Fodor's Chicago 2000 [Paperback]

Fodor's (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2000 | Series: Fodor's Gold Guides

Fodor's Chicago 2000"Fodor's guides are always a pleasure." - The Chicago Tribune

"Teeming with maps and loaded with addresses, phone numbers, and directions." - Newsday

Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over.  Updated each year and containing a foldout Rand McNally map, a Fodor's Gold Guide is an essential tool for any kind of traveler.

Insider info that's reliable and smart
Local experts show you all the things to see and do -- from top sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from sports to shopping, from nightlife to recommended walks.

Hotels and restaurants in all price categories
From B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to elegant restaurants, we list hundreds of detailed reviews that show what is distinctive about each place.

Practical info that's completely up-to-date

Useful maps and background information; key contacts; how to get there and get around; when to go; what to pack; local do's and taboos; costs, hours, and tips by the thousands.

We've compiled a helpful list of guidebooks that complement Fodor's Chicago 2000.  To learn more about them, just enter the title in the keyword search box. Fodor's CITYGUIDE Chicago: The ultimate sourcebook for city residents.Fodor's Citypack Chicago: A full-color pocket-size guidebook and a full-size color map, all in one sturdy plastic sleeve.Fodor's Compass American Guide: Chicago: A full-color guide, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of Chicago.Fodor's Flashmaps Chicago: A complete collection of themed, full-color maps.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Fodor's Chicago 2000"Fodor's guides are always a pleasure." - The Chicago Tribune

"Teeming with maps and loaded with addresses, phone numbers, and directions." - Newsday

Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over.  Updated each year and containing a foldout Rand McNally map, a Fodor's Gold Guide is an essential tool for any kind of traveler.

Insider info that's reliable and smart
Local experts show you all the things to see and do -- from top sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from sports to shopping, from nightlife to recommended walks.

Hotels and restaurants in all price categories
From B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to elegant restaurants, we list hundreds of detailed reviews that show what is distinctive about each place.

Practical info that's completely up-to-date

Useful maps and background information; key contacts; how to get there and get around; when to go; what to pack; local do's and taboos; costs, hours, and tips by the thousands.

We've compiled a helpful list of guidebooks that complement Fodor's Chicago 2000.  To learn more about them, just enter the title in the keyword search box. Fodor's CITYGUIDE Chicago: The ultimate sourcebook for city residents.Fodor's Citypack Chicago: A full-color pocket-size guidebook and a full-size color map, all in one sturdy plastic sleeve.Fodor's Compass American Guide: Chicago: A full-color guide, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of Chicago.Fodor's Flashmaps Chicago: A complete collection of themed, full-color maps.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination Chicago: Windy City, Warm Heart

Not so long ago a Chicagoan traveling abroad could almost certainly expect an immediate response after mentioning his hometown: the shaky pantomime of machine-gun fire accompanied by a single word: "Capone."

Not so anymore. Say the word "Chicago" almost anywhere around the world and Al hardly gets a mention. Instead of talk about shooting guns, the subject quickly turns to shooting hoops -- thanks to former Chicago Bulls megastar Michael Jordan. The bootlegging, murderous mob has faded from memory, replaced by a shaved-head basketball icon who hangs not with gangsters but with Bugs Bunny.

Chicago's image has changed. Capone is kaput, and so is that tired old nickname, Second City. America's midwestern metropolis has acquired a first-class luster around the world, particularly when it comes to the arts. Carl Sandburg's City of the Big Shoulders is now also City of the Big Limos on opening nights.

Architecture

The destruction wrought by the Chicago Fire of 1871 cleared a path for architectural experimentation. Architects flocked to rebuild the city, using new technology to develop the foundations of modern architecture. Louis Sullivan, William Holabird, John Wellborn Root, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Daniel Burnham are among the builders whose creations influenced Chicago as well as cities around the world. They developed the skyscraper, and this type of structure fills the downtown skyline in hundreds of incarnations, from the crenellated Wrigley Building (Graham Anderson Probst and White) to the boxlike Federal Center and Plaza (Mies van der Rohe).  The city still buzzes with new construction, though today's architects often favor the postmodern.


Blues

In the years following World War II, Chicago-style blues grew into its own musical form, flourishing during the 1950s, then fading during the 1960s with the advent of rock and roll. Today Chicago blues is coming back, although more strongly on the trendy North Side than on the South Side, where it all began. Isaac Tigrett's palatial House of Blues in the Marina City complex downtown hosts both local and nationally known musicians, though smaller clubs such as B.L.U.E.S. and Buddy Guy's Legends are still the best places to hear real Chicago-style blues.

Eating

In Chicago immigrants and their traditions give the dining scene impressive variety and spice, and their influence is felt not just in ethnic storefront eateries but in bastions of cutting-edge contemporary cuisine. You can sample cuisine from all over the food universe -- Polish sausage, Swedish pancakes, Thai curry, Greek mezes (appetizers), and more. There are also plenty of temples to the all-American steak and to the city's trademark deep-dish pizza.

The Lake

Chicago wouldn't be the same without Lake Michigan. The lake forms the city's eastern boundary, providing residents with a constant source of conversation -- the weather. It also provides much in the way of recreational opportunities, with more than 20 mi of trails (for walkers, skaters, and cyclists) and harbors and beaches. It's easy to appreciate the lake from nearby, but it's also a beautiful backdrop to the view from city skyscrapers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; Book&Map edition (January 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679003568
• ISBN-13: 978-0679003564
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,401,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)