovely Lincoln Park Conservatory. Pop in for a quick look at tropical palms, ferns, cacti and flowering plants—especially when the frigid winter weather hits the city. Since 1893, it has been home to botanic treasures from around the globe. There are seasonal flower shows throughout the year. The Conservatory is open daily 9 am-5 pm. Free. 2391 N. Stockton Drive, Chicago. Phone 312-742-7736. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Among the jewels in Chicago's crown, this 25-acre/10-hectare park is at the north end of Grant Park. There's lots to celebrate in this architecturally, technically and artistically advanced space. Millennium Park is state-of-the-art, with a high-tech music pavilion designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, two 50-ft-/16-m-high interactive fountains by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa and one of the largest sculptures in the world: the 110-ton/100-metric-ton elliptical Cloud Gate (referred to as "the bean") by famed sculptor Anish Kapoor, which reflects people, buildings, ground and sky in its mirrorlike surface. In addition, there are gardens, terraces, an underground performing-arts theater, a restaurant (open Sunday-Thursday 11 am-8:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am-9:30 pm) and a seasonal ice rink. Don't miss Gehry's serpentine BP Pedestrian Bridge that connects Millennium Park to Grant Park (the first bridge ever designed by Gehry). From it, you can get a great view of the park and Chicago's skyline. Park borders are Randolph Street to Monroe Street and Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive. Open daily 6 am-11 pm. Free admission. Free summer tours from mid-May through October. Phone 312-742-1168. http://www.millenniumpark.org. Frederick Law Olmsted, who laid out the master plan for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, insisted on creating this 16-acre/6.5-hectare island in Jackson Park as a peaceful break from the fair's festivities. Accessible by a footbridge opposite the Museum of Science and Industry, these lush grounds and wilderness are now home to as many as 250 species of birds, including millions who use it as a migratory stop each spring and fall. It's filled with native wildflowers, shrubs and wild mammals, such as muskrats and beavers. Also located there is the Osaka Japanese Garden, which often hosts cultural performances. Daily sunrise-11 pm. Free. 6401 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-742-7529. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. | Zoos & Wildlife | Top |
More than 2,000 animals live in naturalistic habitats at the Brookfield Zoo. Highlights include Tropic World, complete with daily rainstorms in the African, Asian and South American areas; the Fragile Kingdom, which contains the Fragile Desert, the Fragile Rain Forest and the Fragile Hunters; Regenstein Wolf Woods, home to endangered Mexican gray wolves; and the Seven Seas Panorama, where dolphins play. The Children's Zoo and the Hamill Family Play Zoo let children get close to their favorite furry creatures. Open daily from 10 am. Closing times vary seasonally; phone or visit the Web site for details. US$11 adults, US$7 seniors and children ages 3-11. Additional fees are charged for some exhibits, tram tour and shows. The zoo is free on Tuesday and Thursday October-February, and on weekends in January and February. Parking is US$8. 8401 31st St. (14 mi/23 km west of downtown), Brookfield. Phone 708-485-0263. Toll-free 800-201-0784. http://www.brookfieldzoo.org. The Shedd, which we highly recommend, houses more than 8,000 freshwater and saltwater aquatic animals. Its lakefront Oceanarium is considered the world's largest indoor marine-mammal pavilion. Be sure to check out Wild Reef, which is home to one of the most diverse shark exhibits in North America; also see the whale and dolphin show (four times on weekdays and five on weekends) or watch divers feed the fish at the Caribbean Reef Exhibit (six times daily). The Amazon exhibit lets visitors follow the yearly life cycles of piranhas, birds, sloths, caimans and other animals. Note: The Oceanarium will undergo a major renovation beginning September 2008 and lasting through spring 2009. During this time, the marine mammals will be removed from the aquarium and there will be no whale and dolphin shows. The other exhibits and shows will not be affected. In summer, daily 9 am-6 pm (till 10 pm Thursday); in winter, Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am-6 pm. Admission to all exhibits is US$23 adults, US$16 children ages 3-11. Aquarium only is US$8 adults, US$6 children. Additional admission charge for 4-D special FX theater presentations. Free and discount days are offered occasionally. Phone or check the Web site for details. 