Chicago is the most populated city in the Illinois state of United States and the third most populated city in the United States. It also comes under one of the 40 largest urban areas in the world.  This city serves as an international hub for finance, culture, industry, technology, transportation, commerce, education and telecommunications. According to the tracked data by the Airports Council International the O’Hare International Airport of Chicago is one of the top six busiest airports in the world. It is also known as the railroad capital of the United States. This city has more than 70 music festivals, 36 parades and over 40 film festivals every year. This city has a few nicknames including the Windy City, the Second City, the City that Works, the White City and the City of Big Shoulders. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows backwards. It is also home to the first all colour television station in the world. The Taste of Chicago is one of the biggest outdoor food festivals in the world that attracts more than a million visitors every year from across the world. 

When to visit Chicago, United States of America

April through May and between September and October is the best time to visit this city. You can enjoy the variety of festivals offered by the city during these months. The weather around the city makes it easier to explore the unique and beautiful places. Apart from these months, you can travel to this city anytime in the year. It will always have something to offer to its visitors. This city will offer you a lifetime of experience to take home with you.

What to know about Chicago, United States of America

Climate

Chicago has a continental type of climate with cold winters and hot summers. It lies in the northern hemisphere. From late November to early March it is very cold in the city. Snowfall is very frequent and sometimes snowstorms also occur in the city. July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 23.8 and January is the coldest month of the year with the average temperature of -3.8 February is the driest month of the year with 67 mm of rainfall and in the month of April it reaches its peak with an average of 112mm. This city receives 38 inches of rainfall, 35 inches of snowfall and 189 sunny days every year. The annual average water temperature of the city is about 11.60.

Currency

The U.S. dollar or American dollar is the official currency of the country. You can pay using your credit card to save on commissions. You can withdraw your money from the ATMs available around the City. It is advisable to exchange your money from any exchange bureau once after reaching the city.

Language 

About 80% of the population of the city speaks English and it is also the official language of Illinois. Apart from English, there are some other foreign languages spoken in the city which include Tagalog, Polish, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese.

Transportation

Various transportation facilities are available in Chicago to travel around and to visit the famous places in the city. These include:

Metra Rail

Taxis

Bicycle

Biking

Water taxis

Metro

Buses

Car hiring

Places of attractions in Chicago, United States of America

The Millennium Park

The Millennium Park is a part of the larger Grant Park in Chicago. It is a public park and is operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the city and in the Midwest. It is a very beautiful city and comes under the top ten most visited cities in the United States with approximately 25 million visitors every year. It was opened on July 16, 2004 and covers an area of 24.5 acres. This park has free admissions and it features various attractions such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Crown Fountain, Cloud Gate, the Lurie Garden and many more. The Cloud Gate is the centrepiece which has a polished, mirror-like stainless steel surface that was inspired by liquid mercury. It reflects its surroundings, which includes the sky, the buildings and the people walking through its arch. It is a mind blowing place which must be visited with your family and friends.

The Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium is a public museum in Chicago city of United States which is completely dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics. Max Adler, who was a business leader in Chicago founded it in 1930. It is the first planetarium in the United States. Ernest A. Grunsfeld Jr. who was an architect was awarded with the gold medal of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects for its design in 1931. Most of the kids who get the chance to visit this planetarium on their school trips and people of every age appreciate the show and comprehensive exhibits it has to offer. There are two dome theatres in the planetarium which offer a variety of shows such as exploration of the solar system, the moon and Chicago’s night sky. There are also many exhibitions related to topics such as meteors and meteorites, space exploration, life on other worlds, history of astrology and the history of the scientific discipline. In 1987, this planetarium was declared as a National Historic Landmark.

The Field Museum of Natural History

The Field Museum of Natural History is a Natural Museum in Chicago city and is one of the largest such museums in the world. It was founded in 1893 and it showcases the anthropological and biological collections gathered for the World Columbian Exposition. The collection of this museum includes the full range of biodiversity, fossils, gems, meteorites and cultural artefacts from around the globe. The library of this museum contains over 275,000 books, journals and books which are focused on biological systematics, evolutionary biology, geology, material culture, ethnology and archaeology. It is a very interesting place which will fill you with a lot of knowledge about space and the solar system.