Visit Chicago - how to find the best of the mid-West’s ‘Windy City’
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Chicago likes to call itself America’s ‘second city’. Visitors find the vast city certainly spreads a long way along the western shore of the sea-like Lake Michigan, with an impressive panorama of skyscrapers and modern architecture, man-made waterways and large green parks.
The capital of the mid-west is particularly good to visit for shopping trips. Prices in Chicago are generally lower than Europe, and visitors don’t have to budget for New York’s expensive hotel prices. Away from Chicago's downtown shopping centres, independent shopping areas and department stores, there are two giant discount outlet shopping malls just outside town. They’re not much to look at - but they are best for bargains especially in clothes and shoes.
Back in Chicago's downtown area, just inland from the lake shore, you’ll find the ‘Magnificent Mile’ - a glossy strip of world-class shops including big designer names. Chicago also has three of the world’s tallest buildings, including the 110-storey Sears Tower, America’s highest, with a rocket-like lift trip to the Skydeck viewing room at 1,600-feet-per-minute. Visitors discover the city's best views across the city and lake here.
One of Chicago's biggest attractions is the Niketown museum also on the ‘Mile’ - home of the famous sports brand. It’s a strange attraction - just glass cabinets showing off products like trainers and photos of top American endorsees. Don’t expect a lot of fun, it’s more like a temple to the brand and corporate identity.
I had more laughs spending an evening at one of the original Chicago blues or jazz clubs. They can be a bit touristy but there’s no doubting the thrill of sipping a cold American beer listening to an old black bluesman sweating his way through a few 12-bar blues tunes. Another highlight was eating in the rather grand 94th-floor restaurant of Hancock Tower watching the sunset over Lake Michigan.
Many visitors also take an architecture tour of historic skyscrapers, boat trips or simply explore the safe, walkable streets and lakeside parks. It’s certainly safer to walk around Chicago’s downtown area than neighbouring cities like Detroit or Cleveland. And on one of these waterfronts you’ll find The Shed, claimed to be the world’s largest aquarium. It includes a tank full of jumping dolphins. And my jaw hit the floor when I walked into a huge warehouse-size room where one wall was completely glass. Behind it swam a family of Beluga whales.
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