Settled along the banks of Lake Michigan, the Windy City of Chicago offers world-class dining, exciting architecture, a top performing arts scene, and plenty of excellent museums. With more than 200 neighborhoods calling this city home, there’s a unique aura found in each.

You’ll find historic mansions and upscale shopping in Gold Coast, Gothic-style university buildings in Hyde Park, cool cocktail bars and quirky shops in hip Logan Square, and incredible comedy clubs in Old Town. Enjoy time outside lounging on the city beaches, catch a baseball game at Wrigley Field, shop along the Magnificent Mile, or sample the celebrated dining scene in this dynamic city, the third-largest metropolis in the United States.

Both of Chicago’s international airports, O’Hare (ORD) and Chicago Midway (MDW), have excellent public transit links. O’Hare is 18 miles from the city center, and the CTA train leaves directly from the airport and takes about 50 minutes to reach centrally-located vacation homes in Chicago. Chicago Midway is about 13 miles from the city center, and the CTA train leaves directly from the airport and takes about 30 minutes. Shuttles, taxis and rideshares are also available from either airport, but traffic is often congested, making the trains a bit more convenient.

Once you arrive, Chicago is a walkable city with one of the country’s best public transit systems, so you can easily take advantage of the trains and buses. Cabs and ride-hailing services are also plentiful around town.

Chicago’s summers are warm and sunny, which means the rooftops and patios are buzzing, and the days are filled with music and food festivals. This is also when the city's lakeside beaches are at their best, so it’s a popular time for booking Chicago vacation rentals. Fall is chilly but pleasant. Winters are downright cold, and you can expect plenty of snow between the months of December and April, but there’s also plenty of opportunity for ice skating in rinks and snowshoeing and sledding down hills in city parks. There are also wonderful Christmas lights at Navy Pier and throughout the city. Expect relatively cool temperatures and a decent amount of rainfall in spring, and pack your waterproof layers.

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute is one of the best museums in the United States with more than 300,000 permanent artworks and many traveling exhibits. Take shelter from the city’s infamous wind and check out world-famous paintings from French Impressionists and modern American masterpieces. Cafes and restaurants are on-site for coffee breaks and leisurely lunches, and the museum also hosts regular lectures and events.

Willis Tower

The tallest building in the world for almost 25 years, the Willis Tower is a 110-story skyscraper that’s now the second-tallest building in the U.S. For a view that can reach Wisconsin and Michigan on a clear day, visit The Willis Tower observation deck. It’s located on the 103rd floor of the building, and you can even step inside glass observation boxes that extend four feet over the street below.

Millennium Park

Located across from the Art Institute, this city park is one of the most recognizable areas in Chicago thanks to the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture, lovingly known as “The Bean.” Rotating sculpture exhibitions and the naturalistic Lurie Garden make for lovely visits in spring and fall. During the summer months, the park comes alive with outdoor concerts, film screenings, dance performances, and even public yoga classes.