Chicago offers an endless variety of places to explore and things to do. There are museums of every kind; avant-garde art galleries; dance, theater, and music venues; plus ethnic and cultural riches in food, music, and shopping.

Not only are there entire guidebooks dedicated to the city by all the big names—Fodor's and Lonely Planet, for instance—but Frommer's alone has over half a dozen different guides to Chicago (including Chicago 2008, Chicago with Kids, Irreverent Guide to Chicago, Portable Chicago, Chicago Day by Day, Memorable Walks in Chicago, and Chicago for Dummies)! There are books covering Chicago's local art scene, its stained glass, its museums, its restaurants—even its coffee shops. Some particularly good guides include Michelin Green Guide Chicago, Eyewitness Travel Guide to Chicago, Lonely Planet Chicago, Streetwise Chicago (maps), and Above Chicago (which features good aerial photos).

For information on tours of Chicago, go to www.chgocitytours.com.

Online resources

If you prefer to do your exploring by computer, start with Life's Web site at life.uchicago.edu—that's where we've gathered links to some of the best online guides to Chicago. Also be sure to check out experiencechicago.uchicago.edu to find out more about your fellow students' favorite spots and to submit your own suggestions. 

Other online guides to Chicago include Time Out Chicago at www.timeout.com/chicago/, Newcity at www.newcitychicago.com, Chicago Reader at www.chireader.com, Metromix at metromix.com, and Moving Off Campus at movingoffcampus.com.

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