Welcome to Chicago -the city of skyscrapers, parks, beaches and wondrous attractions which charm any visitor. Called by many names as the White City, Windy City, Second city etc, Chicago has many things to interest a vacationer.
So if you are contemplating on a holiday in Chicago, then these tips are what you need to craft your itinerary to this charming place.
Flight bookings:
To get to Chicago, first book your flight tickets on an elite airline like Air France well in advance. Check out for their discounts, hot deals and early bird offers to get the best of rates.
Best Time to visit Chicago:
If you want to visit Chicago, you must take utmost care to visit it in the right weather. Summers are hot and humid while winter is chilly and shivering.
So better book your Air France flight reservations in the months of April-June or in September to get the best of Chicago climate.
Packing for Chicago visit:
What you pack for your Flights to Chicago depends upon when you visit it. Summer is hot and requires light, cotton casuals, hat, sun block and sunglasses. Chilly winter requires thermals, scarf, gloves and sweater. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for any season.
From the Airport to the City:
There are 2 airports where you van alight from your cheap flights to Chicago-O’Hare and Midway.
• Some hotels run complimentary shuttle buses.
• Taxis are too expensive.
• So better catch a Grey Hound Bus or Mega bus or catch the Amtrak Train.
Getting around Chicago:
• Get around Chicago by using the Chicago Transit authority System (CTA) through buses, trains and metros.
• Buy a CTA transit card at the kiosks at the stations. The other alternatives are the Chicago card that can be got from grocery shops or currency exchanges or online.
• Blue and white signs indicate bus stops.
• CTA Buses accepts transit cards or cash but do not tender change.
• Train lines run in many colors - Red, Green, Brown, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Orange and Pink to different destinations.
• To travel on a train, known the stop and the color of the train line beforehand.
• Metros are crowded during rush hours.
• Taxis can be street-hailed and are cheap with fixed fares from basic rates.
Chicago City tips:
• Smoking in public places is banned in Chicago.
• Drinking on the street is not allowed.
Tipping Tips for Chicago hotels and Restaurants:
Tipping is customary in Chicago. So expect to dole out some money saved from the cheap tickets to Chicago at these rates.
• Restaurants; Servers-15-20%, Bartenders-$ 1 per drink and Menu Delivery boy-10%
• Hotels: Concierge- $5, Valet-$2/3, Doorman-$2
• Spas: 20% for your stylist.
• Taxi-driver-15% of the fare.
Chicago‘s Tax Tips:
You might have landed on flight tickets for cheap rates at Chicago. But nothing is cheap or tax-free at this Windy City.
• Bottled Water- $0.05 per bottle
• Soft drinks-13.25%
• Hotel rooms-15.4%
• Car rentals-20%
• Grocery and medicals-2%
• Additional 1% for food and drinks at Downtown.
• 10.25% tax on durables.
Chicago’s Safety Tips:
• Try not to travel alone on the train at night.
• Do not fall asleep on the train.
• Beware of beggars, street-side con artists and shoe-shiners.
• Beware of dishonest taxi-drivers.
• Avoid Down town after late hours.
Chicago is one of the most charming cities of America. Do plan your visit to Chicago after checking out the cheap international flights to the Windy City.