- this is a rather interesting and stylish city in the USA with its own special atmosphere, the economic and cultural capital of the Midwest, the second most important financial center in America after. Travelers from all over the world go to Chicago to enjoy its unique architecture, see the sights - the skyscraper district, beautiful gardens and parks with fountains, go to museums and theaters, get acquainted with the history of the Chicago mafia and feel the unique style of the old city. We visited Chicago after and collected the main facts about this city that tourists should know before the trip - the most interesting and important information about the city and our useful recommendations.

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How long is the flight to San Chicago? The flight time depends on where you are and how many transfers you need to make. Here are the most popular flight routes:

• New York-Chicago (distance 790 miles, travel time 12 hours, flight time 2.5 hours)
• Washington - Chicago (distance 700 miles, travel time 10 hours, flight 2 hours)
• Philadelphia - Chicago (distance 760 miles, travel time 11.5 hours, flight 2.5 hours)
• Miami - Chicago (distance 1380 miles, travel time 21 hours, flight 4 hours)
• Los Angeles - Chicago (distance 2000 miles, flight time 4.5 hours)
• Las Vegas - Chicago (distance 1720 miles, flight time 4 hours)

Airplanes fly regularly from major cities in the US, Mexico and Canada and there are direct flights to Chicago. But flying to Chicago from Moscow without transfers will not work. You will have to buy air tickets with connections at airports in Europe or America. The easiest way is first, and then by local airlines to get to one of airports in Chicago. Travel time without an overnight stay will be from 12 to 20 hours.

Chicago has two airports:

• O'Hare International Airport with four runways, is one of the largest and busiest in the world. It is located outside the city limits to the west of the city and annually serves about 70 million passengers (4th in the world).
• Midway International Airport is located in the southwestern part of the city of Chicago, 13 km from the center. About 25 million passengers use it annually.

Helpful advice: If you need to fly out of Chicago, the cheapest way to get to O'Hare International Airport is by subway. You need to take the Blue Line and go to the final station. The trip will cost $2.5.

3. Weather in Chicago is determined by the influence of the temperate continental climate, and the seasons correspond well to the seasons. In winter, snow often falls in Chicago and, despite the average temperature of everything (-1 ..-8 ° С), it becomes quite cold and chilly due to the wind that brings humid air from Lake Michigan. But the summer is quite long, with a comfortable temperature (+23..28°C), but during the day there are often thunderstorms and short-term rain.

Interesting fact: In the summer in Chicago, when the weather is nice, there are several fairly well-known music festivals, which are attended by fans of jazz and blues.

4. - the third largest metropolis in the United States by the number of inhabitants (after and). Chicago was founded by French immigrants in 1795, and received city status in 1837. About 3 million people live in it. If you count together with the suburbs that are part of Greater Chicago, then the population is about 9 million. Chicago, together with neighboring Indianapolis, is the largest transport and logistics hub in the United States.

From history of chicago we know that in 1871 there was the Great Chicago Fire, which was even larger than the Moscow fire of 1812, and most of the old city burned down. This was the reason for the complete restructuring of Chicago, the appearance of modern high-rise buildings in it.

Today, Chicago is often referred to as the "city of skyscrapers". This is due to the fact that a large influx of migrants, as well as an economic and industrial boom that occurred in the second half of the 19th century, led to a construction boom, and the city of Chicago became one of the architectural centers of the United States with the tallest buildings, including the Sears Tower (since 2009 known as the Willis Tower).

Chicago is a city of skyscrapers

• At the end of the 19th century, in 1885, it was in Chicago that the world's first skyscraper with a load-bearing frame was built - The Home Insurance Building 42 meters high (10 floors), which was completed in 1891 by another 2 floors, up to 55 meters, and in 1931 demolished and in its place built a new 42-storey skyscraper - the Field Building with a height of 163 m.
• The influx of African American migrants at the beginning of the 20th century caused a flourishing of jazz culture in the city of Chicago. The most famous representative of Chicago jazz culture was cornetist and conductor King Oliver.
• In the 1920s, Chicago gained notoriety as a city of gangsters due to the fact that over a thousand organized crime gangs were operating in it. Among them was the famous Al Capone - the main American gangster and boss of the Chicago mafia.
• In the second half of the 20th century, suburbanization began in the city of Chicago, when many of its residents began to massively move to the suburbs. The withdrawal of harmful production, the restructuring of dilapidated housing, as well as the improvement of streets and parks made Chicago more comfortable for life, the city acquired a modern look.

