Chicago
America's great architecture city, set on the shore of Lake Michigan, with world-class art, lakefront beaches and a food scene built on far more than deep-dish pizza.
Quick decisions
How many days?
3 days: the river cruise, the Loop, the Art Institute and a neighbourhood or two. 4 to 5 days: add the Museum Campus, Hyde Park and a ballgame. 6 days or more: add Oak Park's Frank Lloyd Wright houses and a beach day.
Where should I stay?
The Loop: central and busy on weekdays. River North and Streeterville: hotels, restaurants and the lake. West Loop: the food. Lincoln Park: leafy and residential. More in our where to stay guide.
Do I need a car?
No. The L trains, buses, bike-share and your feet cover everything a visitor needs, and hotel parking is expensive. Both airports are on train lines.
Best for
Architecture fans: the birthplace of the skyscraper. Art lovers: the Art Institute alone justifies the trip. Food lovers: pizza, Italian beef and neighbourhood cooking from Mexico to India. Budget travellers: winter, when hotel rates drop with the temperature.
Before you go
ESTA: most visa-waiver travellers need one. Book ahead: the architecture river cruise in summer and the Obama Presidential Center museum. Tipping: expected in restaurants, bars and taxis.
Getting around
From the airports: the Blue Line from O'Hare, the Orange Line from Midway. In the city: the L, buses and walking. Details in our getting there guide.
Continue your trip
Amtrak trains from Union Station reach Milwaukee in about an hour and a half and run long-distance routes west to the Rockies and California. New York, Washington and New Orleans are easier by plane.
Overview
Chicago is the American city that architecture people talk about first. After the fire of 1871 levelled the centre, engineers and architects rebuilt it with steel frames and invented the skyscraper, and the city has kept competing with itself ever since. From a boat on the Chicago River you pass more than a century of ideas in an hour and a half, and nothing in New York is laid out quite so clearly.
It is also a lake city. Lake Michigan is so big it looks like a sea, and a public shoreline of parks, paths and beaches runs almost the whole length of the city. Add the Art Institute, a serious food culture and neighbourhoods with their own accents, and three or four days go quickly. Just pick your season: summer here is glorious, winter is not. Start with our Chicago travel guide.
Getting there
Chicago has two airports, both linked to the centre by L trains: O'Hare, one of the busiest in the world, and the smaller Midway. Amtrak's routes across the Midwest and the West start at Union Station. Our getting there guide explains which suits you.
Where to stay
Most visitors stay in or near the Loop, where the trains meet. River North and Streeterville put you near the river, the lake and the Magnificent Mile, the West Loop near the best restaurants. Our where to stay guide compares the areas.
Things to do
Start with the buildings: our architecture guide covers the river cruise and a walk through the Loop. The Art Institute and the lakefront museums are in our museums guide, and the rest in our things to do list.
Food and drink
Deep-dish pizza is the famous one, but locals more often eat thin, crackly tavern-style pizza cut into squares. The Italian beef sandwich, dipped in its own juices, and the Chicago hot dog, with its neon-green relish and no ketchup, are the other classics. Our food guide explains what to order and where.
Culture
Chicago grew from a trading post to a city of a million people in about sixty years, on railways, grain and meatpacking. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the centre, and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition announced its comeback. In the twentieth century, Black Southerners arriving in the Great Migration brought the blues north, and electric Chicago blues shaped rock and roll.
Weather by month
Chicago is warmest in July, with average highs around 27°C, and coldest in January, when nights drop to about -7°C. July is the wettest month, with rain on about 12 days. For mild weather with fewer rainy days, aim for September.
| Month | Low | Range | High | Rain | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7°C | 0°C | 65 mm | 10 d | |
| Feb | -6°C | 2°C | 60 mm | 9 d | |
| Mar | -1°C | 7°C | 88 mm | 12 d | |
| Apr | 4°C | 12°C | 101 mm | 14 d | |
| May | 10°C | 19°C | 133 mm | 13 d | |
| Jun | 16°C | 25°C | 111 mm | 12 d | |
| Jul | 19°C | 27°C | 153 mm | 12 d | |
| Aug | 19°C | 26°C | 107 mm | 12 d | |
| Sep | 16°C | 24°C | 96 mm | 10 d | |
| Oct | 9°C | 17°C | 123 mm | 12 d | |
| Nov | 2°C | 9°C | 63 mm | 8 d | |
| Dec | -3°C | 4°C | 66 mm | 9 d |
Averages of daily values from 2015 to 2024. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain. Source: Open-Meteo · Compare destinations by month.
Chicago on the map
Every place we cover in Chicago. Tap a category or pin to explore.
In-depth Chicago guides
Browse the guides grouped by topic: sights, neighbourhoods, food, transport, day trips and trip planning.
Sights, Landmarks & Parks
Key monuments, viewpoints, museums and nature trails.
Neighbourhoods & Where to Stay
Districts, historic quarters and the best bases for your stay.
Food & Drink
Local dishes, markets, cafés and dining districts.
Getting Around & Arrival
Airport transfers, public transit, passes and driving rules.
Trip Planning & Itineraries
When to visit, what to pack and day-by-day routes.
- Chicago: What to Know Before You GoHow the grid, the L and the lake shape a first visit.
- Best Time to Visit ChicagoLate spring to early autumn, and what the winter really means.
- What to Wear in ChicagoA real coat in winter, a layer for the lake in summer, and walking shoes.
- Chicago Architecture Guide: The River Cruise and a Loop WalkSee the skyline from the river, then walk the Loop to understand it.
- Chicago 3-Day ItineraryThree days that balance the buildings, the art, the lake and the food.
Need your embassy or consulate in United States? See embassies and consulates in United States.
Reviews
Log in to write a review.
No reviews yet.
