Nickname is the ‘Windy City’; Chicago is one of the world’s top cities. During the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 most of the city was destroyed, but today there are more than 50 languages spoken in Chicago, which makes it one of the most multi-cultural cities in North America. Also, Chicago has grown to be one of the largest cities in the U.S. and a main hub for business and transport in the Midwest. It was the birthplace of the ‘skyscraper’ and the views from the Sears Tower and John Hancock Centre are something you don’t want to miss, as the views over Lake Michigan are breathtaking.
If you are a lover of the arts, then you’ll love Chicago. The majority of the best art galleries in Chicago are located on the Magnificent Mile or at River North. This includes the 2nd biggest art gallery in the United States, called the Art Institute of Chicago. Some of the art pieces here date back 5,000 years and there are works from Andy Warhol and Rene Magritte, just a name a couple. If you like more information on art exhibits in Chicago go to www.chicagogallerynews.com
The one things that Chicago is known for is their passion for sport. They have teams that compete in all the professional sports in the US and one game day the city comes alive, as those fans show their passion for their team.
Chicago is famous for being one of the biggest hubs in the United States for planes, roads, railroads and canals. The hub became famous during the prohibition days of the 1920s, when gangster Al Capone used the hub to bring in alcohol from Canada and distribute it across the mid-west of the US. The cities transportation is one of the best in the country, as the area known as the ‘Loop’, where the raised metropolitan railway (known as the ‘El' or ‘L') circles the central Downtown business and shopping district, making it easy for people to get around this beautiful city. For more information on things to do and see in Chicago below is a list of things we have put together.
Sears Tower (Willis Tower)
The Sears Tower was completed in 1973 and at the time it was the tallest building in the world standing having 110-floors and standing at 1454 ft (443m) high. In 2003, the Sears naming rights expired and in 2009 a London-based insurance broker called Willis Group Holdings Lld., obtained the buildings naming rights and it was officially renamed to the Willis Tower.
Today, the Willis Tower is the tallest building in the United States and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The Tower attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year and the highlight of the Tower is the views from the Skydeck on the 103rd floor. From here you’ll be able to see Chicago’s skyline, as well as on a clear day Michigan, Wisconsin and even Indiana, which is over 80km away. The Skydeck also has interactive multimedia displays, which showcases Chicago’s history, sport and music. For more information on the Sears Tower or the Skydeck go to www.sears-tower.com or www.theskydeck.com
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks were founded in 1926 and they play in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were one of the original six NHL teams, along with Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadians, New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The team went through a tough patch without a championship, but they had a talented team in 2009, which saw them win their 4th Stanley Cup, which ended a drought that was one of the longest in professional sports history. The city is passionate about their hockey and if you are in Chicago between October to June, be sure to see if you can get tickets to a game. They play all their home games at the United Center. For more information on the Chicago Blackhawks go to http://blackhawks.nhl.com
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls was founded in 1966 and they are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the 1990s the team was led by the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Coach Phil Jackson and they along with a supportive cast help secure one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. They won six NBA Championships in 8 years, which included two three-peat.
The Chicago Bulls of today don’t have Jordan and company, but they are an exciting team that play at the United Centre. If you are in Chicago during the NBA season or if the Bulls are in the playoffs, try to get to a game, as it’s a fast and exciting sport to watch. For more information on the Chicago Bulls go to http://www.nba.com/bulls
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional football team that plays in the National Football League (NFL). They have won eight NFL Championships and also Super Bowl XX. They Bears play at Soldier Field, so if you are in Chicago during the NFL schedule and they are playing at home, be sure to try and get some tickets, as it’s a fast pasted game with electric fan support that will keep you entertained. For more information on the Chicago Bears go to http://www.chicagobears.com/index.html
Baseball in Chicago
Chicago has two professional baseball teams that play in Major League Ball (MLB) and the rivalry is fierce between the two. Picking your team usually depends which side of the city you come from. The Chicago Cubs play in the National League and the White Sox play in the American league, so unfortunately, they don’t play that often against one another.
