WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN CHICAGO: TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE CITY OF WIND

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You want to know what to see and do in Chicago? You are in the right place 🙂 We are going to tell you everything you should not miss in this amazing city!

This city of Illinois was grazed by llamas in 1871. For 3 days the city built almost entirely of wood was consumed in one of the most terrible fires in the history of the United States. More than 300 dead, more than 100,000 victims and a third of the city in ruins. But as often happens in these cases, the city was not abandoned to its fate and resurfaced, its citizens took a breath, were charged with decision and rebuilt the city with the idea of making it a benchmark in the country. And they got it. The "second city", as the locals like to call it, is today a metropolis that hooks the visitor, it attracted us from the moment we stepped on its ground, perhaps out of despair after more than 27 hours of travel, but We want to believe that it was purely in tune. Chicago has definitely become one of our favorite places in the United States trip.

* At the end of the article you will find a lot useful information, from where to sleep, how to move and places to eat.

Nothing better to start friends with the city than taking a free tour like this. It is free, yes, but remember that your thing is to leave a good tip to the guide, which is sure to work hard!

It is known as "the front yard" of the Downtown and occupies a vast expanse between downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan. Reserve a morning or an afternoon to stroll through these two attached parks, and visit all its attractions. Some of them are:

- Crown Fountain, a rectangular square flanked by two huge towers with LED screens where faces of people appear. The best thing is that every little of their mouths leave huge jets that take advantage of the kids to take a weekly bath.

Crown Fountain in the Millennium Park in Chicago

- Cloud gate, although everyone knows her as "The Bean". It is the best known and photographed sculpture in Chicago and in our opinion, its author the Indian Anish Kapoor has embroidered it! It is much better to have it in front of you than as we show it below

Cloud Gate in the Millennium Park in Chicago

- Jay Pritzker Concert Hall, where with luck you can attend some performance. The design and size attract attention.

Jay Pritzker Concert Hall, at the Millennium Park in Chicago

- Buckingham Fountain, named in honor of the Buckingham family, is considered one of the most beautiful sources in the country, we will not be the ones who think otherwise. The really interesting thing about the fountain is the views of the Chicago skyline from here, and in theory there are light and sound shows accompanied by huge jets of water that reach 40 meters, which are made every hour from 9 to 22 We saw the jets, but lights and music nothing!

Buckingham Fountain in the Millennium Park in Chicago

- Agora, a set of 106 statues south of the park. It is a somewhat disconcerting work, it is not necessary to be a lynx to see that the statues lack the head! It is really like a meaningless one, those figures with huge legs each in one direction, without the fundamental element to be guided as is the sesera ... I like it!

Agora, at the Millennium Park in Chicago

It is a huge urban park, attached to the Millennium Park and next to Lake Michigan, with paths to get lost, fountains, gardens, lakes, miniature golf, a climbing wall for those who like to climb, an ice skating rink (from November to March ), a playground for children, picnic areas, etc. If you want you can see here their calendar of events.

Map of Chicago's Maggie Daley Park

It is the most visited place in Chicago with 9 million annual visits. Actually the place doesn't have much interest, although the renewed ferris wheel is a hoot! From here the tourist boats leave that make a tour of the lake and there are some restaurants like the Giordano's, a Mexican or the Bubba Gump.

The port is nestled in the Streeter neighborhood, named for the controversial character that bears that name. He must be a great chanchullero and ruffian the guy, the story is interesting. The fact is that he managed to have a neighborhood in his name! If you want to see him in person (or rather his statue) on Grand Ave Street with N McClurg Ct.

The Chicago Navy Pier

An entire institution in the city, do not tell me that red sign with white letters does not sound like you! It offers functions since 1921 when it was the most expensive and largest theater in the country. The greatest artists of every moment have passed through here and it has hosted important film festivals. At present you can visit it in one of its events or with a tour that for about € 16 takes you to know this legendary corner

Chicago Theater sign

It is considered one of the most famous art museums in the world, almost nothing! If you are an art lover, it is a mandatory visit. What you find here are lots of rooms with different exhibitions of both painting and sculpture, impressionist and post-impressionist style. Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec with his stellar work “In the Moulin rouge ”, Van Gogh with “Bedroom in Arles ” Y "Self Portrait of 1887" That probably sounds to you, Dali, Kandinsky and my favorite: “The old Guitarist ” from Picasso.

You can buy the ticket here (without queues). It is included in the Chicago Explorer Pass, along with other attractions (price from $ 69).

Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago, with the Chicago skyline in the background

If Chicago has something, they are skyscrapers, so it would be strange if some of them were not used to climb and contemplate the best views of the city (of course, upon payment). You can visit the viewpoints of several buildings, these are the two we did:

- Skydeck Chicago (Willis Tower). If you go with your girlfriend and want to look like a male, you first have to be well-behaved because the test of taking a step towards the "void" is screwed. Ok, you'll be on a glass platform, but still impress yours! In the viewpoint of the Willis Tower there are several of these platforms where you can climb and literally have Chicago at your feet. They are free, you just have to queue a little to wait for your turn. The price is $ 23 (included in the tourist card). If you want to buy the entrance to the Willis Tower you can book it in advance here

Padded at the Chicago Skydeck (Willis Tower)

- 360 Chicago Observation Deck (Hancock Building). It is a black building 305 meters high very nice. Although it is not as tall as the previous one, in terms of views it has nothing to envy! Try to compete against your opponent's glass floor with theTilt, a platform that tilts up to 30 degrees, leaving you somewhat suspended over the city, the worst thing is that it has an over cost of $ 7. The price to enter the observatory is about $ 18, you can buy tickets without queues here (included in the tourist pass).

Views of Chicago from the top of the 360 Chicago Observation Deck

In addition to skyscrapers and huge office buildings, there are also places of worship with beautiful buildings. You can find certain charming churches on your walking tour of Chicago, such as theFourth Presbyterian Church just in front of the Hancock Building and with an ivy-covered facade, the Holy Name Cathedral which replaced the old cathedral after the fire of 1871.

Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago

It is the natural history museum, one of the most important in the world in its field. Apparently it has such a large collection that only 4% of all objects are shown. Although no doubt his right eye is Sue, the largest, most complete and best preserved T-Rex skeleton in the world (eye, the head that accompanies the rest of the body is a replica, for reasons of weight the original is exposed separately). The fossil collection is impressive as well (in fact you can see the team of paleontologists working through crystals, and yes, they are real). In the rest of the rooms of this immense museum there are exhibitions that take a tour of the history of the planet, in different periods and cultures.

The price of the museum is $ 22 for the basic ticket (if you want to attend 3D movie and special exhibitions it goes up a bit). It is included in the Chicago Explorer Pass, along with other attractions (price of $ 69).

The Field Museum, Chicago

This is how the Michigan Avenue from Chicago, which is compared to 5th Avenue in New York or Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. Here the stores of the most prestigious brands and many of the tallest buildings in the city are concentrated.

The Magnificent Mile, Chicago

It is the oldest planetarium in the United States, opened in 1930. Today you can visit several exhibitions of objects in astronomical instruments and old books. Also learn more about what we have about the universe around us with different shows and samples (maybe you don't touch a piece of moon or meteor every day). The ticket price is $ 34.94 and is also included in the Chicago Explorer pass, along with other attractions (price of $ 99).

The Adler Planetarium of Chicago

It is an area of graffiti in the Loop of Chicago. In 2013, this project was launched, offering the walls of the South Loop of Downtown Chicago to art students and emerging artists to turn the area into an authentic open-air museum. You can enjoy its urban art on Wabash Avenue from Van Buren to Roosevelt.

Street Art in the Wabash Art Corridor of Chicago

As we have seen, Chicago is a city that enhances art and culture and for all its neighbors and visitors to enjoy it, several sculptures have been placed around its streets. There is a specific area where three of the most important are concentrated:

- The Picasso, Would you dare to define it? Some say it is a dog, others that it is a fox ... even that it is a bird! We are left with that it is a Picasso, that one should not always look for the answer to everything!

- Miro's Statue, another work of a Spanish artist to which we must not seek much explanation.

- Calder's Flamingo, to this one that they gave him a definition, although of flamenco he has what I of mouse Perez.

Picasso statue in the streets of Chicago

For Batman geeks, this corner of Chicago probably sounds like it: it is LaSalle Street with Jackson Blvd and it is where some of the Gotham City scenes are set.

Another location, in this case a series, is the federal prison, one of the few located in the center of an American city. It seems that some chapter of the series was recorded here Orange is the new black, and the protagonist in real life spent time between their bars.

Gotham City on LaSalle Street in Chicago

Chicago is one of the most “walkable” cities in the United States, to reinforce this theory is the Riverwalk, a pedestrian promenade that runs along part of the Chicago river bank, neither more nor less than downtown itself. Although it is difficult to forget that you are in a big city (skyscrapers will never disappear), it is quite nice to take a walk here, there are also many areas to sit, restaurants and cafes.

Look at the twin buildings of the Marina Towers, and especially on their first floors: they are those that are intended for parking and you will only see the back of the cars, apparently they have professional valet parking to drive the car into place, to that no ducks stay with the throttle fully and fly away.

Tip: don't miss a river architecture cruiseIt's the best you can see and do in Chicago. This is very good.

Entrance to the Chicago Riverwal (with Trump Tower behind)

The only buildings that remained standing after the great fire in Downtown Chicago were these two, and have become the symbol of the ancient city and the spirit of recovery. They are two strange stone constructions that observe with their neck stretched their new and imposing neighbors of steel and glass, but that in the past were those that split the corduroy. They date from the 1860s and served as a reservoir and water pump to distribute to the city. They currently host free art exhibitions.

Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station in Chicago

There are two that are worth a visit, these are:

- Harold Washington Library Center, in the heart of the Loop, it is difficult not to see it if you walk near it, because the mass of red brick is impressive. Go up to the ninth floor to see your "garden", which actually only has about 4 trees, but it is a very cool space.

Harold Washington Library, in Chicago

- Chicago Cultural Center, where you can see a striking glass dome. But beware, it is not the only one! Get lost a little through the building to find another room much less known with another huge dome, almost as impressive as the main one. In addition there are some free exhibitions that can be visited (and bathrooms!).

Dome of the Chicago Cultural Center

Perhaps the star dish of the city. This strange pizza looks more like empanada or meat pie, but it's delicious anyway! Ok, we are easy to please and we are not a great example to issue culinary criticism, try it and tell us. Oh, and keep in mind that they are real bombs, you probably ask for one and eat half, so you know, don't leave what is left over and take it for dinner, you never know. Two good places to try it are theGiordano's YPizzeria One.

Chicago Pizza in the Giordano's, the individual huh?

The Loop is the financial district of Chicago and the area where we fell in love with Chicago (or at least I, Rober). Everything, and I repeat, I liked everything I saw in these streets, but even the darkest and stinkiest alley, or the dirtiest sewer, seemed charming to me. And a good way to explore this area is to get on an elevated train that makes the turn (the so-called "L" System). Here you have the map.

Elevated train in Chicago

And if you don't start, at least visit the place where Route 66 officially begins. It will be our next adventure that starts in a few days, although we will start it from another point… follow our articles and we'll tell you more!

Start signal for Route 66 in Chicago

If you take a bath in Lake Michigan at a time other than July or August, you will probably end up calling your health insurance with an onset of hypothermia. But if you go through Chicago in the summer, why not take the opportunity to cool off? There are several urban beaches along the lake that are sure to convince you.

Urban beach on Lake Michigan in Chicago

If you are interested in the history of the mafia in the United States, you can take a tour that will take you to learn more about the mafia in Chicago and its most influential characters, such as Al Capone and John Dillinger.

These are ours recommendations of the best things to see and do in Chicago, we really enjoy it as dwarves, and you? Do you know more things to do in Chicago? Leave us your recommendations in a comment!

Where to sleep in Chicago?

We stayed at HI Chicago, which is part of the Hostelling International USA network. We stayed in a private apartment, with kitchen, private bathroom and a living room, although they have cheaper options in shared rooms. Without a doubt, the best thing about this hostel is the common areas and its location, right in the Chicago Loop. In addition they always offer walking tours or activities inside the hostel, we sign up to make your own Chicago-style hot dog (without ketchup !!). Tasty tasty! To see all the events that are organized check out the calendar 🙂

We leave you some pictures so you can see how handsome he is:

Hi Chicago

Where is? 24 E Congress Pkwy, Chicago

How to get to Chicago from Dallas?

Our roadtrip through Texas took us to Dallas, where we delivered the car and without sleep we went to the bus station. As always, we catch a Megabus to travel half the United States in more than 24 hours of travel (yes, madness, the storm of life stopped us at 2am, we got a flat tire and we had to stand 4 hours, we crossed a hurricane zone in full season ... in short, a movidito trip. It cost us $ 15 per person. The rates are not fixed, so the more in advance when booking the ticket, the cheaper it will cost you! It leaves from Dallas / Fort Worth, TX, 710 Davis St, Grand Prairie (although we advise you to make the reservation from the station in Dallas downtown if you sleep there) (departure at 10:20 PM) and arrive at Chicago, IL, Megabus stop on W Polk St. between S Clinton St and S Canal St (in theory at 8:10 PM the next day, although you know, ours was delayed a few hours).

Where to eat in Chicago?

Here are the recommendations of 10 restaurants where to eat in Chicago (good and cheap)

How to get around Chicago?

If you stay in the Loop like us, you don't need to use public transportation for most attractions. Although if you want to reach the Planetarium or the Field Museum, maybe you have to throw it away. In Chicago, the transport is managed by the CTA company, and basically it consists of buses and trains (the so-called “L” System, the elevated trains so characteristic). The price of a simple bus ticket is $ 2 ($ 2.25 if you pay directly in cash on the bus) and train is $ 2.25 (we recommend that you get on at least once for a ride by the Loop by train). You can buy a “Vendra” rechargeable card at the machines in the stations. There are also 1-day passes for $ 10, or 3 days for $ 20.

You can also get around with the Big Bus tourist bus, which makes stops at practically all the interesting points of the city. The price is € 33 for one day.

And of course, there is always the wild card of Uber, super common in the United States. You can make an account with this invitation and get a discount of up to € 20 on your first race.

How to save on tickets to Chicago's main attractions?

If you plan to climb to the viewpoints of the great towers of the city, visit the most important museums and, ultimately, make the most of your visit, you may want to buy the tourist pass that includes the entrance of the most famous attractions such as: