Chicago is also called the Windy City and was founded in 1833. In terms of population it is the third largest city in the United States and is located on the south western shores of Lake Michigan.
Chicago has been home to many influential politicians, including the current President of the United States, Barack Obama. And of course also gangsters like Al Capone and Bugsy Malone controlled the streets of Chicago in former times.
But the city of course has a lot more to offer. What are you interested in? Baseball? Classical music? Ballet? Modern architecture? History? Chicago has them all.
cycling©flickr/ginnerobot
If you want to explore the city you can do that by bike as Chicago is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the United States. In the city you find more than 100 miles of bike lanes, 50 miles of bike paths, and 10,000 bike racks. Bicycles are even permitted on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and busses. Even sightseeing tours by bike are offered. You could for example go on a “Bike Obama Tour” to explore President Barack Obama’s neighbourhood, or on a “City Lights at Night Tour” which is like a party on wheels.
One of the special sights of Chicago is the Millennium Park, an award-winning centre for art, music, architecture, and landscape design. The park is located in downtown Chicago. Here you can see for example the Crown Fountain, an interactive fountain designed by the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, or the Jay Pritzker Pavilion which was designed by Frank Gehry and is home to the Grand Park Music Festival and other free concerts and events. Chicago has been host to a number of word class concerts and performers such as Kings of Leon that are currently on a world tour and will soon be visiting the UK.
And if you like to learn more of the history of Chicago and the USA, you should visit the Chicago History Museum. In the Historic Water Tower you can see Chicago-themed photography by local photographers and artists.
If you love nature you should visit the 12th Street Beach located on Northerly Island where you find a nature centre and bird sanctuary and hospital.
Chicago has more than 200 theatres, almost 200 art galleries, more than 7,300 restaurants, 552 parks, 15 miles of bathing beaches, 36 annual parades, and 237 square miles of land.
Yacht Habor & Lighthouse©flickr/David Paul Ohmer
