Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Taking in a Show:
Chicago is home to a downtown Broadway-
style district anchored by beautifully restored historic thea-
ters. Beyond downtown, you'll find a number of innovative
independent companies, where the pure love of theater makes
up for the low budgets. See “The Performing Arts” on p. 147.
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Taking in Some Cool Jazz at the Green Mill:
This atmos-
pheric Uptown jazz club is the place to go to soak up smooth
sounds from some of the hottest up-and-coming performers on
the jazz scene, while the club itself is a living museum of 1930s
Chicago. See p. 157.
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Watching Improv Come Alive:
Chicago is a comedy breeding
ground through improv hot spots such as Second City and iO.
The shows may soar or crash, but you just might catch one of
comedy's future stars. See “Comedy & Improv” on p. 155.
7 The Best Places to Hang with the Locals
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Shopping the Town:
Michigan Avenue is often touted as a
shopper's paradise. For more distinctive items, head to the city's
residential districts, where trendy independent clothing bou-
tiques sit next to eclectic home-design stores filled with one-of-
a-kind treasures. See chapter 9.
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Soaking Up Sun at Wrigley Field:
It's a Chicago tradition to
play hooky for an afternoon, sit in the bleachers at this historic
baseball park, and watch the Cubbies try to hit 'em onto Wave-
land Avenue. Even if you can't get in, you can still soak in the
atmosphere at one of the neighborhood's many watering holes.
See “In the Grandstand: Watching Chicago's Athletic Events”
on p. 123.
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Playing in the Sand:
If you're staying at a downtown hotel,
you can hit the sands of Chicago's urban beaches almost as
quickly as your elevator gets you to the lobby. Oak Street Beach
(at Michigan Ave. and Lake Shore Dr.) is mostly for posing;
North Avenue Beach, a little farther north along the lakefront
path, is home to weekend volleyball games, family beach out-
ings, and a whole lot of eye candy. See “Beaches” on p. 121.
8 The Best Free (or Almost Free) Things to Do
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Bonding with the Animals at Lincoln Park Zoo:
Occupying a
prime spot of Lincoln Park close to the lakefront, the zoo is small
enough to explore in an afternoon and varied enough to make
you feel as though you've traveled around the world. See p. 102.
