Chicago's extensive transit system first started in 1859, when horsecars ran on rails in city streets. Cable cars and electric streetcars came next. Where new trolley car lines were built, people, businesses, and neighborhoods followed. Chicago quickly became a world-class city. At its peak, Chicago had over 3,000 streetcars and 1,000 miles of track--the largest such system in the world. By the 1930s, there were also streamlined trolleys and trolley buses on rubber tires. Some parts of Chicago's famous "L" system also used trolley wire instead of a third rail. Trolley cars once took people from the Loop to such faraway places as Aurora, Elgin, Milwaukee, and South Bend. A few still run today.
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World "A Tourist's Best Friend!" —Chicago Sun-Times "Indispensable" —The New York Times The Top 10 Ways The Unofficial Guide to Chicago Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip: Information that's candid, critical, and totally objective Hotels reviewed and ranked for value and quality—plus secrets for getting the lowest possible rate More than 70 restaurants reviewed and profiled, with listings for dozens more A complete guide to Chicago's sights—museums, architecture, ethnic neighborhoods, and more Complete information on Chicago's lakefront beaches and parks The inside story on shopping—where to get the best for less, on and off the Magnificent Mile All the details on Chicago's nightlife—jazz and blues clubs, dance clubs, concerts, theater, and more The best places to play golf and tennis, ride a bike, go boating, and work out Tips on enjoying Chicago with your kids Advice on how to plan and make the most of your business trip Get the unbiased truth on hundreds of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more in The Unofficial Guide to Chicago—the resource that helps you save money, save time, and make your trip the best it can be.
(Applause Books). This comprehensive guide to every major entertainment and sports venue in the Chicago/Milwaukee metropolitan area makes attending performing arts, dance, music and sports events incredibly easy and entertaining. The second volume in the Seats series places seating plans, theatre district maps, transportation, hotel, and seasonal festival information right at your fingertips. A full seating plan, colored-coded by price, is provided for each venue, along with all ticket ordering information. The book also includes insider tips on Chicago/Milwaukee theatres featuring Off-Beat Seats, Theatre Companies, Seats for Kids & Students, and Four Seasons of Free Seats. Whether you want to catch the opera at the Civic Opera House, some laughs at Second City, a performance at the historical Pabst Theater or the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Seats: Chicago is your guide to the best seats in the house! Also available: Seats: New York (00314598) Praise for Seats: New York : " Seats is a clear, informative and beautiful guide for those seeking the best seats in New York theatres and halls." Richard Nelson, Tony Award-winning playwright "I know how important a good seat can be for the enjoyment of a classical performance. Concert hall seat selection is usually complicated and confusing, but Seats makes it easy." Maestro Robert Craft, author and conductor, associate of Igor Stravinsky
Offers a history of the world famous Chicago "L," the elevated railroad that has operated since 1892 and has been ridden by more than ten billion people.
Years ago, when Frank Sinatra sang the praises of "my kind of town," he was saluting Chicago. Chicago is still a truly vibrant and eclectic city that constantly reinvents itself. Cosmopolitan yet not elitist, sophisticated in some ways yet refreshingly brash in others, Chicago is wonderfully entertaining and welcoming. There’s plenty to do and this guide clues you in with the latest info on: Four options for exploring the city Five day trips to nearby attractions Accommodations, ranging from three of the world’s best luxury hotels to wonderful historic getaways with modern amenities A shopping guide that covers power shopping along the Magnificent Mile and bargain hunting in unique shops The action and attractions, ranging from Soldier Field or Wrigley Field to the Hancock Observatory to Navy Pier Restaurants, including everything from elegant to family-style, and from Chicago’s famous deep-dish pizza to all kinds of ethnic cuisine Intriguing architecture and incredible museums, including the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Art Institute of Chicago Fantastic outdoor attractions, including Millenium Park, Grant Park, North Avenue Beach, two great zoos, and more What to do when the sun goes down, whether you like the blues, ska, or hip-hop… the hot night spots or great theater Culture, ranging from Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to The Second City and Improv Olympics Sports—baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and more—in a city of notoriously passionate fans Like every For Dummies travel guide, Chicago For Dummies, 4th Edition, includes: Down-to-earth trip-planning advice What you shouldn’t miss — and what you can skip The best hotels and restaurants for every budget Handy Post-it Flags to mark your favorite pages With this friendly guide to help you choose from the best sites and attractions, Chicago will surely be your kind of town.