Interesting to know: Chicago has the nickname "Windy City", but not because of the frequent change of weather and strong winds associated with the geographical location on the shores of Lake Michigan, but for a completely different reason. At the Chicago World's Fair at the end of the 19th century, called the Columbian, American politicians talked a lot in their own interests about completely empty things in order to divert interest from the main thing. The editor of the New York Sun newspaper wrote about their windy speeches in his article. Since then, this fame has been firmly entrenched in the city.

The best way to go to Chicago in the middle of spring, when beautiful plants begin to bloom in city parks, or in golden autumn from October to the beginning of the second half of November, to admire the riot of colors of nature with minimal rainfall.

If you are going to the city Chicago for the first time, watch an interesting video about this city:

5. Chicago style in clothes combines sophistication, glamor and luxury, characteristic of America in the 20-30s of the last century. These are frank and vivid images, characteristic style and self-confidence.

To better understand this style, it is worth watching the famous film "Chicago" in 2002 directed by Rob Marshall, based on the musical of the same name and received several Oscars, one of which was just for the best costume design.

Periodically it becomes fashionable to arrange chicago style holidays when guests arrive dressed according to certain rules and behave confidently and relaxed. Especially popular is Chicago New Year's Eve - a gangster-themed party, held according to a certain scenario in a suitable room, which recreates the atmosphere of American confidence and great ambitions. It is not necessary to go to Chicago for this, but it is definitely worth preparing for the event in advance in order to create a cool image and surprise everyone.

6. Chicago Hotels in the city center are much cheaper than. There are quite a few not very expensive 4 and 5 star hotels, and there are always options for budget travelers, and not on the very outskirts, but even in modern skyscrapers and near the airport. The most famous is the Trump Hotel in Chicago (link).

In our experience, it is better to book a room in a Chicago hotel 1-2 months before the trip. You can also count on a last-minute offer when prices for unsold rooms are falling, but in this case it is important not to miscalculate so as not to end up overpaying.

It is convenient to choose a hotel in Chicago on the map with prices:

Helpful advice:

Hotels in Chicago are best booked north of the Chicago Loop ( Chicago Loop), preferably near the Magnificent Mile ( Magnificent Mile), where there are more than 70 different accommodation options, and it will be a short walk to the pier, and Millennium Park with the amazing Bob, or in the city center ( Downtown). These are the most convenient and safe areas for tourists with a large selection of comfortable accommodation at reasonable prices.

Booking a hotel in Chicago without additional commissions is quite easy. This can be done on your own, without prepayment, but with a guarantee of placement on the Booking.com website →

Here are the top 3 Chicago hotels we recommend:

• JW Marriott Chicago(from $220) — a wonderful 5* hotel in a well-restored historic building with stylish interiors in the heart of the Chicago Loop (Quincy area), very close to the Sears Tower and not far from the symphony hall.
• staypineapple(from $105) — an inexpensive 4-star hotel in Chicago near Millennium Park, with clean and comfortable design rooms in the style of "gangster America". The best combination of price and quality.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites(from $84) – 3* hotel in the center of Chicago with a high rating and a good breakfast

We have written a detailed article about which area of ​​Chicago is best to choose a hotel depending on your preferences and budget.

Read more:

7. Here are the main tourist attractions:

8. Public transport in chicago pretty well developed. There are three types of transport in the city:

9. Chicago Loop- the historical and business center of Chicago, located on the banks of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, and bounded from the south by the Roosevelt Road. This is the second largest financial district after Manhattan in New York with the Federal Reserve Bank and several stock exchanges, headquarters of the largest companies and corporations, head offices of banks, located on Lasalle Street, which was nicknamed Chicago's Wall Street.

Interesting to know: It is believed that the name Loop (loop) comes from the 19th century cable car, which made a sharp turn in the area.

