From Towrs

Contents 1 Briefly 2 Architecture 2.1 Tallest Buildings in Chicago 2.2 Tallest Buildings Under Construction in Chicago 3 General Chicago Pictures 4 Chicago For Residents 4.1 Taxis 4.2 Public Transportation 5 Chicago For Tourists 5.1 Weather 5.2 Location 5.3 Getting There 5.4 Daytrips From Chicago 5.5 Homeless/Vagrants 5.6 Tourist Zones 5.7 Dogs Versus Shoes 5.8 Languages 5.9 Friendliness 5.10 Hotels 5.11 The Good 5.12 The Bad 5.13 Communication 5.14 Things To Bring Home 5.15 Things To Watch For 5.16 Things To Watch Out For 5.17 Getting Around 5.18 Things To Eat 5.19 Driving 5.20 Tourist Traps 5.21 Safety 5.22 Crowds 5.23 Paper Or Plastic 6 Trivia

Briefly

The largest city in the American Midwest, and much to the consternation of New Yorkers, the city where the first skyscraper was erected in the late 19th Century.

Founded by explorers and fur traders where the Chicago River flows out of Lake Michigan, it grew quickly as a hub for railroads, manufacturing, shipping, and meat processing. Today its global influence has been eclipsed by newer stars, but it continues to thrive as an international center for insurance, agribusiness, architecture and design.

Architecture

Tallest Buildings in Chicago

1. Sears Tower
2. Aon Center
3. John Hancock Center
4. AT&T Corporate Center
5. Two Prudential Plaza
6. 311 South Wacker
7. 900 North Michigan
8. Water Tower Place
9. Chase Tower
10. Park Tower

Rankings do not include antennae, but do include spires. Source: Chicago Architecture Info

Tallest Buildings Under Construction in Chicago

1. Trump International Hotel and Tower
2. Waterview Tower
3. 300 North LaSalle
4. One Museum Park
5. Elysian Condominiums
6. 340 On The Park
7. The Claire at Water Tower
8. The Columbian
9. The Streeter
10. 600 North Lake Shore Drive

Rankings do not include antennae. Source: Chicago Architecture Info

General Chicago Pictures

Smoke from a warehouse fire drifts over the South Loop skyline in Chicago, Illinois. © Wayne Lorentz. Photograph courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info	Chicago, Illinois. © Wayne Lorentz. Photograph courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info	Chicago, Illinois. © Wayne Lorentz. Photograph courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info	Chicago, Illinois. © Wayne Lorentz. Photograph courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info
Chicago, Illinois. © Wayne Lorentz. Photograph courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info

Chicago For Residents

Taxis

To hail a cab step to the curb and hold a hand up. That usually does the trick. For any tourists out there, there is no need to wave ones hands furiously in the air.

For those out for an evening and not familiar with the city, be sure to have a number to a cab company. Some CTA lines (elevated train lines) stop running after midnight or 1 am. If a trip is not planned well, one could easily find oneself stranded.

Other good rules of thumb are keep some cash on oneself to pay fare. Taxi drivers are required by law to take credit cards, but frequently the driver will sadly state that his or her machine for processing credit card payments is 'broken'.

Public Transportation

Chicago For Tourists

Weather

Location

Getting There

Daytrips From Chicago

Homeless/Vagrants

This issue requires ones own moral discretion. Keep money such as one dollar bills within easy reach in pockets if planning to give money.

Good rules of thumb are not to make eye contact if one does wish to have contact with the homeless. Do not pull ones wallet out in easy reaching distance of someone asking for money. Do not allow oneself to be isolated with nobody else in view especially during evening or night hours.

Although most homeless people are harmless, caution is both prudent and advised.

Tourist Zones

Dogs Versus Shoes

Languages

English is the primary and most useful language to know in Chicago. Spanish is useful if you plan to visit neighborhoods such as Pilsen and Back of the Yards. In Chinatown, Chinese is almost uniformly spoken, and you may have difficulty being understood in English. In some neighborhoods you can easily get by in Greek, Albanian, Czech, Korean, Russian, and Polish. In fact, Polish is almost as widely spoken in Chicago as Spanish. There is also a Japanese enclave in the Chicago suburbs.

Friendliness

For those new to the city, a good rule of thumb is to dress well. The better dressed you are, the friendlier people will be to you and the more apt they will be to answer you questions. However, if you dress 'bummy', expect a cold shoulder. This seems to be a natural defense mechanism people employ.

Of course being courteous oneself goes a long way too.

Hotels

Broadly speaking, hotels in Chicago are somewhat expensive for a city its size. This is due to the fact that along with Las Vegas, Orlando, and New York Chicago is a major convention hub. Occupancy rates are high by regional standards, and the prices climb accordingly. There is no "off" season for conventions, even in Winter. But the tourist traffic does thin out somewhat in the colder months.

The Good

• The Air: Breathe it while you can. Chicago's air quality is very good compared to other cities its size. Hazy days in Chicago are rarely caused by industrial pollution.
• The Museums: Chicago has a very respectable collection of museums. It takes two to three days to visit all of the major ones. Plan accordingly.

The Bad

Communication

Things To Bring Home

Things To Watch For

Things To Watch Out For

Getting Around

Things To Eat

Driving

Tourist Traps

Safety

Crowds

Paper Or Plastic

Trivia

• Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper. The Home Insurance Building, built in 1885, was the world's first skyscraper. It was razed in 1931 to make way for 135 South LaSalle, also known as the LaSalle Bank Building.