First time in Chicago? There are a couple things you’ll need to do, like eat a Chicago style hot dog, see “The Bean,” take a river boat cruise, and more. Here’s your guide to our city’s can’t-miss attractions, dynamic dining scene, and only-in-Chicago experiences that you can’t miss your first time here.

Chicago is a harmonious blend of opposites — bustling big city steeped in Midwestern charm, towering skyscrapers framed by miles of tranquil beaches, a city in a garden (Chicago’s motto, in fact). In other words, everybody feels right at home in Chicago.

Chicago is the city of Museums as there is a museum for every patron. The Chicago Museum of Art, the Shedd Aquarium, the Alder Planetarium and the Museum of Science and Industry are just a few of the outstanding museums.

Chicago also is home to major league baseball (two teams) NHL, NFL and NBA. Entertainment does not stop there as the many nightclubs, restaurants and theaters complete a day of enjoyment.

Take a bite out of classic Chicago foods like deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Chicago style hot dogs (hold the ketchup). You can enjoy the experience award-winning fine dining at the city’s star chef-led and Michelin star-rated restaurants. Get a frothy mustache at any of the Chicago metro area’s 160-plus craft breweries (you can tour most of them, too). Oh, and you can lift your spirits at any one of the city’s many craft distilleries, too. Vodka, whiskey, gin, brandy — pick your poison.

As Frank Sinatra so wonderfully sang – “Chicago is my kind of town”

Millenium Park Campus is classic Chicago, with a long list of iconic things to see and do. Pay a visit to one of the city’s most famous public artworks, Cloud Gate, aka “The Bean.” Splash around in Crown Fountain, a shallow pool flanked by two 50-foot towers where the faces of Chicago locals spout water from pouting lips. Hear free live music, go to summer festivals, and see films screened under the stars at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Wander Lurie Garden and meet birds, bees, and butterflies. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago, ranked one of the top museums in the world by TripAdvisor users. Then hop over to the Chicago Cultural Center, crowned by the largest Tiffany stained-glass dome in the world. Spend the evening at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.
 

Navy Pier is a must-see Chicago destination. This family-friendly attraction has endless options for things to see and do: scenic boat rides on the lakes, outposts of local food favorites, the largest rooftop bar in the county, free outdoor music, indoor gardens, carnival rides, and so much more. The Centennial Wheel at Pier Park is one of Navy Pier’s most recognizable sights. This nearly 200-foot ride, inspired by the world’s first Ferris wheel that debuted at Chicago’s World Fair, consists of climate-controlled gondolas that take you soaring almost above the lakefront.
 

The setting for Museum Campus couldn’t be lovelier — three Beaux-Arts-inspired buildings sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan. Set in lush parks and gardens, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium (the oldest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, by the way), sit side by side, beckoning lovers of ancient civilizations, undersea worlds, and amazing universes.

Best of all, you have the option of getting there by Shoreline Sightseeing Water Taxi from either Navy Pier or Willis Tower — which is the perfect way to travel. A couple of things not to miss: Máximo the Titanosaur (the largest creature ever known to man) and SUE the T.rex at Field Museum; sharks, belugas, stingrays, sea otters, and sea lions at the Shedd; and high-powered stargazing at the Adler’s Doane at Dusk.
 

No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago. Consistently rated among the world’s top museums by TripAdvisor travelers, the Art Institute of Chicago is home to the greatest collection of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris, including works by Monet, Renoir, Seurat, and Van Gogh. Explore the Renzo Piano–designed Modern Wing and its extraordinary collection of works by Chagall, Dalí, Matisse, Picasso, and Pollock. The Art Institute has something for everyone! Hours: The museum is open Thursdays 11:00am–8:00pm; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays 11:00am-5:00pm; and closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s days.