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Book Categories |
List of Maps | xi | ||
About the Authors | xii | ||
Introduction | 1 | ||
The Most American of American Cities | 1 | ||
About This Guide | 3 | ||
Why "Unofficial"? | 3 | ||
Creating a Guidebook | 3 | ||
How the Unofficial Guides Are Different | 4 | ||
Special Features | 4 | ||
How This Guide Was Researched and Written | 5 | ||
Letters, Comments, and Questions from Readers | 6 | ||
How Information Is Organized: By Subject and by Geographic Zones | 6 | ||
Part 1 | Understanding the City | 29 | |
A Brief History of Chicago | 29 | ||
Beginnings | 29 | ||
First Settlers and a Massacre | 30 | ||
Boom ... | 31 | ||
... and Bust | 31 | ||
A Transportation Hub | 32 | ||
Innovative Marketing and a Presidential Nomination | 32 | ||
Industrial Might | 33 | ||
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 | 33 | ||
Labor Troubles | 34 | ||
The Roaring Twenties | 34 | ||
Another Depression ... and Another Fair | 35 | ||
The Second World War | 35 | ||
A New Era | 35 | ||
Post-Industrial Chicago | 36 | ||
"A Real City" | 36 | ||
Skyscrapers and the Prairie School: Chicago Architecture | 37 | ||
A Bovine Beginning | 37 | ||
The Chicago School | 37 | ||
Classical Designs by the Lake | 40 | ||
The Prairie School | 40 | ||
1920s Prosperity and Art Deco | 40 | ||
The International Style | 41 | ||
Postmodernism | 41 | ||
Scraping the Sky | 42 | ||
An Outdoor Museum | 42 | ||
Sculpture in the Loop | 43 | ||
Part 2 | Planning Your Visit to Chicago | 45 | |
When to Go: Seasons of the Windy City | 45 | ||
Four Distinct Seasons | 45 | ||
A Calendar of Festivals and Events | 46 | ||
Avoiding Crowds | 48 | ||
How to Get More Information on Chicago before Your Visit | 50 | ||
Getting to Chicago | 52 | ||
Flying | 52 | ||
Taking the Train | 52 | ||
Driving | 53 | ||
Part 3 | Hotels | 55 | |
Deciding Where to Stay | 55 | ||
Some Considerations | 56 | ||
Getting a Good Deal on a Room | 56 | ||
Special Weekend Rates | 56 | ||
Getting Corporate Rates | 56 | ||
Half-Price Programs | 57 | ||
Preferred Rates | 58 | ||
Wholesalers, Consolidators, and Reservation Services | 58 | ||
Alternative Lodging | 59 | ||
How to Evaluate a Travel Package | 59 | ||
Helping Your Travel Agent Help You | 60 | ||
If Your Make Your Own Reservation | 61 | ||
Chicago Lodging for Business Travelers | 61 | ||
Lodging Convenient to McCormick Place | 62 | ||
Convention Rates: How They Work and How to Do Better | 62 | ||
Chicago Hotels Rated and Ranked | 64 | ||
What's in a Room? | 64 | ||
Hotel Ratings | 67 | ||
How the Hotels Compare | 68 | ||
How the Hotels Compare | 69 | ||
Chicago Hotels by Zone | 72 | ||
The Top 30 Hotel Deals in Chicago | 76 | ||
Hotel Information Chart | 78 | ||
Part 4 | Visiting Chicago on Business | 89 | |
Convention Central, U.S.A. | 89 | ||
Convention and Trade Show Calendar | 90 | ||
Other Business Visitors | 90 | ||
How the Unofficial Guide Can Help | 91 | ||
Convention Overload | 92 | ||
McCormick Place Convention Center | 92 | ||
It's Big ... | 92 | ||
... and It Has Its Drawbacks | 92 | ||
The Layout | 94 | ||
Parking at McCormick Place | 97 | ||
Exhibitor Move-In and Move-Out | 98 | ||
Getting to and from McCormick Place | 98 | ||
Getting to and from the Airport | 99 | ||
Lunch Alternatives at McCormick Place | 99 | ||
Navy Pier | 99 | ||
Navy Pier Convention Facilities | 100 | ||
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center | 100 | ||
Part 5 | Arriving and Getting Oriented | 103 | |
Coming into Chicago by Car | 103 | ||
Coming into Chicago by Plane | 104 | ||
O'Hare International Airport | 104 | ||
Midway Airport | 110 | ||
Coming into Chicago by Train | 111 | ||
Getting Oriented | 111 | ||
A Geography Lesson | 112 | ||
Chicago's Layout | 112 | ||
The Major Highways | 114 | ||
Finding Your Way around Chicago | 115 | ||
Where to Find Tourist Information in Chicago | 115 | ||
Things the Natives Already Know | 116 | ||
Chicago Customs and Protocol | 116 | ||
Publications for Visitors | 118 | ||
Chicago on the Air | 118 | ||
Access for the Disabled | 118 | ||
Time Zone | 120 | ||
Phones | 120 | ||
Liquor, Taxes, and Smoking | 120 | ||
Crime in Chicago | 120 | ||
Part 6 | Getting around Chicago | 123 | |
