An Essentials Guide to Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, which means there is plenty to see and do here. The joy of visiting a city of this size is that you’re assured of lively bars and restaurants, beautiful green spaces to relax in, and gorgeous places to lay your head in Chicago. This essentials guide to the Windy City will initiate you into this metropolis’s wonderful way of life.

Chicago Is Home to Beautiful Public Art

Photo via Flickr by Bert Kauffman

One of the most recognized icons of Chicago is undoubtedly the Bean. This shining sculpture calls Millennium Park home and is one of those things you just have to see while you’re visiting Chicago.

The Bean’s official name is actually Cloud Gate, and it was created by artist Anish Kapoor and constructed between 2004 and 2006. Make sure you stop by during the day and night to see the contrast between the sun and the city lights reflected off its gleaming exterior.

They Love the Cubs

People who live in Chicago are fierce Cubs fans, which makes Wrigley Field their venue of choice. If it’s possible to catch a game while you’re in town, you certainly should, as it will connect you to a huge part of Chicago’s heart and soul.

However, if that’s not within reach, it’s worth visiting Wrigley Field anyway to take part in one of its daily tours around the stadium to see it with your own eyes. If you can’t watch a game live, head to one of Chicago’s many sports bars to watch it surrounded by local fans.

The Pizza Is Phenomenal

Residents of Chicago openly boast about its legendary deep-dish pizza, and rightly so. This unique style of pizza has been famous here for decades, and unlike skinny NYC pizza, it is around two inches thick and filled with cheesy deliciousness, layered with the toppings of your choice.

A restaurant called Giordano’s is (arguably) king of the deep dish and is one of the best places in the city to find excellent deep-dish pizza if you’re not sure where else to go. Come hungry; even the smallest deep-dish pizza is big enough to share between two people (unless you have a very healthy appetite, of course!).

The Skyline Is Iconic

Photo via Flickr by Tony Webster

With highlights such as the Tribune Tower, Sears Tower, and the Aeon Center, Chicago’s skyline is often called one of the most impressive in America. It’s home to four of the eight tallest buildings in the United States, so it should come as no surprise that the city’s skyline receives so much praise.

Head to the 360 Chicago (formerly the John Hancock Observatory) for some of the best views across the city from 1,000 feet high on the 94th floor. From here not only can you look over Chicago’s beautiful collection of buildings, but you can also see for more than 50 miles, out beyond city limits and to four different states. Have a drink in the bar at sunset for the ultimate Chicago skyline experience.