TRAVEL >
The best of Chicago
Written by: Milan Duda
Photo www.isifa.com
A modern metropolis
that throbs to the beat of jazz and blues. Hundreds of outstanding
restaurants and shops. An unbelievable blend of nationalities and
ethnicities from all over the world. Hours spent in excellent museums,
at games cheering on the famous Bulls or Cubs, or idyllic picnics
in parks on the shores of Lake Michigan. This is but a thumbnail
sketch of what awaits visitors to Chicago.
Michael Trezzi
general manager, Computer Associates
Favorite restaurant: Mon Ami Gabi, 2300 North Lincol
Parkway, tel.: +1 773 348 8886
- interesting restaurant offering French cuisine
Mel Rose, Schaumburg, North Barrington Road
- western-style restaurant with traditional American steaks
- but luxurious and expensive as well
Favorite night spot: NAVY PIER - the artificial peninsula on
Lake Michigan offers popular amusements, restaurants, and steamboat
voyages. There is a nice view of the skyline from there.
Favorite shop: Luxury goods and luxury prices in shops along
Michigan Avenue. On Wabash Street you can get the same goods,
but in less swanky shops and considerably cheaper. I am referring
mainly to items like watches, cameras, and other similar electronics.
Favorite attraction: The amusement park Six Flags in the north
of Chicago is interesting. My sons really enjoyed it, but I
was scared white when I saw them hanging upside-down on the
rollercoaster.
Best-kept secret: About 50 km outside Chicago, I discovered
real nature with small lakes and wild animals - The Crab Tree
Nature preserve, north of Algonquin Road behind Schaumburg.
Entry is allowed from 8 am to 6 pm. There are not many visitors
and the parking lots are empty.
Advice: There is no messing around with patrolmen. If they
stop you, do not get out of the car, do not reach into your
pockets and, in general, do not make any rash gestures or jokes.
You will be risking your life. Avoid even reaching for your
mobile in your pocket, which may look as if you are pulling
out a gun. Police are trained not to be the second who shoots. |
Vladimír
Jech
business analyst, Hewitt Associates
Favorite hotel: Drake Hotel, 140
E Walton Place, Chicago, tel.: 1-800-55-DRAKE
- Elegant and traditional hotel offering reasonably priced
accomodation right in downtown Chicago. Air conditioning,
fitness, high-speed internet included.
Favorite restaurant: Hancock Tower Restaurant, John Hancock
Center, 95 floor, 875 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
- Favorite Chicago dining place at the top of a highrise,
where you can experience spectacular views spanning up to
80 miles and four states.
Favorite shop: Woodfield Mall, Woodfield Road, Schaumburg,
tel.: 1-800-332-1537
- chicagoland's largest shopping center, offering many of
the finest stores and restaurants
Favorite attraction: Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), 141 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, tel.: 1-312-435-3590
- Established in 1848, the CBOT is a leading futures and
options exchange. More than 3,600 CBOT members trade 50 different
futures and options products at the exchange through open
auction and electronically.
Best-kept secret: Authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
Favorite destination: - Lively grand boulevard at the heart
of Chicago with many shopping
centers, including chic boutiques such as Armani, Ralph Lauren,
etc.
Advice: - Don't forget your rollerblades. Skating on a sunny
day on the 15-mile path along Lake Michigan is a terrific
experience.
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Nicholas Mathys
weekend MBA professor, CMC/DePaul
Favorite hotel: The Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Place,
Chicago, tel.: +1-312-787-2200
Favorite restaurant: Cape Cod room of the Drake Hotel,
tel.: +1-312-787-2200
- famous for seafood.
Favorite night spot: Hard Drive, 151 East Wacker Drive,
tel.: +1-312-239-4544
- hi-tech music videos on eight big screens, for the younger
crowd
Favorite shop: Filene's Basement, 830 North Michigan Ave.
- for bargains
Marshall Field's, State street downtown. - especially around
Christmas holidays
Favorite attractions:
Sports: The Bulls in the winter and the Cubs at Wrigley
field in the summer.
Arts: the Museum complex downtown, including the Art Institute.
Or just strolling down North Michigan Avenue - the Magnificent
Mile - in any season.
Best-kept secret: The many ethnic restaurants around the
city, especially on the north and north-west sides.
Advice: Do yourself a favor, and plan to spend a few extra
days to see more of the Windy City. |
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Basic facts
Area: 588 km2
Location: northeastern Illinois, USA
Population: 2.9 million
Time zone: GMT -6
Voltage: 110/60Hz - adaptor required for European
plugs
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Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated
to Chicago:
www.enjoyillinois.com -
website of the official tourism office, covering the entire state
http://chicago-cz.com/ - a site of Czechs and Slovaks living in
Chicago. Useful information and experiences from people already
familiar with the US
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/chicago - a well-respected
guide with practical advice for all travelers headed for Chicago
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/ - ideal guide to Chicago's
bars, cinemas, theatres....
HIGHLIGHTS
· The world's first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885, and
since then many have sprung up in the city's center. The most famous
is the 110-floor Sears Tower that, along with many others, offers
beautiful views.
· Almost all of the Lake Michigan shoreline is set aside for recreation
and relaxation, with many beaches, museums, ports, and parks. The
entertainment and shopping center is the downtown area called The
Loop, featuring the famed Michigan Avenue.
· Chicago has been a jazz and blues town since 1915, and this
music complements the atmosphere to this day, during the many festivals.
One such festival is Taste of Chicago, an enormous event that swamps
Grant Park for ten days in July, and drawing 3.5 million people.
Overview
· Chicago is the third largest US city, and boasts 29 miles of
Lake Michigan shoreline. There are nearly 10 million people of
various nationalities and ethnicities in greater Chicago. Spanish
and Polish follow English as the most widely spoken languages.
· The city is one of the world's largest trade centers. Goods
traded include steel, iron ore, limestone, coal, grains, and alcohol.
Chicago also attracts many trade fair organizers, who enjoy the
modern facilities there.
· There are 150,000 people of Czech origin in Illinois. The first
Czechs arrived after 1848, and quickly established entire Czech
quarters like Plzeň, Czech California, and Berwyn. Further waves
of Czech immigrants came to in 1948, 1968, and 1989. |
