See Why Chicago Is Your Kind Of Town

By Nick Matkovich, Contributing Editor

When Carl Sandburg used the words “stormy,” “husky” and “brawling” to describe Chicago in his 1916 poem bearing the city’s name, the words befitted a metropolis teeming with industry whose residents were struggling to recover from the disaster of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Fast-forward more than 100 years and the city has drastically changed from the time that Sandburg’s prose debuted. The hardscrabble city has since become the cultural hub of the Midwest.

The Windy City offers a multitude of events and hot spots for distributors, building service contractors and in-house service providers travelling to ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2009 at McCormick Place South (2301 S. Lake Shore Dr.). The convention runs from Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Friday, Oct. 9. Show attendees will have plenty of activities to keep them occupied when they’re not immersed in trade show activities.

Getting Around

With a city that measures an area of 228 square miles, visitors need more than a comfortable pair of walking shoes and a map to traverse Chicago.

There are 206 different bus routes in the city, taking visitors to every imaginable corner. A full bus fare costs $2.25 for a one-way ticket. Riders that want to ride the bus or the “L” train can purchase a one-day or a three-day CTA pass for $5.75 or $14, respectively. Passes are available at the CTA Store, currency exchanges and select Jewel-Osco’s and Dominick’s grocery stores. The “L” trains run through downtown Chicago and out to residential areas. Six different lines (Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple and Yellow) run until just after midnight. The Red Line and Blue Line run 24 hours.

Those looking for a more intimate means of tooling around Chicago can call on one of the 5,800 taxis servicing the city. For those tired of traveling on the ground, water taxis provide transportation by boat. The taxis run seven days a week, approximately every 15 minutes with the following four stops: Chinatown, Michigan Ave., LaSalle/Clark and Madison St.

Those wanting to take in a little history while traveling the city can try the Chicago Trolley & Double Decker Bus Co. The buses give tourists a chance to participate in the city’s hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tours that encompasses 13 miles and 18 stops, including many of the most popular retail, cultural and family destinations in the city. Another option is the Wendella Boat Tours. Tour goers sign up at the Wrigley Building (400 N. Michigan Ave.). Patrons can opt for a 60- or 90-minute tour, which takes them down the Chicago River and showcases the architecture of buildings in the downtown area.

What to do!

ISSA convention goers have to be judicious about what tourist stops and attractions they want to see as it can take weeks to discover all that Chicago has to offer.

There is no better way to take in the “City of Big Shoulders” than to visit the observatory in the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The Skydeck at Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, (233 S. Wacker Dr.) has the highest view in the city. Patrons can view exhibits about the city’s history and visit a number of kiosks inside the facility. With the help of the observatory’s high-powered telescopes visitors can see parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana on a clear day.

Those wanting a similar bird’s-eye view of the city while taking in some fresh air can visit the John Hancock Observatory (875 N. Michigan Ave.). The 94-story, open air observatory features murals of the city’s history. The Soundscopes allow visitors to gaze and listen in on animals at the Lincoln Park Zoo or a baseball game at U.S. Cellular Field with audio accompaniment.

If staying grounded is more to your liking, be sure to check out Millennium Park. The 24.5-acre park was once a group of surface parking lots and railroad tracks, considered a blemish on the city. In 1998 the city broke ground to build a park to beautify the area. Aside from a number of cafes and restaurants, the park features Jaume Plensa’s interactive Crown Fountain, the contemporary Lure Garden and Anish Rapoor’s Cloud Gate Sculpture, also known as “The Bean.” The park often hosts live entertainment on weeknights and is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is free.

For those seeking more time in nature, the Garfield Park Conservatory (300 N. Central Park Ave.) is a 4.5 acre park known as “landscape art under glass.” The conservatory’s featured exhibit is “Sugar from the Sun” which displays how plants share sunlight to grow life. Other garden houses include: The Children Garden, Display House and several outdoor gardens. The conservatory is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., six days a week and until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Admission is free.

Another option is the Lincoln Park Conservatory (2400 N. Stockton Ave.), constructed from 1890 to 1895. The conservatory was built to showcase a number of exotic plants and also grow the thousands of plants needed for use in the parks. The conservatory has free admission and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day of the year. The conservatory features four display houses: the Palm House, Fern Room, Orchid House and Show House.

To spend more time with Mother Nature, drop in at the Lincoln Park Zoo (Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Pkwy.). One of the last free zoos in the country, the zoo was founded in 1868 and hosts 29,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space for the animals, including the Regenstein African Journey and the McCormick Bear Habitat.

