Chicago : The Last Fling And All That Jazz

Chicago - Here I Come - Courtesy www.panoramio.com

America’s second city is big and quite expansive. The metro population is 9,157,540 and the the city population is 2,896,016. Add to this the summer rush of inland visitors and the vacationers from Europe and Asia. You have to contend with not only big big crowds but also the hot muggy weather. Thankfully Chicago’s motto Urbs in Horto gets taken quite seriously and so it remains the City in a Garden.

The Chicago Park District consists of 552 parks with over 7,300 acres of parkland as well as 33 beaches, 16 historic lagoons and 10 bird and wildlife gardens. Lincoln Park the largest of these parks has over 20 million visitors each year, making it second only to Central Park in New York City. In addition to ongoing beautification, more new parks have been added in recent years. The Ping Tom Memorial Park, DuSable Park and the outstanding Millennium Park are on the list. The wealth of greenery afforded by Chicago’s parks is further augmented by the Forest Preserves that create the network of natural areas conserving open spaces around the city peripheries. The Chicago Botanic Gardens and the Brookfield Zoo are located here.

Summer is the time for family holidays and summer fun. With children out of schools it is the perfect time for family vacations. The Downtown Chicago hotel site will get your reservations done in a jiffy. Chicago the largest city in the Mid-West is a great place to visit. One of the first things you might do here upon arrival is to visit the The Sears Tower for the panoramic view from the 103 floor where you can see four states! Looking over the towers you understand the importance of the city as a dominant center of finance, industry and culture in the region. Legends of notorious gangsters fly away as you look around and get the birds eye view of a city ruling the roost. Yes the city is home to Barack Obama, as it is for the talk show queen Oprah Winfrey.

Chicago’s skyline is as tall as some of the world’s highest. Forbes has listed the 60602 zip code as the hottest in US because of its upscale buildings. The Heritage, Waterview Tower, The Legacy and Momo to name but a few. Chicago’s Downtown area around the Loop has commercial, cultural, and financial institutions. The city’s waterfront allure and nightlife attracts tourists like a magnet. With its many upscale dining establishments as well as many ethnic restaurant districts tourists enjoy the range of cuisine here. Whether its the Mexican La Villita, Greektown, Little Italy, Chinatown, Little Seoul, or Vietnamese and Indian restaurants – you get culinary delights from around the world.

Chicago attracts more than 40 million people annually and is the third-largest convention destination in the US. Most conventions are held at McCormick Place. Everyone loves to converge to Chicago probably because of its ideal mid US location. Its a city that breathes efficiency as can be evinced by the fact that within six weeks of the great fire in 1871 that devastated the city, the people had gotten together to begin rebuilding. The spirit of moving on and ahead is part of the psyche of the city.

Amongst its many famous landmarks one that stands out is the Buckingham Fountain. Its the world’s largest fountain bearing four seahorses and holds about 1.5 gallons of water that shoots off a jet 150 feet into the air every twenty minutes. In the evenings the spectacular lights and music adds to its ephemeral appeal having tourists strolling around for the love of being around it. Its the highs and the lows of the city that have you enjoying its extraordinary attractions. All through summer the 29 miles of shoreline offer fantastic Chicago beaches. Best of all are the Oak Street Beach and the North Avenue Beach that have great restaurants and pleasurable shopping around the area. Besides sun bathing and enjoying the sand & surf you could try your hand at a game of volley ball.

To my mind the best things to do in Chicago are visiting Sears Towers, John Hancock Building, the Art Institute, walking the Magnificent Mile and enjoying Chicago Pizza, Double Cheeseburger or even a Chicago Hot Dog. The Magnificent Mile contains a mixture of upscale department stores, restaurants, luxury retailers, residential and commercial buildings, financial services companies and hotels. It caters primarily to tourists and the affluent. If you really want to get a feel of the place then you could check out the many small neighborhood festivals that take place annually here. The good thing about Chicago is that you will never run out of things to do here at any point. Entertainment is a way of life and you need only check the city’s calendar of events. Summers offer a vast selection of special events and outdoor activities.

A lot many surprises are packed in for the summer fun that includes the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival at Grant Park, the free Chicago Jazz Festival and the Randolph Street Market Festival. The Last Fling has four days of live music, carnival rides, festival fare from vendors, a beer garden, Big Wheel races, bingo, a car show, a spaghetti-eating contest, square dancing, Labor day Parade and kids’ activities besides much more. The fifth annual Labor Day weekend celebration at Wabash Avenue features local artwork, signature fare from area restaurants, live music and kids’ activities – all at the Bash on Wabash. The Taste of Polonia will have you dining on such dishes as pierogi, Polish sausage, sauerkraut, kabobs, pizza, hot dogs and beer at this annual cultural celebration of Polish traditions. Get ready for the Polish and American bands that will be playing everything from rock to blues to polka music. Enjoy America as never before.