Where to Stay in Chicago in 2023 | Best Areas & Hotels

It’s safe to say that Chicago is one of the most legendary cities in the USA, providing the background for both Superman’s Metropolis and Batman’s Gotham.

It’s also one of the richest, most cultured, and most visited cities in the states and a constant magnet for tourists from all around the world. And trust us — there are some great places to stay. Let us be your guide!

The 5 Best Parts of Chicago

Our selection mostly covers the central and northern areas of the city. The southern parts are not bad or unsafe — Hyde Park, for example, is beautiful, and it’s the seat of Chicago University — but they’re not usually considered as attractive as the northern parts.

Our favorite areas include:

1. The Loop (Downtown): The absolute center of the city, famous for the skyscrapers, the Riverwalk, the Millennium Park, and the Art Institute of Chicago, is perfect for first-time visitors.
2. River North: Located just to the north of the Loop and bordering Streeterville via the Magnificent Mile, it’s Chicago’s premier nightlife district.  
3. Streeterville: Right next to River North, covering the larger chunk of the Magnificent Mile, it offers the best shopping options, an attractive coastline, and a bunch of theaters.
4. Gold Coast: Further up north and also connected to the Magnificent Mile, it’s the most luxurious area in Chicago, with the best and most expensive hotels and restaurants.
5. Lincoln Park: Even further up north from Downtown, it’s the most relaxed, budget-friendly, and family-friendly district in Chicago and the homeplace of the Zoo.

The Best Areas & Hotels in Chicago

Chicago is one of the largest and most developed cities in the USA, going hand in hand with the likes of New York and Los Angeles. The city, especially its central area, is stacked with hotels of all kinds and sizes, particularly offering some of the most famous hotel names in the world.

If you’re looking for luxury, you’ll find it everywhere, even in the budget and family-friendly Lincoln Park, five miles from the Loop.

But the highest concentration of upscale five-star hotels is located on the Magnificent Mile. Mid-range options also abound in every area.

There’s nothing particularly special to be said about any district. But, if you’re looking for something cheaper, search either in Lincoln Park or in the Loop. That’s where the budget options are mostly to be found.

1. The Loop (Downtown)

Your trip between the skyscrapers in Chicago will definitely start in the Downtown, also known as the Loop. Here you’ll find the Chicago from the movies, the “windy city,” the tall skyscrapers, the sublime museums and theaters, and the huge parks.

Plainly speaking, the most signature landmarks of the city are located here. Strolling is your biggest friend here since the best way to get to know the center of Chicago is the pedestrian road.

Stroll down the Chicago Riverwalk, walk along the Chicago Skyline, look at the river and the immense skyscrapers, do some window shopping, grab a bite or a coffee at some nice restaurant or coffee place — that’s the right way of familiarizing yourself with the unforgettable aura of the city.

Don’t you dare forget to visit Millennium Park.

Aside from the iconic Cloud Gate (created by Anish Kapoor) and the Beaux-Arts-style Buckingham Fountain, it’s one of the largest and most beautiful green spaces in all of America.

It offers an interesting chance to see something that’s simultaneously a striking piece of nature and a work of art. Everybody knows that Chicago is a well-known and respected science, art, and culture center.

That’s why the number one attraction in the city is neither the skyscrapers nor the Millennium Park but The Art Institute of Chicago. It’s basically like visiting the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Louvre in Paris, or the National Gallery in London.

Just remember that Chicago has a lot of other museums, galleries, and theaters you just have to visit. In terms of accommodation and food, the Loop definitely gets a ten.

There are numerous accommodations, from budget to unreasonably expensive, with a lot of mid-range options in between. That’s why we recommend this part of Chicago for first-time visitors. The same holds for restaurants too.

