Chi-town Get-down

Chicago Night Life

Beer Here!

Chicago's thirst for craft beers is evident by the number of pubs popping up in neighborhoods throughout the city. Beer lovers today have a much more colorful range of regional brews to choose from, and the settings range from taverns and sports bars to gastro pubs and beer gardens.

Andersonville's Hopleaf Bar
Sheffield's
Public House
Goose Island pub
The Map Room
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Haymarket Pub & Brewery

Uncork a Great Evening

You probably don't think of Chicago as part of "wine country." But you will. Chicago may not have rolling hills lined with row after row of grape vines. But that won't prevent you from sampling some of the finest vintages from the best labels in the world at one of Chicago's many wine bars.

ENO
Purple Pig
Bin 36
DiSotto Enoteca
Webster's
3rd Coast Café & Wine Bar
Avec

Feel the Beat

Chicago has so much nightlife that you might have to schedule an extra day just to recover. From dance clubs to swanky lounges, you'll find it all—and more—so rest up!

Studio Paris
The Underground
SUB 51
Bull & Bear
Hubbard Inn
Gilt Bar

Shopping

The Magnificent Mile

Just half a mile from the Sheraton this cosmopolitan, history-packed strip of Michigan Avenue between the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Oak Street forms a spine that runs parallel to the lakefront and leads you from one essential Chicago experience to the next.

Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue are all here, anchoring the area with elaborate window displays and proffering some of the biggest names in fashion. Between the big boys lie hundreds of specialty shops and recognizable labels. Think MaxMara, Burberry, Lester Lampert, La Perla, Zara and Tumi, to name just a handful.

Three Magnificent Mile malls offer a gateway to your retail dream. The Shops at North Bridge, 900 North Michigan Shops and Water Tower Place are where you'll find everything from shoes at Stuart Weitzman to fine art at Atlas Galleries to accessories for tweens and their dolls at American Girl Place.

Boutique Shopping

It's not surprising that Chicago, a city with "chic" in its name, has so many unique boutique opportunities.

Oak Street
Score luxurious apparel, jewelry, shoes, and accessories in Oak Street stores like Barney's New York, Lester Lampert, and Hermes Paris. In company with style-setters from around the world, you can shop the latest trends from designers who set the trajectory for fashion.

Relax during your quest for the best at Oak Street spas offering services and pampering beyond your imagination. Refuel at any of a vast array of restaurants in this unparalleled district.

Bucktown/Wicker Park
Wicker Park and Bucktown, the eclectic area Vanity Fair pegged "a square mile of sassy boutiques." Scoop up urban trends with fellow hipsters at stores featuring clothes by indie designers or prime vintage picks. Shop independent artisans and makers at the Randolph Street Market Festival in the summertime and at holiday markets.

Lincoln Park
Charming, tree-lined Lincoln Park where many shops are in Victorian row houses. On streets with names like Armitage, Halsted, and Webster, you can browse for everything from clothing for men, women, and children to shoes and adornments, home décor, stationery, gifts, and treats for your favorite pet.

Recharge at bars like Kincade's or eateries to suit any taste, from Nookies Two Lincoln Park for casual American food to world-renowned Charlie Trotter's Restaurant, and everything in-between.

Chicago's Loop

Chicago's Loop has been a shopper's paradise for more than a century and is anchored by State Street, where you can stroll through the legendary Macy's on State Street that's part retail mecca, part history museum.

In the Loop you find such stores as Macy's on State Street, Michelle Tan, Anthropologie, Eileen Fisher, Zara, PUMA, L'Occitane de Provence, Disney Store… and more!

For the Music Buff

From tiny, dimly lit blues clubs to large and legendary jazz mainstays, Chicago is known for being home to some seriously passionate music makers. We're a musical mecca with jazz roots, but whatever your beat—Indie, Rock, Hip Hop, Salsa or Soul—you'll find it live in Chicago any night of the week.

Blues

Acoustic guitar and harmonica-based blues migrated from the Mississippi Delta up Highway 61, arriving officially in Chicago when Muddy Waters moved to the South Side in 1944.

Buddy Guy's Legend
Kingston Mines
B.L.U.E.S.

Jazz

Jazz greats Nat King Cole, Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong brought the sound of string base and fast-paced riffs when they were jiving in Chicago in the '50s and '60s. These celebrated artists made such an impact on the city.

Green Mill Jazz Club
The Back Room
Andy's Jazz Club

Classical

Enjoy an unforgettable evening with the classics at one of Chicago's famous theatres.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lyric Opera of Chicago

Venues

Take a seat or stand up and dance at a variety of venues as diverse as what's playing at them.

The Chicago Theatre
House of Blues
The Metro
Double Door
Schubas Tavern
Aragon Ballroom

Sightseeing in Chicago

Chicago is racking up world-class accolades. So we've put together a list of classic Chicago activities that include the best of the best.