The Chicago Cubs have one of the most recognizable stadiums in Wrigley Field, with its grass outfield fence, but unfortunately the Cubs haven’t won to many titles. The other team in the city is the Chicago White Sox, they have a proud history as well, but like the Cubs they aren’t the most successful club. Both teams are very exciting and put a great team out every year.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball’s National League. The Cubs are often called ‘The North Siders’ because they have been playing at Wrigley Field since 1916 and it’s located in the city’s north side of the city. Wrigley Field has grass outfield fence, which has become famous like the Fenway in Boston, which has the ‘Green Monster’. The Chicago Cubs have a record that they probably don’t want. The franchise has not won a championship since 1908, which is the longest streak in between championships of any North American professional sports team. For more information on the Chicago Cubs go to http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. The Chicago White Sox was established as a major league baseball club in 1901. The club was originally called the Chicago White Stockings, after the nickname abandoned by the Cubs, and the name was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. At this time, the White Sox played their home games at South Side Park this brought the nickname ‘the South Siders’, which suits because the Cubs are the ‘North Siders’. In 1910, the team moved into historic Comiskey Park and in 1991 they have moved to their current home at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox last won the World Series in 2005 when they played the Houston Astros and swept them in four games. If you are in town during baseball season be sure to go check out a game. For more information on the Chicago White Sox go to http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com
Millennium Park
The Millennium Park is one of the city’s newest and most popular attractions. It’s a 25 acre recreational park for music and exceptional art and architecture. The park features Frank Gehry's BP Bridge and the towering stainless steel ribbons of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion - an outdoor concert venue. There is also is also Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Gate" sculpture (nicknamed "The Bean") that reflects the city skyline and visitors' faces.
Entry to the park is free and we recommend you download the MP3 audio from the website and listen to it while you walk around. If you can’t download it off the website you can rent it from the Chicago Shop in the Northeast Exelon Pavilion. For more information on the Millennium Park go to www.millenniumpark.org
The Magnificent Mile
This is the main street in the city and is sometimes referred to as ‘The Mag Mile’. It’s a portion of Michigan Avenue, which extends from Chicago River to Oak Street and is close to Rush Street, which is where you will find a lot of the cities nightlife. The Magnificent Mile is known for having great shopping, hotels and good restaurants. The Magnificent Mile is one the best avenues in the world and it shouldn’t be missed. For more information go to www.themagnificentmile.com
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago has one of the world’s most notable collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. With collections that are over 5,000 years old and art that come from Ancient American, African and modern American that dates back to the 17th century.
The museum is associated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at one million square feet; it is the second largest art museum in the United States behind only the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. For more information on the Art Instiute of Chicago go to www.artic.edu/aic
John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Centre is a 100-story skyscraper that when it was built in 1968 was the tallest building in the world. Today, it’s the fourth tallest building in Chicago and the sixth-tallest in the United States. The John Hancock Center isn’t as tall as the Sears Tower, but the views from its 360 degree observation gallery on the 94th floor isn’t as busy as the Sears Tower and the views are just as good. After taking some pictures from the observation gallery go up to the 95th floor and have a drink in the popular Signature Room. Also, on the 44th floor you will find America’s highest indoor swimming pool. For more information on the John Hancock Centre go to www.hancock-observatory.com
Field Museum
The Field Museum of Natural History is a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago. The museum collections contain over 21 million specimens, of which only a small portion are ever on display.
Its home to a 65-million year-old ‘Sue’ the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus currently known and ever discovered. If you like dinosaurs you will like Dinosaur Hall, which has real and replica skeletons of many different dinosaurs.
Inside the Africa exhibit you will find two prized African elephants and the infamous Lions of Tsavo. There are many other areas to check out the other area we recommend is Inside Ancient Egypt, where you will 23 real mummies in a recreated burial chamber. For more information on the Field Museum go to www.fieldmuseum.org
John G Shedd Aquarium
The John G. Shedd Aquarium is an indoor public aquarium that contains over 25,000 fish, and was for some time the largest indoor aquarium in the world with over 20 million litres of water. The Shedd Aquarium was also the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection. With over 2 million visitors per year and it’s received many international award, so it’s an Aquarium you don’t want to miss. For more information on John G. Shedd Aquarium go to www.sheddaquarium.org
Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Chicago. The Museum has a working coal mine, the largest science museum in the western hemisphere, a German submarine (U-505) captured during World War II, a 3,500-square-foot model railroad, the first diesel-powered streamlined stainless-steel passenger train (Pioneer Zephyr), and a NASA spacecraft used on the Apollo 8 mission. This is a fantastic museum and if you are in Chicago it’s a must for any visitor. For more information on the Museum of Science and Industry go to www.msichicago.org
Chicago’s Harbours and Beaches
In summer, Chicago is one of the best cities in the world to be. If you like relaxing near the water then you have found the right city. The Burnham, Montrose and Monroe harbours are popular with those people looking for some great restaurants, shops and excellent yacht clubs.
If you want to sit on the beach and sunbath, then head to Oak Street Beach or Lincoln Park, where people watching is a must. For more information on Chicago’s Harbours and Beaches go to www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
