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Tips & articles

Scouting out Chicago's changing Wrigleyville

Chicagoans once held two truths to be self-evident: the Cubs were baseball’s eternal lovable losers, and the general tenor of Wrigleyville, the team’s home ’hood, was boozed-up and unrepentantly lowbrow. Then in 2016, the Cubbies clinched the World Series – and sticky-floored Wrigleyville began smartening up, welcoming swanky new hotels, cocktail bars and restaurants worth hitting even after the season ends. The area’s ongoing redevelopment has proven divisive...

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The USA's best craft breweries

It wasn't long ago that the American beer market was dominated by a handful of factory-produced brews that bore only a passing resemblance to what those in other climes called 'beer...

It wasn't long ago that the American beer market was dominated by a handful of factory-produced brews that bore only a passing resemblance to what those in other climes called 'beer.’ Thankfully, those days of choking down foul-tasting swill are long gone, with an explosion of microbreweries in recent years. The Brewers Association’s most recent count of 6,000 is nearly triple the number of American microbreweries that existed in 2011...

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Healthy Chicago: finding feel-good eats in the Windy City

With internationally lauded temples of molecular gastronomy, a constellation of breweries and cocktail bars and a roster of iconic local specialities like belt-busting deep dish pizza, Chicago boasts a dining and drin...

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Best museum sleepovers in the US

Within the confines of a museum’s walls, children can explore our planet’s rich history, dive deep to the bottom of the ocean, and discover what other galaxies look like...

Within the confines of a museum’s walls, children can explore our planet’s rich history, dive deep to the bottom of the ocean, and discover what other galaxies look like. These institutions of wonder also often feature some incredible opportunities for youngsters to go beyond the usual exhibitions – museum slumber party, anyone? Some of us have been fantasizing about what it’s like to stay overnight at a museum since reading The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E...

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Where to celebrate Pride in the US

Rainbow paint and feather boas at the ready – it’s time to prep for Pride season. From queer capital San Francisco to non-stop party town NOLA, 2018’s stateside festivities are set to be bigger and bolder than ever. Celebrate Pride in style in these LGBTIQ-friendly cities, as recommended by our Lonely Planet Locals...

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Dive into Great Lakes history in Northern Michigan

A first visit to one of the Great Lakes redefines ideas of what a lake can be. The deep, cold waters stretch out as far as the eye can see toward a flat and limitless blue horizon...

A first visit to one of the Great Lakes redefines ideas of what a lake can be. The deep, cold waters stretch out as far as the eye can see toward a flat and limitless blue horizon. Freighters cross the depths; kayakers and swimmers splash in the shallows; and lighthouses dot the often treacherous shores. Traveling around the top of the Michigan mitten opens up a wide window into the past and present of life on Lake Michigan, from Native American myths to modern makers...

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Your backstage pass to Chicago's best festivals

Bookworm? Architecture buff? Indie rocker? No matter how you roll, Chicago’s got a festival for you...

Bookworm? Architecture buff? Indie rocker? No matter how you roll, Chicago’s got a festival for you. Each festival season – which stretches roughly from the first suggestion of mild temps until the first threat of flurries – brings over 400 neighborhood shindigs alone, not to mention a host of multi-day events keyed to interests from hoppy brews to electric blues. Here, 11 of the best Chicago fests...

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Chicago with kids: what to see and where to stay

Chicago is practically tailor-made for family getaways, offering a wealth of interactive museums, fabulous parks and jaw-dropping architecture without the aloof attitude or supersized footprint that make some big cities feel like no-fly zones for tiny tourists. From tots to teens, there’s something for every child in the Windy City...

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Inside Chicago's most peculiar museums

Sure, your friends will listen politely as you describe your trip to the Art Institute to see paint on the walls...

Sure, your friends will listen politely as you describe your trip to the Art Institute to see paint on the walls. But you'll stop them mid-yawn when you let loose with stories of visiting the Red Spanking Bench and the world's largest jug collection. Here are 10 beyond-the-norm museums in Chicago that give new meaning to niche. As a bonus: most are free. A collection of Toby jugs. Image by Cory Doctorow / CC BY-SA 2...

