Chicago is the home of many things including deep dish pizza, skyscrapers and jazz just to name a few. And it’s neighbourhoods are just as diverse as its inventions. The sad thing is most visitors never venture past the attractions of downtown to explore the real treasures of the city. Chicago is largely split into ‘Sides’ all of which are worth exploring. Of course there is Downtown- the centre of the city and home to the city’s well known attractions, North Side-home to some of Chicago’s premiere theatres, bars, clubs and Wrigley Field, Far North Side with its funky, laid back vibe, beaches and fascinating blend of ethnic communities, Southwest Side- home to the true Chicago blues, and South Side-home to Chinatown, the White Sox and Hyde Park. Believe it or not, Chicago also has miles of beautiful beaches worth exploring too. Chicago is located on the pristine shores of Lake Michigan, the largest freshwater lake located wholly in the United States. The majority of Chicago’s beaches are open to the public and are a great place to spend a day with the family, especially in late summer and early autumn when the water is at its warmest. A few of the city’s best beaches include Oak Street Beach, North Avenue Beach, Rogers Park and Rainbow Beach.

Couples, families, friends; everyone will find that in Chicago there are so many ways to spend your days. Chicago is home to three of America’s five tallest buildings – the Aon Centre, the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Centre and Observatory. Both the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Centre provide visitors with spectacular views, especially on clear days when you are able to see four states. If it’s museums you are after, the city has plenty of those too including the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum and the Chicago Children’s Museum. The Field Museum has been touted as one of the finest natural history museums in the world as well as home to Sue, the world’s largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever discovered. If you are bringing the kids along you won’t want to miss the Lincoln Park Zoo, John G. Shedd Aquarium, the Brookfield Zoo or the Navy Pier. The Navy Pier is the city’s most popular tourist attraction with all kinds of activities and entertainment like mini-golf, mazes, boat rides, theatres, shops, amusement rides and so much more. This place is really a lot of fun for everyone.

Chicago has plenty of ‘big kid’ entertainment as well. The city’s comedy clubs have launched the careers of hilarious comedians such as Canada’s own Mike Myers, Jerry Seinfeld, Vince Vaughn and Steve Carrell. You can’t visit Chicago without visiting the famous Second City improv theatre, guaranteed to make you laugh until you cry. Zanies and I.O Theatre are two more fantastic comedy clubs in town. If you are a fan of live music, make plans to visit Buddy Guy’s Legends, Green Mile and Kingston Mines for the best live jazz and blues in the city. For all you sports fans, Chicago may just be heaven on earth. Chicago has a team in every professional league. The city is home to not just one but two MLB teams-Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, an NHL team-Chicago Blackhawks, an NBA team-Chicago Bulls, and of course an NFL team-Chicago Bears. If you are there in the fall or winter, a Bears game is something you should definitely take in but a word of advice; don’t cheer for the visiting team. You will quickly find Chicago is a city that goes far beyond skyscrapers and is really a great place to spend your vacation.