CHICAGO: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Chicago is a city of world-class status and unsurpassed beauty, drawing visitors from around the nation and the globe. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of the Midwest, Chicago is home to the blues, world-championship sports teams, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, spectacular live theater, celebrated architecture, thousands of restaurants, a galaxy of museums and an array of shopping!

NACUA is looking forward to exploring the City of Chicago! We encourage attendees to review the Chicago Events Guide and Chicago Restaurant Guide.

The Events Guide contains information about Chicago attractions, including links to and information on obtaining advance tickets to highly anticipated events such as the King Tut Exhibit, White Sox and Cubs games, and more!

Restaurants
Once in Chicago, you’ll never have to worry about finding a place to eat! Chicago features more four-star restaurants than any other city in the country and thousands of others that offer culinary favorites to suit every taste, every budget, every mood and virtually every type of person. Chicago offers a virtual United Nations of eating choices. Ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Greektown, West Rogers Park, and Pilsen are among those offering tempting tastes from around the world. Chicago is also proud to be home of award-winning restaurants and world-renowned chefs, as well as home to deep-dish pizza…one of Chicago’s most important contributions to 20th-century culture!

Museums
Chicago is world-renowned for its diverse collection of museums, which explore a variety of subjects including Chicago history, art, African-American culture, astronomy, natural history and much more. Those visiting Chicago should plan on spending time at Chicago’s Museum Campus.
The scenic park conveniently joins the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, the Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium, and the Field Museum of Natural History with easy access to all three locations. Other Chicago museums you may want to visit include the Chicago Historical Society (the city’s oldest cultural institution), the Museum of Science and Industry, the DuSable Museum of African-American History, the Art Institute of Chicago (one of the world’s leading art museums), the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and the Chicago Cultural Center.

Attractions
In addition to world-renowned museums, Chicago is home to a variety of spectacular attractions including Navy Pier, the city’s lakefront playground offering the serene setting of the Crystal Gardens and the magnificent beauty of the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. The Pier also boasts the 150-foot high Ferris wheel, a musical carousel, the Chicago Children’s Museum, a variety of restaurants and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Other attractions that you won’t want to miss include Buckingham Fountain at Grant Park, the Hancock Observatory, and the Sears Tower Skydeck.

Shopping
A visit to Chicago would be incomplete without a shopping spree! Shopping in Chicago began on State Street (that great street!) with the opening of the original Marshall Field’s Department store in 1852. State Street is also home to another famous Chicago department store, Carson Pirie Scott, where customers are drawn into the entrance of the store by the ornate ironwork designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan in 1899. A shopping spree must include a visit to the famed “Magnificent Mile,” location of our Conference Hotel, which runs along Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to the Chicago River. Amidst department store giants, Marshall Field’s, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s, are hundreds of specialty shops and boutiques offering goods from around the world.

Architecture
Visitors from around the world come to Chicago, the birthplace of the modern building, to admire its architectural marvels. From historic landmark buildings to contemporary technological masterpieces, Chicago is built of the unique and innovative designs that have shaped American architecture. The city is a living museum of architecture thanks to the work of such greats as Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Helmut Jahn and hundreds of others. To learn more about Chicago’s acclaimed architecture, the Chicago Architecture Foundation offers more than 50 walking or bus tours, conducted by knowledgeable guides. If you’d rather sightsee by boat, an architectural boat cruise on the Chicago River shows bridge houses and Loop skyscrapers from a wonderful vantage point. If you prefer a self-guided tour, “Audio Architecture,” a taped walking tour of the Chicago Loop, is available for rental from the Chicago Office of Tourism at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Information Provided by Chicago CVB