Discover the Best of Chicago
When you arrive in a city and can’t wait to check in, drop your bags, and head right out the door, you know you’ve chosen the right destination—and Chicago is just that place. At the downtown Moxy Hotel, we’re only a few blocks from the river, surrounded by the iconic skyscrapers that the city pioneered. There’s no time to unpack; we’re too eager to hit the riverwalk and get up close to these engineering marvels. With a great variety of locally organised tours, visitors are invited to explore the city through its buildings, cuisine, neighbourhoods, sports, and history; and we’re here to experience them all!
Explore Chicago’s Iconic Architecture
Following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, an ambitious urban planning spree began. Architect Daniel Burnham led the vision for the city’s transformation, famously declaring, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will not themselves be realized.”
River Cruise with Chicago Architecture Foundation
A perfect way to delve into Chicago’s architectural legacy is by taking the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady. This morning or afternoon cruise offers an immersive experience, exploring the city’s iconic buildings, their significance, the masterminds behind them, and the unique styles that define the skyline.
Our guide, Kelly, leads an engaging journey through the city’s history, highlighted by its brick, concrete, and steel masterpieces. You’ll encounter Beaux-Arts, Art Deco, Modernist, Postmodernist, and Contemporary designs, spanning from Burnham’s early works to the latest creations by Chicago’s own Studio Gang.
This popular cruise departs multiple times daily and is the city’s top tour for good reason. Tickets start at $54 and can be purchased at Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise. For those who wish to explore the interiors, the Chicago Architecture Center offers a one-hour walking tour of Art Deco landmark lobbies. More details and tickets are available at Art Deco Landmark Lobbies Tour.
Savour Chicago’s Culinary Delights
Chinatown Food Tour
Visiting any city’s Chinatown is a great way to find tasty and affordable food, and Chicago’s Chinatown is no exception. We join a tour with Phil and about 15 other food enthusiasts eager to explore the culinary offerings. With countless restaurants to choose from, Phil, with nine years of experience refining both his patter and his palate, expertly guides us through the delights of dim sum, mooncakes, crispy fried spicy tofu, bubble tea and sweet milk egg tarts.
We visit five restaurants and cafes, each specialising in different regional cuisines from across China. One highlight is Lao Szechuan, where Sichuan-born Chef Tony Hu has spent the past 25 years serving traditional Sichuan dishes made with high-quality ingredients.
Phil also shares the history of the area, takes us on a brief tour of a local Buddhist temple, points out key landmarks, and leads us on a walk through Ping Tom Memorial Park, which features a pagoda and flora native to China. Our tour concludes in the ‘new’ Chinatown, designed with a nod to the hutong alleys of Beijing. Here, visitors can find their Chinese zodiac sign for a photo op. Due to a vibrant cultural festival taking place during our visit, my ‘Tiger’ sculpture was hidden by a tent, so I missed the chance for that prized photo.
Tours cost $80 per adult and are available to book via https://chicagofoodtours.com/tour/the-chinatown-adventure/
Experience Chicago’s Craft Beer Scene at Goose Island
Goose Island’s West Town Taproom may no longer be an independent brewery after its buyout in 2011, but it’s still a must-visit for beer enthusiasts. The taproom has retained a cosy, local feel, making it a great spot to enjoy some craft brews. One of the best parts of the tour is that it starts with a beer and, as you move around the brewery, learning about what makes Goose Island unique (without too much technical jargon, thankfully), you get to sample more beers along the way. This means you don’t have to wait until the end of the tour to enjoy a beer flight—you can just sip as you go.
The brewery features an innovation room where staff can experiment with new beer styles, recipes, and ideas. Some of these experimental brews make it to the taps, so the Taproom right there in Chicago might be the only place to try these unique creations.
Tour visitors also get to see the oak barrelling room. A highlight of the tour is sampling the bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, which offers a distinctive blend of marmite and chocolate flavours.
One tip for those visiting on a sunny day: avoid wearing open-toe sandals. You can’t go on the tour with exposed toes, so you’ll be given a pair of brewer’s boots. And at Goose Island Chicago, none of the brewers wear a size 3 boot!
You can book your tour visit to Goose Island here.
