As one of the largest cities in the USA, and a place that has a rich and unique cultural history from the earliest days of the nation right through until its recent growth as the commercial capital of the mid west, Chicago has developed many different attractions to entertain visitors.

From its many galleries and museums such as the Museum of Contemporary art on Michigan Avenue through to much smaller private galleries around the fringes of the city, there are plenty of places to get a dose of art during your stay in Chicago.

Other Chicago attractions within the city itself include the shopping area along Michigan Avenue. Chicago is well known for its variety of stores, and there are both small boutiques and larger department stores such as Bloomingdales to choose from, and everyone agrees that Chicago is a great place to shop until you drop.

During the summer, when the weather in the city is hot and sultry, getting down onto the beaches along the shores of Lake Michigan is a great idea, and escaping the city gives you a chance to enjoy to the more relaxing lifestyle outside the city streets, as well as allowing you to visit out of town attractions including a number of Indian reservations and small villages where there are small craft markets and local art galleries that mainly feature the works that are inspired by the local countryside.

Perhaps the most famous of the many Chicago attractions is the Sears Tower. This staggeringly tall building stretches more than a quarter of a mile into the air, and for nearly a quarter of a century was the tallest building in the world. Its vast bulk has dominated the skyline of Chicago since the 1970s, a black monolith that can be seen for more than a hundred miles around. You can take the elevator more than a hundred storeys to the top of the building where there is an observation platform that will give you views of the city and surrounding areas that are awe inspiring, and an essential part of any visit to Chicago.