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive (at Roosevelt Road), Chicago. Phone 312-939-2438. http://www.sheddaquarium.org. Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the nation's oldest zoos and one of the few that does not charge admission. It keeps the educational adventure fresh with immersive exhibits, including the Regenstein Center for African Apes, featuring indoor, outdoor and overhead habitats for its primates. The Regenstein African Journey wanders the continent from pygmy hippo pools to klipspringer ledges and giraffe savannahs. The Pritzker Family Children's Zoo is designed to make kids feel as if they are at home in the woods. They can walk through tunnels, explore the Treetop Canopy Climbing Adventure and learn about the lives of animals such as wolves, beavers and otters. Kids also love choosing an animal to ride on the Endangered Species Carousel. The adjacent Farm-in-the-Zoo features barnyard critters and frequent cow-milking and butter-churning demonstrations. There are lots of special exhibits and activities throughout the year, such as family pajama parties, breakfast with the animals and educational programs. Grounds open daily 9 am-6 pm, summer until 7 pm, November-March until 5 pm; buildings open 10 am-5 pm, summer until 6:30 pm, November-March until 4:30 pm. Free. Parking is US$14-$24. 2200 N. Cannon Drive (in Lincoln Park), Chicago. Phone 312-742-2000. http://www.lpzoo.org. | Other Options | Top |
This prestigious campus in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood is full of interesting sights and Nobel Prize winners. Its modern buildings were designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, I.W. Colburn and others—all in stark contrast to the university's older Gothic buildings. Also on campus are Henry Moore's sculpture Nuclear Energy, a tribute to the first controlled nuclear chain reaction of the Manhattan Project in 1942; Robie House, a prime example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture; The Fountain of Time, a sculpture and fountain by artist Lorado Taft; the Oriental Institute Museum; and the magnificent Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, designed by Bertram Goodhue. The Robie House is open while undergoing a multiphase restoration, with tours offered daily at 11 am and 1 and 3 pm. Tickets are US$12 adults, US$10 seniors and children ages 7-18. 5757 S. Woodlawn Ave. Phone 708-848-1976. http://www.wrightplus.org. Located south of downtown, the campus is bordered by Cottage Grove and Stony Island avenues and 55th and 61st streets, Chicago. Phone 773-702-1234. http://www.uchicago.edu. Chicagoans head to the parks, golf courses and beaches as often as they can. Runners, cyclists and in-line skaters make use of the extensive trails along the city's lovely shoreline. One popular sport you may encounter that's seldom played outside the Chicago area is 16-in/40-cm softball. Join a pickup game (no glove needed) and you may never go back to the 12-in/30-cm game. Come summer, there's almost always a volleyball game at North Avenue Beach, where you'll also find restaurants and an outdoor workout gym. Chicago boasts 15 mi/24 km of bathing beaches, drawing city dwellers and visitors in flocks each summer. Oak Street Beach is good for sunbathing and people-watching, and North Avenue Beach is good for families, volleyball or an outdoor workout. You can also take a cruise on the lake or on the Chicago River through downtown.
This beach is amenity-packed, including beach volleyball courts, an outdoor gym and a boathouse with a restaurant, changing rooms, showers, chair-rental facilities and snack stands. 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Phone 312-742-7529. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. At the foot of the upscale shopper's Oak Street, this is the place for buffed bodies to see and be seen. 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Phone 312-742-5121. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Chicago is an increasingly bike-friendly city, with more than 100 mi/160 km of bike lanes that run along streets. Bike Chicago is an entire summer (May-September) dedicated to cycling activities. There is a nice bike path that runs 18 mi/29 km along the lakefront (the Lakefront Path), but you'll share it with runners, walkers, in-line skaters, etc. It's mostly good for a slow, scenic ride, although in early morning and early evening it moves much faster. You could pick up the North Branch Bicycle Trail on Peterson Avenue at the city's north edge and ride through 20 mi/32 km of Cook County Forest Preserve. If you ride on the streets designated as bike lanes, be aware that you'll be riding through an urban jungle, complete with lumbering CTA buses.
