Explore Chicago – the Windy City

Chicago is an ideal vacation place for long weekend getaways. There are lots in the city that you can plan your escape to this charming city. Chicago in the United States is the third largest cities in the Illinois state. Its rapid growth and transportation facilities have made it financially strong. Today it is housing famous and political personalities.  Here is an overall overview:

Neighborhoods
Chicago’s neighborhood reflects its multicultural heritage and brings an influx of tourists every year. People of Africa, Italian, Vietnamese, Greek, German, Chinese and Scandinavian descents have made Chicago their home.

Museums
Chicago is renowned for its museum’s collection covering variety of subjects and this includes natural history, astronomy, African American culture, Chicago art and history and more. The Museum Campus, in Grant Park, features the Adler Planetarium, the John G. Schedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. The other well-known Chicago museums include the Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago Historical Society and the DuSable Museum of African-American History. It also includes many ethnic groups, including the Greek, Swedish, Lithuanian, Polish, Mexican, Ukrainian and Jewish population. Each group has their own museums, revealing their history, art and costumes.

Architecture
Chicago houses innovative and unique designs in shaping American architecture. Right from historic landmark buildings to modern masterpieces, Chicago represents a living architecture museum.

Tours
Chicago has famous landmarks that can be explored by bus, foot, boat, bike or plane. There are several guided walking and river tours presenting a unique architecture of the city. Chicago travel ideas include:

• Wrigley Field. A must-visit tourists spot for sports enthusiasts. This stadium is near Wrigleyville. It will offer a unique experience to watch games. Remember to buy tickets in advance, in case you are planning to watch a live game.
• This is a part museum, a four-floor gallery, part shopping place having a lot of traditional and ethnic art collection. You can see rich culture and priceless artifacts.
• Museum of Science and Industry. A great place for learning and travelling experience to visit with children. There are varieties of museums and you will learn a lot from the educational museums.
• Chicago Theatre. Assure of world class entertainment. Today, it is seven stories high theatre accommodating 3,600 seats. Go on a tour to this historic building for one hour.

Taste
Chicago and restaurants go hand-in-hand. The restaurants are ready to suit every budget, taste and mood. An annual festival features house specialties in the city restaurants in the last week of June and July first week. This brings culinary fans from all over the world.

Shopping
Shopping began on State Street. The “Magnificent Mile” runs from the Chicago River to Oak Street offering specialty shops and boutiques in hundreds of numbers and each presenting top-of-the-line goods. Oak Street has the best designs from Paris, Manhattan and Milan.

Climate
The Chicago climate is hot and cold. The hot summers are extreme, while the cold winters are extreme. The hot summer season is from June and September. The autumn is a very lovely period. The winter is too icy and snow fall is common.

Transportation
Chicago is a busiest city in United States. The transportation types include metro trains, taxis, buses and airport. Even with overcrowded people and vehicles, the traffic problem is handled very well.

Family Entertainment
Navy Pier in Chicago has over 50 acres of shops, entertainment attractions, restaurants and gardens. It has an IMAX theatre, a 15-story Ferris wheel and a Children’s Museum. Kids on the Fly are a “satellite” Museum for children at O’Hare International Airport. The Children’s Zoo gives free admission to Lincoln Park Zoo and it includes a zoo nursery, live animal presentations, a petting zoo and a kids learning center.

Music
Chicago is a popular place for blues and jazz. Blues came in 1930s and 40s and is even today a popular genre of music. Jazz came in 1910s and 20s and is remaining popular. Today there are many blues and jazz venues and many more music festivals are held throughout the year.

Chicago includes 552 parks, nine museums, 33 beaches, 10 bird and wildlife gardens, 16 historical lagoons and two world class conservatories. This city is well known for its green spaces featuring 9 lakefront harbors, 6 golf courses and tennis courts in a multitude. This is also a mecca for bikers, joggers and in-line skaters along the Lake Michigan shoreline. It is also a big town for sports and houses several professional sports teams.