Chicago travel guide

At a glance

city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America. For a first visit, Art Institute of Chicago, Trump International Hotel and Tower, 875 North Michigan Avenue are strong starting points. This guide brings together 12 places, practical 1/3/5/7-day routes and a concise food shortlist so you can understand the city before shaping the trip around your pace.

Highlight stops

• Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
• Trump International Hotel and Tower — skyscraper condo-hotel in downtown Chicago, Illinois
• 875 North Michigan Avenue — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois, United States
• Millennium Park — public park in Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Field Museum of Natural History — natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States
• Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry — museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States
• Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa — Chicago archaeology museum and research center
• 311 South Wacker Drive — Tower Block

Food and drink

Use these well-documented flavours as a practical tasting shortlist; open an item to understand it and add it to your trip plan.

• pancake — a brown thin, round cake made of eggs, milk and flour
• fudge — type of sugar candy
• onion ring — deep fried onion slices dipped in batter
• Waldorf salad — fruit and nut salad
• Martini — cocktail made with gin and vermouth

1-day itinerary

Day 1 · History and landmarks

311 South Wacker Drive · Willis Tower · Home Insurance Building · Art Institute of Chicago

3-day itinerary

Day 1 · History and landmarks

311 South Wacker Drive · Willis Tower · Home Insurance Building · Art Institute of Chicago

Day 2 · Parks and open air

Millennium Park · Aon Center · Trump International Hotel and Tower · 875 North Michigan Avenue

Day 3 · Local flavours

Haymarket affair · Field Museum of Natural History · Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa · Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

5-day itinerary

Day 1 · History and landmarks

311 South Wacker Drive · Willis Tower · Home Insurance Building

Day 2 · Museums and art

Art Institute of Chicago · Millennium Park · Aon Center

Day 3 · Architecture and city fabric

Trump International Hotel and Tower · 875 North Michigan Avenue · Haymarket affair

Day 4 · Museums and art

Field Museum of Natural History · Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa · Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

7-day itinerary

Day 1 · History and landmarks

311 South Wacker Drive · Willis Tower

Day 2 · Architecture and city fabric

Home Insurance Building · Art Institute of Chicago

Day 3 · Parks and open air

Millennium Park · Aon Center

Day 4 · Architecture and city fabric

Trump International Hotel and Tower · 875 North Michigan Avenue

Day 5 · Local flavours

Haymarket affair · Field Museum of Natural History

Day 6 · Museums and art

Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa · Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Before you go

This route distributes nearby source-backed stops across balanced days. Opening times and ticket conditions can change; check the official source before visiting.