Every year, more than 30 million people from all across the country and the world visit Chicago. The Windy City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S. at this time.
If you haven’t ever taken a trip to Chicago, you should try to change that soon. There are so many things to do in Chicago, which will make visiting Chicago a memorable experience for you and whoever else you decide to bring along with you.
We’ve created a list of reasons why you should start planning a trip to Chicago soon. It includes some of the best places in Chicago to see along with some travel tips that will help you make the most of a trip to Chicago.
Check out our eight best reasons to visit Chicago below.
1. Skyscrapers
When you think about skyscrapers, New York City might be the first city that comes to mind. But Chicago was actually the birthplace of the modern skyscraper.
The Home Insurance Building was the first modern skyscraper ever built in the U.S. way back in 1885. It’s no longer standing, but there are more than 100 skyscrapers in the city today. Simply walking around Chicago and looking up at all the skyscrapers in the city will give you a newfound respect for it.
2. Museums
You’ll find a slew of museums scattered throughout almost any big city in the country. But Chicago is one of the best cities to visit if you like museums, seeing as how there are almost too many of them to cram into one trip.
Some of the museums that you should try to see during a trip to Chicago are:
- The Field Museum
- The Museum of Science and Industry
- The Chicago History Museum
If you love nothing more than walking through a good museum, you’ll be satisfied with the huge selection in Chicago.
3. Arts
Like many other large cities, Chicago has a very vibrant art scene that you’ll constantly see all around you. The city is filled with everything from small art studios to large art museums.
If you’re only able to make it to one of them, The Art Institute of Chicago would be the way to go. It’s routinely filled with classic works of art that you won’t be able to see anywhere else in the world.
4. Food
A trip to Chicago won’t be complete if you don’t eat at least one deep-dish pizza while you’re in town. You could argue that this is the most popular food ever to come out of a city that’s overflowing with wonderful places to eat.
But you should do more than just chow down on deep-dish pizzas during your trip to Chicago. You should also explore all the other classic dishes the city has to offer, including everything from Italian beef sandwiches to Chicago-style hot dogs.
5. Sports
If you’re a big sports fan, Chicago is going to be your kind of town. Depending on what time of the year you choose to take a trip to Chicago, you’ll be able to see some combination of the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, and Chicago Blackhawks play.
You’ll also be able to stop by the United Center to see the iconic Michael Jordan statue. Chicago is one of the best sports towns in the country, and it won’t take you long to see why.
6. Parks
Because Chicago has so many skyscrapers in it and so many things going on at all times, you might not think there would be much room left over for parks. But Chicago’s official motto is actually “Urbs in horto,” which is Latin for “City in a Garden,” because about 10% of it is made up of parks.
Lincoln Park is easily the biggest park in the city as it stretches out over about 11 miles. But there are also more than a few other parks that you can venture out to during a trip to Chicago.
7. Water
Chicago sits right on Lake Michigan. If you visit the city in the winter, the fact that it sits so close to the water will be the reason why it’s so cold. But if you visit at another time of the year, you’ll see why the locals don’t mind putting up with frigid winters in exchange for everything the water has to offer in the spring, summer, and even fall.
Want to get out on the water and see Chicago from a very unique perspective? These yacht rentals will make it possible.
8. Shopping
Would you like to bring home a souvenir or better yet, more than a few souvenirs from Chicago? Then you’ll have an absolute blast walking up and down the city’s “Magnificent Mile.”
This commercial stretch features some of the best shopping in the city. You’re sure to find some things that you’d like to bring home with you in the department stores situated all along this stretch.
There are also tons of independent boutiques in neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Lincoln Park that you might want to patronize to do even more shopping. It’ll be just one more reason why you’ll enjoy your trip to Chicago so much.
Start Planning a Trip to Chicago Today
As you can see, taking a trip to Chicago will be so much fun. You should begin planning a trip to the Windy City today so that you’re able to experience it for yourself.
Just make sure you come up with a plan for what you’ll want to check out while you’re visiting Chicago. It’ll keep your trip to Chicago on the right track from the second you first touch down in the city.
Look for more useful travel tips by reading through more of the articles published on our blog.