Chicago Hotels
Washington,DC Hotels
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Things To See & Do
- Magnificent Mile With four shopping centres, world-renowned boutiques and dozens of locally-acclaimed designers, this beautiful tree lined boulevard on Michigan Avenue is a shopper's paradise.
- The Loop/State Street State Street (in Chicago's Loop area) offers great shopping and a glimpse of some of the city's most noteworthy architecture, restaurants and the theatre district.
- Gold Coast Just steps away from Michigan Avenue, the Gold Coast offers an incredible collection of couture clothing and upscale boutiques. In addition to the beautiful shops along Oak and Rush streets, the famous architecture and spectacular Lake Michigan views should not be missed.
- Old Town A pocket of charm among the high-rises of the Loop, this near north side neighbourhood is filled with many of the city's beautiful Victorian-era buildings. It's also home to the world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, the Second City improvisation group and notable off-loop theatres.
- Lincoln Park A truly contemporary, urban neighbourhood, Lincoln Park offers a great balance of fabulous shopping, clubs, theatres, restaurants and cultural institutions, such as The Chicago History Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Notebaert Nature Museum, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory.
- Wicker Park From ready-to-wear to couture, contemporary fashion to home décor, Wicker Park is one of Chicago's hippest and liveliest neighbourhoods. To get your dose of retail therapy, head for some of the trendy boutiques that pepper the streets between stylish restaurants, cafés and clubs.
- Bucktown Just north of Wicker Park, Bucktown is home to some of Chicago's best boutiques. Populated by artists, urban professionals and young families, this neighbourhood of tree-lined streets offers an array of exceptional dining and entertainment, too.
- Broadway in Chicago Located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, three of the city’s beautiful theatre “palaces” offer a full range of entertainment from major musicals to award-winning stage dramas. Theatres include the Cadillac Palace, the Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre and the newly renovated LaSalle Bank Theatre.
- Chicago Bears Catch an American football game at Soldier Field, just south of the city’s Museum Campus.
- Field Museum Meet Sue, the world’s largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, and discover an extensive exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, natural science and history in this natural history museum.
- Shedd Aquarium The largest indoor aquarium in the world. Watch whales, dolphins, harbour seals, sea otters and penguins cavort at the extraordinary Oceanarium. In the Wild Reef exhibit, floor-to-ceiling windows provide a diver’s view of sharks and other predators in 26 interconnected habitats.
- Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum The first planetarium in the western hemisphere boasts two planetariums, a high-tech StarRider™ theatre, an interactive Astronomy Museum and a collection of historically significant scientific instruments.
- Art Institute of Chicago Discover forty centuries of human creativity at the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the world’s leading art museums. From ancient Chinese bronzes to the latest work by contemporary artists, the collections include some of the finest art ever produced. Especially noteworthy is the internationally acclaimed collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pictures, with many outstanding examples by Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gogh and other painters of the period. The Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing is devoted to a stunning collection of 20th- and 21st-century art.
- Blues Heaven Foundation Chicago’s newest shrine to the blues can be found in this former home of the legendary Chess Records. Now you can walk the same hallowed halls where Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones made their legendary recordings.
- The American capital is at your feet with many of the famous sites best reached via the National Mall
- A stroll to the Mall's eastern end, past the spike of the Washington Monument takes you to the iconic US Capitol Building from where President Obama made his inaugural speech
- Where next? Dive into one of the free Smithsonian museums such as the National Air and Space Museum - the most visited museum in the world!
- Just north of the National Mall is the famous White House, home to US Presidents for the past 200 years!
- From hippie market to chain shop to designer store to bar, lounge, restaurant or club, DC has it all!
- Take the metro to Chevy Chase one of the best spots for high end shopping including Jimmy Choo, Max Mara, Gucci and Tiffany. Also home to great department stores such as Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus
- Downtown DC has been totally redeveloped in recent years so now you can power shop your way through Zara, H&M and Macy's!
- Hit Georgetown for trendy stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch, quirky one-off stores and quaint boutiques
- For nightlife make your way to historical U-Street where great historic and new jazz clubs abound along with hip-hop, indie, rock and blues
- The Atlas District is the city's newest nightlife and arts scene with rough-and-ready live music in an edgy urban setting
- Adams Morgan is young, diverse and vibrant offering cuisine from across the globe and nightclubs and coffee bars around every corner
- K/14th Street - during the day K Street is one of the most powerful districts packed with lobbyists and lawyers. But once the sun goes down it transforms into the city's newest international nightclub corridor. It's the place to see and be seen at swanky places such as Lima, Lotus and Park at 14th
Chicago
Shopping Whether you want to shop the neighbourhoods in Chicago or find unique shops in quaint downtowns or upscale open-air malls, Illinois will definitely help you shop until you drop. From major department stores to chic designer boutiques, Chicago’s boulevards and tree-lined streets are a haven for serious shoppers. And thanks to convenient public transportation, you can do even more shopping in Chicago’s neighbourhoods. As you travel throughout Illinois, you can find local artisan shops, upscale open-air malls, outlet malls, and people who want to show you the latest and greatest. These local favorites will have those one-of-a-kind pieces that you have been searching for.
