Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chicago's diversity with a neigh-
borhood walkabout; it's one of the
best ways to get a feeling for how
the people here actually live, from
Hispanic families in Pilsen to gay
couples on Halsted Street. See
“Neighborhoods in Brief,” begin-
ning on p. 66.
•
Taking in a Show:
The stage lights
rarely go dark on one of the coun-
try's most bustling theater scenes,
home to a downtown Broadway-
style district anchored by some
beautifully restored historic the-
aters, the nationally known Good-
man Theatre company, and the
city's resident Shakespeare troupe.
But beyond downtown you'll also
find a number of innovative inde-
pendent theater companies, where
future stars get their big breaks and
the pure love of theater practically
leaps off the stage. See “The
Performing Arts,” beginning on
p. 248.
•
Riding the Rails:
Find out why
the Loop is so named by hopping
a southbound Brown Line ele-
vated train (or “the El,” for short),
and watch the city unfold as the
train crosses the Chicago River
and screeches through downtown
canyons. See “Getting Around”
(p. 71) and “Sightseeing Tours,”
beginning on p. 210.
•
Shopping the Town:
Chicago
may have two baseball teams, but
shopping is the national pastime
when you're browsing and buying
your way up Michigan Avenue or
discovering the one-of-a-kind
boutiques in Wicker Park, along
Armitage Avenue, or in one of the
city's other trendy enclaves. See
chapter 9.
•
Taking in Some Cool Jazz at the
Green Mill:
This atmospheric
Uptown jazz club is the place to
go to soak up some smooth
sounds from some of the hottest
The Best Chicago Websites
The
World Wide Web
makes vacation planning a snap—or should I say
“click.” These Chicago-based sites provide up-to-date listings on every-
thing from restaurants to blues clubs, as well as valuable links to other
sites:
•
www.metromix.com
is the
Chicago Tribune
's entertainment-oriented
site.
•
www.cityofchicago.org/Landmarks/index.html
is a city website that
includes definitions of Chicago architectural styles, tour informa-
tion, and maps.
•
www.chireader.com
is the site of the
Chicago Reader,
the city's
alternative weekly paper.
•
www.chicago.citysearch.com
offers reviews of restaurants, bars,
shows, and shops.
•
www.centerstage.net
provides entertainment reviews.
• Many of the city's performing arts groups sell tickets online through
www.ticketweb.com
, so you can reserve seats before leaving home.
• Two good general sites are
www.cityofchicago.org/exploring
chicago
(Chicago Office of Tourism) and
www.enjoyillinois.com
(Illi-
nois Bureau of Tourism).
