Chicago's Great Fire of 1871 destroyed much of the city but cleared the way for an unprecedented burst of architectural innovation, the skyscraper, as a building type, was essentially invented here in the following decades, and the city's skyline remains one of the best places in the world to study a century and a half of architectural history in a single afternoon.
Architecture and the River
The Chicago Architecture Center's river cruise is widely considered the single best introduction to the city, narrated by trained volunteer docents past buildings by Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright's influence, and the Wrigley Building's gleaming terracotta facade, book in advance for the most popular time slots.
The Willis Tower's Skydeck, with glass ledges extending out over the street 103 floors below, remains one of the most vertigo-inducing viewpoints in any American city, and on clear days offers views across four states.
Blues, Deep Dish, and the Lakefront
Chicago's blues heritage runs deep, the electric blues sound largely developed here as musicians migrated north from the Mississippi Delta, and clubs like Buddy Guy's Legends carry the tradition forward with live shows most nights of the week.
The 18-mile Lakefront Trail connects Chicago's beaches, parks, and Museum Campus along Lake Michigan, rent a bike for a full loop, stopping at Millennium Park's reflective 'Bean' sculpture and the Art Institute's world-class Impressionist collection along the way.
Recommended Stay · Chicago · River North
The Langham, Chicago
A hotel inside a Mies van der Rohe-designed tower directly on the Chicago River, with river and skyline views from its upper floors.