Things to Do

• If you’re into performing arts and the theater, there aren’t many places both in the world and in America that have such rich and various things to offer. The obvious first choice is The Chicago Theatre. But after you go to the best, make sure you check out:
  • the Lyric Opera of Chicago,
  • the Goodman Theatre,
  • the James M. Nederlander Theatre,
  • the CIBC Theatre,
  • the Cadillac Palace Theatre.
• The same holds for the museums since Chicago is a famous art, culture, and science center, featuring museums built on interesting ideas and immense collections. Starting with the The Art Institute of Chicago, continue to the less known but equally great:
  • Chicago Cultural Center,
  • American Writers Museum (the first of its kind in America),
  • the Medieval Torture Museum,
  • the Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank,
  • the Museum Of Illusions Chicago,
  • the Harold Washington Library Center.
• The best thing to do in Chicago is to stroll the city’s streets and walking area and enjoy the beautiful buildings and architecture. We already mentioned the most important landmarks in the heading, so here’s a list of a couple more: visit the historic building called Macy’s on State Street and do some shopping; see the 1888 Rookery Building; enjoy the view of the Michigan Avenue Bridge; take a look at the pretty Crown Fountain; check out the unnamed Picasso sculpture that was dedicated to the city in 1967.
• Finally, you just have to spend a day at Chicago’s parks because they’re some of the best in the world. The obvious start is Millennium Park, with its Buckingham Fountain and unforgettable Cloud Gate. Then, there’s Maggie Daley Park, which is both a park and a playground. Lastly, there’s Grant Park, opened in 1844 and located right next to Lake Michigan.

Where to Eat

• The Gage is a Michelin star restaurant and a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. Easily one of the best restaurants in Chicago and part of numerous lists, it’s the perfect place for a high-end dinner, an anniversary, or some special business meeting.
• The Dearborn is yet another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection and a great choice for those who love all kinds of meat and seafood. It offers some of the best shrimp, fish, and chips — but also pork — in the city.  
• Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe is a more down-to-earth place than the previous two, but it’s also another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. Simply put, it’s a great American diner where you can enjoy some of the best breakfast or brunch in Chicago. The pancakes, obviously, are their signature dish.

The Loop (Downtown) Budget Hotels

• Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago is a two-star Downtown accommodation located very close to Millennium park. It offers free Wi-Fi and parking, facilities for disabled guests, and a 24-hour working desk. There’s breakfast too.  
• La Quinta by Wyndham Chicago Downtown is a relatively cheap, pet-friendly, three-star hotel. Aside from the free Wi-Fi and parking, there’s also a fitness center, room services, a 24-hour desk, facilities for disabled people, and a nice breakfast every morning.

The Loop (Downtown) Mid-Range Hotels

• Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago is a great three-star hotel, located just across Millennium Park, on the iconic Michigan Avenue. A historic place, it also has a restaurant on its premises and a bar, a fitness center, and professional room service.
• Best Western Grant Park Hotel is a decent and not very expensive three-star hotel, part of the famous Best Western chain of hotels. Located across the Grand Park, it also offers free Wi-Fi and parking, an on-site restaurant, a 24-hour desk, and laundry facilities.

The Loop (Downtown) Luxury Hotels

• JW Marriott Chicago is a very expensive and luxurious five-star hotel located in the Loop, part of the famous Marriott chain of hotels. It has an indoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness center, an on-site restaurant and a bar, luxuriously furnished rooms, and facilities for disabled people.
• Four Seasons Chicago is one of the best, most expensive, and most luxurious hotels in Chicago. An upscale five-star hotel, it offers an indoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness center, a fitness center, and a restaurant and bar on the premises.

See All Hotels in Chicago

2. River North

As soon as you cross one of the numerous bridges that divide The Loop from the northern parts of Chicago, you’ll immediately reach two of the city’s most popular districts — River North and Streeterville.

They’re divided by the poshest place in Chicago, the so-called Magnificent Mile, where the most luxurious shops, restaurants, and hotels are located.

People usually chose River North as their base when visiting Chicago for three things: the numerous nightclubs, the large number of galleries, and the proximity to the Magnificent Mile.

We are going to cover the Mile more specifically in the next segment since it’s generally considered part of Streeterville. For now, we’ve rounded up the best nightclubs in River North but also the whole of Chicago.

Our favorites include:

• Blue Chicago
• The Drifter  
• The Comedy Bar
• Stout Chicago
• Spy Bar
• Narcisse

All of them offer something different: some are more relaxed and offer plenty of room for dancing; others are more upscale; then, there are those about live music.

We can guarantee that whatever your choice, you’ll probably have one or more really unforgettable nights. For some mysterious reason, places with vibrant nightlife are usually packed with galleries, and River North is no exception to that rule.

