Chicago, IL

Current time now in Time Zone: America Chicago (USA Central Time)

Official City of Chicago Illinois website

Chicago, Illinois, Airports

O'Hare International airport (ORD / KORD)

Midway International airport (MDW / KMDW)

Chicago, in brief

Chicago is located in Cook County, Illinois. It has a variety of attractions for both visitors and residents.

SEARS TOWER

The highest building in the U.S. stands tall in a city that gave birth to the skyscraper and near the western suburb that legendary Frank Lloyd Wright put on the architectural map.

You’ll see the best view and best overview of Chicago. At 1,353 feet (412 meters), the SkyDeck is the highest observatory in Chicago.

JOHN HANCOCK OBSERVATORY

Located atop John Hancock Centre, 875 N. Michigan Avenue, The Hancock Observatory is a "must see" attraction for visitors to Chicago.

Following a multi-million dollar renovation, the new Hancock Observatory is dazzling visitors with incredible 94th-floor views, high-tech features and Chicago’s only open-air Skywalk—1,000 feet above the Magnificent Mile.

The new Hancock Observatory, in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile, gives you a one-stop tour of Chicago.

WHEN TO GO

July and August can get really hot in Chicago, with temperatures from 80-90°F (27-32°C) and high humidity. This is also the peak of the festival season, with major events taking place in the parks and neighbourhoods every weekend. September is blessed with reliably warm days and is probably the most pleasant month of the year, weather-wise, but there's less going on during this period.

January to March is when Chicago is least busy and hotels and airfares are usually at their cheapest. But it can be damp and cold - between 12°F and 29°F (-11°C and -2°C).

EVENTS

The Chicago Blues Festival is a highly regarded three-day festival held in Grant Park on the first weekend in June. Soon after, Grant Park hosts the weekend-long Chicago Gospel Festival and, on Labour Day weekend, the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Taste of Chicago is an enormous festival that closes Grant Park for 10 days leading up to Independence Day in July. Live music on several stages drowns out the rumble of the belches from the 3.5 million people who attend.