It is in the Chicago Loop that the most famous street of the city is located - Michigan Avenue, part of which is called the "Magnificent Mile" due to the fact that it is famous for the most expensive apartments and luxury 5-star hotels, such as Trump International Hotel & Tower as well as the best restaurants and shops.

10. As a trendsetter of your own style, Chicago often referred to in modern culture, including in music and cinema.

This concludes our story about Chicago. In our opinion, Chicago is a rather brutal city that will be interesting to visit for all connoisseurs of US history, experts in architecture and the urban environment, as well as simple lovers of skyscrapers and music. We really liked the Grand Park and the unusually beautiful and large Buckingham Fountain in it, as well as some modern elements of urban design and architecture, such as the mirror bean (Cloud Gate) and the Riverwalk.

Tripinsurance, which offers Allianz Global Assistance coverage. You can also compare the conditions and prices of different insurance companies on the site and buy the right one for you.

The vacuum cleaner, the Ferris wheel, the zipper and soap operas first appeared here. The longest continuous street in the world is located in Chicago. The world's first skyscraper was also built here. Learn more about this wonderful American city.

1. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows in the opposite direction.

2. The publication of Playboy magazine began in Chicago in 1953.

3. The zipper was invented here in 1851.

4. The Ferris wheel was invented here in 1893.

5. Chicago is home to one of the last free zoos, Linkoln Park Zoo.

6. The Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago has the largest (after the Louvre) collection of Impressionist paintings.

7. The first blood bank in America was opened here in 1937.

8. The longest street in the world is here: Western Avenue stretches for 23.5 miles.

9. It hosts the world's largest free street food festival, Taste of Chicago.

10. Every year the city receives 35 million tourists from all over the world.

11. Radio stations in Chicago brought into fashion such a genre as "soap operas".

12. In the modern DC Comics universe, Gotham City is based on Chicago, not New York.

13. The first all-color TV channel began broadcasting in Chicago in 1956.

14. The airless paint spray method was invented in Chicago.

15. The vacuum cleaner was invented in Chicago in 1868.

17. From the observation deck of the Willis Tower you can see 4 states at once: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

18. There are as many as 552 parks in the city!

19. The first McDonald's franchise opened in the Chicago suburb of Des Plains in 1955. Currently, the museum of the corporation is located here.

20. "America's Main Street" - the legendary Highway 66 - starts here.

21. Walt Disney was born in Chicago.

22. The first open heart surgery in America was performed in Chicago in 1893.

23. In 1885, the first skyscraper appeared in Chicago. The 10-story Home Insurance Building was 42 meters high.

24. The first American auto race was held in Chicago in 1895.

25. The prototype of the first mobile phone was created by a Motorola employee in Chicago, Martin Cooper.

The vacuum cleaner, the Ferris wheel, the zipper and soap operas first appeared here. The longest continuous street in the world is located in Chicago. The world's first skyscraper was also built here.

Learn more about this wonderful American city...

1. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows in the opposite direction.

2. The publication of Playboy magazine began in Chicago in 1953.

3. The zipper was invented here in 1851.

4. The Ferris wheel was invented here in 1893.

5. Chicago is home to one of the last free zoos, Linkoln Park Zoo.

6. The Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago has the largest (after the Louvre) collection of Impressionist paintings.

7. The first blood bank in America was opened here in 1937.

8. The longest street in the world is here: Western Avenue stretches for 23.5 miles.

9. It hosts the world's largest free street food festival, Taste of Chicago.

10. Every year the city receives 35 million tourists from all over the world.

11. Radio stations in Chicago brought into fashion such a genre as "soap operas".

12. In the modern DC Comics universe, Gotham City is based on Chicago, not New York.

13. The first all-color TV channel began broadcasting in Chicago in 1956.

14. The airless paint spray method was invented in Chicago.

15. The vacuum cleaner was invented in Chicago in 1868.

17. From the observation deck of the Willis Tower you can see 4 states at once: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

18. There are as many as 552 parks in the city!

19. The first McDonald's franchise opened in the Chicago suburb of Des Plains in 1955. Currently, the museum of the corporation is located here.

20. "America's Main Street" - the legendary Highway 66 - starts here.