Some of the best galleries and specialty shops — even excluding the Magnificent Mile — are located in this fun district. The accommodation options are a bit less versatile than in the Loop but are still varied enough.

Their lack of two-star hotels is covered by relatively cheap three-star hotels. Concerning the luxurious options, the situation is basically the same: the wider center of Chicago is overflowing with Hiltons, Hyatts, Marriotts, and Astorias.

Things to Do

• The best thing you can do while staying at River North is to hit the nightclubs and have the time of your life. They are fun, nicely furnished, and exciting. We already gave you a partial list of some of the best clubs in the district, and here are some more:
  • Brehon Pub,
  • Disco,
  • Sound-Bar,
  • The Bassment,
  • O’Leary’s Public House,
  • Hudson Club.
• To continue our story with the galleries, River North has some of the best ones in Chicago. Like with the nightclubs, here is a list (in no particular order) of the places that are worth visiting:
  • Architech Gallery,
  • Ann Nathan Gallery,
  • Carl Hammer Gallery,
  • Zolla/Lieberman Gallery,
  • Maya Polsky Gallery,
  • Marx-Saunders Gallery.
• River North is not bad for shopping too. There are numerous shops along its streets, and the Magnificent Mile — the most upscale street in Chicago — is right on its eastern borders. But the most important shopping “landmark” is something completely different: Merchandise Mart is basically the largest commercial building in the world, and its first two floors are essentially a mall.
• This interesting district — aside from being a top location for nightlife and galleries — is quite versatile too. Some of the other that you can explore landmarks are related to sports (The East Bank Club), religion (Assumption Church), architecture (McCormick Tribune Center), student expression (Freedom Wall), and parks (Ward A. Montgomery Park).

Where to Eat

• Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf is both a Michelin star restaurant and a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. It’s officially listed as an American steakhouse, with a beautiful interior and pleasant atmosphere, it offers some of the best steaks in the city. The portions, too, are quite large.
• Tanta is a Latin and Peruvian restaurant mostly famous for serving quality and fresh seafood. A 2022 Travelers Choice selection, we recommend that you order the tender octopus, the ceviche, and the Chaufa Aeropuerto (rice with pork, eggs, and shrimp). The restaurant also offers an extensive wine list.  
• Doughnut Vault is a famous American bakery that’s constantly present on the list of the best, most popular, and most trendy restaurants in Chicago. Yet another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, it’s mostly famous (obviously) for the tasty donuts and for the different cakes.

River North Budget Hotels

• Ohio House Motel is a very cheap but quite decent two-star motel that doesn’t offer much aside from the great location. It offers free Wi-Fi, free parking, and air-conditioning through the premises, furnished rooms with flat-screen TVs, and a tasty breakfast every morning.
• Best Western Chicago Downtown-River North is a great three-star hotel, part of the famous and reliable Best Western chain of hotels. It offers an indoor pool and a fitness center on the premises, as well as a bar and a restaurant. The hotel is particularly suitable for couples.

River North Mid-Range Hotels

• Moxy Chicago Downtown is a pet-friendly three-star hotel that has a fitness center, a bar, and a restaurant on its premises. Particularly suitable for couples, and boasting a great location — 700 m of the Magnificent Mile — it also has facilities for disabled people and a 24-hour desk.  
• Aloft Chicago Downtown River North is another great three-star hotel, located around three blocks away from the Magnificent Mile. It also has an on-site restaurant and a bar, and a fitness center on the premises at your disposal. The hotel is pet-friendly, has room service, and laundry facilities.

River North Luxury Hotels

• The Peninsula Chicago is a super luxurious five-star hotel that offers top-notch things in every way imaginable. It has an indoor pool, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. There’s also a spa and wellness center and airport shuttle services. Finally, the breakfast in the hotel is superb.
• Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago is a perfect choice if you enjoy — most of all — having a clear view from above the city. A super luxurious five-star hotel, it offers an indoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness center, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises — among other interesting things and facilities.

See All Hotels in Chicago

3. Streeterville

To the east of both River North and the majestic Magnificent Mile lies the neighborhood called Streeterville. The usual stereotype about this area is that it’s the prime location for shopping in Chicago, and in this case, the preconception is completely correct.