Bikes for rent during the spring, summer and fall. Tandems, kids' bikes, baby seats and in-line skates are also available. Tours are offered three times daily; US$30 for adults including bike rental, US$15 for kids. Five locations throughout the city. Hours vary by location. Bike-only rates start at US$8.75 per hour or US$35 for a day. 600 Grand Ave. (at Navy Pier), Chicago. Phone 312-595-9600. http://www.bikechicago.com. Founded by an Arkansas native who educated himself on the ins and outs of Chicago, this tour company offers both day and night rides for all ages and fitness levels. Covering different landmarks and locations, the three-hour tours include bikes, guides and helmets. Child bikes and seats are available. Bike rentals start at US$25 for a half day, US$55 for a full day. Tours range US$25-$35 adults. Tours meet at the Historic Water Tower, 806 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-933-2980. http://www.bobbysbikehike.com. Welcomes nonmembers to join free social rides leaving from Lincoln Park, mornings April-October. Tours range 15 mi-100 mi/24 km-161 km. Four courses of sand, woods and water to test the accomplished player and encourage the beginner. Try to get on famed Dubsdread No. 4 (home of the Western Open). The privately owned (but open to the public) courses were designed by Joe Lee and Dick Wilson. Reservations and prepayment required 90 days prior to tee time for Dubsdread No. 4 and six days in advance for other courses. Both courses No. 1 and No. 3 are open year-round; the other two are open April-November. Daily dawn-dusk. Greens fees start at US$12 (US$32 extra for cart rental) and rise to US$138 for Dubsdread No. 4 (including cart). 12294 Archer Ave. (an hour's drive southwest of the city), Lemont. Phone 630-264-4455. http://www.coghillgolf.com. Willow Crest is one of the finest 18-hole championship courses in the Midwest. It sits on a 150-acre/60-hectare estate associated with the Oak Brook Hills Hotel and Resort. Daily 6 am-sunset. Greens fees US$40 and up. 3500 Midwest Road (about a half-hour west of Chicago), Oak Brook. Phone 630-850-5530. http://www.willowcrestgolf.com. Dick Nugent designed this 18-hole course. Tee times taken as early as 60 days in advance by phone and 30 days in advance online. Open March-November from dawn to dusk. Greens fees range US$39-$99 depending on the season. Includes cart with Global Positioning System. 1 Mulligan Drive (an hour's drive southwest of the city), Woodridge. Phone 630-964-7777. http://www.sevenbridges.com. This Chicago Park District-run course hugs the lakeshore and the Lakefront Path. The most challenging of the Park District courses (there are six altogether), the tight greens on this par-36, nine-hole course make for the perfect urban golf outing. The course can get congested on weekends, so take advantage of the 14-day advance booking. Greens fees US$19.75-$22.75. 3600 N. Recreation Drive (at Irving Park Road), Chicago. Phone 312-245-0909. http://www.cpdgolf.com. This 18-hole, par-42 putting course located downtown features spectacular skyline and lakeside views and a patio restaurant. May-October daily 10 am-10 pm. US$9 includes putter and golf balls. 122 S. Michigan Ave. (north of Monroe between Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive), Chicago. Phone 312-642-7888. http://www.thegreenonline.com. | Hiking & Walking | Top |
The Lakefront Path, which stretches along Lake Michigan from 71st Avenue to Bryn Mawr Avenue, is the best place for a run, though it can get crowded, and you may have to contend with strong winds. It's especially nice at sunrise. Any major city park is an adequate second choice, with Lincoln Park providing perhaps the best setting. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park offers public ice skating mid-November to mid-March, weather permitting. Skate rentals available. