Chicago (Eyewitness Travel Guides) [Turtleback]

Lorraine Johnson (Author), Jane Ewart (Editor)

Book Description

Series: EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE | Publication Date: September 2006

Includes: the North Side, the Downtown Core, South Loop, Near South Side, South Side, and to parts further outside the city.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Encyclopedic in scope, it's meant to be used before, during, and after your stay. (Travel & Leisure) Both novice and experienced travelers will be captivated. (U.S. News & World Report) Each book is a visual as well as informational feast about a particular place. (The New York Times) The best travel guides ever. (Sky Magazine) For comprehensive advice that is attractively presented, publisher Dorling Kindersley's guides for serious travelers are tough to beat. (US News & World Report) Hats off to DK for the Eyewitness Travel Guides...[they] raise the bar for all others. (Dallas Morning News) The most graphically exciting and visually pleasing series on the market. (Chicago Tribune) Eyewitness Travel Guides are marvels of writing, color photography and illustration. What makes these so special is their thoroughness. (New York Times Syndicate) This is a guidebook series that always seems to inspire smiles...You feel, looking at them, as if you could close the book and step into the street. (Contra Costa Times ) Want to know where to get a great espresso on your way to the Uffizi? Or how much to tip a hotel maid in New York City? Try these travel guides, each an intricate trove of 3-D aerial views, landmark floor plans, color photos and essential eating, shopping and entertainment info. With titles covering Paris, Prague, and London, these pocket-sized guides are like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail. (People Magazine) Eyewitness Travel Guides, considered to be the world's best travel resource to over 30 destinations around the world, make it easier to plan a splendid vacation. (North American Press Syndication) Each new Eyewitness Guide adds more of the world to this wonderfully visual series.... What sets these guides apart from others is their striking, three-dimensional cutaways of key sites. (New York Daily News) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 208 pages
• Publisher: DK Travel; Revised edition (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789495627
• ISBN-13: 978-0789495624
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #680,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Illinois

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Eh, could be better., November 28, 2001

By 

David (Lake Forest, Ill) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness Travel Guide to Chicago (Paperback)

It is a good guide. It could be better. The four regions of the city they focus on are far too restictive. They could spend more time in the North Side. Alot of the tourist-friendly sights of Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field, or Belmont and Clark arent even in the detailed parts in the book. The South Side has lots of space, which is good. Yet the City goes farther north, and alot of those areas are the places tourists love. Some of the maps of greater Chicago arent overly to scale, or realistic. I forgive though, its the first edition, always more to tweek it!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chicago, March 28, 2003

By 

Rodrigo Llamozas (the last cubicle at the end of the hall...) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eyewitness Travel Guide to Chicago (Paperback)

I used to live in Chicago, and I can tell you that had I had this book back then, I would have visited lots of places I never knew existed or didn't fully appreciate at the time. As in most DK Travel Guides, there's lots of information, photos, maps and graphs.

Sure, the book is a bit outdated, but then again, IT'S A BOOK! In any case, the good people at DK keep updating their books from time to time.

I do have one complaint, in the fact that this book has less than half the pages that the New York book's got. Because it's less famous it doesn't mean that Chicago is less of a great city as the big apple is...

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool guidebook for the Windy City, August 7, 2008

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dk Eyewitness Travel Guide: Chicago (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Paperback)

I've reviewed several travel guides lately, a number from Eyewitness Travel. This is another useful guidebook. And since I am from Illinois originally and Chicago always beckoned as a terrific place to visit, I was most interested in how well this book satisfied. Well, to end any suspense as to my answer, it satisfied very well indeed.

As with any guidebook, there will be questions about why certain sights were mentioned, certain hotels selected, certain restaurants singled out, etc. But that is a part of development of any guidebook. Choices must be made.

The first part of the book provides background context on Chicago--from four suggested tours of Chicago to a brief history of the place and other introductory information. On pages 21-25 are some bold selections. On Page 21, the top ten tourist attractions (I'm not sure that these would be my Top 10, but some are no brainers, such as the Art Institute, the Magnificent Mile, the Field Museum, and so on). Pages 22-23 feature the best museums in the city--and the choice is pretty reasonable.

One of the standard features of any guidebook for a city is a consideration of the different areas within the city. Here, I'll just mention a couple.

One, the downtown core, including the Loop (defined by a loop in the elevated train tracks). There are some great buildings and museums here--the Art Institute (both a great piece of architecture and a stunning museum), the old Marshall Field's flagship store (now Macy's; it's still hard to refer to the place as Macy's!), Sears Tower, Auditorium Building, and Millennium Park. Places to stay? I love the old classic Palmer House. I also enjoy staying at the Hyatt Regency (its restaurant, Stetson's is also worth mentioning, although it's not listed in this guide). Some grand ones. I always enjoyed Miller's Pub, with its fine baby-back ribs. And walk out toward the Lakefront from here and enjoy the view.

Two, the North Side. Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building are wonderful. Want to shop till you drop? Check out the Magnificent Mile; in the process go up to the observation deck of the Hancock Building. I'm nervous about heights and get conniptions, but I can survive because of the splendid view! Some fine steak houses are located here--the well known Morton's and a Don Shula.

There is also a valuable guide as to where to go for antiques, art and art supplies, books, gifts and souvenirs, sporting goods, and so on.

As someone who has visited Chicago numerous times and has a soft spot in his heart for the Windy City, I find this a very good volume. So, a strong recommendation!