Chicago

With steely skyscrapers, top chefs, renowned museums and rocking festivals, the Windy City will blow you away with its multifaceted splendors.

Friends hanging out along the Riverwalk by the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois.

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Travel Guides

Chicago travel tips from Lonely Planet experts

Find practical guidance from our team of contributors around the world who bring their decades of first-hand travel experience to your next trip.

Best Things to Do

Come to Chicago for live sports, music and comedy, award-winning food and iconic architecture. Here are the city's best experiences.

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Best Time to Visit

From its icy winters to steamy summers and an always-packed cultural calendar, here are the top times to visit Chicago.

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Things to Know

From figuring out public transport to what to wear and where to stay, here's what you need to know to make your Chicago trip a success.

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Transportation

Chicago's efficient public transportation makes this busy city easy to navigate. Here's how to use the L, Metra and buses for your best experience.

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Free Things to Do

Chicago is jam-packed with fun activities and not all of them are designed to blow your budget. Here are 20 free (and nearly free) things to do there.

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Best Neighborhoods

The Chicago city council voted 46-4 to ban horse-drawn carriages by the end of the year.

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Day Trips

As US cities go, Chicago is pretty great. Any one of these 11 day trips would enhance an already delightful trip to the Windy City.

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Money and Costs

Chicago may be big on experiences, but that doesn't mean you have to fork over big bucks. Here are our tips for navigating the Windy City on a budget.

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Traveling with Kids

With its wealth of interactive museums, fabulous parks, jaw-dropping architecture and family-friendly attitude, Chicago is tailor-made for travel with kids.

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