Chicago Cultural Center
Built in 1897 as the city's public library, and transformed into a showplace for visual and performing arts in 1991, the Chicago Cultural Center is an overlooked civic treasure. Its basic Beaux Arts exterior conceals a sumptuous interior of rare marble, fine hardwood, stained glass, polished brass, and mosaics of Favrile glass, colored stone, and mother-of-pearl inlaid in white marble. The crowning centerpiece is Preston Bradley Hall's majestic Tiffany dome, said to be the largest of its kind in the world.The building also houses one of the Chicago Office of Tourism's visitor centers, which makes it an ideal place to kick-start your visit. If you stop in to pick up tourist information and take a quick look around, your visit won't take longer than half an hour. But the Cultural Center also hosts an array of art exhibitions, concerts, films, lectures, and other special events (many free), which might convince you to extend your time here. A long-standing tradition is the 12:15pm Dame Myra Hess Memorial classical concert every Wednesday in the Preston Bradley Hall. Other ongoing programs include a monthly cultural festival -- which highlights a different city or country over a weekend with art, theater, and film.Guided architectural tours of the Cultural Center are offered Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 1:15pm. For information, call tel. 312/744-8032.Allow a half-hour.

Historic Pullman
Railway magnate George Pullman may have been a fabulously wealthy industrialist, but he fancied himself more enlightened than his 19th-century peers. So when it came time to build a new headquarters for his Pullman Palace Car Company, he dreamed of something far more than the standard factory surrounded by tenements. Instead, he built a model community for his workers, a place where they could live in houses with indoor plumbing and abundant natural light -- amenities almost unheard of for industrial workers in the 1880s. Pullman didn't do all this solely from the goodness of his heart; he hoped that the town named after him would attract the most skilled workers (who would be so happy that they wouldn't go on strike). As one of the first "factory towns," Pullman caused an international sensation and was seen as a model for other companies to follow. The happy workers that Pullman envisioned, however, did go on strike in 1894, frustrated by the company's control of every aspect of their lives.Today, the Pullman district makes a fascinating stop for anyone with a historical or architectural bent. While many of the homes are private residences, a number of public buildings still stand (including the lavish Hotel Florence, the imposing Clock Tower, and the two-story colonnaded Market Hall). Although a fire damaged some buildings in the late 1990s, Pullman has thankfully been recognized as a unique historic site, and much-needed repairs are underway. You can walk through on your own during opening hours (stop by the visitor center for a map), or take a guided a tour at 12:30 or 1:30pm on the first Sunday of the month from May through October ($4 adults, $3.50 seniors).

Cafe Brauer
This landmark 1900 building, a fine example of Chicago's Prairie School of architecture, is not technically open to the public, except for a cafe and ice-cream parlor on the ground floor. But the Great Hall on the second floor, flanked by two curving loggias, is one of the city's most popular wedding-reception spots, so if you stop by on a weekend, chances are you can sneak a peek while the caterers are setting up. Even if you don't make it inside, Cafe Brauer makes a nice stopping-off point during a walk around the park. Sit and sip a coffee, or rent a paddleboat at the edge of the lovely South Pond ($10 per half-hour). Best of all, though, is the picture-postcard view from the adjacent bridge spanning the pond of the John Hancock Center and neighboring skyscrapers beyond Lincoln Park's treetops. Allow a quarter-hour, longer for a paddleboat ride.

Swissotel Chicago
An all-glass triangular hotel, wedged into the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, has spectacular wrap-around views from Navy Pier to Grant Park. Swiss?tel Chicago offers 632 air-conditioned, tastefully decorated and generously oversized rooms and suites. Relax above the city in our Penthouse Swimming Pool, Whirlpool and Health Club.***Overnight parking charge will be $45.00/day with in and out ...

Hotel 71
Overlooking the Chicago River just off Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive, Hotel 71 is a destination for those looking for an alternative to the mainstream four-star hotels. Travelers enjoy a unique and memorable experience melding style, comfort, functionality, and a high level of service and breath-taking views of Chicago without sacrificing a single amenity. With its central location on the Chicago River on Wacker Drive just off Michigan Avenue, Hotel 71 breaks with ordinary ...

The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago
Nearby Airports: * Chicago O'Hare International Airport - 18 Miles * Chicago Midway Airport - 16 Miles * Chicago Miegs Field Airport - 2 Miles Nearby Cities: * Evanston - 12 Miles * Oak Park - 12 Miles * River Forest - 13 Miles * Lincolnwood - 15 Miles * Skokie - 15 Miles * Elmhurst - 19 Miles * Arlington Heights - 20 Miles * Elk Grove - 20 Miles * Des Plaines - 20 Miles * Schiller Park - 20 Miles * ...