New York might be the city that never sleeps, but Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper. Chicago is also the cradle of modern architecture. Chicago invented Hostess Twinkies, the Stratosphere radio, the Sunbeam Mixmaster, the Toastmaster toaster, the Sunbeam Iron and the Radio Flyer wagon.
After NYC and London, Chicago is the most important theatre city in the world, known as ‘The Silicon Valley for Theatre.’ There are over 200 theatres (including improvisational and storefront) and 25 pre-Broadway productions. This fall, Broadway shows such as Tootsie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hello Dolly, Miss Saigon, The Book of Mormon, The Play That Goes Wrong, Fiddler on the Roof, and Kinky Boots will open in Chicago.
Hamilton the Exhibition
Hamilton the Exhibition is opening April 6, 2019, an interactive, immersive attraction created by Hamilton’s producer, Jeffrey Seller. Seller said he chose Chicago because he was inspired by the World’s Colombian Exposition of 1893 and the city’s support of Hamilton, the musical. The exhibition will take place in a space the size of a football field. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote and starred in Hamilton, will narrate the audio tour. The 18 rooms and displays will re-create pivotal events in Hamilton’s life from his childhood in the Caribbean to his crucial role in fashioning American democracy and his death in a duel with rival Aaron Burr.
Architecture River Cruise
Chicago is a walking city, but it’s also surrounded by Lake Michigan and the Chicago River with its three branches. One of the most unique ways to see the city is to take The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises, considered the #1 tour in Chicago. Guests experience 150 buildings on a 90-minute docent-led river tour. The top deck is open (there’s no bad seat) and the boat cruises beneath a canyon of endless skyscrapers. For those who prefer the indoors, there’s also an air-conditioned salon with a full-service bar and restrooms.
Walking in Chicago
For those who prefer to learn about the city on foot, The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a dozen walking tours including an Historic Skyscrapers tour in which participants learn about Chicago’s first skyscrapers including Beaux Art, neo-Classicism and Art Deco styles and even learn what the name Chicago means (wild onion or stinkwood).
But one doesn’t need a walking tour to enjoy all the sites Chicago has to offer. On their own, visitors can start with the Magnificent Mile and take in the iconic Bean sculpture in Millennium Park, the Lurie Garden with more than 200 species of plants and flowers, and the new Chicago River Walk, a 1.25-mile long path with plenty of places to eat, drink, and watch the boats pass by. Also, not to be missed is the 18-mile-long Lakefront Trail with Lake Michigan on one side and velvety green parks and dramatic city skylines on the other.
Seeing the City from Up High
For those who’d rather look down than up, the 360 Chicago Observation Deck located 1,030 feet above the Magnificent Mile on top of the John Hancock Building offers unending views of Chicago. Intrepid adventurers can enter a glass-enclosed platform which hydraulically tilts viewers out past the building for an exhilarating and terrifying adventure.
And speaking of Chicago attractions, the best deal in town is a Chicago CityPASS which offers VIP admission (yes, you cut the lines) to the city's top five attractions with a savings of 51%.
The City from Eye Level
Another ideal way to look out over the skyscrapers is by dining at Noyan, on the rooftop restaurant of the luxurious Conrad Hotel just off the Magnificent Mile. Noyan, which means ‘hidden roof’ in Japanese, offers an Asian fusion dining experience under the direction of international top Chef Richard Sandoval. Guests dine overlooking the Magnificent Mile and the downtown skyline of River North and Streeterville.
Chicago Art
Chicago has the one of the greatest public art spaces in the world. It also offers more than 50 museums. The Art Institute of Chicago has the largest collection of Impressionists and Post-Impressionist art outside the Louvre in Paris. Current exhibitions include John Singer Sargent and Chicago’s Gilded Age (through September 30th) and Charles White: A Retrospective (through September 3rd) with over 80 works of art from the famous African American artist.
A hidden gem is the American Writer’s Museum, considered one of the world’s 10 best new museums. And of course, one can choose many other museums from history to nature to culture.
Festivals
Every month Chicago offers a choice of festivals for food, music and more. This August, festivals will include the Bud Billiken Parade (the largest African American parade in the United States), the Chicago Art and Water Show, Chicago Jazz Festival, and Lollapalooza, among others.
Art Design Chicago is a year-long event with more than 25 exhibitions and hundreds of public programs. It includes Art on theMART, a curated digital art installation across 2.5 acres, the largest permanent art installation in the world.
In Chicago they say, “Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you fit right in.” And in this city, everyone fits in.
