Other towns nearby which are especially interesting include Riverside (winding streets, interesting home architecture), Oak Park (many Frank Lloyd Wright and other interesting homes), Evanston (home of Northwestern University) and the North Shore in general (take a drive up Sheridan Road after you do the Outer Drive northbound trip in Chicago).

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Chicago, my home town!

The highlights from my point of view, in no particular order:

Lake Michigan (including the Outer Drive and the many parks along it), ethnic foods and neighbourhoods, Hyde Park (yeah, yeah, we stole the name) and University of Chicago area, music of all kinds, architecture.

For many area and architecture tours, including the very popular Chicago River Cruise (seasonal, of course – brrrr!), and for architecture information, see the Chicago Architecture Foundation which has an office at 224 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago’s downtown (not technically in Chicago’s famous Loop which is defined by the elevated train tracks downtown). They are in the Santa Fe building; while in the downtown area see the Rookery (in both it and the Santa Fe building be sure to see the lobby areas inside), Monadnock Building, Carson Pirie, Scott Building.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation 'tour' pages will give you plenty of ideas for visits and their tours are high quality and reasonably priced.

www.architecture.org

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University of Chicago: Situated around the Hyde Park area, this is a beautifully constructed university by industrialist John D. Rockerfeller

Capital Grille and Chicago Chop House really have to be experienced! Try the dry aged beef...

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The best 'real interactive tour' of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings including his home, the temple and other prairie style architecture.

Take train to Oak Park from anywhere in Chicago and then short walk

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Visit the bar on the penultimate floor of the Hancock Tower - there's no entry fee. You can have a beer and sandwich whilst enjoying the views, which in my opinion are better than those from Sears - and it's not too expensive either.

On the way out ladies must go and powder their noses for the most spectacular views ever from a skyscraper bathroom.

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Sears Tower remains the tallest building in the Western hemisphere and, as such, is worth a gander. Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears football team, is a local Mecca and if you can, catch a game while you’re there. Or, in the summer, Lake Michigan has to be destination numero uno: lie on the man made beach, play volleyball, swim or, if you’re into touristy attractions, hit Navy Pier and its 50 acres of parks, promenades, gardens, shops, eateries and more.

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If you're in the mood for a bit of culture, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is worth a visit. One of the largest facilities devoted to modern art in the US, the MCA offers exhibitions of (they claim) “the most thought-provoking art created since 1945”. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. It’s easy to get to, has a passable restaurant, a fab 300-seat theatre, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan.

220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 Tel: 312.280.2660Website: mcachicago.org

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The Art Institute of Chicago is well worth a visit. The arts are not usually my thing, but the collection here is very varied and packed with works from numerous well-known artists. As a relative novice when it comes to art appreciation, the audioguide proved a real boon for getting the most out of the visit. The building is light and airy, and situated in a wonderful spot on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Art Institute of Chicago111 South Michigan AvenueChicago+1 (312) 443-3600www.artic.eduNearest metro stations: Van Buren/Millennium

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Make sure you catch a morning flight to Chicago - you'll arrive in time to catch an afternoon architecture tour of the city, by river boat. Chicago's the home of the skyscraper, and you get some awesome views of some of the world's first, and finest, tall buildings from the river. From Trump Tower to the Wrigley dynasty's HQ, you'll feel like you know the city a lot better at the end of the tour. The guides are great - typically friendly mid-Westerners keen to share their enthusiasm for one of the world's great cities.

www.architecture.org/tour_view.aspx?TourID=8

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If you're visiting Chicago, please don't waste your time with this tourist trap! It's just a corporate-designed mall with no soul. Instead, see some of Chicago's neighborhoods, where the REAL Chicago lives. Head to Pilsen to see the Mexican Fine Arts Museum, to have some real Mexican food, to enjoy a cup of icy fresh mango spears from a pushcart. Head up to Devon Avenue, a crazy bazaar packed with sari shops, Orthodox Jewish delicatessans, and the best Indian food in the city. Try Andersonville, which used to be the Swedish neighborhood and is now Swedish and Arabic and full of wonderful boutiques and shops, not to mention great Swedish food. Wander around the botanic garden and greenhouse in Lincoln Park. Go to the zoo and rent a bike - take a leisurely ride on the many miles of bike paths along Lake Michigan.

Take one of the tours run by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. You'll be able to go inside some of our greatest buildings. Or take their river tour by boat.

Avoid Navy Pier and Millennium Park. They have nothing to do with the real Chicago!

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