Make the Most of Your Visit with CityPASS
Grabbing a CityPASS is a fantastic way to simplify your visit to Chicago. With access to eight top attractions, you can effortlessly explore the city’s key highlights. Visit the renowned Art Institute, where modern masterpieces are displayed alongside ancient artefacts. Take in breathtaking views from the 360 Chicago Observation Deck on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center, where, on a clear day, you can see across three states. Thrill-seekers can also experience the exhilarating TILT attraction and you can see a rotation of art installations and commissions at the Cloud Walk; including this beautiful one called Locals Only by Katie Chung.
Highlights of CityPASS
The pass also includes entry to the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and the Museum of Science and Industry, among other attractions, ensuring you have plenty to keep you entertained throughout your stay.
Explore Chicago’s Neighborhoods with Greeter Tours
With over 70 neighbourhoods in the Chicago metropolitan area, each with its unique character, some of the more well-known areas are best explored with a local guide. The city offers free greeter tours, and we chose to meet Paul, a retired physician and current musical theatre composer, who provided a tour of the Humboldt Park area, home to Chicago’s largest Puerto Rican community.
Humboldt Park is renowned for its tribute to Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos, the national hero who dedicated his life to the freedom of Puerto Rico. Murals on buildings and near local stores honour the community, vividly depicting stories of migration and the ongoing challenges faced by South Americans in the United States. Exploring the area with Paul offered a rich, personal perspective on the vibrant culture and history of Humboldt Park.
Discover Chicago’s culinary delights
Any mealtime at Zombie Tacos at the Moxy Downtown hotel, paired with some shuffleboard fun, was an enjoyable and affordable treat. For breakfast, we savoured the white omelette with avocado, and for dinner, we feasted on the chicken, brisket and fish tacos—all of which were tasty, especially swilled down with a ‘Adulting is Hard Happy Hour’ cocktail. (4pm – 6pm every weekday. Grab $5 beer or wine, $7 select cocktails or $8 wine/beer and taco pairings).
For a taste of California sunshine in Illinois, we visited Summer House Santa Monica in Lincoln Park, a large greenhouse-style eatery that offered a vibrant family atmosphere, especially after enjoying strawberry frosé cocktails. The blackened salmon with a fresh slaw felt sufficiently Californian even with the rain coming down on the glass roof.
A trip to the Windy City isn’t complete without trying the famous deep-dish pizza. Celebrating its 50th year, a visit to Giordano’s in Lakeview is a must. Our waitress, Taylor, demonstrated the dish’s full cheesiness by cutting a slice and standing on a chair to show how the cheese strings could reach the ceiling. It’s not everyday you get to see that.
Just a short hop to the neighbourhood of Wicker Park offers great vintage and independent boutique shopping. The perfect brunch spot there is Dove’s Luncheonette, an old-style diner with a killer vinyl playlist. We enjoyed some great Bloody Marias (with Mezcal and a chunk of halloumi) and the most delicious brisket hash with fried eggs (your way).
For those who enjoy beverage experimentation, Daisies near Logan Square will get your taste buds buzzing. The mushroom margarita with tequila, fermented mushroom, local amaro, and lime was irresistible (though one was enough). The appetisers were the stars of the show, so much so that we ordered nearly all of them and the rainbow trout was particularly delicious. Definitely book this one in advance; thanks to its many culinary plaudits a 5.30pm mid-week dinner reservation will see a full house of diners at this super popular restaurant.
Stay in the Middle of the Action at Moxy Downtown
If you enjoy tacos, fun games, a bit of shuffleboard, and a friendly bar atmosphere with great happy hour prices, then you’ll love the Moxy Downtown. Located just a couple of blocks from the river in the North River area and close to the Loop, it offers easy navigation around the city. Whether you prefer to explore by foot, the ‘L’ (elevated train), or the conveniently quick-to-arrive Ubers, this is a great place to base yourself. The rooms are on the bijou side, but if you’re looking for a drop-and-go scenario, it’s perfect.
The overall design is funky and functional, with a practical layout that combines contemporary styling with everything you might need for a short city break. Plus, if you miss having your own podcasting studio (and who isn’t podcasting these days, right?) or need a quiet space to record your TikTok voiceovers, there’s a dedicated space in the lobby for you to use.
For more information and inspiration see choosechicago.com
To book a stay at Moxy Downtown get the best price here.
Fused flew direct from Heathrow to Chicago with BA – for the best flight times, schedules, dates and prices see here.