Chicago's system of elevated railways, known locally as the "L," has run continuously since 1892 and, like the city, has never stood still. It helped neighborhoods grow, brought their increasingly diverse populations together, and gave the famous Loop its name. But today's system has changed radically over the years. Chicago's Lost "L"s tells the story of former lines such as Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Kenwood, Stockyards, Normal Park, Westchester, and Niles Center. It was once possible to take high-speed trains on the L directly to Aurora, Elgin, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The L started out as four different companies, two starting out using steam engines instead of electricity. Eventually, all four came together via the Union Loop. The L is more than a way of getting around. Its trains are a place where people meet and interact. Some say the best way to experience the city is via the L, with its second-story view. Chicago's Lost "L"s is virtually a "secret history" of Chicago, and this is your ticket.
Written by locals, Fodor’s Chicago is the perfect guidebook for those looking for insider tips to make the most out their visit. Complete with detailed maps and concise descriptions, this Chicago travel guide will help you plan your trip with ease. Fodor's Chicago is the perfect companion for a trip to this quintessential American city. With colorful features and the most updated information, Fodor's Chicago gets straight to the best of what the "Second City" has to offer, everything from art and architecture to shopping, baseball, jazz, and the very best deep-dish pizza. Our in-depth coverage also includes the best of Chicago's culturally and historically rich suburbs, including Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park home studio, the Mallott Japanese Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the Brookfield Zoo. Fodor’s Chicago includes: •UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE: Fully updated, including fresh reviews of the best new eateries and lodgings in Chicago's many exciting neighborhoods. •ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE: A spectacular color photo guide highlights the ultimate unmissable experiences and attractions throughout Chicago to inspire you. •DETAILED MAPS: Full-color and full-size street maps throughout will help you plan efficiently and get around confidently. •GORGEOUS PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATED FEATURES: Rich, full-color features invite you to experience the best of Chicago, from what to eat and drink to which tours take. An in-depth illustrated feature on the Art Institute of Chicago helps you make the most of a visit to this magnificent museum; a history of the skyscraper explores the city's iconic architecture. Other features focus on the life and work of Frank Lloyd Wright and blues music. •ITINERARIES AND TOP RECOMMENDATIONS: Walking tours help you plan and make the most of your time to explore Chicago's best public art and iconic architectural highlights. A useful itinerary helps you plan three days in the windy city. Includes suggestions on what to see, where to eat, stay, and shop as well as information about nightlife, sports and the outdoors. “Fodor’s Choice” designates our best picks in every category. •INDISPENSABLE TRIP PLANNING TOOLS: Convenient overviews show each neighborhood and its highlights, as well as tips for planning your time and getting around by car, bus, and train. Mapped walks, top tour recommendations, and our curated list of free things to do make planning a breeze. •SPECIAL EVENT COVERAGE: Information for experiencing the Chicago Air and Water Show , the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, and the Taste of Chicago, to name just a few. •COVERS: The Magnificent Mile, the Chicago Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Wrigley Field, Navy Pier, the Loop, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, and more. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. Planning on visiting other great U. S. cities? Check out Fodor’s Washington D.C., Fodor's New Orleans, and Fodor’s New York.
The battle between St. Louis and Chicago to be the Midwest's leading city long predates the one between the Cardinals and the Cubs. Chicago won the fight to be considered part of the nation's first transcontinental railroad, and the Gateway City's delay in building a railroad bridge over the Mississippi River kept St. Louis in second place railroad service in the Midwest. But while Chicago had the Pullman Car Company, St. Louis featured more of the most important manufacturers in the rail industry, including American Car & Foundry and the St. Louis Car Company. St. Louis was dotted with historic rail structures ranging from its grand Union Station to depots built just after the Civil War, and a number of its suburbs were born of rail lines serving the area, with streets that still wear the names of the railroads they paralleled. In Trains and Trolleys of St. Louis, you have a ticket to hop aboard and travel across nearly two centuries through what the city built, operated, and preserved for the railroad. Hear the stories of the great-grandfathers who worked the rails, or take a walk down memory lane and a streetcar ride down to Gaslight Square. Local author and locomotive enthusiast Molly Butterworth carefully catalogues the history and significance of St. Louis' connection to its railroad days. Through the years, many of the railroad stations and streetcar stops have gone by the wayside, but their stories have lived on. Read about the ones you can still go enjoy, included in the many wonderful secrets shared among the pages of Trains and Trolleys of St. Louis.
The handsome multicolored streetcar is a nostalgic icon of the some of the most romantic and heritage-rich locales in America, including San Francisco, New Orleans and Chicago, immortalised on stage and screen in classics including 'Meet Me In St Louis' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Streetcars of America chronicles these vehicles from the earliest animal-drawn carriages to the height of their popularity in the 1920s, when there were more than 1,200 tram railways, to the turning of the tide in the mid-twentieth century when congestion and attacks from the automobile industry eventually pushed streetcars from most urban landscapes. But it also looks at the recent efforts to revive tram heritage that have led to vintage streetcars becoming a hip and environmentally-friendly daily commuter service, as well as tourist attraction, in more than thirty cities including Memphis and Washington DC.