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday 10 am-8 pm, Monday, Friday and Sunday 10 am-10 pm. 55 N. Michigan Ave. Phone 312-742-5222. http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. At night, Chicago sizzles, from legendary blues and jazz venues to famous comedy clubs to hopping nightclubs. The Loop becomes fairly quiet after curtains fall on its many theaters. Then most barhoppers move north to clubs along Rush Street or to a cluster of busy taverns around the intersection of State and Division. There's a more upscale scene in the West Loop warehouse district, and plenty of laid-back neighborhood joints in Andersonville, Bucktown, Lincoln Square, Southport, Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park. Lincoln Park and Old Town are popular with the yuppie set, and Lakeview draws hundreds of recent Big Ten grads, as well as a large following to the gay bars along Halsted Street. Sports bars cluster around Wrigley Field, and they fill up quickly after a Cubs game (win or lose, Cubs fans always like to hoist a few). But no matter where you go in Chicago, you're certain to find a corner bar with plenty of locals talking about Chicago sports.
Last call is usually 2 am, though some bars have liquor licenses until 4 am, notably many on Division Street. Every bar gets an extra hour on Saturday night, pushing closing time to 3 or 5 am, respectively. The Smoke Free Illinois Act prohibits smoking in public places, including nightclubs and bars. | Bars, Taverns & Pubs | Top |
Named for its late Irish-American owner, Butch McGuire's claims to be the nation's first singles bar. It's not as much of a meat market anymore, but it remains popular and is something of a landmark in this part of the city. The bar is always decorated with odd trinkets, but at Christmastime this place goes completely overboard, and even tourists go to have a look at the mobiles, lights and trains running around the bar. Sunday-Friday from 11 am, Saturday from 9 am. Most major credit cards. 20 W. Division St. (at State Street), Chicago. Phone 312-337-9080. http://www.butchmcguires.com. Kitty-corner from home plate at Wrigley Field, the Cubby Bear becomes predictably packed before, during and after Cubs games. There are three levels to handle the overflow, however. Most nights there's also live rock 'n' roll, which means you'll pay a cover. Monday-Friday from 4 pm (10 am when there's a Cubs home game), Saturday and Sunday from 11 am. Cover US$3-$17.50 when there is entertainment. Most major credit cards. 1059 W. Addison St. (at Clark Street), Chicago. Phone 773-327-1662. http://www.cubbybear.com. A neighborhood bar for the sophisticated crowd, ESL, as the locals call it, distances itself from the rowdies on Division Street with champagne cocktails and video art. Expect a young crowd, bar food and an eclectic selection on the sound system. Wednesday-Saturday from 8 pm. Closed Sunday-Tuesday. Most major credit cards. 12 W. Elm St., Chicago. Phone 312-337-3200. http://www.elmstreetliquors.com. Located directly behind the Wrigley Field bleachers, Murphy's is a great (if crowded) place to drink a couple of Old Styles after a Cubs game or catch an away game on TV. There's a huge outdoor area and a second floor with its own bar for when the place gets too crowded. Daily from 11 am. Most major credit cards. 3655 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. Phone 773-281-5356. http://www.murphysbleachers.com. This Chicago institution has been filling mugs since the 1950s. It's a down-to-earth old pub crowded with antiques and arty, aging regulars from the neighborhood. There are no pretensions, just a good jukebox and a paperback book exchange near the back. Located near the Second City and Zanies comedy clubs. It's a good place for a beer and conversation after the shows. Daily from noon. Cash only. 219 W. North Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-944-7020. http://www.oldtownalehouse.net. Upstairs from the Signature Room (the semiformal restaurant on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center) is the Signature Lounge, a great place for a cocktail and live jazz. Drinks are overpriced, compensated for by spectacular views of the skyline, Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile. Expect to jockey for the best seat by one of the windows no matter what the hour. Daily from 11 am. Most major credit cards. 