But this charming district has much more to offer, mainly thanks to its being located on the coast of Lake Michigan. The Magnificent Mile is a premier restaurant, hospitality, and shopping area in Chicago.

Part of the huge Michigan Avenue, it boasts the best hotels and restaurants in the city. If you are looking for upscale accommodation, this is where you’ll find it.

Also, it boasts nearly 500 shops, from high-end brands, such as Gucci and Louis-Vuitton, to some extremely cheap department stores. On the other side of Streeterville (east) lies Lake Michigan and the waterfront and the second most attractive tourist place in the district.

Navy Pier has been a magnet for tourists since 1995, offering a bunch of shops and restaurants with a fantastic scenic view, some interesting museums, the Lakefront Trail, and the 200-foot tall Centennial Wheel.

You can’t say that you’ve visited Chicago without spending some time around the Navy Pier. Streeterville, in general, is a great place for lovers of art, culture, and knowledge.

Aside from the Northwestern University buildings in the area, there’s something for theater-goers and museum visitors.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, for example, is a prestigious Tony award recipient; the Chicago Children’s Museum is one of the best children’s museums in the country; Museum of Contemporary Art is a perfect choice for lovers of both the modern and the postmodern.

Lastly, we don’t recommend Streeterville to budget travelers since there’s no hotel with less than three stars. If, on the other hand, you are looking for something quite expensive and luxurious, this area is the right choice for you.

Things to Do

• If you’re a passionate shopper and enjoy spending most of the times in places like like Paris’ Champ-Elysees or London’s Oxford Street and Bond Street, don’t miss the Magnificent Mile. With its around 500 shops of all types and price ranges, it’s one of the best of its kind not only in America but in the world too.
• Almost everybody loves spending time near water, and Streeterville is perfect for that because it is a coastal neighborhood. The Navy Pier offers something to anybody — it’s large, rich and various, packed with restaurants and shops. It also boasts the Centennial Wheel, offering some of the best views of Chicago, and the Lakefront Trail, for those who just love to stroll or bike near the water.
• Some of the museums in Streeterville are as much fun and offer as big a chance for learning as the ones downtown. The Chicago Children’s Museum is a great family-friendly educational institution and of the most famous of its kind in America; the Museum of Contemporary Art, on the other hand, continues the art story that we started in the Loop and resumed with the galleries of River North.
• If you’re more of a performance person — no matter of which kind — Streeterville offers a few jewels for you.
  • First, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier is an award winning-place and no less famous than the theaters in the Loop.
  • Navy Pier Festival Hall Complex is more about fun for the whole family and great for the kids.
  • Lastly, if you are a music lover, especially jazz, Winter’s Jazz Club is one of the best Jazz clubs in all of Chicago.

Where to Eat

• The Capital Grille is a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection and a quality American steakhouse with great meat options. We recommend the steak, the onion soup, the mashed potatoes, and the creme brulee for dessert. It’s a perfect place for special occasions.
• Francesca’s On Chestnut is a traditional Italian restaurant with a lot of vegan and vegetarian options. It’s also a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, and we recommend the seafood pasta, the gnocchi, the risotto, and the tiramisu for dessert.
• Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe is a regular American cafe, perfect for an early breakfast, brunch, or just a cup of coffee. It deserved its 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection for its quick service, fabulous pancakes and french toast, and reasonable prices.

Streeterville Budget Hotels

• Fairfield Inn and Suites Chicago Downtown/ Magnificent Mile is a nice three-star hotel and the cheapest accommodation you’ll find in Streeterville. Located around 10 minutes from the coast of the lake, it also has free Wi-Fi, a fitness center, facilities for disabled guests, and breakfast.
• Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile is another three-star hotel and the second cheapest option in the district. More in the class of the mid-range options, it also has an indoor swimming pool, pet-friendly premises, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi, and private parking.

Streeterville Mid-Range Hotels

• Aloft Chicago Mag Mile is a very nice three-star hotel with an indoor swimming pool, an on-site restaurant and a bar, and a very tasty breakfast every morning. It’s also completely pet-friendly and has facilities for disabled people, room service, and a 24-hour front desk.
• Sonesta ES Suites Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile is another three-star and pet-friendly hotel that’s located very close to the shore of the lake. It offers free Wi-Fi and private parking, facilities for disabled guests, a fitness center, and tasty breakfast.