Driving Your Car: A Really Bad Idea | 123 | ||
Time of Day | 123 | ||
Parking | 123 | ||
Insider Tips for Drivers | 124 | ||
Subterranean Chicago | 124 | ||
Public Transportation | 125 | ||
The CTA | 125 | ||
The El | 125 | ||
Buses | 127 | ||
Taxis | 128 | ||
Walking in Chicago | 129 | ||
Pedways | 129 | ||
Part 7 | Sightseeing, Tours, and Attractions | 131 | |
Touring Chicago | 131 | ||
Taking an Orientation Tour | 131 | ||
Architecture and Boat Tours | 133 | ||
Specialized Tours | 135 | ||
Carriage Rides | 136 | ||
Touring on Your Own: Our Favoirte Itineraries | 137 | ||
Exploring Chicago's Neighborhoods | 139 | ||
Andersonville (Zone 1) | 139 | ||
Devon Avenue (Zone 1) | 140 | ||
Uptown (Zone 1) | 140 | ||
Lincoln Square (Zone 1) | 141 | ||
Lakeview/Wrigleyville (Zone 1) | 142 | ||
Milwaukee Avenue (Zone 2) | 142 | ||
Wicker Park and Bucktown (Zone 2) | 143 | ||
Gold Coast and Old Town (Zone 3) | 144 | ||
Chinatown (Zone 5) | 144 | ||
Taylor Street (Zone 6) | 145 | ||
Pilsen/Little Village (Zone 6) | 146 | ||
Bridgeport (Zone 6) | 147 | ||
Hyde Park/Kenwood (Zone 7) | 148 | ||
South Shore (Zone 7) | 149 | ||
Other Neighborhoods of Interest | 149 | ||
Final Note | 152 | ||
Chicago for Children | 152 | ||
More Things to Do with Children | 152 | ||
Pro Sports and a Really Big Amusement Park | 153 | ||
Helpful Hints for Visitors | 153 | ||
How to Get into Museums for Half Price | 153 | ||
When Admission Is Free | 154 | ||
Scenic Car Drives | 154 | ||
Great Views | 155 | ||
Getting into "Oprah" | 156 | ||
Chicago Attractions | 157 | ||
Attractions by Type and Zone | 157 | ||
Attraction Profiles | 160 | ||
Part 8 | Dining and Restaurants | 195 | |
Dining in Chicago | 195 | ||
Small-Plate Cuisine Hits Its Stride | 195 | ||
New and Changing Restaurants | 196 | ||
Upscale Hotel Restaurants | 198 | ||
Sushi Abounds | 198 | ||
Back to American Roots | 199 | ||
Ethnic Diversity Gets a Makeover | 199 | ||
Lincoln Square: The New Restaurant Row | 199 | ||
Restaurants: Rated and Ranked | 200 | ||
Our Favoirte Chicago Restaurants: Explaining the Ratings | 200 | ||
Our Pick of the Best Chicago Restaurants | 201 | ||
The Best Chicago Restaurants | 201 | ||
Chicago Restaurants by Zone | 205 | ||
More Recommendations | 208 | ||
Restaurant Profiles | 213 | ||
Part 9 | Shopping in Chicago | 269 | |
Nothing Like It Back Home | 269 | ||
The Where of It | 269 | ||
The How of It | 271 | ||
Michigan Avenue: The Miracle Mile | 271 | ||
Michigan Avenue's Grand Malls | 273 | ||
East of Michigan | 277 | ||
The Landmark Department Stores of the Loop | 277 | ||
Marshall Field's | 278 | ||
Carson Pirie Scott | 280 | ||
Where to Find ... | 281 | ||
Art and Fine Crafts | 281 | ||
Baby Furniture | 285 | ||
Beauty Items | 286 | ||
Bikes and Skateboards | 288 | ||
Boats, Yachts, and Sailing Craft | 288 | ||
Books, Cards, and Stationery | 289 | ||
Cameras | 291 | ||
Canoes and Kayaks | 291 | ||
Clothing and Shoes | 292 | ||
Clothing and Shoes Discount Outlets | 304 | ||
Crystal, China, and Kitchen Items | 305 | ||
Florists | 306 | ||
Food and Wine | 307 | ||
Formalwear | 310 | ||
Furs | 310 | ||
Garden and Landscaping | 311 | ||
Home Furnishings, Linens, and Bath Supplies | 311 | ||
Jewelry | 318 | ||
Luggage | 320 | ||
Marine Specialty Items | 321 | ||
Musical Instruments and Recorded Music | 321 | ||
Oriental Rugs | 322 | ||
Outdoor Gear | 322 | ||
Sports Cars and Vintage Automobiles | 323 | ||
Tobacco | 323 | ||
Toys, Games, Clothes, and Gifts for Children | 324 | ||
Western Wear | 324 | ||
Suburban Shopping Centers, Discount Malls, and Shops | 325 | ||
Part 10 | Exercise and Recreation | 329 | |
Handling Chicago's Weather | 329 | ||
Indoor Activities | 329 | ||
Free Weights and Exercise Machines | 329 | ||
Exercising in Your Hotel | 330 | ||
Outdoor Activities | 330 | ||
Walking | 330 | ||
Running | 332 | ||
Tennis | 332 | ||
Golf | 333 | ||
Road Bicycling and In-Line Skating | 334 | ||
Mountain Biking | 335 | ||
Swimming | 336 | ||
Paddling | 336 | ||
Windsurfing | 337 | ||
Ice Skating | 337 | ||
Downhill Skiing | 338 | ||
Cross-Country Skiing | 338 | ||
Spectator Sports | 338 | ||
A Sports-Crazy Town | 338 | ||
Pro Teams | 339 | ||
College Sports | 341 | ||
Horse Racing |
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