Chicago: What to Know Before You Go

Chicago is one of the easiest American cities to find your way around, because it is built on a grid with a compass pointing the whole time: Lake Michigan is always to the east. If you can see the lake, or even sense the open sky where it is, you know which way you're facing.

How the city is laid out

The centre of the grid is the corner of State and Madison streets in the Loop, the downtown district named after the elevated train tracks that circle it. Addresses count up from there, and every eight blocks makes a mile. North of the river are River North and Streeterville, with the shops of the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, then the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park further up. South and west are the Museum Campus, the West Loop and, further out, Pilsen and Hyde Park. Our 3-day itinerary takes them in order.

Entry rules and ESTA

If your passport qualifies for the Visa Waiver Program, you still need an approved ESTA before boarding. Apply on the official government site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov, a few days ahead, and ignore the agencies that charge extra to fill in the same form. Everyone else needs a visa.

The L and the buses

The CTA's L trains (short for "elevated", though some lines run underground) and buses cover the city. The easiest way to pay is to tap a contactless bank card or phone at the turnstile or on the bus. For a heavy day, a 1-day or 7-day pass on a Ventra card can work out cheaper.

Tipping and tax

Sales tax is added at the till, and Chicago's is among the highest of any big American city. In sit-down restaurants a tip of 18 to 20 percent is expected, and bartenders expect a dollar or two per drink. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Safety

The areas visitors spend time in, from the Loop and the lakefront to Lincoln Park and the West Loop, are generally safe, and the city's crime headlines mostly concern neighbourhoods tourists don't visit. Use normal big-city sense, especially on quiet L platforms late at night, and on a near-empty train sit in a car with other passengers.

You'll need an American two-pin plug adapter (120 volts), and the tap water, drawn from the lake, is excellent. Our best time to visit guide covers the weather, which will shape your trip more than anything else.