Chicago Travel Guide

The Great Chicago Fire

Katie — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:49:05 +0000

Late one night, when we were all in bed, Old Mother Leary left a lantern in the shed; And when the cow kicked it over, she winked her eye and said, “There’ll be a hot time in the old town, tonight.” In October of 1871, a fire started near the O’Leary Barn in Chicago. The fire spread quickly and [...]

Lincoln Park

Katie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:33:28 +0000

Lincoln Park runs roughly from (south to north) North Avenue to Belmont and from (east to west) Lake Michigan to the Chicago River. Like many of Chicago’s neighborhoods, the area was once home to many Puerto Rican immigrants. Now it is one of the most expensive areas to live in the city. Many of the [...]

Bucktown/Wicker Park/Ukranian Village/Logan Square

Katie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:15:38 +0000

Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukranian Village and Logan Square all seemed to get lumped together by many Chicagoans. The group of neighborhoods lies along the el tracks of the Blue Line, about a 10-minute ride from the Loop. The areas started out as Polish working class in the mid-1800’s and later became predominantly German. Puerto [...]

Old Town and River North

Katie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:45:16 +0000

Old Town is located just south of Lincoln Park and is bordered by Armitage to the north and North Avenue to the south. The area has gone through several incarnations. In the 1950’s the area was home to many Puerto Rican immigrants as well as many gays and lesbians (who later moved further north into [...]

The Gold Coast, the Magnificent Mile, and Streeterville

Katie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:35:10 +0000

The Magnificent Mile, the (approximately) one-mile-long stretch of Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River, is known for its luxury highrises, fancy boutiques, hotels, and increasingly touristy selection of restaurants. Eight Chicago landmarks and four of the ten tallest buildings are located along the Mile, along with three upscale shopping malls and the only [...]

Counting Down to St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

Katie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:52:37 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day may well be one of the most-celebrated holidays in Chicago….mostly because the folks here just can’t resist throwing back a few pints of green beer! Whether you plan on coming to Chicago to join in the fun or heading to another city to see how they celebrate, it’s not to early to [...]

Exploring Chicago’s Loop

Katie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:56:09 +0000

Named for the “loop” made around the city by the elevated train tracks, the Loop is Chicago’s central core and major business district. While the Loop offers plenty to see and do during the day, it can get pretty quiet in spots at night. You see, few people actually make their home within its boundaries, [...]

The Lakeview Neighborhood

Katie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:53:31 +0000

The Lakeview neighborhood is considered by many to be one of the city’s most livable areas. It’s located along the Lakefront (hence the name) and is home to both young families, co-eds, and many post-grads under 40. Lakeview is known for its abundance of restaurants (many of which are BYOB), its many boutiques, and its [...]

Five Unique Bars in Chicago

Katie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:38:22 +0000

Like most other major cities, Chicago has plenty of options for nightlife. We’ve got dive bars, gay bars, hotel bars, martini bars, beer beers, rooftop bars, dance clubs, and more. For something a little more unusual, check out one of these unique bars in Chicago. Violet Hour Entering the Violet Hour has been likened to “falling down [...]

Deep Dish (or Thin Crust) Pizza in Chicago

Katie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:58:17 +0000

Deep-dish pizza is nearly synonymous with Chicago. New Yorkers love to engage in the New York vs. Chicago-style pizza debate and tourists love to sample it while in the city, but truth be told, a lot of local Chicagoans prefer thin crust to deep dish. I know it sounds like blasphemy, but I actually prefer [...]