Chicago
Overview
US Dollar |
41.881832, -87.623177 |
English |
If you want a deep-dish pizza, a remarkable hot dog or world-class Polish cuisine, everybody knows Chicago is the place to go. It’s the city of the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) and the Chicago Cubs. It’s Chinatown, Lake Michigan and Soldier Field all wrapped up into one. And—like most big cities—it is striking poverty and multi-million dollar homes. As the third largest city in the United States, Chicago has just about everything you could imagine— everything but a ready access to the gospel. With less than 10 percent of the population being affiliated with an evangelical church, the city desperately needs a stronger evangelical presence. It’s time for a fresh wind in the Windy City. The largest city of the American Midwest, Chicago, Illinois, was founded in 1830 and quickly grew to become, as Carl Sandburg’s 1916 poem put it, “Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.” Established as a water transit hub, the city evolved into an industrial metropolis, processing and transporting the raw materials of its vast hinterland.
Places to Go
Navy Pier
You can't truly experience Chicago without a trip to Navy Pier. This 50-acre playground of entertainment, museums, activities, restaurants, and shops is the perfect place for some family fun time. First on the list is a trip to Pier Park for a ride on the 150-foot Ferris wheel, which offers great city and Lake Michigan views and is open year-round. Also check out the whimsical musical carousel, Wave Swinger lift-and-twirl ride, miniature golf course, remote control boats, and more. Navy Pier is the People’s Pier, Chicago’s lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder. Grounded in the noble principles of its founding designers, The Centennial Vision adds a visionary and contemporary lens for the future. NPI’s mission to be a world-class public place that celebrates and showcases the vitality of Chicago and provides for the enjoyment of Chicago-area residents and visitors year-round. NPI manages Navy Pier within a business framework that provides for its long-term financial stability.
Millennium Park
Discover a state-of-the-art collection of architecture, landscape design and art that provide the backdrop for hundreds of free cultural programs including concerts, exhibitions, tours, and family activities. In Millennium Park, you’ll find a new kind of town square – a lively, spectacular gathering spot located in the heart of the city and a destination for Chicagoans and visitors alike. A first-time visit to Chicago isn't complete without a stop at Millennium Park. Situated in the Loop just north of the Art Institute of Chicago, this 24.5-acre space is used to showcase cutting-edge art, architecture and landscaping; it also acts as a backdrop for concerts and festivals. Most visitors come to Millennium Park to see the Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate, better known as "The Bean." Designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the Crown Fountain features two 50-foot towers that face each other at opposite ends of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers' LED screens project the faces of 1,000 different Chicago residents, which are perfectly aligned with spouts so that it appears they are spitting water on passersby. Cloud Gate – created by British artist Anish Kapoor – is a 110-ton bean-shaped sculpture forged from stainless steel. The Bean's elliptical shape reflects the Chicago skyline. There are plenty of other reasons to visit Millennium Park: You can see a concert at the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, stroll through the Lurie Garden or the Boeing Galleries (where contemporary sculpture is displayed outdoors), or sign up for a Segway tour at the McDonald's Cycle Center.
Shedd Aquarium
Shedd combines the best of early 20th-century “age of aquariums” characteristics—a diverse, global animal collection surrounded by eye-popping architecture—with 21st-century advances in animal care, environments and interpretation. Excellence and innovation are Shedd traditions, and they began with the founder. Mr. Shedd imagined a stately marble building and a collection of aquatic animals from around the world that would complement the two world-class institutions already in Grant Park, the Field Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Must Try Food