Dining Chicago invites you to experience its many world famous restaurants from award winning chefs who have been recognised by Food and Wine/ AOL, calling Chicago “one of the best food cities in America.” Come see what makes this city such a great food destination. Illinois embraces its hometown favourites like deep-dish pizzas, Chicago-style hot dogs and landmark eateries-Cozy Dog Drive In and Polk-a-Dot Drive In- along Route 66, but Illinois offers much more than American cuisine. From family-owned restaurants to fine dining establishments to old roadhouses, you can find anything from Asian to French, Cajun to Irish, Swedish to Italian. Explore Illinois' culinary world with landmark eateries along Route 66 and fine dining restaurants throughout the state. Illinois has something to satisfy everyone’s appetite and budget, as well as hospitable Midwesterners who want to show what Illinois’ chefs and restaurants can create.
Entertainment You’ll be entertained day and night in Chicago. Catch all the action at a professional sporting event. Stroll the promenade at Navy Pier for live music, outdoor dining and boat cruises. Then enjoy a night on the town by going to the theatre, a comedy club or a wine bar. From nightclubs to supper clubs, soul to salsa, there’s no shortage of hot places to hang out, dance and get into the music that beats throughout every neighbourhood in Chicago. And don’t forget, this is the home of the blues where you can see legends like Buddy Guy perform live and still hear the echoes of Muddy Waters in blues clubs throughout Chicago. A cultural capital of the world, Chicago is home to the finest in classical music, opera, ballet and almost every genre of modern dance. Critics around the country continue to lavish praise on Chicago’s incredibly diverse theatre scene; the city’s a premier destination for people who appreciate quality acting and first-class productions.
Museums and History Few cities can boast as many museums and cultural institutions as Chicago can. Only here can you bask in the cobalt glow of Marc Chagall, then come face-to-face with the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered. Come discover our endless treasures.
Leisure and Recreation Chicago’s motto, Urbs in Horto — the City in a Garden — is a way of life and the city provides a wealth of outdoor opportunities. Architect Daniel Burnham and landscape designer Fredric Law Olmsted are remembered as the men who envisioned a city complete with lakefront parks for citizens’ enjoyment. Chicago is bordered on the east by Lake Michigan, the world’s fifth largest body of fresh water. The lakeshore is lined with 26 miles of clean beaches, parks, bike paths and hiking trails, plus several harbours where you can join a dinner cruise or a boat tour. Millennium Park, since opening in 2004, has quickly become Chicago’s crown jewel, offering a world-class pavilion for outdoor concerts along with engaging sculptures and fountains mere steps from Chicago’s skyline.
Washington,DC
See history being made in this unique and inspiring city. Washington, DC visitors enjoy access to an impressive list of free and fascinating attractions, from the powerful monuments and memorials on the National Mall to inspiring cultural treasures like the Smithsonian Museums where you could touch a moon rock, marvel at the Hope Diamond, view Dorothy’s Ruby Red slippers or explore Native American culture. A diverse and beautiful world capital, DC invites visitors to step beyond the iconic landmarks to explore charming neighbourhoods like historic Georgetown, eclectic Adams-Morgan and trendy U Street. DC’s neighbourhoods tempt visitors with chic boutiques and malls, hip new restaurants and bars, world-class theatres, art galleries and peaceful parks and gardens. For accommodation, it’s easy to find a hotel to suit your taste and budget in Washington, DC. Choose from award-winning luxury properties and stylish boutique hotels to comfortable family-friendly inns. Getting around couldn’t be easier thanks to DC’s pedestrian-friendly streets and its safe, efficient public transportation system—including Metrorail and the hip, new Circulator bus.
Capital Region USA: Washington, DC, Virginia & Maryland Expand the horizons of your Washington, DC holiday, and discover all that the Capital Region USA has to offer. No Matter which type of holiday you like - chic city break or country escape, mountain magic or beachside lounging - the three-in-one Capital Region comes up trumps. The area’s diverse landscape accommodates everything from sunbathing along Maryland’s Eastern Shore to hiking through Virginia’s majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. One day might be spent exploring the rich history of Williamsburg or Annapolis, while the next evening is passed amid the of-the-moment lounges and bars lining Washington’s trendy U Street corridor. From vineyard tours and small-town treasures to boutique shopping and culinary delights, the possibilities are endless.
