Chicago travel guide
Chicago Tourism | Chicago Guide
You're Going to Love Chicago
With a population of 2.70 million, Chicago is the largest city in Illinois, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Chicago has to offer.
Where to Eat in Chicago
Downtown is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Chicago. These include popular favourites such as The Franklin Room (675 N. Franklin St.), The Capital Grille - Chicago - Downtown (633 N Saint Clair St) and Viaggio Ristorante and Lounge (1027 W Madison St). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Dearborn (145 N Dearborn St) and Ditka's - Chicago (100 E. Chestnut Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant (4801 N. Broadway) and Casati's Modern Italian Resturant (444 W Fullerton Pkwy) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Chicago.
When to visit Chicago
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Chicago in July, when the average temperature is 23 °C, and the highest can go up to 29 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -9 °C, with an average temperature of -5 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 125 mm. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Chicago, with an average rainfall of 43 mm.
How to Get to Chicago
Plane
There are 3 airports serving Chicago. Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) is the closest to the city centre (14 km). Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) is located 26 km from city centre of Chicago, while Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD) is 126 km from the centre. The shortest flight to Chicago from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 20h.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Chicago. The train journey from Chicago to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $32 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $33 for a 2h 05m trip. The train station in Chicago is called Chicago Union, and is located 1.1 km from the city centre.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Chicago, including Bus, Amtrak and Greyhound. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Chicago takes 129 km and will cost you around $127. From Monona, the ticket costs about $128 for a journey of 282 km. The most popular bus station is Chicago Downtown Greyhound Station, located 1.3 km from the city centre of Chicago. Chicago California Ave is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Chicago
Where to stay in Chicago
From 5-star hotels such as the Nobu Hotel Chicago to great affordable options like the Union League Club of Chicago, Chicago offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $317 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $824 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include HI Chicago Hostel and Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown West Loop. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Chicago, with prices from $70 to $975 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Chicago are about 5% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Near West Side - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Courtyard by Marriott Chicago at Medical District/UIC, Hotel Chicago West Loop and Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown. The average nightly price for a double room in Near West Side is $238.
Where to stay in popular areas of Chicago
Most booked hotels in Chicago
Hiring a car in Chicago
Hiring a car in Chicago costs $89 per day, on average, or $266 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Chicago is the Fox branch at 10256 W Zemke Blvd, which is 25 km from the city centre.
Expect to pay $2.04 per litre in Chicago (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $24.43 and $32.57. The most frequently booked car type in Chicago is Full-size (Ford Mustang Convertible or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Mitsubishi Mirage or similar) is, on average, 56% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.