Thursday, March 09, 2006

Chicago has one of the most beautiful skylines in North America, perhaps the world. With CRSHotels, you can see it all when you stay in the right Chicago hotel and also enjoy fine dining and shopping, Chicago style. Chicago's fame for its beautiful architecture began back in 1893. The Chicago World's Columbian Exposition was a huge success. It brought 27.5 million visitors to the city which is amazing since the total US population at the time was only slightly over 42 million. The exposition attracted the top architects in the USA to create a unique collection of buildings. Although the buildings did not endure, they established a precedent for great architecture in Chicago.

Some of today's architectural stars include:

• The Sears Tower is the highlight of the beautiful Chicago skyline. At 1450 feet and 110 stories, it is the tallest building in North America and is the 3rd tallest in the world. Located on Wacker Drive in the heart of the West Loop, this true skyscraper was constructed in 1973 and still pierces the hearts of everyone who sees it. The view from the Skydeck is especially spectacular.
• A Chicago native, Frank Lloyd Wright, developed a distinctly American form of architecture. He is one of the greatest architects of the twentieth century. Minutes from downtown Chicago are two architectural wonders designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright's first Home and Studio is located in Oak Park, Illinois and the Robie House is in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park. You can take guided tours to both.
• In 1909, D.H. Burnham, Chief of Construction for the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, and Burnham's design assistant, Edward Bennett, devised the "Burnham Plan." This city plan, the first comprehensive outline of development ever offered to an American city, included suggestions for better living conditions for all people, beautification of the city, and a more efficient way of connecting different parts of the city. The positive effects are still obvious.
• Chicago is also known for its magnificent Art Deco skyscrapers. You can take tours (walking, biking, by boat and by bus) led by Chicago enthusiasts.  You'll learn about the origins of this lively architectural style; the difference between Jazz Deco, Classical Deco and Streamlined Deco and the important role that Chicago played in the international Art Deco movement. To capture an overview of the famous Chicago architecture and have fun at the same time, you might want to take a fun ride on a Chicago Line Cruise. Then you can return to your Chicago hotel knowing that you have seen it all.
• The remainder of the 20th century brought more architectural advances to Chicago. The McCormick Place officially opened in 1960, but a fire destroyed the building on January 17, 1967. On January 3, 1971, the newly built McCormick Place opened. With the additions of the McCormick Place North, the Arie Crown Theater and McCormick Place South, Chicago has the largest convention center in North America.
• The Navy Pier is now an exposition center and is the state's most popular tourist destination. A large pier on Lake Michigan near Streeterville, the Navy Pier is close to Chicago's downtown. Originally known as the Municipal Pier Number 2, it is one of two piers called for in Daniel Burnham's 1909 Chicago plan. It is the host of Tall Ships® Chicago 2006 which highlights Chicago's rich maritime history and emphasizes the role of the river and lake in the city's birth and development. Be sure and take a ride on the Navy Pier's most visible attraction, the 150-foot-high Ferris wheel, and visit the Chicago Children's Museum.

CRSHotels' guests won't want to miss out on other Chicago attractions including the shops and eateries of Michigan Avenue, the Loop Financial District, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Water Tower Place, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park Zoo, Soldier Field (home of the Chicago Bears), the theater district and the shops on the Magnificent Mile, the Shedd Aquarium Oceanarium, Grant Park, and Rush Street, the city's most happening party strip with its restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

You will definitely have a blast visiting Chicago. There are so many things to see and do in this fascinating city that you probably will need to return. Remember the song that said “Chicago is my kind of town… Chicago is one town that won't let you down?” Let CRSHotels make Chicago your kind of town and it will keep you humming.

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