DK Travel : Chicago : The Loop

Named after the ring of elevated train tracks that encircle it, this is downtown Chicago’s core, and the city’s financial and governmental hub. Abuzz with laptop-toting business folk during the week, the Loop is transformed on weekends when a veritable shopping frenzy erupts along its famous State Street. Those thirsty for culture also come flocking to view the area’s many architecturally significant buildings and notable public art. A recent infusion of corporate dollars has given the Loop a real boost: the resulting restoration of old theaters and the promotion of the theater district has lured in more visitors, and the many great bars and restaurants that have sprung up mean that the area now offers a burgeoning nightlife.

Borrow piano sheet music at the Harold Washington Library and tickle the ivories in one of the six free-to-use practice rooms.

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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.
Ada’s Famous Deli

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

Expect top-notch hotel dining, where creative American cuisine leans toward comfort food.
Carson Pirie Scott & Co.

You’ll find some fantastic budget-friendly buys as well as a dreamy shoe department in this ornate, historic, 12-story department store (see Carson Pirie Scott Building).
Carson Pirie Scott Building

Eye-catching cast-iron swirls on part of the exterior of this store (1899 & 1903) express architect Louis H. Sullivan’s love of elaborate detail (see Carson Pirie Scott & Co.).
Catch 35

This sophisticated seafood restaurant has live piano jazz in the evenings. Don’t miss the lime pie.
Chicago Board of Trade

The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was founded in 1848 to create a central marketplace in the fast-developing city, and moved to its current 45-story home in 1930. Designed by Holabird and Root, this landmark building is a stunning example of Art Deco. Capping the majestic limestone building is a huge statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain and harvest. A glittering 23-story glass-and-steel addition designed by Helmut Jahn was completed in 1980.
Chicago Cultural Center

Built in 1897 as the city’s first main library, this magnificent Beaux Arts building was described at the time as the “people’s palace.” In 1991, the library moved out, allowing several galleries, performance spaces and a visitor information center to move in. Guided tours offer a historical overview of the building, which occupies an entire block and features one of the world’s largest domes, designed by L. C. Tiffany, and rooms modeled after the Doge’s Palace in Venice and the Acropolis in Athens.
Chicago Temple

A Gothic-inspired structure that was designed by Holabird and Roche in 1923. Under the majestic spire is a 35-seat chapel.
Chicago Theater

The red marquee of this Beaux Arts-style theater is a symbol of Chicago. Built in 1921, today it is a concert and performance venue.

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