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.

Millennium & Grant parks

The modern Millennium Park (see Millennium & Grant parks) is Chicago's superb new adaptation of its “front yard”. The park is home to a dynamic Frank Gehry-designed music pavilion and pedestrian bridge, and a vast sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. It also boasts lush gardens, restaurants, a winter ice rink, peristyle, and an interactive fountain by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. The adjoining Grant Park (see Millennium & Grant parks) hosts many summer festivals including the Taste of Chicago (see Festivals & Events). It is also home to Museum Campus (see South Loop), the Art Institute of Chicago (see The Art Institute of Chicago), and the ornate 1927 Buckingham Fountain.
Millennium Knickerbocker

This hotel, once owned by Playboy Magazine, has hosted guests as famous as John Kennedy and Al Capone. Its 1930s lobby hosts the Martini Bar, and the guest rooms exude a timeless elegance.
Mirai Sushi

This hip, two-story eaterie carves some of the city’s best Japanese sushi. Options include the usual suspects such as tuna and salmon but for the most creative fare sit at the sushi bar, make a special request, and put yourself in the chef’s hands. An upstairs lounge serves up sake martinis.
Monadnock Building

At 16 stories, this Holabird and Roche designed building (1891) is one of the world’s tallest all-masonry high-rises. Inside, there’s a magnificent wrought-iron staircase.
Monadnock Building

Constructed in two stages, this Loop edifice represents the evolution of skyscraper architecture. The northern half was built in 1891 using solely wall- bearing construction, while the southern half was built two years later and incorporated the then emerging steel-frame technology that is still used today.
Montrose Beach

Stretching nearly to Wilson Avenue, Montrose is spacious where downtown beaches are jammed. Convenient for swimmers, this North Side spot includes a changing house and shower facilities. The vast playing fields wedged between the sand and Lake Shore Drive are the domain of Hispanic soccer clubs: on weekends their numbers draw Latin food and balloon vendors. Look for kayak rentals that launch here in summer.
Mr. Ricky’s Note

A smartly dressed, urban professional crowd steps out here for old school R&B.
Museum of Broadcast Communications

Dedicated to the culture and history of news and entertainment media, this museum archives over 70,000 radio and television programs and commercials. In addition to watching and hearing vintage tapes, visitors can anchor their own newscast and read from a teleprompter.
Museum of Contemporary Art

One of the country’s largest collections of international contemporary art, the MCA displays over 6,000 objects, from painting and sculpture to photography and video installations. Trendy Spago chef Wolfgang Puck runs the airy café, which draws both museum-goers and Mag Mile shoppers alike. In summer, the terraced sculpture garden enhances the MCA experience, while the front lawn often plays host to displays of performance art.
Museum of Contemporary Photography

Run by and located in Columbia College Chicago, this museum is one of a kind in the Midwest. It exhibits the portfolios of international modern masters, with shows (including student shows) tending toward the experimental rather than the traditional documentary. Changing exhibitions also present a healthy mixture of local talents and well-established ones, such as Gary Winogrand and William Eggleston. Frequent gallery talks give curators and artists the chance to discuss the shows with museum-goers.

Jump to top

Restaurant price categories

Price categories include a three-course meal for one, a glass of house wine, tax, and a 15–20%% tip.
- under $20
- $20–30
- $30–45
- $45–60
- over $60
Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
- under $100
- $100–200
- $200–300
- $300–400
- over $400