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-787-9596. http://www.signaturelounge.com. There's actually no motel there, but this lounge does a good impression of a 1960's vintage lobby bar, albeit with a greater style and panache. It attracts a well-heeled professional crowd looking for a place to spend the night mingling and meeting or just cozying up with friends. A mix of R&B, hip-hop and pop serve as background music. Cushy brown leather sofas and curtained high-backed, half-moon booths offer plenty of seating for sipping retro drinks such as Rob Roys and Pink Ladys. The "room service" menu offers comfort food such as macaroni and cheese, tomato soup and club sandwiches. Monday-Friday from 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 6 pm. Most major credit cards. 600 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-822-2900. http://www.themotelbar.com. At the west end of the popular Randolph Street strip of restaurants, this wine bar is a destination in itself, serving cheese flights (three cheeses grouped by country of origin, accompanied by accoutrements), thin-crust pizzas, tasting plates (which are like antipasto) and other small dishes. The big draw, though, is the list of wines: more than 100 by the glass or bottle and several hundred more on the reserve bottle list. People enjoy the comfortable seating with cushy sofas and chairs, a relaxed attitude and a chic location. Monday-Saturday for dinner and late-night. Most major credit cards. 1415 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Phone 312-942-1313. http://www.tlcwine.com. | Comedy Clubs | Top |
Chicago is an improv mecca. Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Vince Vaughn, Amy Poehler, Andy Dick and a long list of others are all I.O. alumni. Many shows are improvised, others are prepared skits, so you never know what you'll see. Call for show times. Admission US$5-$14. 3541 N. Clark St., Chicago. Phone 773-880-0199. http://www.iochicago.net. This famous improv-comedy theater launched the careers of dozens of performers, including Steve Carrell, Bill Murray, John and Jim Belushi, Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Oscar-winner Alan Arkin and Stephen Colbert. Current-events-themed shows are loosely scripted, calling for audience suggestions, which the cast uses to craft the skits. A Best of Second City show Monday at 8 pm (US$14) and Saturday at 4 pm (US$19) plays highlights but does not feature the regular cast. Full bar. Show times Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 8 and 11 pm, Sunday 7 pm. Saturday shows often sell out, so call ahead. Tickets Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday US$19, Friday and Saturday US$25. Stay for free improvisation after the last show every night except Friday. Most major credit cards. 1616 N. Wells (at North Avenue), Chicago. Phone 312-337-3992. http://www.secondcity.com. An extension of Second City. Full bar. Shows Thursday-Sunday at the same times and prices as the main stage. Most major credit cards. 1608 N. Wells (next to Second City), Chicago. Phone 312-337-3992. http://www.secondcity.com. Chicago's first and oldest stand-up comedy club has been in business since 1978, offering A-list acts. Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Brett Butler, Tim Allen, Richard Lewis and Emo Phillips started there. Must be 21 or older to enter. Show times Monday-Thursday and Sunday 8:30 pm, Friday 8:30 and 10:30 pm, Saturday 7, 9 and 11:15 pm. Reservations required for Saturday and special events. US$20-$25 (more for special events). Two-drink or two-food-item minimum (US$4-$8 per beverage). MasterCard and Visa. 1548 N. Wells St. (just south of North Avenue), Chicago. Phone 312-337-4027. http://www.chicago.zanies.com. | Dance & Nightclubs | Top |
This dance club features organic drinks, including spirits, wine and juices. DJs play house, hip-hop and soul music for a young crowd. Wednesday-Saturday from 10 pm. 722 W. Grand Ave., Chicago. Phone 312-666-1695. http://www.butterflysocialclub.com. Catering to the twentysomething crowd of clubgoers, the Funky Buddha, with its Eastern ambience and ultrafunky DJs, has been v | | |