DK Travel : Chicago

Big-city sophistication combined with small-town hospitality create the perfect blend in this, the Mid west’s largest city. Chicago’s influential architecture, cuisine for every budget and taste, great shopping, diverse ethnic neighborhoods, and outstanding museums are reason enough for a visit. And the icing on the cake? The city boasts a lakefront and park system that are as beautiful as they are recreational.

1983: Harold Washington elected Mayor

Chicago’s first African-American Mayor, Washington tragically died of a heart attack shortly into his second term. His accomplishments included the expansion of O’Hare International Airport and the creation of a new central library (see Harold Washington Library Center).
2nd Hand Tunes

In this long, narrow, cement-block store, rows of LPs, 45s, and CDs attract local music lovers and club DJs for the outstanding collection of soul, jazz, and indie rock.
333 W. Wacker Drive

The graceful curve of this triangular, tinted-glass office building (1983) hugs the Chicago River. The water, together with the changing light and clouds create dynamic reflections: the green and silver lobby continues the shimmering show.
57th Street Books

This basement-level shop carries new fiction, children’s books, and African-American interest titles. Low ceilings, brick walls, and a painted cement floor all create a cozy atmosphere, conducive to browsing.
860–80 N. Lakeshore Drive

You might think these two highrise apartment buildings (1949–51) look like many others along this tony strip. Actually, the others look like these. German architect Mies van der Rohe perfected the “less is more” approach which so many other architects went on to copy.
A Day in The Loop

Morning

Start early with breakfast at the charming Atwood Café in the lobby of the historic Hotel Burnham , with its beautifully reconstructed interior. Then stroll a block west to Daley Plaza to see the giant unnamed Picasso sculpture, stopping off at the Hot Tix booth at 78 W Randolph Street, to get half-price, same-day tickets to a Loop theater performance. Continue along Michigan Avenue, past the Chicago Cultural Center , and south to The Art Institute of Chicago. A whirlwind tour of the highlights (see Collections), all conveniently located on the upper level, can be done in a couple of hours, though you may want to come back for a second helping.

Afternoon

Either have lunch in The Art Institute’s outdoor café or head west along State Street to eat at Marshall Field’s legendary seventh-floor Walnut Room, a Chicago fixture since 1907. Then burn off the calories by shopping your way around the vast store and along the famous street that it’s situated on. For pre-theater dining, try the sophisticated Rhapsody , convenient for the Symphony Center Or, on week-days, try the all-you-can eat buffet at Trattoria No. 10 .

Evening

After the show, hop a quick cab ride to stylish Nine for a cocktail or some dancing late into the night in the slick second-floor Ghost Bar.
A Day in the Near North

Morning

Line up early with the locals for a fortifying stack at The Original Pancake House (22 E. Bellevue Pl.). Afterward, stroll south on Rush Street to Oak Street. Take a left and walk the most exclusive shopping block in the city, where you can pop into stores such as Barneys New York. Once you hit Michigan Avenue, it’s a short jaunt to the John Hancock Center and its sky-high views. Back on terra firma, cross the street to the Historic Water Tower for a closeup look at a piece of Chicago’s history. Lovers of modern art should cross Michigan again and head to the Museum of Contemporary Art with its spacious galleries and sculpture garden.

Afternoon

Everyone will get what they want for lunch at Foodlife, a gourmet food court on the second level of the mall in Water Tower Place . You can shop the seven floors of Chicago’s first ever vertical mall, and then shop some more – and sightsee – along the Magnificent Mile . If you’ve worked up an appetite, stroll over to the The Drake for high tea, which serves until 5pm.

Evening

Alternatively, NoMI in the Park Hyatt Chicago serves stylish contemporary fare (reservations needed), as befits the neighborhood. Or just join the smart set over cocktails at the Bar at the Peninsula Chicago .
Ada’s Famous Deli

Walk right in for generous portions of deli favorites such as matzo ball soup and stuffed cabbage.
Adler Planetarium

This, the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, completes the Museum Campus trio. Visit its numerous galleries to walk among the stars, explore the worlds that orbit the Sun, and be enlightened by 1,000 years of astronomical discovery. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch the Sky Theater show, which is projected on the 68-ft (21-m) dome of the historic Zeiss planetarium. The virtual reality events in the StarRider Theater are also awe-inspiring, launching you into the outer reaches of space and even give you the chance to interact with the show via a panel in the armrest.
Al Capone

America’s best-known mobster (1899–1947) was Chicago’s “Public Enemy Number One” until jailed in 1931 for tax evasion.

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