When To Go

The city comes into its own in summertime, which is also festival season. This is when Chicago is at its busiest, and hottest, and there are literally festivals taking place every weekend (‘Jazz’, ‘Blues’ and ‘The Taste’ are the most famous). March is the least busy time, but still fairly warm. Winters in Chicago are generally snowy and windy, reaching -11C at times.

Top 5 Places To Stay

• Congress Plaza Hotel

  Originally built in 1893, this downtown Chicago hotel offers a convenient location across the street from Grant Park. Many of Congress Plaza Hotel's guestrooms have city or Lake Michigan views. The hotel's public areas feature ornate chandeliers, statuary and murals. A lounge, café and restaurants are also on site.

• Hotel 71

  This 39-story hotel is across the river from Magnificent Mile shopping district, six blocks from Lake Michigan and a half-mile from the Loop’s theatre district. All 454 guestrooms at Hotel 71 offer superb views of the Chicago River or the city skyline.

• Hard Rock Hotel Chicago

  On Michigan Avenue and across from Millennium Park, this music-inspired hotel occupies the 37-story, Art Deco-style Carbide and Carbon Building in downtown Loop (Macy's is a block away). Guestrooms feature plush pillowtop mattresses, Aveda products, sleek zebrawood dressers and complimentary internet.

• Hotel Blake

  This landmark downtown Chicago hotel is two blocks from the Red Line “baseball” train that stops at Wrigley Field and US Cellular Field. Occupying a richly renovated 19th-century building, the hotel features a stylish restaurant serving modern American cuisine and a 24-hour fitness centre.

• Hotel Sax Chicago

  Nestled in the Marina City complex on the Chicago River, the Hotel Sax Chicago is next to the House of Blues and within a half-mile of the Loop. Luxury amenities include pillowtop beds dressed with Egyptian cotton linens, as well as leather and crushed velvet accent pillows.

Top 5 Things To Do On Your Visit

• Millennium Park

  Right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city is this, one of the newest attractions. At just under 25 acres, Millennium Park is stuffed full of greenery, sculptures, pavilions and, in winter, an ice-rink.

• Navy Pier

  Though it may be heaving with tourists almost constantly, Navy Pier really is worth putting up with the crowds. This mile long strip has everything, from classic-American restaurants to fairground rides, theatres and shops…lots of shops.

• Museum of Science and Industry

  One of the city’s most renowned attractions, the museum has some great technology-based features that bring out the best in 3D and IMAX cinema. There are fascinating tributes to the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci too.

• Boat Trip

  It’s always nice to see a city from a different perspective, and Chicago is no different. Boat trips are extremely popular, and as a result there are many varied options to choose from in terms of where you want to go, how long you want to be on the water and whether you want to eat onboard.

• Adler Planetarium

  The main draw here is space & time. Learn about black holes, the solar system and have a go on the many VisionStations that make you feel as if you’re on another planet.