Second City, deep dish pizza, and the Cubs can all call the Windy City their home… as well anyone who wants to visit. Of all the major cities in America, Chicago provides that home feeling, where everyone is welcome. Maybe it’s the range of diversity, the clarity in their newscaster accents, or the fact that everyone is genuinely nice.
Once exhausted the Magnificent Mile for a high end-shopping experience, take a ride on the El to one of the over 75 different villages that make up Chicago. Vintage stores, antique shops, and unique boutiques line the many streets for anyone’s budget. Quirky finds in Belmont, everyone’s go-to stores in Lincoln Park, and affordable antiques from around the world can be found at a Rogers Park original. Shopping is not only a hobby in this city of pizzazz but an opportunity to stumble upon items one realizes they couldn’t possibly go on without.
The Cloud… the Bean… the big silver construction where one can see their reflection in against the Chicago skyline right in the middle of Millennium Park, is a must for anyone who ventures to Chicago. It’s one of the many attractions that continue to draw people far and wide, providing hours of amusement and limitless perspectives. Afterward, one can grab their skates, or rent a pair and soak in the lights and sights Chicago offers while gliding across the ice. Thanks to the choreographed lighting emitted by the fountain itself, the French inspired Buckingham Fountain acts as a beautifully centrally located show in the heart of Grant Park. Surrounding the fountain, one can walk through the various festivals and bazaars showcased, all throughout the year.
If one can get bored in Chicago, it’s completely their own fault, for there are a million and a half things one could be doing – experiencing. As the second oldest clubhouse in Major League Baseball, Wrigley is home to the constantly heart breaking Chicago Cubs. There one can be part of the tradition, pain, drunken madness, and even take in a famous Chicago Dog. Over in Wrigley, amongst the many trendy bars and clubs, hide various Second City improvisational troupe spin-offs such as 1,2,3 Fag or even a Shakespearean based troupe. Theatre – a Chicago novelty, that can rival the very best of Broadway is the spectacle. Anyone can find something of interest from the grand and slightly crude Adams Family, to the small and intimate Death of a Salesman at the Raven Theatre. With several hours to spend, and not a penny more, the Lincoln Park Zoo invites all ages to visit the zebras, gorillas, polar bears, and other animals all for free.
And of course, the food. One cannot go to Chicago without trying Giordano’s deep-dish pizza. This is the only city where it’s necessary to eat pizza with a fork. If one slice isn’t enough, head on over to Little Sweden for a large helping of the best cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather’s to compliment your Eggs Benedict or equally large pancakes. As a city that sleeps a little later than most, heed those feelings of the munchies over in Belmont for a little “Pick Me Up,” a cutsie little hole in the wall that one would completely miss had they not been looking for it. Grab a themed table, whether it be “Where’s Waldo”, or “Sesame Street”, and chow down on a Vegan, or not-so Vegan bite of your choice.
As the place for the young and old, there’s no other city like it in all of the U.S. of A. Chicago is a mix of classic and vintage with the upbeat and new-age. If all else fails, trust Frank Sinatra because even this Jersey born believes that “My kind of town… Chicago is.”
Now all that’s left is to book your hostel in Chicago!
*This article was provided & written by Frances Arville, Current Student at Loyola University in Chicago.
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