Chicago is a beautiful city in the state of Illinois, in the mid-west region of North America. It is also popularly known as the windy city, referring to the high intensity winds that make their way into the city from time to time. I have spend enough time in the city and I almost owe it to myself to blog about my 10 favorite things to do in Chicago. The list below is based on my personal experiences and it not necessarily in any order.

1. Climb the towers: Downtown Chicago is home to tall architectural towers placed in a grid structure. One of those towers happens to be the Sears Tower which is the tallest building in NA. The entry fee is about $10 which I think is very reasonable for the experience it offers. As you enter, you are shown a movie with archives about how the tower was built back in 1973. It is a wonderful movie and the tower according to me represents the power of human mind and will. To build such an enormous tower in brutal cold and massive winds more than 3 decades ago is a wonder in itself.  After the movie, a elevator takes you to around 110th floor where the sky deck is located. You are so high that on a cloudy day you will find yourselves above the clouds and will not be able to enjoy the views that sky deck has to offer. From sky deck you can see 3 different states from each side, and then on the 4th side you see the massive Lake Michigan. The entire experience of Sears Tower is just wonderful.

The John Hancock building in downtown is also an excellent option. It is clearly not as high as the Sears tower, but the view is amazing, if not better. There is an excellent restaurant and bar at the top of Hancock, take a window seat, order yourself a nice cocktail and enjoy the marvelous view.

2. MLB: Yes, the major league baseball, the sport invented in America. Chicago is the home of 2 very popular baseball clubs. The ‘White Sox’, that plays in the American League and the ‘Cubs’, which are part of the national league. The entire city is virtually split into two half’s with people supporting either sox or cubs. Do visit the Wrigley field ballpark - home to the Cubs or the U.S. cellular field ballpark - home to the White Sox and enjoy some attractive baseball. The cheapest ticks during the start of the season can be purchased for about $40 per game. The sport is played in the summer, so drink lots of beer to keep yourself hydrated and mix with the crowd that surrounds you.

3. The Blue Man Group: Its a group of men who present themselves in a theater to the audience, with blue paint all over their face and bald caps and black clothes. They perform various stunts with paint, large amount of paper, even audience participation and some heavy rock music. It is a not a regular theater show nor is it a concert or circus, it is just a grand show that this group puts together for about 60 mins that keeps you thoroughly entertained. In fact there are too many ‘wow’ moments in their performance that makes this show a must watch. The group performs at various cities across NA like Vegas and New York, but if you are in Chicago, make it a point to visit them. Ticks are priced at around $50.

4. Architectural Cruise: Yes the boat ride that takes you to the most fascinating journey inside the city from where you can the see all the marvels the city has to offer. Its a good experience and it is usually said that if you have just couple of hours in Chicago, this is the best way to spend them. The boat passes along the historical landmarks like the Tribune tower, IBM building, NBC tower, the Sears tower and Navy Pier to name a few. This tour is an enriching experience that tells you great stories about Chicago. The river just flows right through the city, and even backwards. I took the Chicago Line cruise for about $35 and it lasted about 90 mins. There were some great photography moments and I was very satisfied at the end of it. Some complimentary coffee and cookies were served on board too, in case that is critical.

5. Soldier Field: The home of Chicago Bears, American professional football club. Americans are crazy about football. Its a tough and rough game with plenty of tactics. You have to watch one complete season of football to understand all the nuances the game has to offer. Football is played in winters and I went to the game at soldier field on Dec 30th. The stadium is located close to lake Michigan and I can tell you it was brutal cold. If you enter that coliseum without proper gear, consider yourself dead! The atmosphere inside was electrifying, the crowd were deeply involved, lots of ooh’s and aah’s, and f’ and S’ and of course plenty of beer in everyone’s belly. The sport is very popular and hence the tickets are very steeply priced. We got the cheapest tickets for $100 and my friend confirmed that we made a steal.

6. And all that Jazz: Chicago and Jazz music have a historical connect. I am not the one to write about that, but I can tell you that jazz is a glorious form of music and Chicago offers plenty of places to enjoy this soulful stirrings. I went to the one called Close Up 2 in downtown and had a great time listening to some live jazz performances, drinking wine and having excellent time with a friend. The entry was about $10 and the drinks are reasonably priced. The service is great, people are warm and everyone in there is having a great time. 

7. Michigan Avenue: This Street runs parallel to Lake Michigan, but at some distance from the lake. It’s the most magnificent street in downtown Chicago that is the home to designer showrooms on each side of the street. Hundred’s of shoppers and visitors walk on it everyday to capture the latest trends in fashion, or enter the big Apple outlet to play around with Mr. Steve Jobs gadgets. The kids freak out at toy stores, and women go ga ga over shoes and accessories.  There are book stores, chocolate shops, Chicago souvenir’s, restaurants, malls, Millennium Park and lots more. The other name of this street is the magnificent mile, which I believe is spot on.

8. United Center: The home of Chicago Bulls. People who have seen Jordan play live at united center, have lived a lifetime already is a popular belief in the city. His record and achievements speak for themselves and Chicago loves their most beloved hero like no other. During the NBA off season, the place host concerts of various traveling artist and bands from around the world. I have had the privilege to see a bulls game and also visit the place in off season to see a concert by Chris Daughtry and Bon Jovi. Both the experiences were amazing. I purchased a cheap ticket to the bulls game with some co-workers for about $15 and sat far up from the court where the view was just as amazing. If basketball does not excite you, the fillers performed during breaks and time outs are a lot of fun too. The concerts are expensive, I paid $175 for it, but the sheer brilliance of the show was worth every penny.

9. Lake Shore Drive: This is the road that runs right next to the lake Michigan. Driving on the road was always a special experience. On one side is the magnificent lake with blue water, almost like an ocean with boats, beach and walking trails and on the other side are mostly residential houses.  Living in those houses facing the lake must be awesome. Also on this drive is the Alder planetarium and museum.  I find the universe very intriguing and loved the place that housed even the ancient astronomical instrument. If you like the aquatic world, visit the Shedd Aquarium that is the world’s largest indoor aquarium also on the lake shore drive.

10. Events round the year: If you are living in Chicago, there will always be some event taking place every month to keep you busy and entertained. Taste of Chicago is a large food festival that takes place every year during the fag end of June where local restaurants setup their tents and is a treat for food lovers who can taste portions of almost everything for about $15. Ravinia festival is for young and old. A great place to take your wine, cheese, crackers, chocolates and bed sheet and picnic on the lawn and listen to the music artist performing inside the Amphitheatre. General lawn ticks are about $15. Pitchfork music festival is a 3 day event where young and old bands from around the world get together and perform on 3 different stages that are setup. You can hop from one stage to the other and pick your music. Great event if you just want to drink a lot of ale and listen to live rock music. There is a lot more happening around the year in Chicago.

That’s all I have to offer from Chicago to you or should I say that Chicago has to offer to all of us.