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First-time Chicago: a starter guide to the Windy City

Take revolutionary architecture, award-winning cuisine, an outsized musical legacy and top-flight museums, and wrap them all up in an easy-to-navigate package...

Take revolutionary architecture, award-winning cuisine, an outsized musical legacy and top-flight museums, and wrap them all up in an easy-to-navigate package. Now throw in a population of locals at once cosmopolitan and brimming with Midwestern good humor. That’s Chicago, a city that will roll out the welcome mat and keep you engaged whether you plan to stay a night or a month. These local picks will guarantee a great first impression of the Second City...

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Looking for laughs: Where to find Chicago's best comedy

From John Belushi and Bill Murray to Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey, the roster of comedians whose careers launched from Chicago’s stages is staggering...

From John Belushi and Bill Murray to Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey, the roster of comedians whose careers launched from Chicago’s stages is staggering. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that a stint in the city’s become an all-but-mandatory waypoint for wannabe comics en route to stardom. So how did this decidedly non-glitzy Midwestern town come to be the country’s comedy kingmaker? Chicago's stages have nurtured some of the world's top comedic talents...

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Chicago for foodies: latest trends and unmissable eats

The James Beard Foundation can sniff out a culinary winner, which is why it chose Chicago to host its 'Oscars of the food world' award ceremony through 2021...

The James Beard Foundation can sniff out a culinary winner, which is why it chose Chicago to host its 'Oscars of the food world' award ceremony through 2021. The city has become a chowhound's hot spot, with award-winning chefs and foodie talent elevating an already thriving food scene to new gourmet heights. As you graze through town, here are the themes to keep in mind and mouth. Award-winning dining Avocado ice cream from Blackbird. Image by Chloe List / courtesy of Blackbird restaurant...

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Hot ‘hoods in the US: 10 neighborhoods you need to visit

America is a dynamic country, and its most oft-visited cities are always different every time you stop by...

America is a dynamic country, and its most oft-visited cities are always different every time you stop by. It can be hard to keep your finger on the pulse of a city, especially when whole neighborhoods go and reinvent themselves while you aren’t looking...

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Next stop for foodies: Chicago's South Side

When it comes to Chicago dining, the traditionally blue-collar neighborhoods of the South Side are often overlooked for trendier environs like Wicker Park...

When it comes to Chicago dining, the traditionally blue-collar neighborhoods of the South Side are often overlooked for trendier environs like Wicker Park. Not for long; today, keyed-in diners can dig into everything from Polish-Korean fusion in a Bridgeport bar to soul food in a repurposed Washington Park currency exchange...

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The 10 best music venues in Chicago

When it comes to music in the Great Lakes, no city rocks harder than Chicago...

When it comes to music in the Great Lakes, no city rocks harder than Chicago. In a town famous for mobsters and deep-dish pizza, one of Chicago’s most vibrant yet often overlooked cultural exports is its thriving live music scene. So skip the Art Institute and experience the city like a local at one of these top 10 music venues. The neon is bright and the sounds are bold in Chicago's varied music scene © Señor Codo / CC BY-SA-2...

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Play with words at Chicago's innovative literary museum

The first thing to know about the new American Writers Museum in Chicago is that it's not some stuffy institution offering a definitive statement on national literature: who's canon, who's not...

The first thing to know about the new American Writers Museum in Chicago is that it's not some stuffy institution offering a definitive statement on national literature: who's canon, who's not. On the contrary, the recently inaugurated space – tucked on the second floor of a nondescript office building on Michigan Avenue – is approachable and unpretentious...

Chicago travel tips & articles

Scouting out Chicago's changing Wrigleyville

The USA's best craft breweries

Healthy Chicago: finding feel-good eats in the Windy City

Best museum sleepovers in the US

Where to celebrate Pride in the US

Dive into Great Lakes history in Northern Michigan

Your backstage pass to Chicago's best festivals

Chicago with kids: what to see and where to stay

Inside Chicago's most peculiar museums

First-time Chicago: a starter guide to the Windy City

Looking for laughs: Where to find Chicago's best comedy

Chicago for foodies: latest trends and unmissable eats

Hot ‘hoods in the US: 10 neighborhoods you need to visit

Next stop for foodies: Chicago's South Side

The 10 best music venues in Chicago

Play with words at Chicago's innovative literary museum

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