- The Chicago Theatre, built in 1921, was the first large movie palace built in the United States.
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Chicago is a major metropolis located on the shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois. It's the third-largest city and metropolitan area in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles.
Progress and modernization rule in Chicago. The old Chicago with its smoke-spewing factories and quarreling politicians—not to mention machine gun-wielding gangsters—is mostly gone, having given way to a new Chicago. From the sternly classical to the space age, from the Gothic to the coolly modern, Chicago is a place with an embarrassment of architectural riches. Modern architecture was born here. Frank Lloyd Wright fans will swoon to see his earliest buildings in here, where he began his professional career.
Chicago's museums and cultural institutions are among the best in the world. Three of them are located within a short walk of each other in the Near South, on what is known as the museum campus, in a beautiful spot along the lake: the Adler Planetarium, with cool hands-on space exhibits and astronomy shows; the Field Museum; and the Shedd Aquarium, with the best collection of marine life east of California. A short distance away, on the South Chicago Shore, is the most fun of them all, the Museum of Science and Industry—or, as generations of Chicago-area grade school students know it, the best field trip ever.
In the Loop, the Art Institute of Chicago has a handful of iconic household names among an unrivaled collection of Impressionism, modern and classical art, and tons of historical artifacts. And in Lincoln Park, a short trip from the Loop, the cheerful (and free) Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes visitors every day of the week.
Destination Facts
- Population: 2,841,952
- Time Zone: -6 GMT (Central Standard Time)
- Languages: English
- Currency: USD
- Airports
- Chicago Ohare International (ORD) [Main]
- Chicago Midway International (MDW) [Secondary]
City Guide
Feature Article
Feature
Chicago: Have a Hot Time in Chi-town
Chicago April 18, 2008 by Cindy RichardsThe Second City serves up first-class sights, entertainment, shopping and, of course, hearty food.
Articles on Chicago
Feature
New Amusement Parks and Rides for Summer 2008
by Nicole Fancher June 19, 2008On your next family vacation, test your fear and keep your cool on thrilling new coasters and giant water slides across the country.
College Visits
Rural vs. Urban College Campus Visits
by Samantha Cleaver June 17, 2008A College Visit to a small-town, rural campus should focus on different factors than visiting a bustling city campus. Here’s what to know for both.
Travel News
June Events Especially for Kids
by Donna M. Airoldi May 13, 2008Families heading to Chicago or Winnipeg in June should look into a special taste of Chicago for kids and the 26th anniversary of Winnipeg’s annual Kidsfest.
Feature
Family Friendly Chicago Hotel Packages
by Donna M. Airoldi April 18, 2008Chicago’s top hotels want your family vacation business, and they’ve created the savings packages to prove it.
- Chicago: Tips for Affordable Family Fun
- Broke? Fear not. You don’t need big bucks to enjoy some of Chicago’s best family attractions. »
- Sweet Home Chicago and TravelMuse.com
- TravelMuse completes its alpha phase and migrates to its new address. Oh, and we have a new issue too—my hometown, Chicago. »
- Chicago: Have a Hot Time in Chi-town
- The Second City serves up first-class sights, entertainment, shopping and, of course, hearty food. »
