The City of Chicago covers an area of 60,000 hectares on the shore of Lake Michigan. It's home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Chicago's extensive parklands, including 3,000 hectares of city parks attract an estimated 86 million visitors annually. The city also is recognized as a very 'walkable city'. If You come to town, You need to try the Chicago's deep dish pizza and a charred Chicago-style hot dog. That just goes without saying. History of the city is as rich as the diversity of it's communities. Everybody knows Al Capone - the unofficial ruler of the town in his times. Al has inspired many movies and has helped the city to be recognized. Today You can visit some of the places where Al Capone ran his operations and did his business.
Chicago also has a number of nicknames. One of them is 'The Second City' which refers to the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. In these days Chicago was a fast growing city already, but as the legend goes, the growth was put on hold by a cow. They say the cow knocked a lantern over in a crowded area and that was the beginning of an end of one era. The fire killed 300 people and virtually destroyed the city. Another nickname of Chicago is 'The City That Works' referring to the hard working nature of it's inhabitants. They built the 'Second City' as we know it today. Once in Chicago, You definitely should get up the Skydeck Chicago (former Sears Tower) for a breathtaking view for over 50 miles and 4 states. There aren’t really many places that offer this kind of experience. With its height of 1,353 feet, it is the single tallest building in the western hemisphere. Another must do fun place would be the Navy pier. One of the most popular attractions of the city features a big promenade, theaters, museums and boat cruises along with the eye-catcher - the 150 feet tall ferris wheel.
As a multicultural city that thrives on the harmony and diversity of its neighborhoods, Chicago today embodies the values of America's heartland-integrity, hard work and community and reflects the ideals in the social fabric of its 77 distinct neighborhoods. Every one of them offer its local culture and cuisine as well, so exploring the diversity of Chicago might just take couple of weeks. Chicago is recognized across the United States as a very passionate sports town and it was named the Best Sports City in the U.S. by The Sporting News. There is a number of major league sports played here such as the Blackhawks of the NHL, White Sox and Cubs of Major League Baseball as well as the NFL's Bears and how can we forget Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
