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Always been on my radar but had never been, everyone who has, loves it… ahh the Windy City!  Thanks to ETG and United Airlines I was fortunate to travel to Chicago recently on a familiarisation trip our focus was to explore the city and fly the friendly skies on United Airlines.  United Airlines were a pleasure to fly on, the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner direct from Melbourne to Los Angeles with a great connection to Chicago was seamless.  Chicago and flying United Airlines exceeded my expectations.  Chicago is a huge city yet funnily enough when you are on the ground living it doesn’t feel too big at all.  It’s honestly like nowhere else in the USA I have visited, it’s not New York but it stands strong alone, encompassing class, beauty, architecture and sports galore!

 

Somewhat like being on a movie set but it’s every day and not just for show!  The roar of the trains overhead, cars traversing the streets below, Wrigley Field beckons fans from all around the world, the lakefront is beautiful and in summer is crowded with locals and visitors alike enjoying many of Chicago’s renown festivals.  The streets are peppered with meaningful art, glittering skyscrapers and architectural flare.  Cloud Gate aka The Bean is a spectacular metallic legume shaped sculpture sitting proudly in Millennium Park providing abstract reflections of Chicago’s skyline. 

I believe Chicago is an easily walkable city however we used the Hop On/Hop Off Bus which provides transport to most of the popular must do’s such as Lake Michigan Shore, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, John G Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry and Willis Tower.  Our accommodation was at the Allerton Hotel along the infamous Magnificent Mile and just quietly ..it’s Magnificent!!  What a treat – shoppers beware!

Willis Tower was a highlight for many reasons – we were fortunate to visit United Airlines Head Office of Operations the epi centre of all things United.  We were truly fortunate to see operations close up.  A few floors higher, well to be precise on the 103rd floor lives - Skydeck Chicago, a glass walled and bottom cube of the edge of Willis Tower..I was really unsure but thanks to Dee and Jono I overcame my fear and can say I did it!!  Needless to say a celebration was required which included a visit to the nearby food trucks and a local speciality called Malort!

A trip to Chicago could not be complete without visiting a sporting event.  We were treated to a hard to get ticket to a Chicago Bulls game at the United Centre in the United Corporate Suite.  There is nothing that can describe the vibe – it’s electric and so very “American” exactly what we had hoped!  There are various sporting museums which are worth a visit especially if you want to test your ability, compare your feet size or reaction times!!

So in a nutshell it’s got to be on your list if you travel to the USA.   The Midwest friendliness is amazing, it’s a unique city no matter what the weather (snowy and cold in winter, warm and sunny in summer) it’s a city sure to leave a lasting impression, I would certainly go again.