If ISSA/INTERCLEAN didn’t satisfy attendees’ “green” needs, maybe one of the Museum of Science and Industry's (57th St. and Lake Shore Dr.) exhibits will do the trick. The redesigned “Smart Home: Green + Wired, Powered” showcase the ways, big and small, people can make eco-friendly living a part of their life. Guests take a guided tour of the real “green” house in the museum’s backyard. Visitors learn about the latest innovations in reusable and renewable resources, easy ways to live environmentally friendly and smart energy consumption.

The home was designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs and built by All-American Homes. New and unique home technologies are on display, courtesy of WIRED magazine. Explore the home’s updated landscape, which displays methods for urban gardening, including vertical gardens and EarthBox planting.

Over at the Field Museum (1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.), visitors can take in “Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship.” Guests can examine over 200 artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Whydah — the first fully authenticated pirate ship ever to be discovered in U.S. waters. Also, try your hand at pirating: hoist the skull-and-crossbones, learn how to fire a cannon and try to tie pirate knots. The museum also offers visitors a mix of permanent cultural and nature exhibits including those on Africa, Ancient Egypt, Bird Habitats and the Bushman.

The Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan Ave.) is another popular destination for out-of-towners. The museum opened at its current location in 1893, built on rubble from the Great Chicago Fire. The museum has housed over 5,000 years of human expression from cultures all over the world including works from Carl Blechen and Eleanor Antin.

One featured exhibit is Daniel Burnham’s “1909 Plan of Chicago.” Burnham’s urban planning document created city landmarks still around today, including the string of lakefront parks, suburban forest preserves, the wide boulevard of North Michigan Ave., the bi-level Wacker Dr., and a broadened Congress Parkway. Burnham enlisted artists to create drawings, diagrams and watercolors to convince the city of his far-flung architectural ideas. The exhibition presents 32 of the 142 illustrations.

Learn more about the city’s history by visiting the Chicago History Museum (1601 N. Clark St.). The museum hosts permanent exhibits such as “Chicago: Crossroads of America.” The exhibit traces the city’s changing economy, challenging crises, diverse neighborhoods and innovations.

For those wanting to search the stars, stop by the Adler Planetarium (1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.). The planetarium is the nation’s eldest, founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler, and has three full-size theaters, including the all-digital projection Definiti Space Theater, the Sky Theater which uses a Zeiss optical projector, and the Universe 3D Theater.

Traveling further north on Lake Shore Drive, attendees can come back down to Earth to visit the John G. Shedd Aquarium (1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.). Also opened in 1930, the aquarium features exhibits such as “Wild Reef,” where visitors can tour underwater gardens of corals and garden eels. The interactive exhibit puts aquarium goers through a lagoon and mangrove forest.

If traveling across the city and suburbs is too much hassle and hustle, settle on Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.). The 50-acre tourist destination features parks, gardens, shops and restaurants.

The pier’s Amazing Chicago’s Funhouse Maze is 4,000 square feet of sensory experiences that includes the Mirror Maze and Spinning Tunnel. Visitors even have the chance to stomp out the Great Chicago Fire.

Pier Park features the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. The 150-foot high Ferris Wheel is modeled after the world’s first wheel, originally unveiled at the 1893 World Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. The ride lasts seven minutes and each gondola can hold up to six people. The park also features a musical carousel, wave swinger and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

Attendees bringing their children with them should be sure to visit the Chicago Children Museum at Navy Pier. The museum boasts a number of interactive displays and children can build a dam at WaterWays, create a flying machine at the Inventing Lab and draw that perfect piece of art at Kraft Artsbound Studios.

Shop ‘Til You Drop

For those looking to unwind after the trade show, Chicago hosts a variety of shopping options. From the Magnificent Mile to suburban shopping malls, visitors have plenty of options to find the right souvenir for everyone on their gift list.

Those bringing their children, specifically their little girls, can visit American Girl Place (835 N. Michigan Ave.). Girls participate in brunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The hair salon and photo shoot are just some of the other activities to keep them occupied throughout the day.

Adults who want to lose themselves amongst a variety of stores will have no problem doing so at Water Tower Place (835 N. Michigan Ave.). The facility hosts more than 100 stores and restaurants, including Coach and the Nine West. The eight-level atrium adds to the shopping experience.

Chicago Place (700 N. Michigan Ave.) is an eight-level mall right on the Magnificent Mile. The mall includes high-end stores like Ann Taylor and Saks Fifth Ave.

Those willing to venture out to the suburbs for their shopping experience should visit Woodfield Mall (5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg). The mall houses nearly 300 stores and shops with 34 restaurants. Show attendees traveling from over 50 miles away can stop by the Guest Services Center within the mall to pick up the Passport To Savings. The booklet offers discounts to over 100 stores and restaurants with savings as much as 20 percent.