Streeterville Luxury Hotels

• Viceroy Chicago is a gorgeous and very luxurious five-star hotel located on the Magnificent Mile. It has a fabulous outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar, and a fitness center. The rooms are luxurious, with flat-screen TVs and minibars, and the hotel has very fast room service.
• Park Hyatt Chicago is definitely one of the best hotels in Chicago, offering anything and everything, from an indoor swimming pool, restaurant, bar, and a spa and wellness center on the premises to multilingual newspapers and designer bathrooms. It’s a perfect choice for affluent international travelers.

See All Hotels in Chicago

4. Gold Coast

Speaking of affluence, just to the north of Streeterville and River North lies one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in the whole of America called — quite conveniently — Gold Coast.

Its luxury is only compared with Manhattan’s Upper East Side, but it probably has even more history to it. Starting in the late 19th century, when a millionaire called Potter Palmer moved here and started to build what is today.

It’s really a combination of historical buildings, mansions, high-rise apartments, and row houses, the Gold Coast area is easily comparable to Nissantisi, the richest district in Istanbul, or to Salamanca in Madrid.

In comparison to the previous areas that we’ve covered in our guide, Gold Coast doesn’t offer as many activities, museums, or galleries.

Most of its historical significance lies in the Astor Street District, the main monument from the past, built in that crucial period about a hundred years ago.

It does have a number of 19th-century buildings constructed in various styles, like the Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, and Georgian Revival. If you’re partial to those architectural styles, three houses stand above the others:

• James Charnley House (also known as Charnley-Persky House) is one of the first modern residential houses in America.
• George Swift Isham Home was famously owned by Hugh Hefner and was, for a time, the dormitory of the School of the Art Institute.
• Three Arts Club was a club for women learning music, painting, and drama; it had a fine Byzantine entrance.

That said, Gold Coast does have its variety. History buffs can enjoy the unusual International Museum of Surgical Science, which is quite popular among tourists.

Art aficionados can visit Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts located in another beautiful and old building too. The Gold Coast area of Chicago is by far the most expensive and most luxurious district in the city, as we said.

When it comes to accommodation options, that’ll mean that there are literally no budget options and practically no mid-range hotels — only very expensive and upscale five and four-star hotels. We recommend Gold Coast only to visitors who are planning to spend a lot of money.

Things to Do

• Fans of great Architecture, especially of the eclectic 19th-century American houses and mansions, will have the time of their life in Gold Coast. James Charnley House is both one of the most beautiful houses in the city and a museum; George Swift Isham Home and Three Arts Club are quite important too. But don’t forget the castle-like Bryan Lathrop House built in the quite uncommon Georgian Revival style.
• There aren’t that many museums in Gold Coast, like in the Loop, for example, but there’s one interesting little historical gem that strikes a particularly high cord in the visitors’ interest. We are talking about the 10,000 feet large Museum of Surgical Science, with it’s huge collection and numerous artifacts connected to the history of medical science.
• Again, Gold Coast is not the most artsy neighborhood in Chicago, but it has some interesting places and things that are worth visiting. Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is the first of them, located in the beautiful Madlener House. But if you prefer the outdoors, take a stroll and look at the Greene Vardiman Black Statue or the Chess Pavilion, which is both a piece of art and a park.
• Not as lively and vibrant as River North, Gold Coast still has a lot to offer in terms of nightlife experience. Some of Chicago’s most interesting clubs are located here. We’ll give you a rough sketch of the ones that are worth your time:
  • LUXBAR,
  • Zebra Lounge,
  • The Original Mother’s,
  • The Oasis at Shore Club,
  • McFadden’s.

If you prefer to spend your nights out enjoying a performance, we recommend Naughty Little Cabaret, the most famous cabaret in the city.

