Chicago

Vibrant city with a unique river

Chicago might not be the first city people think of visiting in the United States, but it’s a popular destination for Americans. It’s situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, so it has beaches for summer. The skyline of Chicago is beautiful and the shopping is great.

This city might be overshadowed by other American cities, but it’s a remarkably vibrant city. It is home to a unique work of art. These are my tips for the best attractions and excursions in Chicago.

Cloud Gate

A most remarkable thing is Cloud Gate, a 13-metre-high artwork. It was made by British artist Anish Kapoor. It’s colloquially known as The Bean because it does resemble one, but it actually depicts liquid mercury.

What’s amazing is that its highly polished surface reflects Chicago’s skyline, but in a distorted and reversed way. It results in some interesting pictures. The artwork was built between 2004 and 2006 and is entirely seamless. You can find it on AT&T Square in Millennium Park.

Beaches of Chicago

Relaxing on a beach in Chicago.

It sounds special, but Chicago has several beaches. The most famous are North Avenue Beach, Oak Street Beach, Ohio Street Beach, and Montrose Avenue Beach. It is a good place to be on a warm summer day. You will find, and smell Food Trucks, many sporting residents and a wonderful atmosphere. The choice is yours.

Canal Boat Trip

An interesting thing to do is to take a boat tour over the canals. It’s the perfect way to see the city. You’ll make your way along one of the most unique rivers in the world. It’s unique because the current of this 251-km-long river has been reversed thanks to some ingenuous engineering.

The river runs right through Chicago. Originally the river flowed into Lake Michigan, but now it flows into Des Plaines. That way, ships have better access, and when it was first done, it made it easier to get rid of waste water. Lake Michigan was the main source of fresh drinking water back then.

See Chicago from above

If you’d like to get a good view of the city and its surroundings, you need to get up high. You can do this a few different ways. You could take a helicopter tour. But you could also visit the the 360 Chicago Panorama platform (343 metre high) in the top of the John Hancock Centre. Or you could go to the Skydeck (400 metre) in Willis Tower, with its glass balcony called The Ledge.

If the weather is clear you can see four states from up there( Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and of course Illinois, in which Chicago is located).

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