City Guide
- Population (2018): 2.706 million
- Area Code: 312, 773, & 708.
- Tax: 17.4% Hotel Tax on Hotel Rooms, 10.25% Sales Tax on purchases.
- Time Zone: Central Standard Time CST – November to March. Central Daylight – April to October.
- Credit Cards and Charge Cards are widely accepted. ATM machines can be found in many major downtown department stores, hotels, and the Convention Center.
- Summers are warm & humid with average high temperatures of 80-84°F (27-29°C) and lows of 61-65 °F (16-19°C). Winters are cold, snowy and windy with temperatures below freezing. Spring and Fall are mild with low humidity.
Tipping Guidelines
- Restaurants: 15%-20% of the total bill is a good general rule of thumb.
- Hotel Personnel/Porterage: $1.00 - $2.00 per piece of luggage or parcel.
- Valet Parking: $2.00-$3.00 to attendant.
- Housekeeping Services: $2.00 - $3.00 /day.
- Taxi/Towncar: 15% of total.
- Concierge Services: $5.00 +.
There are two primary airports that serve the Chicago area: O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport.
Go Airport Express offers daily, door-to-door service to/from O'Hare International Airport, Midway International Airport and most city and suburban neighborhoods. The fares range from $22.00 to $27.00 each way or $39.00 to $49.00 round trip. Please view their website for hours of operation.
Taxicabs are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the lower level curb front of all terminals. All taxicabs run on meters. Approximate fare to downtown Chicago from O'Hare International Airport is $40.00 to $60.00. Approximate fare to downtown Chicago from Midway International Airport is $25.00 to $28.00. Uber and Lyft are also available in Chicago. Check the app to see if cars are available nearby. A surcharge may apply for airport pickup/dropoff.
CTA, Chicago's Transit Authority, offers service to/from O'Hare International and Midway International Airports as well as service throughout the city.
Chicago's downtown pedestrian walkway system of underground tunnels and overhead bridges links 40-plus blocks in the heart of the city. As a convenient way to travel the Central Business District, the system connects public and private buildings and CTA stations.
Go Airport Express offers daily, door-to-door service to/from O'Hare International Airport, Midway International Airport and most city and suburban neighborhoods. The fares range from $22.00 to $27.00 each way or $39.00 to $49.00 round trip. Please view their website for hours of operation.
Taxicabs are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the lower level curb front of all terminals. All taxicabs run on meters. Approximate fare to downtown Chicago from O'Hare International Airport is $40.00 to $60.00. Approximate fare to downtown Chicago from Midway International Airport is $25.00 to $28.00. Uber and Lyft are also available in Chicago. Check the app to see if cars are available nearby. A surcharge may apply for airport pickup/dropoff.
CTA, Chicago's Transit Authority, offers service to/from O'Hare International and Midway International Airports as well as service throughout the city.
Chicago's downtown pedestrian walkway system of underground tunnels and overhead bridges links 40-plus blocks in the heart of the city. As a convenient way to travel the Central Business District, the system connects public and private buildings and CTA stations.
Latin/Spanish Restaurants:
Steak Houses:
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Greek/Mediterranean:
Italian:
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History:
- Chicago Cultural Center
- Chicago History Museum
- Children's Center at Spertus Museum
- DuSable Museum of African American History
- Field Museum
- Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
- McCormick Tribune Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum
- Naper Settlement
- National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
- Pritzker Military Library
- Spertus Museum/Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies
- Ukrainian National Museum
Art & Architecture:
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
- Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House
- Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
- Loyola University Chicago
- Museum of Contemporary Art
Science:
- Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
- International Museum of Surgical Science
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Shedd Aquarium
Chicago is a shopper's fantasy come true.
One important Chicago destination is The Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue. In this eight-block stretch, 460 stores offer luxury items, beautiful bargains, and everything in-between.
Shoppers from all over the world love Oak Street, an international style center with high-end stores and salons just steps off Michigan Avenue.
Art and antiques collectors hunt for treasure in the 60-plus galleries of nearby at the River North Gallery District.
Shopping is plentiful and varied in the landmark State Street Retail Historic District and surrounding Loop stores.
Chicago's neighborhoods offer the newest in destination shopping. One-of-a-kind items, trendy clothing, accessories, furniture, and much more in Lincoln Park and Armitage Avenue, and Wicker Park-Bucktown.
- E'voluer
- Parto Naderi
- Salon de Vive
- Deborah Davis Day Spa
- Spacio
- The Spa at The Carlton Club
- Urban Oasis
- Kiva Spa
- Tiffani Kim Institute
- Tirra
- Red Door Salon & Spa
Cycling
Chicago is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, with more than 100 miles of bike lanes, 50 miles of bike paths and 10,000 bike racks, more than any other city in the United States.Bicycles are permitted on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and the CTA's 2,000 buses are equipped with bike racks.
Swimming, Canoeing and Kayaking
If swimming or sunbathing is your thing, we have 33 Lake Michigan beaches spread along 26 miles of Lakefront. The one at Oak Street is just a short walk from hotels on the Magnificent Mile. You can ride a boat on Lake Michigan or paddle the Chicago River in a rented canoe or kayak.
Public Parks
Chicago's 552 public parks are year-round playgrounds with athletic fields, basketball courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, fitness centers, swimming pools, ice rinks and eight golf courses.
Chicago is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, with more than 100 miles of bike lanes, 50 miles of bike paths and 10,000 bike racks, more than any other city in the United States.Bicycles are permitted on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and the CTA's 2,000 buses are equipped with bike racks.
Swimming, Canoeing and Kayaking
If swimming or sunbathing is your thing, we have 33 Lake Michigan beaches spread along 26 miles of Lakefront. The one at Oak Street is just a short walk from hotels on the Magnificent Mile. You can ride a boat on Lake Michigan or paddle the Chicago River in a rented canoe or kayak.
Public Parks
Chicago's 552 public parks are year-round playgrounds with athletic fields, basketball courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, fitness centers, swimming pools, ice rinks and eight golf courses.
- Billy Caldwell
- Columbus Park Golf Course
- Harborside International Golf
- Indian Boundary Golf Course
- Jackson Park Golf Course
- Marquette Park Golf Course
- Robert A. Black Golf Course
- Sidney Marovitz - Waveland Golf Course
- South Shore Golf Course
- Minne Monesse Golf Course