DK Travel : Chicago : Places of interest

Page
1
2
3
4
5

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.
Andersonville

Amid a mix of Middle-Eastern and Asian cultures, the late-19th-century Swedish heritage here still makes its presence felt with billowing yellow and blue flags, Swedish bakeries and shops, and the Swedish-American Museum (see Swedish–American Museum Center). Adding to the minority mix is an increasing gay population – more laid-back than Boys Town (see Boys Town) – evident in a number of trendy, gay-owned restaurants.
Armitage/Halsted Shopping District

This area of unique boutiques is a boon for fashionistas. Dozens of shops here sell everything from sophisticated evening wear to high-end accessories: many of the stores occupy renovated Victorian town homes, set along pretty tree-lined streets.
Avondale

In the early 20th century, menial jobs at Avondale’s local factories and brickyards attracted many hard-working Polish immigrants. Today, the area also has many Hispanics, but it’s still known as Little Warsaw because Chicago holds the largest concentration of Poles outside the Polish capital. Milwaukee Avenue and the neighboring streets also abound with bakeries, bookstores, delis, and a Polish Museum.
Blues Heaven Foundation

Located in the former studios of Chess Records, where blues greats from Muddy Waters to Willie Dixon once recorded, Blues Heaven has an interesting collection of records, photos, and stage costumes dedicated to Chicago’s blues style and its performers. Chess music plays on the PA, and there are occasional live performances. Rock aficionados will note the address is the namesake of a Rolling Stones song.
Boys Town

Strolling down North Halsted Street, it’s fairly evident you’re in Chicago’s gay neighborhood when you hit shops called Gay Mart, Cupid’s Treasures, and a club named Manhole. Just 30 years ago, this area – officially East Lakeview – was pretty shabby, the bars were without signs, and parking was a cinch. But now buzzing Boys Town is gay central – by day and by night.
Bridgeport

First called Hardscrabble, this South Side neighborhood is one of the city’s oldest, being settled in the 1830s by Irish laborers who came to help build the Illinois-Michigan Canal. Bridgeport still has a mostly Irish population, and has bred five Chicago mayors, including Richard J. Daley (see Richard J. Daley) and his son, Richard M. Daley. The area centerpiece is US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park), home ground of the Chicago White Sox (see Chicago White Sox).
Chicago Children’s Museum

The engrossing, imaginative exhibits here emphasize doing – be it digging up a dinosaur bone or designing a water channel. A central, three-story rope tunnel immediately snares the attention of older visitors, though there are age-appropriate attractions for infants to pre-teens. If this place can’t exhaust the younger set’s energies, nowhere can.
Chicago Historical Society

Focusing on Illinois and Chicago history since settler days, this museum was established in 1856 and is the city’s oldest cultural institution. One of the society’s first donors bequeathed his collection of Lincoln memorabilia: the ex-president’s deathbed is one of the items displayed. Visitors can also climb aboard the Pioneer locomotive, while events such as the World’s Columbian Exposition and the Great Chicago Fire (see 1871: Great Chicago Fire), are brought to life by photographs, decorative arts, and other exhibits. There are also costumes belonging to famous local figures including sportsman Michael Jordan.
Chinatown

Crowned by the landmark Chinatown Gate spanning Wentworth Avenue, Chicago’s Chinatown isn’t that large – running roughly eight blocks – but it is colorful. Home to Chicago’s oldest Asian community, Chinatown was founded in the 19th century by transcontinental railroad workers fleeing West Coast prejudice. It continues to be a place where Cantonese and Mandarin are spoken far more widely than English. Stroll Wentworth to see the ornate On Leong Tong Building, buy fresh almond cookies from Chinese bakeries, peruse the many import and herbal shops, or chow down in one of the dozens of local restaurants.