| Chicago, Illinois is the largest city in the state of Illinois | | | | Wicked, Rent, Stomp, The Color Purple, Hairspray, |
| and the third most populous city in the United States. | | | | Chicago, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, the 25th Annual |
| The Chicago metropolitan area has a population of | | | | Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cats, The Producers |
| over 9.4 million in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, | | | | and Jesus Christ Superstar. Chicago is also home to |
| making it also the third largest metropolitan area in | | | | the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony |
| the US. Chicago is located along the shore of Lake | | | | Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet, Music of the Baroque, |
| Michigan. The city's monikers include "Chicago land", | | | | Chicago Opera Theater, the Chicago Chamber |
| the "Windy City", "Chi-Town", "Chi-City", the "Second | | | | Musicians and more. |
| City" and the "City of the Big Shoulders". | | | | Known for its skyscrapers, Chicago boasts the |
| Chicago is a major center of transportation, industry, | | | | world's tallest skyline. Notably historic high-rise |
| culture, medicine and higher education. | | | | buildings grace the Chicago skyline such as the |
| A major transportation hub, Chicago is the third | | | | Chicago Board of Trade Building and the Merchandise |
| largest inter-modal port in the world after Hong Kong | | | | Mart, once the first on the list of the largest buildings |
| and Singapore. Chicago is one of the largest hubs of | | | | in the world and still listed sixth. The tallest building in |
| passenger rail service in the nation with Amtrak | | | | the United States, the Sears Tower is located in |
| providing connections to New York, Seattle, New | | | | Chicago. The Aon Center and the John Hancock |
| Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington | | | | Center are also notable skyscrapers that give |
| DC. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates | | | | Chicago a distinct city skyline. Future building |
| an extensive network of buses and a rapid transit | | | | skyscrapers include Waterview Tower, Chicago Spire |
| system know locally as the "L" (for elevated), which | | | | and Trump International Hotel and Tower. The 60602 |
| includes services to Midway and O'Hare airports. | | | | zip code was named by Forbes as the hottest zip |
| Chicago stands out among large cities for offering | | | | code in the country with many upscale buildings such |
| 150 miles of on-street bike lanes, 10,000 bike racks | | | | as The Heritage at Millennium Park, The Legacy and |
| and a state-of-the-art central bicycle commuter | | | | Momo. |
| station in Millennium Park. | | | | Chicago has a number of architectural gems in its |
| Chicago has ten interstate highways running through | | | | historical church buildings. The Chicago Temple/First |
| the city and suburbs which include I-90 (also known in | | | | United Methodist Church boasts a 22-story |
| some segments as The Kennedy Expressway, | | | | skyscraper surmounted by a steeple 568 feet above |
| Chicago Skyway, The Dan Ryan Expressway and | | | | street level, making it the tallest church in the world. |
| The O'Hare Extension), I-57 (Bishop Ford Freeway), | | | | Three basilicas: Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of All |
| I-94 (Kennedy Expressway), I-55 (Stevenson | | | | Saints and St. Hyacinth proudly stand in Chicago's city |
| Expressway), I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway), I-294 | | | | limits. St. Josaphat's, St. Adalbert's, Mary of the |
| (Tri-State Tollway), I-80 (Kingery Expressway), I-355 | | | | Angels, Church of the Epiphany, St. Gabriel Church, |
| (North-South Tollway), I-190 (The O'Hare Extension) | | | | Metropolitan Community Church, St. Nicholas Ukrainian |
| and I-88 (East-West Tollway and Reagan Memorial). | | | | Catholic Cathedral, St. Clement Church, St. Joseph's |
| Midway International and O'Hare International Airport | | | | Ukrainian Church and St. Simeon Mirotovici are other |
| service the Chicago area. In 2005, O'Hare was | | | | pristine and cherished church buildings in Chicago. |
| reported as the world's busiest airport by aircraft | | | | Chicago was named the best sports city in the Unites |
| movements and second busiest by total passenger | | | | States by The Sporting News in 2006. |
| traffic. Gary/ Chicago International Airport, located in | | | | The city is one of three U.S. cities to host two Major |
| Gary, Indiana, serves and the third Chicago area | | | | League Baseball teams; the Chicago Cubs (known to |
| airport. Chicago/Rockford International Airport is a | | | | fans as "The Cubbies") play in Wrigley Field and the |
| regional base for United Parcel Service flights, some | | | | Chicago White Sox play in the US Cellular Field. The |
| passenger flight and occasionally as a relief to O'Hare. | | | | Chicago Bears, Chicago's NFL team, play at Soldier |
| Chicago is also the world headquarters for United | | | | Field and the Chicago Rush, the city's Arena Football |
| Airlines, the world's second-largest airline. | | | | League team, play at the Allstate Arena. One of the |
