Chicago at a glance: a guide to some must-do activities

When in town for IMTS, be sure to enjoy some of the many attractions that make the Windy City a top tourist destination. 

Chicago is a global city, a thriving center of international trade and commerce, and a place where many organizations host their trade shows.

As involving as IMTS is, you’re bound to have some free time while in Chicago, which you can spend either appreciating the city’s architecture or finding the nearest place to order a delicious deep-dish pizza or other culinary treat Chicago is renowned for. Following is a brief guide to CTE’s hometown, courtesy of the tourism bureau Choose Chicago (www.choosechicago.com).

Tours, ‘Must-See’ Sights

Shoreline Sightseeing. Experience one of Chicago’s popular architecture cruises. Shoreline Sightseeing offers daily boat cruises down the Chicago River and out into Lake Michigan, providing visitors and residents alike a unique vantage point to enjoy the city and its iconic skyline. Go to www.shorelinesightseeing.com.

Chicago Cultural Center. Free guided tours of the Chicago Cultural Center let you view the world’s largest Tiffany glass dome and other architectural gems in the “People’s Palace,” a Beaux Arts landmark building. Tours are given Wednesday through Saturday at 1:15 p.m.; groups meet in the Randolph Street lobby.

Millennium Park. Situated on 24.5 acres of public green space in the heart of downtown, it features the now-famous Cloud Gate, or “Bean,” sculpture, gardens, fountains and walking paths along the city’s lakefront. 

Chicago Architecture Foundation. This nonprofit group sponsors numerous guided tours of the city’s many architectural treasures. It is located at 224 S. Michigan Ave.; available tours are listed on its website, www.architecture.org.

Navy Pier. With more than 8 million visitors annually, Navy Pier is the Midwest’s top tourist attraction. Take in skyline views on the new Ferris wheel, enjoy a Chicago Shakespeare Theater play or watch a 3D Imax movie. 

SkyDeck. Step out into space on SkyDeck Chicago’s “The Ledge,” 1,350’ (411m) above the ground. The Ledge offers a unique vantage point of the surrounding cityscape in a glass box protruding from the 103rd floor. It’s located at the Willis Tower.

Shop Till You Drop

Chicago is a leading shopping and fashion destination. From major department stores to chic designer boutiques, the city boasts a vibrant retail scene. The city is home to more than 250 Chicago-based fashion designers and 400 independently owned boutiques.

Magnificent Mile. A Chicago shopping spree typically starts on the “Mag Mile,” along North Michigan Avenue, and stretches from the Chicago River to Oak Street. It’s the destination for department store giants Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, as well as hundreds of specialty shops and boutiques.

State Street. Often called “That Great Street,” State Street is in the heart of the Loop. One of the city’s first major retail outlets, the flagship Marshall Field’s State Street store (now Macy’s) has been a Chicago icon for more than 150 years. The store is an architectural gem, offering 10 selling floors of ready-to-wear clothes, collections by Chicago-based designers and fine home lines. 

Food Favorites

No visit to Chicago is complete without trying its two most famous foods: Chicago-style hot dogs and deep-dish pizza. 

Chicago Pizza. When eating Chicago-style pizza, you’re best advised to use a knife and fork. The deep-dish delicacy was reportedly invented in 1943 at the still-standing and always-crowded Pizzeria Uno, 29 E. Ohio St. A Chicago pizza is about 2” thick and arrives in a heavy black pan. 

Chicago has many other deep-dish pizza restaurants, including Edwardo’s, Gino’s East, Giordano’s, Leona’s, Home Run Inn and Lou Malnati’s. 

Chicago Hot Dogs. The “tube steak” made its first recorded appearance in Chicago at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, but the true Chicago-style dog was invented 40 years later by push cart vendors during the Great Depression. For a nickel, a hard-pressed Chicagoan could practically buy a full meal: a hot dog “with a salad on top”—specifically, yellow mustard, green relish, onions, tomato, a pickle spear, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt, bulging from a steamed poppy seed bun.

That’s what you’ll get if you order a hot dog with “the works” at one of hundreds of hot dog stands, some of which have attained iconic status. These include Superdawg, 6363 N. Milwaukee Ave., and Wiener’s Circle, 2622 N. Clark St.

Get Moving

After you indulge in one of those Chicago favorites and want to work off some calories, the 18-mile (29km) path along Lake Michigan is popular for cyclists and runners. Along the way, there are 33 beaches plus tennis courts, athletic fields and one of the eight Chicago Park District golf courses. For additional information, visit the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture’s Web site at www.choosechicago.com.