Image “Chicago River” by Bert Kaufmann on Flickr.com

Let’s take a trip to Chicago! Chicago is the third most populated city in the United States (New York City is first, Los Angeles second). There are 2.7 million people who live in Chicago and around 46 million tourists (international and American) visit every year. Even if you aren’t counted as one of these tourists this year, you can get a taste for what visiting this city would be like by reading this post.

Chicago is in the Midwest region of the United States, in the state of Illinois. It is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, one of the Great Lakes on the border of the United States and Canada. Chicago is known for its freezing cold and windy winters. (One of the nicknames for Chicago is “The Windy City.”) It is also known for its hot humid summers. No matter what time of year you go to Chicago though, there is plenty to do.

One place you will definitely want to visit if Millennium Park. This park is full of art, sculptures, amazing architect, and great gardens. “The Bean,” a large bean-shaped sculpture (pictured below), is in Millennium Park, and is a must see landmark in Chicago. It is a great photo op.

Another must see landmark in Chicago is the Wilson Tower (formerly called the Sears Tower).  This building is 1,353 feet (412 meters) and 102 floors tall. It was once the tallest building in the world. If you go all the way to the top of this building you will get a great view of the whole city. Also near the top, you can also step outside the building into a glass box and look directly down on the city of Chicago, but only if you aren’t afraid of heights.

If you like museums than you are going to like Chicago, because there are a lot of museums in this city.  From the Art Institute of Chicago, to the Museum of Science and Industry, and many more – there is something for everyone.

For those who like to shop, Chicago is known for its shopping district called “The Magnificent Mile.” Here there are a lot of high-end (or expensive) shops, but you can probably find almost anything you are looking to buy in this mile of shops.

There are a lot of universities to see in Chicago, too. Just walking around the campuses of these famous universities is likely to make you feel smarter. You will definitely want to check out University of Chicago, DePaul University, and North Western University, but there are at least a dozen others that you can visit too.

If you happen to be in Chicago for St. Patrick’s Day, you won’t want to miss the city’s famous St. Patrick’s Day parade. In fact, you won’t be able to miss how the city turns the Chicago River GREEN in celebration of this day! (See a picture of the Chicago River turned green above.)