Photo: Buckingham Fountain, Chicago · Fascinating Universe · CC BY-SA 3.0
🌽Illinois: What to Know Before You Go
Destination Intel / United States / Illinois
Culture, Food and Etiquette
- Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, thick crust with cheese and butter
- Chicago-style hot dogs, with mustard, onions, relish, and no ketchup
- Italian beef sandwiches, thin-sliced, seasoned beef on long rolls
- Corn on the cob and farm-fresh Illinois produce
- Chicago architecture, Art Deco and modern skyscraper tours
- Blues and jazz heritage, world-class music venues and museums
- Grant Park, Millennium Park, and Cloud Gate ("The Bean") sculptures
- Chicago Cubs and White Sox baseball culture and traditions
Chicago accent and Midwestern English; direct and friendly; diverse immigrant languages in Chicago.
- Chicago pizza and hot dog styles are sacred. Try them as locals do
- Tipping 18-20% is expected in restaurants and bars
- Respect for local teams (Cubs/Sox) is important in Chicago
- Midwestern politeness and friendliness are standard
Best Time to Visit
Illinois has hot summers and cold winters; late spring through early fall is the most comfortable, and Chicago is lively year round.
- Peak: May to June, September to October
- Shoulder: April, November
- Off season: January to February, the cold months
Source: ncei.noaa.gov
Getting Around
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What moves the cost: Chicago has an extensive rail and bus system.
Common Questions
When is the best time to visit Illinois?+
Trains link Chicago with the smaller cities.
Source: ncei.noaa.gov
Summer in Chicago and the lakefront season cost the most, while deep winter is cheaper.+
Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable; winters are cold and windy, especially along the lake.