GENERAL INFORMATION
CHICAGO, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, is the county seat of Cook County. For many years, it was the second largest American city in population, but in 1982 it dropped to third, overtaken by Los Angeles.
Chicago population: 2,890,120; Greater Chicago population: 7,900,500; Nine County Metropolitan Area: 9,939,351
Flight times: LA. Int’l - 4 hrs., London - 10 hrs., NY. - 1.5 hrs., Miami - 2 hrs., San Francisco - 4.2, Tokyo - 13.5 hrs.
WEATHER
Average mean temperature: 53°F (13°C)
Annual precipitation: 35 inches, snowfall 30 inches
Average Daily High/Low Temperature:
March - May: 57°F / 37°F
June - August: 81°F / 59°F
September - November: 63°F / 41°F
December - February: 33°F / 17°F
Click for a current weather forecast for Chicago.
TRANSPORTATION
Chicago Airport System: 800-832-6352
O'Hare International Airport: World’s busiest airport. 30 minutes from downtown. 773-686-2200
Midway Airport: 5700 Cicero Ave. 20 minutes from downtown. 773-838-0600
Airport Shuttle (private van or limo): Curbside pick-up at all area airports
Taxi Fare: $1.60 the first mile, $1.40 each additional mile
Passenger Trains: Amtrak, 800-USA-RAIL
Public Transportation: The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offers fast, direct train service from both airports to downtown. Route, fare and schedule information: 312-836-7000, daily 5 a.m.-1 a.m. (CT). Fare for one ride: $1.50. For heavy CTA use, visitor passes are available for: 1-Day ($5), 2-Day($9), 3-Day($12) and 5-Day($18), -- unlimited rides on buses and trains. Purchase passes at airports and visitor information centers, Union Station and select Chicago locations; or purchase cards in advance at 888-968-7282.
CONVENTION CENTER
McCormick Place: The largest convention facility in North America, with 2.2 million square feet of space. 2301 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, Ill. 60616, 312-791-7000, fax 312-791-6543. www.mccormickplace.com
MAJOR UNIVERSITIES
University of Chicago: www.uchicago.edu
Northwestern University (Chicago): www.nwu.edu/evchi-map/chi-map
Illinois Institute of Technology: www.iit.edu
Loyola University: www.luc.edu
DePaul University: www.depaul.edu
University of Illinois at Chicago: www.uic.edu/homeindex
THEATER
American Theater Company: 1909 W Byron, Chicago, IL 60613. Box Office 773-929-1031, Main 773-929-5009, Fax 773-929-5171. www.atcweb.org
Court Theatre: 5535 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637. 773-753-4472, Fax: 773-702-6417
etaCREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION: 7558 South Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60619. 773-752-3955, Fax 752-8727. www.etacreativearts.org
The Goodman Theatre: 200 S. Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL 60603-6402. 312-443-3800. www.goodman-theatre.org
Northlight Theatre: 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. 847-673-6300. www.northlight.org
A Red Orchid Theatre: 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL. 312-943-8722 (Through May 14)
Steppenwolf Theatre: 1650 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL. 312-335-1650, Fax 312-335-0808. www.steppenwolf.org
A partial list of smaller theatre companies:
Aardvark Theatre Company
Annoyance
Bailiwick Repertory Theater
The Defiant Theatre
Eclipse Theater Company
Famous Door Theatre
Firstborn Productions
Fourth Wall Productions
The Free Associates
The Griffin Theatre
Imagination Theater
Improvisational Theaters
Improv Olympic
Inclusive Theatre
Lookingglass Theater Company
Marquee Theatre Company
National Pastime Theater
The Next Theatre Company
New Millennium Theatre Company
Phoenix Theatre Company
Red Wolf Theatre Company
Saint Sebastian Players
Seanachai Theatre Company
The Second City
Shakespeare Project of Chicago
Stage Left Theatre
Studio Z
Wing and Groove Theatre Company
Writer's Theatre Chicago
ARCHITECTURE
Chicago is a museum of modern architecture. The steel-frame skyscraper was born here in the late 19th century. The city's architectural heritage includes designs by Daniel H. Burnham, Louis Sullivan, William Le Baron Jenney, Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Chicago Architecture Foundation: 224 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago 60604, 312-922-3432
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation: 951 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park 60302, 708-848-1976
Glessner House Museum: 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago 60616, 312-326-1480
Robie House Frank Lloyd Wright Architectural Landmark: 5757 S. Woodlawn St., Chicago, 708-848-1976
The following sites may be helpful: www.architecture.org, www.aiachicago.org, www.swcp.com/FLW/flw.html