21. Walt Disney was born in Chicago.

22. The first open heart surgery in America was performed in Chicago in 1893.

23. In 1885, the first skyscraper appeared in Chicago. The 10-story Home Insurance Building was 42 meters high.

24. The first American auto race was held in Chicago in 1895.

25. The prototype of the first mobile phone was created by a Motorola employee in Chicago, Martin Cooper.

25 interesting facts about Chicago. The vacuum cleaner, the Ferris wheel, the zipper and soap operas first appeared here. The longest continuous street in the world is located in Chicago. The world's first skyscraper was also built here. Learn more about this wonderful American city. 1. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows in the opposite direction. 2. The publication of Playboy magazine began in Chicago in 1953. 3. The zipper was invented here in 1851. 4. The Ferris wheel was invented here in 1893.
5. Chicago is home to one of the last free zoos, Linkoln Park Zoo. 6. The Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago has the largest (after the Louvre) collection of Impressionist paintings. 7. The first blood bank in America was opened here in 1937. 8. The longest street in the world is here: Western Avenue stretches for 23.5 miles.
9. It hosts the world's largest free street food festival, Taste of Chicago. 10. Every year the city receives 35 million tourists from all over the world. 11. Radio stations in Chicago brought into fashion such a genre as "soap operas". 12. In the modern DC Comics universe, Gotham City is based on Chicago, not New York.
13. The first all-color TV channel began broadcasting in Chicago in 1956. 14. The airless paint spray method was invented in Chicago. 15. The vacuum cleaner was invented in Chicago in 1868.
17. From the observation deck of the Willis Tower you can see 4 states at once: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. 18. There are as many as 552 parks in the city! 19. The first franchised McDonald's restaurant was opened in the Chicago suburb of Des Plains in 1955. It currently houses the corporation's museum. 20. "America's Main Street" - the legendary Highway 66 - starts here.
21. Walt Disney was born in Chicago. 22. The first open heart surgery in America was performed in Chicago in 1893. 23. In 1885, the first skyscraper appeared in Chicago. The 10-story Home Insurance Building was 42 meters high. 24. The first American auto race was held in Chicago in 1895. 25. The prototype of the first mobile phone was created by a Motorola employee in Chicago, Martin Cooper.

25 interesting facts about Chicago. The vacuum cleaner, the Ferris wheel, the zipper and soap operas first appeared here. The longest continuous street in the world is located in Chicago. The world's first skyscraper was also built here. Learn more about this wonderful American city.

1. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows in the opposite direction.

2. The publication of Playboy magazine began in Chicago in 1953.

3. The zipper was invented here in 1851.

4. The Ferris wheel was invented here in 1893.

5. Chicago is home to one of the last free zoos, Linkoln Park Zoo.

6. The Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago has the largest (after the Louvre) collection of Impressionist paintings.

7. The first blood bank in America was opened here in 1937.

8. The longest street in the world is here: Western Avenue stretches for 23.5 miles.

Photo: urbanfeel

9. It hosts the world's largest free street food festival, Taste of Chicago.

10. Every year the city receives 35 million tourists from all over the world.

11. Radio stations in Chicago brought into fashion such a genre as "soap operas".

12. In the modern DC Comics universe, Gotham City is based on Chicago, not New York.

Photo: Jeff Lewis

13. The first all-color TV channel began broadcasting in Chicago in 1956.

14. The airless paint spray method was invented in Chicago.

15. The vacuum cleaner was invented in Chicago in 1868.

Photo: Mel

17. From the observation deck of the Willis Tower you can see 4 states at once: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

18. There are as many as 552 parks in the city!

19. The first McDonald's franchise restaurant was opened in the Chicago suburb of Des Plains in 1955. Currently, the corporation's museum is located here.

20. "America's Main Street" - the legendary Highway 66 - starts here.

Photo: RightBrainPhotography

21. Walt Disney was born in Chicago.

22. The first open heart surgery in America was performed in Chicago in 1893.

23. In 1885, the first skyscraper appeared in Chicago. The 10-story Home Insurance Building was 42 meters high.

24. The first American auto race was held in Chicago in 1895.

25. The prototype of the first mobile phone was created by a Motorola employee in Chicago, Martin Cooper.