The city’s most famous sculpture, the ‘Cloud Gate,’ often referred to as ‘The Bean’, sits in the middle of Millennium Park at dusk
The United States is full of exciting cities that bring thousands of tourists to their streets each year. From the sparkling beaches of Miami to the glamorous designer stores of Los Angeles, the melting pot that is New York City, and the mountainous sights of Denver, there is more than enough to explore.
However, one city in particular stands above the rest, offering a holistic experience of quality food, culture, nightlife, sights, and sports all wrapped into one. Although the debate of the “greatest city in America” is still a heated one, this article will give you every reason to believe that Chicago, Illinois undoubtedly deserves the top spot.
Let’s check out why more and more people are relocating to the country’s shining gem, a true stunner of a city.
Museums, Architecture and Attractions Galore
Chicago boasts a wide variety of sights, so many that even long-time locals have yet to see them all. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or moving for a year, there are dozens of things to see that span across a great range of interests.
For museum enthusiasts, Chicago has you covered. You can check out ancient fossils at The Field Museum, explore various interactive exhibits at The Museum of Science and Industry, or watch beautiful tropical fish swim close up to your very eyes at the Shedd Aquarium.
Likewise, for lovers of all things art and architecture, the city contains some world-famous sculptures such as the Cloud Gate which is on display for public view. In addition, the Art Institute of Chicago is home to over 300,000 works from artists across the ages.
By simply taking a stroll through the city, visitors can stretch their necks, looking up to miraculous examples of American architecture. These include the city’s tallest building, the 110-story Wills Tower, and the 360 Chicago, which contains an impressive observatory deck where tourists can gaze out upon the expanse of Lake Michigan.
The Huge Sports Culture
You simply cannot talk about Chicago without drawing attention to the city’s hugely important sports culture. Throughout every major professional league, Chicago has a representative. In fact, the city is one of only ten to have teams from the five main sports - baseball, football, hockey, basketball, and soccer.
From Michael Jordan and the Bulls, to baseball’s Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, to football’s Chicago Bears, sports fans are a major contributor to the city’s heartbeat. This is even evident in how the locals dress - often decked out head to toe in fan gear and apparel.
What’s more is that the state of Illinois is one of the select U.S. locations that offers legal online sports betting for followers of different leagues in the area. Platforms like these drive the fandom and sports culture of the city forwards, with wagers available on every league, including Motocross, horse racing, and MMA. Nowadays offers like Illinois free bets give fans additional opportunities to engage with the teams and players that make Chicago a world-famous sports city. There really is nowhere like Chicago when it comes to watching live sports.
Baseball fans watch a ball game at the historic Wrigley Field in Chicago’s northside
The Food Scene
Chicago’s food scene often revolves around its iconic deep-dish pizza that has tickled the taste buds of thousands of pizza lovers over the years. However, aside from this culinary gem, the city also boasts a wide variety of other must-eat meals.
Some of these include the historic Chicago hot dog, Italian beef sandwich, and the Puerto Rican inspired Jibarito sandwich. As most of the city’s best eats are finger foods that can be consumed without using any silverware whatsoever, they are perfect to take with you to a ball game or sightseeing walk around downtown.
Chicago is also well-known around the country for its impeccable taste and production of barbeque. One thing’s for certain: you haven’t tasted quality brisket until you’ve tasted it Chicago-style. If you’re interested in chowing down on a full basket of saucy ribs, check out this list of the city’s essential BBQ restaurants owned by cooks who have mastered the finger-lickin’ goodness.
Public Transportation Makes Everything Accessible
Most major U.S. cities have their fair share of interesting sights, museums, and restaurants, but some of them, such as Atlanta, Georgia, continue to fight the good fight against every city’s worst enemy: bumper-to-bumper traffic.
However, Chicago also ranks supreme in this area as the city is one of the best for public transportation in all 50 states. In fact, the city’s transport system is the country’s largest, second only to that of New York City.
Both visitors and locals can get around easily with the many ‘L’ train lines, or decide between one of 129 different bus routes. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is an exemplary model that many other locations look to for guidance concerning city planning. For residents of Chicago, rush hour is not nearly as daunting with such a great system in place.
What’s more is that tickets are reasonable economically speaking, with various options for day passes or monthly passes. Additionally, discounts are given for select riders such as seniors, and people with disabilities can enjoy trains and buses that are accessible for them.
And All of it Is Extremely Close to the Water
Perhaps you are reading this and thinking that the only thing that’s missing from this diverse list of opportunities is the chance to live close to some body of water. Well, as if Chicago could not get anymore perfect, the city lies directly on the south western tip of the country’s largest lake, Lake Michigan-Huron.
This means that a large collection of gorgeous outdoor spaces and parks can be found throughout the city, providing newbies with the opportunity to make new friends by the water or simply enjoy relaxation in the fresh air.
In addition to lake environments, Chicago also has some unique, clean beaches such as Humboldt Park and Oak Street Beach. The best part is that these beautiful, scenic spaces are only a short drive away from the excitement and adventure of the city.