| The city has been rated as having the most balanced | | | | world's most recognized basketball teams, the |
| economy in the US, due to a high level of | | | | Chicago Bulls play at the United Center. The Bulls won |
| diversification. Some of the largest employers include | | | | six NBA titles in the 1990's during the reign of Michael |
| over 66 Fortune 500 companies such as The Boeing | | | | Jordan. The United Center also hosts the Chicago |
| Company, Sara Lee, Walgreens, Motorola, Caterpillar, | | | | Sky, a WNBA team. Chicago has two hockey teams: |
| Sears, State Farm Insurance, Allstate, Deere, | | | | the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Wolves. |
| McDonald's, Aon, Office Max, USG and the Tribune | | | | The city is also home to the Chicago Fire, a MLS |
| Company. The city hosts four major financial and | | | | soccer team playing in Toyota Park. |
| future exchanges including the Chicago Stock | | | | Chicago gives tourists a trip to remember and in 2005 |
| Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago | | | | thirty-three million visitors from across the world |
| Board of Options Exchange and the Chicago | | | | came to visit The Windy City. Luxury shopping along |
| Mercantile Exchange. Headquartered in the Chicago | | | | the Magnificent Mile as well Navy Pier, a 3,000-foot |
| area are several medical products and services | | | | pier is home to restaurants, shops, museums, |
| companies such as Baxter International, Abbott | | | | exhibition halls, auditoriums and a 150-foot-tall Ferris |
| Laboratories and the Healthcare Financial Services | | | | wheel. |
| division of General Electric. | | | | Navy Pier offers shopping for apparel, Chicago |
| Chi-Town offers a variety of culture stemming from | | | | souvenirs, gifts and collectibles, toys and games and |
| its deep history to present-day modern arts. The | | | | more at stores like All the Time, DC's Mad Hatter, |
| Museum Campus is a 10-acre lakefront park sitting on | | | | Earthly Elements, Funky Chameleon, Gold & Silver Art |
| the southern section of Grant Park and surrounds | | | | FX, Navy Pier Store, A Silver Lining, The Sports |
| three of the city's main museums: the Adler | | | | Store, Strictly Sterling, Sun Coolers, Varsity Stop |
| Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and | | | | Outfitters, Windy City Leathers, Y-Knot, Air One, |
| the Shedd Aquarium. Grant Park also hosts the Art | | | | Making History, Oh Yes Chicago!, Alamo Flags, Ferris |
| Institute of Chicago, a partner of The School of the | | | | Wheel Photos, Grand Avenue Gourmet, Life's A |
| Art Institute of Chicago. The only building surviving | | | | Holiday, Jahjah Village, Oiled Up, TransPIERency, |
| the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 is the | | | | Fashion Bazaar, Irish Imports, The Oriental Arts |
| Museum of Science and Industry. Chicago's museums | | | | Center, Passage to India, The Russian Place, Sitara, |
| also include the Oriental Institute, part of the | | | | Build-A-Bear Workshop, Magic Masters, Bike Chicago, |
| University of Chicago, the Freedom Museum, Chicago | | | | Faces in Focus Caricatures, Temporary Tattoos and |
| History Museum, DuSable Museum of | | | | more. |
| African-American History, Mexican Fine Arts Center | | | | Chicago has shopping malls scattered throughout the |
| Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, the Peggy | | | | city. Stores such as Ann Taylor Loft, The Body |
| Notebeart Nature Museum and The Renaissance | | | | Shop, The Bose Store, Eddie Bauer, Emporium |
| Society. | | | | Luggage, Femme de Carriere, Glenn Poor Chicago, |
| The city has and abundant entertainment and | | | | Gold Leaf Tobacco, Marshalls, Nordstrom, Olily, Lucky |
| performing arts scene. Chicago's renowned theater | | | | Brand, Sephora, and Swatch are sprinkled all through |
| companies include the Steppenwolf Theatre | | | | downtown as well as the suburbs. |
| Company, the Goodman Theatre Company and the | | | | Chicago is famous for its signature deep dish pizza, |
| Victory Gardens Theater. Other theatres such as the | | | | Italian beef sandwiches, the Maxwell Street Polish and |
| Strawdog Theatre Company, The House Theatre of | | | | the Chicago hot dog, which is made of Vienna beef |
| Chicago, TimeLine Theatre Company and Remy | | | | and loaded with mustard, onion, tomato, pickle relish, |
| Bumppo Theatre Company offer an array of plays | | | | celery salt, sport peppers and a dill pickle spear; |
| and musicals. | | | | putting ketchup on a Chicago �dog' is |
| Broadway musicals are held at venues including | | | | completely taboo. A few of the city's best pizzerias |
| LaSalle Bank Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Ford | | | | are Bacci Pizzeria, Pizza Broker, Pizza Ria, Edwardo's |
| Oriental Theatre and the Auditorium Theatre of | | | | Natural Pizza, Pizzeria Ora, Pizano's Pizza & Pasta, |
| Roosevelt University. Broadway in Chicago was | | | | Rosati's Pizza & California, Pizzeria Uno, Reggie's Pizza |
| created in July 2000 and brings touring productions to | | | | Express and more. |
| the Chicago area. A few of the productions brought | | | | Royalty Universe. Your one stop shopping information |
| by "Broadway in Chicago" are: Blue Man Group, | | | | center. |