Chicago
With steely skyscrapers, top chefs, renowned museums and rocking festivals, the Windy City will blow you away with its multifaceted splendors.
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- Karla Zimmerman | Jul 31, 202617 Things to Know Before Visiting Chicago
- Karla Zimmerman | Jul 23, 2026How to Visit Chicago on a Budget
- Karla Zimmerman | Jul 17, 202610 Perfect Day Trips from Chicago
- Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu | Jun 2, 202612 of the Best Things to Do in Chicago
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Top places to visit in Chicago
Discover the best attractions in Chicago from must-see sights to unexpected hidden gems.
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
Make your trip to Chicago one to rememeber with these tips on when to go, how to get around, navigating local etiquette and more.
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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 10 day trips would enhance an already delightful trip to the Windy City.
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Money and Costs
A trip to Chicago can pack in endless art, architecture, culture, food and city sights without busting your 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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