Where to Eat

• Hatsuhana Japanese Restaurant is one of the best and most popular restaurants in the city. One of those rare candidates for the 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best selection, it not only serves premium quality food, but it also offers an unforgettable culinary show.
• Mozzafiato at Elite is a new and luxurious European restaurant located on the Golden Coast, and it’s a recent 2023 Travelers’ Choice selection. It offers a whole palette of traditional Italian recipes, starting from very unique pizzas to all kinds of pasta and meat.
• Rabbath is a Lebanese, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern restaurant and yet another 2023 Travelers’ Choice selection. Practically a paradise for every lover of Eastern cuisine, it offers some of the best falafel, baklava, and lamb you have ever tried. It’s quite suitable for vegans and vegetarians too.

Gold Coast Mid-Range Hotels

• Claridge House is a four-star hotel with a great location and a mid-range option only in the relative sense of the term. The hotel boasts a spa and wellness center, a fitness center, a bar, and a restaurant on its premises.
• Ambassador Chicago, part of JdV by Hyatt is another four-star hotel way out of the league of the regular mid-range option. It offers completely pet-friendly premises, a bar, a restaurant, and a fitness center. In addition, as you’d expect, there’s superb breakfast in the morning, luxuriously furnished family rooms, and professional room service.

Gold Coast Luxury Hotels

• Waldorf Astoria Chicago is definitely one of the top five hotels in Chicago, part of the extremely upscale Waldorf Astoria chain of hotels. It has an indoor swimming pool, rooms furnished in a contemporary way with all the amenities, a spa and wellness center, and both an on-site bar and a restaurant.
• The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago is, again, one of the top five most luxurious and expensive hotels in Chicago, not surprisingly located in the Gold Coast area. Offering a striking view of the lake, it also has a spa and wellness center, an indoor pool, a bar, and a restaurant on the premises. The breakfast in the hotel is simply amazing.

See All Hotels in Chicago

5. Lincoln Park

Last but not least is the huge area called Lincoln Park, located around five miles to the north of the Loop.

A more relaxed and down-to-earth district, we recommend Lincoln Park to budget travelers — because of its cheap accommodations — and families due to the number of parks and interesting family-friendly places.

The prime location of interest is the park of the same name, located near the shores of the lake. Almost everything worth visiting in Lincoln Park is located here.

The park itself is one of the most famous and popular in the whole of Chicago and definitely the largest in the city (stretching for around seven miles along the coast). It’s perfect for relaxed strolling, biking, and picnicking with your family or your date.

Nearby, you’ll spot North Avenue Beach too. But the park itself is just the beginning. Most people come here for the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is the fourth oldest in the country (founded in early 1868) and one of the last free-admission zoos in America.

Quite large, it has around 1100 animals and over 200 species to look at.

Further to the north are two other places: Lincoln Park Conservatory, which is also more than a century old and a favorite for flora lovers; then, The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has more than 1000 butterflies, sea turtles, exotic birds, and other interesting animals.

And that’s only the story about Lincoln Park itself — the Lincoln Park district has much more to offer to the enthusiastic tourist.

There’s the versatile Chicago History Museum, which eloquently narrates the story of the city; the smaller but also beautiful Oz Park; and Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, one of the most attractive nature areas in the city.

Finally, in the spirit of Chicago, there are numerous theaters that will give joy to even the most demanding theater-goers. If you want to save some money and still have a nice time visiting Chicago, Lincoln Park is the right choice for you.

There are a bunch of three-star hotels that offer more than decent accommodation at a relatively low price. If you are looking for luxury, on the other hand, take a look down south at some of the other, centrally located districts.

Things to Do

• Lovers of the outdoors should definitely stay in this neighborhood. Aside from the enormous coastal Lincoln Park, which offers everything that a park can give, there are some other places too, which are more than decent. Oz Park is considerably smaller but as beautiful as its larger counterpart; Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool has a fairy-tale atmosphere; and South Pond is another striking piece of water.
• Without beating around the bush, Lincoln Park Zoo is not only the most attractive place in Lincoln Park but also one of the most visited and talked about institutions in Chicago. The fourth oldest Zoo in the world, it still holds to the old traditions and is keeping its free-admission policy. Founded in 1868, it represents both history and nature, reminding one of the renowned old European zoos, like the one in Berlin.
• If you prefer a museum-like environment but still love nature, we recommend the Eden-like Lincoln Park Conservatory and its huge amount of flowers, trees, and other plants; alternatively, there’s The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum for lepidopterists.
• Small avant-garde theater aficionados will have as good a time as in Streeterville or in the Loop. We recommend that you visit the following places:
  • Victory Gardens Theater,
  • Lincoln Hall,
  • Apollo Theater Chicago,
  • Park West,
  • Greenhouse Theater Center,
  • Theatre on the Lake,
  • Second City, 
  • Biograph Theatre.