• Skydeck Chicago in the iconic Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) offers a chance for the truly brave to test their love of heights. Step out onto The Ledge: a collection of glass boxes that extend over 4 feet out from the side of the building, giving you the opportunity to stare over 1,300 feet straight down. Don't forget to breathe once you're out there.
• The John Hancock Observatory, along the Magnificent Mile, can show you Lake Michigan like no other place in the city. Its 360 degree views also give you the chance to see four states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Or take a stroll along the open-air sky walk—even in the winter!
• Submerge yourself in the U-505 German Submarine at the Museum of Science & Industry, the Largest Science Museum in the Western Hemisphere.
• Find yourself Deep in Space at the Adler Planetarium's Grainger Sky Theater. As the World's Most Advanced Digital Theater, the Grainger boasts images that are eight times sharper than your digital cinema.
• Dive in to a coastal environment of Beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, and seals at the Shedd Aquarium's 3-million-gallon saltwater Oceanarium, the Largest Indoor Marine Mammal Habitat in the World.
• Pay a visit to the Largest, Most Complete, Best Preserved T-Rex ever discovered. You can meet the T-Rex named Sue at The Field Museum. Don't worry, she doesn't bite.
• Take pleasure in one of the World's Finest and Largest Collections of French Impressionist art at The Art Institute of Chicago. And while you're there, explore the architecturally stunning Modern Wing, which allows the Art Institute to house great collections of modern and contemporary art.
• Look up at the World's Largest Tiffany Art Glass Dome in the Chicago Cultural Center for a sparkling masterpiece created with nearly 30,000 pieces of stained glass.
• Roar with the lions at one of the nation's last Free Zoos. Offering an unforgettable wildlife experience amid a stunning skyline, the Lincoln Park Zoo is open to the public for free every day of the year.
• Ford the Chicago River by boat tour and explore Chicago's architectural wonders on the Only River in the World that Flows Backwards. The reversal of the Chicago River was a pioneering, massive public works effort that saved the Chicago region from waterborne diseases in the early 1900s.
• Ride on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. It's modeled after the very first Ferris wheel built for Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Rides, shops, restaurants and boat tours abound at the Midwest's Number One Attraction.
• Explore Chicago's lush Millennium Park that is home to the famous Cloud Gate or "Bean" sculpture, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden, and the Crown Fountain that spouts water from its digital faces. Millennium Park is constructed on top of a railroad yard and expansive parking garages—making it one of the Largest Green Roofs in the World.

Sports

It was no surprise when Sporting News named Chicago the Best Sports City. We have passionate fans, personable players and a 2010 Stanley Cup victory to top it all off.

During Facility Fusion the Bulls, Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks will all in be in town! Grab a friend and catch a game!

Chicago Bulls	Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox	Chicago Blackhawks

Theater

When you want to see the next big thing, see it in Chicago. The city boasts five Tony award-winning regional theater companies – more than any other city in the nation.

Broadway in Chicago

Step out into the bright lights of Broadway In Chicago's bustling downtown Theater District, where Broadway In Chicago features world-premieres and unforgettable award-winning musicals.

Steppenwolf Theatre

Be moved at the Tony award-winning Steppenwolf Theatre, well known for its thought-provoking plays and trailblazing ensemble of fierce artists, many of whom appear on television and in movies, including John Mahoney starring in "Penelope" (Dec. 1–Feb. 5, 2012). In fact, legendary actor Gary Sinise founded the theater.

Goodman Theatre

Find compelling drama and sophisticated comedy at the Tony award-winning Goodman Theatre. Goodman has been a part of life in Chicago for more than 80 years and is committed to producing both classic and contemporary works.

Lookingglass Theatre

Mind-blowing theatrics ignite at Chicago's Tony award-winning Lookingglass Theatre. Co-founded by David Schwimmer, this intimate theater found a home in the landmark Water Tower Water Works building on Michigan Avenue.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Enjoy the works of William Shakespeare and other powerful performances from the past and present that resonate with Shakespeare's timeless insights into the human condition at the Tony award-winning Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier.

The Second City

Watch in amazement as the skilled improv troupe from The Second City takes the audience on a hilarious adventure. This improv-based sketch comedy made famous in Chicago will have you roaring with laughter. That explains why the likes of Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin and Catherine O'Hara are so funny. These premiere comics trained on our grounds.

Victory Gardens Theater

Savor the beauty of the Biograph Theater while you take in the enchanting performances from the Victory Gardens troupe. From a Victorian age comedy about female sexuality to a modern Latino take on Oedipus, you will find shows that celebrate, reflect and challenge the attitudes of our dynamic and diverse society through passionate new American voices.

Storefront Theater

You'll never be short on theater options in Chicago. Well-known for its risk-taking storefront theater scene, you'll find shows setting up shop in all sorts of untraditional venues. To get you started on the hunt for the next big thing, check out upcoming performances at Profiles Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre and NewLeaf Theatre.