Chicago is a great place to live and visit. It’s my husband’s hometown and a place I was lucky to call home for about two years back when I worked in TV news. Now that we’re back living in the Midwest and it’s only a 4 hour drive or train ride to Chi-Town, we enjoy making a quickie getaway there once again. Our most recent trip was a few weeks ago. It seems while many things change, Chicago is holding its ground with classics still going strong. Here’s a list of five of my personal favorite places that you should make sure to visit if it is your first visit to the Windy City…
N. Halsted Avenue
North Halsted was my home for the two years I lived in Chicago, so I may be partial when I say this might just be the best neighborhood in America! It’s got Wrigleyville and the Cubs, if sports are your thing. It’s got great bars to hang out at and great restaurants to eat (like Sapori and Angelina)… and it’s just really colorful and fun. I’ve always felt at home here and this summer going back, I was excited to show it off to my high school-aged children. It’s still got all its uniqueness, but its now gotten better branding, colorful Pride flags and rainbows galore on every corner. Here you’ll find a great local bookshop in Unabridged and the artsy-Instagram-famous (and by comparison “new”) 2-D Restaurant, serving up excellent photos, mochi donuts and bubble teas simultaneously. You really can’t go wrong.
Art Institute of Chicago
One of the best museums in America without a doubt, the Art Institute of Chicago should be on your list to visit, even if you don’t know where to start with art. ARTIC has VanGoghs, Picassos, Monets galore, multiple Georgia O’Keeffes, Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” (which inspired the Stephen Sondheim broadway musical “Sunday in the Park with George“) plus Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks” and Grant Wood’s “American Gothic”… and that’s not even toughing on the ancient Egyptian art or decorative arts or photography or the miniature rooms… the list goes on. You could spend the entire day here and still go back the next without seeing everything.
Architectural Boat Ride
I’ve done the Chicago architectural boat ride multiple times… most recently on a sunny day in February. It’s a classic for a reason. You learn Chicago history while cruising on the Chicago River. There are multiple tour operators who all do basically the same thing, so find one that’s got the best deal and hop aboard for an informative 90 or so minutes of time on the water. After all, Chicago was home to the world’s first skyscraper. You’ll learn all about that history and architectural innovations that are interesting for people who love buildings as well as those who never thought about them past their purpose. Plus, you’ll learn the classic tale of how a cow started a fire that changed everything for this city.
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza at Gino’s East (original)
Chicago is a foodie town, no doubt. Among the top eats: Chicago-style deep dish pizza that’s got the sauce on top of a think layer of cheese and pastry-like delish crust. Gino’s East “Mag-Mile” is the original location of this Chicago pizza classic and the one to go to. I just went back here this summer with my kids and we all had a great time. Make a free reservation ahead of time so you can walk right on past all the suckers standing in line who didn’t know better. The pizza’s gonna take a while, so get the caesar salad and breadsticks as an appetizer and ask your waitress for markers to draw on the wall while you wait. The kids will love leaving their mark on Chicago, as well as the food.
Navy Pier’s Ferris Wheel
Navy Pier‘s got a lot to offer visitors, especially families young kids. But everyone of every age has to take a ride on the Centennial Wheel to take in the 360-degree views of Lake Michigan and the city’s iconic skyline. The very first Ferris wheel anywhere in the world was built in Chicago in 1893 and the one towering over Navy Pier today was inspired by that design, keeping the city’s historic association with the beloved ride. Read more about Navy Pier and the wheel’s history here.
Travel Muse Magazine 
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