Downtown and North Side Neighborhoods

The Loop: This is Chicago's ``Downtown'', a core of primarily commercial, government, and cultural buildings - bounded on the North and West by the Chicago River, on the East by the Lake, and on the South by Roosevelt Avenue.

Features include the Sears Tower, Chicago Public Library and the Art Institute of Chicago. Out by the lake is Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain - just South of there is the Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, Soldier Field, and Adler Planetarium. The Eisenhower Expressway (Rte 290) dumps onto Congress Parkway near the Southern edge of the Loop.

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The Field Museum: 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, (312) 922-9410. Tickets cost $19 for adults, $14 for students with ID. Check online for discount days with $7 admission. It opens daily from 9AM to 5PM. ( http://www.fieldmuseum.org/)

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The Shedd Aquarium: Has many exhibits in different parts of the building; you can choose to buy a ticket for some combination of those exhibits. A ticket for full access is $23 for adults. They do offer some free and discount days (typically Mon and Tues). Check online at http://www.sheddaquarium.org/.

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Adler Planetarium Astronomy Museumstyle: 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr., (312) 922-STAR. Tickets are $16 for adults. Normal daily hours are 9:30AM to 4:30PM; on the first Friday of every month they stay open until 10PM. They also have free admission on some Mon and Tues; check online at http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/.

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Museum of Science and Industry: 57th St. and Lake Shore Dr. (773) 684-1414. Tickets are $9 adults for just the museum, $15 for museum and one ticket for an Omnimax show. Free days are some Mon and Tues; check online for schedule. Hours are typically 9:30AM to 4PM. ( http://www.msichicago.org/)

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The Art Institute of Chicago: 111 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 443-3600. This museum does not have set ticket prices; you choose what you want to pay to enter (although you do have to pay something!) Suggested prices are $12 adults and $7 students. Hours are typically 10:30AM to 4:30PM. Tuesdays are free, although some exhibits may require a special ticket to enter. ( http://www.artic.edu/aic/).

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The Sears Tower Observation Deck: It's fun to go up and pull off a Ferris Buehler, standing on the railing and leaning your head onto the glass to look down. This pleasure will run you $11.95 (adult). For a very long time, the Sears Tower held the title of the tallest man-made structure on the planet.
( http://www.the-skydeck.com/homeDefault.htm)

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Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center: 400 S State St. (312) 747-4300. Free admission, with free public tours of this historic building (call (312) 747-4136 for information on tours). Open Mon-Thurs 9AM to 7PM, Frday and Saturday from 9AM to 5Pm and Sunday from 1PM to 5PM.
( http://www.chipublib.org/).

Near North: This is the area just North of the Loop (i.e. past the Chicago River), up to around Division St. (1200N). North Michigan Avenue is known as the Magnificent Mile for the premiere shopping, dining, and hotels along and beside it. Here you will find the John Hancock building, the Water Tower Place mall, Navy Pier, the Oak Street Beach, etc.

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Magnificent Mile: Find out about special events like the Winter Holiday Lights Festival and the Spring Tulip Days! ( http://www.themagnificentmile.com/default.cfm)

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Hancock Observatory: Newly renovated, located at the John Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave, open 9AM to 11PM. Cost is $10 for adults. For information call 1-888-875-VIEW or check online at http://www.hancock-observatory.com/.

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Museum of Contemporary Art: 220 East Chicago Ave (312) 280-2660. Hours are Tues 10AM to 8PM (admission is free from 5PM to 8PM), Wed-Sun 10AM to 5PM. Free tours are available daily, check online or call for times. Admission is $10 adults, $6 students. ( http://www.mcachicago.org/)

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Water Tower Place Mall: Open Mon-Fri 10AM to 9PM, Sat 10AM to 8PM, and Sun 12PM to 6PM. ( http://www.shopwatertower.com/)

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Navy Pier: IMAX theater, exhibitions, places to eat, park. Many boat tours around the Lake and the Chicago River leave from here. ( http://www.navypier.com)

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Chicago Children's Museum: Navy Pier, 700 E Grand Ave. (312) 527-1000. ( http://www.chichildrensmuseum.org/).

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Oak Street Beach: 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive, just north of the Mag Mile. Great for all kinds of outdoor sports, with a wide sandy beach perfect for sunbathing.

Old Town: West of Dearborn, principally on North Wells St (200W) between Division and North Avenue, is the nightlife district of Old Town, which contains many comedy clubs such as Second City.

Lincoln Park: This is a fashionable residential neighborhood located north of North Avenue (1600N), bordered on the east by the huge park of the same name as far north as Diversey (2800N).

This subsumes the Lincoln Park Zoo: 2001 N. Clark St. (312) 742-2000. Free admission. It opens daily from 9AM to 5PM. ( http://www.lpzoo.com/)

New Town: A semi-gentrified quarter centering on Belmont (3200N) between Broadway (600W) and Sheffield (1000W). It has a significant artistic as well as gay/lesbian community.

Lakeview: North of Belmont is the area of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, and hence is also known as Wrigleyville. The field itself is 1060W Addison St (by the B train Addison stop). The area around it has been built up with lots of nightclubs and restaurants.

Wicker Park / Bucktown: The neighborhood surrounding the Damen, North, and Milwaukee intersection is rich in artistic and hipster lifestyles. There are many good restaurants, bars, coffeeshops, and music spots here.

Korea-town: Located far north and west. The main drag is West Lawrence Ave (4800N), between 2200W and 3600W.

India-town: Also located far north and west. The main drag is Devon, 6400 N, near Loyola University.