If the weather is nice, visit the Oak Brook Center (100 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook). The mall is roughly 30 miles from downtown Chicago and is the largest outdoor shopping center in the entire country. Oak Brook holds six major department stores and more than 160 upscale shops and restaurants. Shoppers are surrounded by gardens and fountains.

Off the Beaten Path

For visitors who have hit up all of the traditional tourist haunts and are tired of shopping, Chicago offers some unique entertainment options for those looking for something fresh and unique.

Looking to dig deep into the infamous past of Chicago’s Prohibition-era gangsters? The Untouchable Tours begin at Ohio St. and Clark St., right in front of Rock-N-Roll McDonalds. The two-hour tour takes visitors through Pilsen — the site of many prohibition-era breweries — to the Biograph Theatre in Lincoln Park where Jon Dillinger was gunned down and the SMC Cartage Company, site of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

For more Prohibition fun travel back in time at Tommy Gun’s Garage (2114 S. Wabash). Home to flappers and gangsters, the restaurant is an interactive speakeasy. Shows run Thursday through Sunday at Chicago’s longest running dinner show. The entertainment includes everything from comedy to dancing.

Segueing out of the times of Elliot Ness and Al Capone, Chicago became a home-away-from-home for Delta Bluesmen. Blues legends such as the late Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor and Buddy Guy plied their trade in Chicago. Today, tourists can visit a number of blues clubs to hear the live music made famous in the city.

Opened in 1996, The House of Blues (329 N. Dearborn) is located on the Chicago River in Marina City. The Chicago location of the national chain was modeled after the “Estavovski” Opera House in Prague.

The House of Blues brings more of a national feel to a local blues scene, but those in search of local blues clubs are not out of luck. Kingston Mines (2548 N. Halsted) has been at its present location since 1980 and has been named Chicago’s Best Blues Club 13 years in a row by the Chicago Music Awards. The club has live blues seven nights a week.

One of Chicago’s favorite bluesmen also has a club in the city. Buddy Guy’s Legends (754 N. Wabash) named after the club’s owner has been open for 25 years. Guy occasionally takes the stage and has been joined in live performances by the likes of The Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley and Junior Wells.

Carrying on the musical bend, visitors can stop by the Chess Records Studio (2120 S. Michigan Ave.). Leonard and Phil Chess’ studio was the site of some of the most influential blues and rock ‘n’ roll artists of all time including Chuck Berry, Etta James and Howlin’ Wolf. The studio was the recording site of such rock ‘n’ roll classics as “Johnny B. Goode,” “Rescue Me” and “Red Rooster.”

Though the number of clubs indicate that Chicago has a bad case of the blues, the city is never short on laughs. Chicago is home to Second City (1616 N. Wells St.) an improvisational comedy club that launched the careers of comedians, including John Belushi, John Candy, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. The comedic club was formed in 1959 and some current shows include “America All Better,” a running comedy that examines the growth of the nation with a new president.

If improv isn’t your scene and you prefer some stand up comedy, Zanie’s Comedy Club (1548 N. Wells St.) has been operating on the city’s north side for 31 years. Kevin Nealon, Richard Lewis and Norm Macdonald are just some of the recent stand ups to perform at the club. Seating for all the shows is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Patrons are suggested to arrive at least 45 minutes before each show. All shows require a two-drink minimum.

The city is home to more than just gangsters, musicians and comedians. Chicago also claims a healthy number of historical figures as natives. An “L” ride out to suburban Oak Park will take you to the homes of Ernest Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Ernest Hemingway Museum/Birthplace Home & Museum Store (200 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park) gives visitors an up-close look into one of the nation’s most celebrated writers. The home features 800 photos, materials, furniture and household items from Hemingway’s youth, including the letter that inspired “A Farewell To Arms.”

The Frank Lloyd Wright Tour (951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park) includes a visit inside the late architect’s home, studio and the historic district surrounding the area.

Wright used his first home to experiment with design concepts that laid the foundation for his architectural design. In the adjacent studio, Wright developed the prairie style home, a distinct brand of American architecture. Trained interpreters offer insights into Wright’s family life and architectural career.

From the greats of the past to the well publicized of today, Chicago is also home to talk show queen Oprah Winfrey. The Oprah Winfrey Show (1058 W. Washington Blvd.) tapes from August to November and January to May at Harpo Studios. Guests can reserve up to four seats. Reservations can only be made by phone at (312) 633-1000.

With ISSA/INTERCLEAN taking place in October, visitors will have the chance to visit a good mix of outdoor and indoor venues. Show goers have to plan accordingly to fit every attraction into their schedule. The Second City offers enough first-rate diversions to keep people occupied for weeks at a time.