Chicago travel guide
United States
A city of landmark skyscrapers, lakefront beaches and proud neighbourhoods strung along the L train. Chicago's summers are spent outdoors, and its food and music scenes run deep all year.
Essentials
- Language
- English; Spanish is widely spoken, and Polish is heard in some neighbourhoods
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Plugs
- Type A and B, 120 V
- Emergency number
- 911
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: around 18 to 20 percent at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, and a similar share for taxis.
Rough daily budget
Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:
- Backpacker: $75-120, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
- Mid-range: $200-320, with a private room and restaurant meals.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Where to stay in Chicago
- Wicker Park: independent shops, record stores, bars and music venues around the Six Corners junction.
- Pilsen: Mexican bakeries, taquerias and large murals on the Lower West Side.
- Lincoln Park: a free zoo, the conservatory and easy access to the lakefront beaches.
Getting around Chicago
The L trains and CTA buses take a Ventra card or a contactless bank card, and the Blue Line runs from O'Hare airport into the Loop. The lakefront and downtown are flat and easy to walk or cycle.
Best time to visit Chicago
May to October, when the lakefront comes alive; winters are long and bitterly cold.
Top things to do in Chicago
- Spend a morning in the Art Institute of Chicago, then walk through Millennium Park to see Cloud Gate
- Cycle part of the Lakefront Trail, which runs for about 18 miles along Lake Michigan
- Watch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, or take a stadium tour out of season
- Hear live blues in a small club on the North Side or the South Side
- Walk around the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in suburban Oak Park, reached on the Green Line
What to eat in Chicago
- Deep-dish pizza: a thick, buttery crust filled with cheese and topped with chunky tomato sauce
- Italian beef: thinly sliced roast beef soaked in gravy on a roll, with sweet peppers or spicy giardiniera
- Chicago-style hot dog: a beef frank with mustard, onion, relish, tomato, pickle and peppers, and never ketchup
- Tavern-style pizza: a thin, crisp pizza cut into small squares rather than slices
Day trips from Chicago
- Indiana Dunes National Park: sand dunes and beaches on Lake Michigan, about 90 minutes on the South Shore Line train
- Milwaukee: breweries, a lakefront art museum and a historic Third Ward, about 90 minutes by train
- Starved Rock State Park: sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls, about two hours by car
Local etiquette
On the L, let people off before you board and keep your bag off the seats. Chicagoans are friendly and direct, and small talk with strangers at a bar or a ball game is normal.
Staying connected
Prepaid SIMs and eSIMs from the major US carriers are easy to buy, and free Wi-Fi is common in cafés and the public libraries.
Staying safe
Phone snatching and pickpocketing happen on trains and at busy stations, so keep your phone away from the doors. In winter the wind chill off the lake can be severe; dress in layers and cover your skin.
A local tip
Take an architecture boat tour on the Chicago River to understand how the city's skyline was built.
Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.
Meet people in Chicago on Waypacker
Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Chicago for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Chicago, you could be one of the first hosts.
Questions about Chicago
- What currency is used in Chicago?
- Chicago uses the US dollar (USD).
- What is the emergency number in Chicago?
- In Chicago, call 911.
- When is the best time to visit Chicago?
- May to October, when the lakefront comes alive; winters are long and bitterly cold.
- How much does a day in Chicago cost?
- Roughly $75-120 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $200-320 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
- Is Waypacker free to use in Chicago?
- Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
- Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?
- Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
- Can I meet locals in Chicago without staying with anyone?
- Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
- Will anyone see my exact location?
- No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.