Where to Eat

• Boka Restaurant is an American eatery that’s one of the best Michelin star restaurants in Chicago, and it’s a freshly minted 2023 Travelers’ Choice selection. While it does offer plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, it mainly serves meat and seafood specialties.
• Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! Is a contemporary Latin cafe and restaurant and yet another of Chicago’s most famous eateries. It’s mostly suitable for tight-knit groups who don’t mind sharing food. We recommend the paella, the tapas, the octopus, and the stuffed mushroom.  
• Jerk. Jamaican Barbecue is a quite interesting and unique Caribbean and Jamaican fusion barbecue, perfect for meat lovers. The food is of high quality, the atmosphere is relaxed, the prices are reasonable, and the jerkies are one of the best in this part of America.

Lincoln Park Budget Hotels

• Chicago Getaway Hostel is a very cheap but quite nice three-star hotel that offers much more than your regular budget options. It offers private parking and free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, a perfect location in Lincoln Park, a terrace and BBQ facilities, and a warm breakfast every morning.
• Hotel Versey Days Inn by Wyndham Chicago is another relatively cheap three-star hotel that offers more than you bargained for. Again, located very close the beautiful area around Lincoln Park, it offers free Wi-Fi, available parking, daily housekeeping and room service.

Lincoln Park Mid-Range Hotels

• Best Western Plus Hawthorne Terrace Hotel is a three-star hotel located in a historical building, part of the famous Best Western chain of hotels. It offers a nice glass-enclosed hot tub, a fitness center, a terrace, a 24-hour desk, and a very tasty breakfast in the morning.
• The Willows Hotel is another elegant and beautiful three-star hotel located on a fine tree-lined street. It offers free Wi-Fi and parking, and it has tea and coffee machines in every room. Other amenities include a fitness center, laundry service, room service, and a 24-hour desk.

Lincoln Park Luxury Hotels

• The Hotel & Athletic Club at Midtown is a four-star hotel located in the western part of Lincoln Park. It has a lot to offer, and in comparison to the hotels in the central area, it’s significantly cheaper. It has two swimming pools, a spa and wellness center, a fitness center, and a bar on the premises.
• Hotel Lincoln is another great four-star hotel that comes at a great price, located right across the beautiful Lincoln Park. It has completely pet-friendly premises, an on-site restaurant and a bar, private parking, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour desk, and very professional room service.

See All Hotels in Chicago

Over to You — Book Your Trip Today!

🏆Best for First-Time Visitors	The Loop (Downtown)
🍷 Best for Nightlife	River North
🎁 Best Area for Shopping	Streeterville
🥂 Most Luxurious Area	Gold Coast
👪 Best for Families	Lincoln Par

It was not an easy task to summarize Chicago in such a short format, but we managed to do it. Granted, we might’ve omitted a spot or two, as there’s much, much more to see and to visit. But this is the blueprint of the most famous landmarks in Chicago.

Now let’s do a quick recap:

• The Loop or the Downtown is the best choice for first-time visitors to the city. Millennium Park, the Riverwalk, and the Art Institute of Chicago are here, and they’re definitely places that you have to visit.
• River North is particularly suitable for younger people and those who prefer vibrant nightlife and a lot of clubs. There are plenty of galleries too, and the Magnificent Mile is close by.
• Streeterville is the premier Chicago area for shopping, due to its close proximity to the Magnificent Mile. It’s a coastal area too, and the Navy Pier is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.
• Gold Coast is the most upscale, luxurious, and expensive neighborhood in the city, and the area where you’ll find the Four Seasons, the Waldorf Astorias, the Ritzs, and the Hiltons, as well as some very beautiful old architecture.
• Lincoln Park is the family-friendly choice, also ideal for budget travelers. The largest park in Chicago is located here, and so is the Chicago Zoo, a fantastic and admission-free institution.

So, with so much to see and do, and an abundance of great places to stay, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and see for yourself all that Chicago has to offer. Happy travels!