Chicago

I grew up being a fan of the Blues Brothers movie, and wanted to see where the film was made for myself. Sadly, many of the shooting locations from the film no longer exist thanks to ongoing urbanisation. Downtown Chicago (the Loop) is an amazing place to wander the streets and take in the impressive architecture along the Chicago river. There is also the food – Chicago is the home of deep dish pizza, one of the highlights of my trip!

Key standout locations that I visited

• Chicago’s Cloud Gate (nicknamed ‘The Bean’), the 110-tonne sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor, the focal point of Millennium Park.
• Chicago Riverwalk is great for restaurants and to chill out in the evening, watching boats sailing along the river.
• Richard J Daley Center, with an impressive Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza.
• 360 degrees Chicago viewing platform on top of the John Hancock Center. The trick is to order a drink (which aren’t much more expensive than ground-level bars), and you don’t have to pay the entry fee.
• Navy Pier, which feels like one giant tourist attraction, is essentially a carnival / amusement fair.
• Chicago Theater, one of the city’s cultural centrepoints.
• Walking tours of the city are a great way to learn about topics that Chicago is synonymous for including blues music, and gangsters.
•  Lincoln Park Zoo, free entry, has a wide selection of animals and worth spending some time exploring. 

When did I visit

June 2016 (Summer, so very nice weather), for a weekend.

How I got there

There are several non-stop flights from New York per day, with a flight time of 2.5 hours. Chicago O’Hare airport is well connected to the subway system, making getting into the city very straight forward.

How I got around

Using the Chicago subway is straightforward, and getting around the city was easy. The trains around The Loop are useful if your feet are tired, or in a hurry.

Which area did I stay in

I stayed fairly central, just North of the river. Hotel accommodation in Chicago, like major US cities, is quite expensive. Plan your trip in advance, and you should be able to take advantage of some deals.

Useful links

• WikiTravel for Chicago

Photo gallery

Clock outside Marshall Field and Company building

The iconic Chicago Theater, one of the city’s cultural centre-points.

The view over Navy Pier from 360° Chicago in the John Hancock Center

The Picasso statue outside of the Richard J Daley Center

Chicago Tribune building with Trump Tower disappearing into the clouds

Wrigley building (L) and the Gotham city-esque Chicago Tribune building (R)

Sitting on the south bank of the Chicago Riverwalk at the LaSalle / Clark water taxi pick-up

View from Michigan Ave of the Wabash Ave bridge at sunset over the Chicago river

The ubiquitous Chicago deep dish pizza, the city’s gift to clogged arteries, but SO delicious!

Chicago’s Cloud Gate (nicknamed ‘The Bean’), the 110-tonne sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor

Chicago Father time clock on the Jeweler’s building, from 1926.