CHICAGO TRAVEL GUIDES

“New York is one of the capitals of the world and Los Angeles is a constellation of plastic, San Francisco is a lady, Boston has become Urban Renewal, Philadelphia and Baltimore and Washington wink like dull diamonds in the smog of Eastern Megalopolis, and New Orleans is unremarkable past the French Quarter. Detroit is a one-trade town, Pittsburgh has lost its golden triangle, St. Louis has become the golden arch of the corporation, and nights in Kansas City close early. The oil depletion allowance makes Houston and Dallas naught but checkerboards for this sort of game. But Chicago is a great American city. Perhaps it is the last of the great American cities."
- Norman Mailer

TRAVELING TO CHICAGO

We love Chicago for the dazzling skyline and architecture, some surprisingly good food, locals who really love their city, a can’t-miss aquarium, world-class art museums, and a wide range of entertaining local sports teams.  Our top travel recommendation is the architectural tour of the river.  Here are our recommendations on the best travel books on Chicago.  

A5 RECOMMENDATIONS

DK Eyewitness Travel: Chicago

One of our common recommendations for a guidebook for larger cities is the DK Eyewitness Travel series, and the Chicago book is no exception.  These travel guides are very visually oriented, with beautiful photos, a number of great custom maps, illustrations of the city’s architecture, and detailed museum floor plans.  And, the guides are of course filled with a ton of helpful content on anything a traveler might need to know.  

111 Places in Chicago That You Must Not Miss

Those who know Chicago might be surprised and inspired by some of the places listed in the 111 Places That You Must Not Miss travel guide series.  This book focuses on insider-type ideas not mentioned in other travel guides, with recommendations on hidden historic places, hard-to-find restaurants and bars, quirky shops, small museums, secret views, and more.  The 111 Places series is a great choice for those who want to really get to know the true history and character of Chicago.

Discovering Vintage Chicago

Chicago has a deeper and more interesting histories than most realize.  Discovering Vintage Chicago provides a guide to the top historic spots, providing a nice view into the character of the city.  The Discovering Vintage series also has books for Washington DC, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York, and even Las Vegas.

A View from the River

One of the best things to do in Chicago is to take the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s river cruise, a 1.5 hour boat ride on the river that flows through downtown Chicago with knowledgeable docents who explain the history of the skyscrapers and the growth of the city.  A View from the River is the companion guide, with information and imagery highlighting 60 of the most interesting buildings.