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