FINANCIAL LOCATIONS
Chicago Board of Trade: 141 W. Jackson Blvd., 312-435-3500, www.cbot.com
Chicago Mercantile Exchange: 30 S. Wacker Dr., 312-930-8249, www.cme.com
Chicago Board Options Exchange: 400 S. LaSalle St., 312-786-5600
Chicago Stock Exchange: 440 S. LaSalle St., 312-663-2980, www.chicagostockex.com
ATTRACTIONS
Buckingham Fountain: Grant Park, Congress Pkwy. & Columbus Drive. 312-742-7529. May 1 to Oct. 1. Light & water shows -- dusk to 11pm.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: 220 S Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60604. 312-294-3000, 312-294-3040, Fax 312-294-3035. www.chicagosymphony.org
Chicago Public Library: The library's central library is the Harold Washington Library Center 400 South State St., Chicago, 60605. Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Sunday 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. General info 312-747-4340. www.chipublib.org
Centennial Fountain: 300 N. McClurg Ct., at Chicago River. Fountain operates May 1-Oct. 1, 10am-12 midnight. 312-751-6635
John Hancock Bulding and Observatory: 875 N. Michigan Ave. 312-751-3681, 888-875-8439. Daily 9 am-midnight. Adults $8.50, seniors (62+)/children $6, children under 4 free.
Lyric Opera of Chicago: 20 N. Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606. 312-332-2244. www.lyricopera.com
Navy Pier: 600 E. Grand Ave. 312-595-7437, 800-595-7437. One of Chicago's best entertainment attractions.
Sears Tower Skydeck: 233 S. Wacker Dr. 312-875-9696. Adults $8, Seniors $6, Children 5-12 $5, under 4 free.
James R. Thompson Center: 100 W. Randolph St. 312-814-2141
MUSEUMS
The Art Institute of Chicago: 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago 60603. 312-443-3600 www.artic.edu. One of the world's leading museums.
Museum of Contemporary Art: 220 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago 60611. 312-280-2660. www.mcachicago.org. Access to gift shop, bookstore, restaurant, theater, sculpture gardens.
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum: 1852 W. 19th Street, Chicago 60614. 312-738-1503
Museum of Contemporary Photography: 600 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago 60604. 312-663-5554
National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum: 1801 S. Indiana Avenue, Chicago 60616. 312-326-0270
David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art: University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood Avenue, Chicago 60637. 773-702-0200
Terra Museum of American Art: 664 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago 60611. 312-664-3939
The Peace Museum: 314 W. Institute Place. 312-440-1860. The first and only museum in the United States dedicated to promoting the cause of peace.
Chicago Historical Society: Clark Street at North Avenue, Chicago 60614. 312-642-4600
Oriental Institute Museum: 1155 E. 58th Street, Chicago 60637. 773-702-0952
DuSable Museum of African-American History: 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago 60637. 773-947-0600
Spertus Museum: 618 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago 60605. 312-322-1747
Jane Addams' Hull-House Museum: 800 S. Halsted St., Chicago 60622. 312-413-5353. Free Admission.
NATURE AND SCIENCE ATTRACTIONS
Adler Planetarium: 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago 60605. 312-922-7827. One of the best planetarium & astronomy Museums in the U S.
Field Museum of Natural History: 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago 60605. 312-922-9410. Scientific study of the world's diverse environments and cultures.
Garfield Park Conservatory: 300 N. Central Park Ave. 312-746-5100, TTY 312-986-0726. The two acre glass domed garden is one of the largest horticultural collection in the world. Free Admission.
Lincoln Park Conservatory: 2400 N. Stockton Dr. 312-742-7736, TTY 312-935-3718. Located next to the Lincoln Park Zoo, this horticultural collection compliments the Garfield. Free Admission.
Museum of Science and Industry: 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago 60657. 773-684-1414. www.msichicago.org. World famous hands-on museum for adults and children.
Shedd Aquarium: 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago 60605. 312-939-2438. 8,000 aquatic animals that represent more than 700 species.
ZOOS
Lincoln Park Zoo: Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Parkway. 312-742-2000. Great zoo, plus a conservation station -- an interactive environmental learning center. Free Admission.
Brookfield Zoo: 8400 W. 31st St., Brookfield. 708-485-2200. 14 miles west of the city, 25 naturalistic exhibits within the zoo's 200 acres. There is an admission charge.
