An American icon, legendary Chicago is the heartland’s biggest and most exciting city. This Midwest metropolis boasts more graceful curves and interesting architecture than most countries. Lake Michigan’s cool waters make for a perfect backdrop to the place they call the “Windy City,” the chill North wind only tempered by the warm people who call this place home.
Chicago is not only a stone and steel icon of American enginuity, but also an artistic and cultural treasury of immense value. From the Art Institute of Chicago, to the open-air cafes and bars Chicagoans relax at in Millennium Park, it’s safe to say there’s no place like this on Earth. Trendy shopping extravaganzas on Michigan Avenue, to watching the Cubs play baseball at Wrigley Field, visitors are always amazed at the sheer size of this metropolis, as well as the depth of things to see and do.
You’ve probably heard of the Bears and Soldier Field, Navy Pier, shopping the so called Magnificent Mile, the Chicago Theatre, and many other landmarks. They’re all here, some reverberating with echoes of famous names like Al Capone, Richard J. Daley, Oprah, Senator Stephen Douglas, NBA great Michael Jordan even, so many famous people have called Chicago home. Like sister cities New York and LA, Chicago is almost too full of names, places, and history to describe.
Nighttime Is the Right Time in Chicago
Maybe it’s the cold Winters, maybe Chicago’s love affair with the Blues just blew in from Canada, whatever the reason, the city is packed with soulful places to enjoy the genre. From Lincoln Park to the downtown theater district, the streets of Chicago reverberate from legendary venues like; the Benny Goodman Theater, Kingston Mines in Lincoln Park, and many, many more. Plays and dance productions, every kind of entertainment you can think of, Chicago offers the best there is to the locals and visitors.
For gourmet gastronomical delights, or just down home BBQ platters, there is also a wealth of dining choices, as you would expect. There’s more than an average share of ritzy bars and nightclubs on tap for tourists too, not to mention the local corner pubs and taverns. Lest anyone forget though, Chicago and Chicagoans are as famous for pizza as they are for Michelin Star gourmet digs. If you only come to Chicago for one day, you have to sit down at a local pizzeria like Giordano’s or Gino’s.
The Apollo and Chicago Theaters, and the Allstate Arena present some of Chicago’s best performances. Meanwhile, dancing the night away is carried off at Berlin, Nacional 27, Vision, and ten dozen other trendy discos and VIP clubs about town. Speakeasy, Salsa club, rave, disco, ballroom dancing, everything from Country & Western to metallica is represented well under Chicago’s lights.
Society & Culture
Finally, no description of Chicago could be even close to complete without mentioning the wealth of cultural, historical, and scenic attractions in the city. Starting at the Museum Campus, those interested in museums and educational attractions can enjoy such wonders as; the Field Museum of Natural History, he Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, and of course Lincoln Park.
For refined (or just hilarious) artistic performances, be sure and check out; Chicago's Old Town, The Annoyance Theater, I.O., and The Playground, just to name a few. But like we said, there’s just too much to Chicago to list, too much to talk about, visiting is the only way to take most of it in. Architectural highlights, or the friendly smile of a hot dog vender, Chicago is both a wonder and a mystery waiting to be unraveled. It is, in fact, something different to each individual. Come to Chicago to discover what she means to you.
Main attractions: The Chicago Theatre, Lincoln Park, The Magnificent Mile , Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Wrigley Field , Lake Shore Drive , Central Park, the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, Willis Tower, Trump International Hotel and Tower, and many more.
Currency: US Dollar ($)
Official language: English
Area: 10,874 sq mi (28,163.5 km2)
Population: 9,461,105
Electricity:
- Voltage: 110-120 Volts (Most other areas are 220-240 Volts)
- Primary Socket Type: North American Grounded
- Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.)
- 220-240V appliances: Plug adapter + step-up transformer
- 100V Japanese appliances: Japan to U.S. reducer transformer
Other places to see & things to do: Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium, Northerly Island , John Hancock Center, Wacker Drive , Daley Plaza, and many more.
Images courtesy: Trey - Fotolia.com, Wikipedia.
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