I love the form factor of this book, but I think the day-to-day format is flawed. I chose to set my own schedule and once that happened, it was difficult to use the book. The organization was suited towards guided tours and less towards a travel reference.

I used others "skinny" books with much better maps as well.

I came to Chicago for a wedding and stayed a couple of extra days. My friends could not believe how much I got to see, and this book was a tremendous help. There are detailed sections on several of Chicago's neighborhoods, which is great if you are the type of tourist who (like me) enjoys just walking around and getting a feel for the city. But there was also great information about landmarks, parks, entertainment, etc.

My only suggestion would be that if there is someplace you are DYING to go, call ahead as there were a couple of addresses that were wrong, especially in the Andersonville section. Usually off by a couple of blocks, so it could be that things just moved since the book came out. Also, the restaurant suggestions looked pretty good but I don't think any book could beat www.yelp.com when looking for places to eat/drink.

I used this book to plan a long weekend in Chicago (November 2006) and couldn't be happier with the results. The only slightly negative comment I have about the book is that not all prices were completely accurate. It seems admission to some museums, etc. have increased by a few dollars, but I wasn't too bent out of shape about that. I really liked how the book lists the top spots to hit depending on how many days you plan to spend in the city. I highly recommend the following (as did the book): Architechture Foundation's River Cruise, Second City Comedy Club, Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, and Corner Bakery (for breakfast or a quick lunch). This book also comes with maps that are extremely useful. There is a train (subway) map and a general city map that are right on the inside cover, so it is very easy to get to. A larger, more detailed map is also included. Plus, this book is the perfect size to fit in my purse so we could carry it with us all day long. I could go on and on, but my trip to Chicago was great and I believe this book had a lot to do with that.

I used this book to plan a long weekend in Chicago (November 2006) and couldn't be happier with the results. The only slightly negative comment I have about the book is that not all prices were completely accurate. It seems admission to some museums, etc. have increased by a few dollars, but I wasn't too bent out of shape about that. I really liked how the book lists the top spots to hit depending on how many days you plan to spend in the city. I highly recommend the following (as did the book): Architechture Foundation's River Cruise, Second City Comedy Club, Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, and Corner Bakery (for breakfast or a quick lunch). This book also comes with maps that are extremely useful. There is a train (subway) map and a general city map that are right on the inside cover, so it is very easy to get to. A larger, more detailed map is also included. Plus, this book is the perfect size to fit in my purse so we could carry it with us all day long. I could go on and on, but my trip to Chicago was great and I believe this book had a lot to do with that.