When it comes to popularity with tourists, New York City is the undisputed No. 1 in the U.S., drawing around 64 million visitors a year with its iconic pizzas, hot dogs, skyscrapers, museums, and boardwalk beaches.
There’s no doubt it has plenty to recommend it — but a trip there comes with a warning. It’s expensive and exhausting. The sidewalks are frantic, many attractions are miles apart, and you’ll pay a premium for a good hotel room.
Luckily, there’s an alternative that offers all of New York’s swagger but with far less stress — Chicago.
Here’s why you should ditch New York City and visit this Midwestern metropolis instead, from its legendary cuisine to public transport that’s an attraction in its own right.
1. Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper
New York City is tall, but Chicago gave birth to the skyscraper – the 138-foot Home Insurance Building, completed in 1885, is widely regarded as launching the high-rise era. There are thrilling observation decks incorporated across Chicago’s epic skyline, home to over 100 skyscrapers.
One is the dizzying 1,451-foot Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), the city’s tallest building. Here, visitors can enjoy views that stretch for up to 50 miles (on a clear day) from the Skydeck on the 103rd floor (1,353-foot up). And for a test of nerves, there’s The Ledge — where you stand in a glass box that extends 4.3-foot out over the street below.
A similarly hair-raising experience can be had at the 1,128-foot 875 North Michigan Avenue (John Hancock Center). The 94th-floor observation deck there features Tilt, which leans you out over the sidewalk at a 30-degree angle.
The building also has a restaurant in the clouds — the Signature Room.
What’s more, you can discover the city’s skyscrapers top to bottom. After taking in cloud-scraping panoramas, take the Architecture River Cruise, a fascinating narrated tour of Chicago’s iconic buildings from the water, a venture New York City simply can’t replicate.
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2. The pristine lakefront and urban beaches
