5 Reasons to Visit Chicago
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Discover the top reasons to visit Chicago. Not surprisingly, they include food, coffee, architecture, art and the city itself.
We hadn’t traveled to Chicago in over a decade. Once there for our recent visit, we saw the city with fresh eyes and were struck by the many things that make Chicago world-class.
We don’t know why we waited so long between our Chicago visits. If you haven’t been to Chicago lately, check out our top reasons to visit Chicago now.
1. Food in Chicago
We knew that the food would be good, but we were still blown away by the food quality at all price points. Not only did we enjoy excellent restaurant meals, but we also loved accessible local food like Chi dogs, pizza, popcorn and donuts.
Even the local outpost of Eataly has its own twist, not to mention an enviable selection of fresh produce. Seriously, eating is one of the best things to do in Chicago. It is one of the best food cities in America after all.
Discover more great American food cities.
2. Coffee in Chicago
We had grand plans to check out several coffee shops around the city. However, we ended up going back every morning to the same Intelligentsia shop for generous, well-constructed pour overs and friendly service. Why mess with perfection?
3. Architecture in Chicago
During our insider’s walking tour with a volunteer Chicago Greeter, we were struck by the city’s ubiquitous, amazing architecture. The city was thoughtfully rebuilt after the Great Fire in 1871, and city planners have done an excellent job of mixing historic buildings with new skyscrapers over recent decades.
We saw interesting architecture throughout the city in different Chicago neighborhoods. Exploring the windy city may be exhausting but it’s certainly never boring.
4. Art in Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the great museums of the world. We had just enough time to hit the highlights like A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Nighthawks and American Gothic.
We’re also fans of pop art. It’s extra awesome when pop art and food collide during the same experience.
We saw lots of street art as well, not to mention a stunning Marc Chagall mosaic right in the middle of downtown. Seeing art is a must whether you have two days in Chicago or longer.
5. The City of Chicago Itself
Chicago is a magical lakefront city with lots of outdoor space. Everywhere we went, people were enjoying the urban outdoor setting.
Final Thoughts
We were struck by the strong civic pride in every single Chicago resident who we met – a pride backed up by an awesome city of art, architecture and food. We’ll be back well before another decade passes to explore more reasons to visit Chicago.
And next time – we’re eating at Alinea.
More in Chicago
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Funding
We self-funded our trip to Chicago and paid for the food featured in this article.
