I've reviewed several travel guides lately, a number from Eyewitness Travel. This is another useful guidebook. And since I am from Illinois originally and Chicago always beckoned as a terrific place to visit, I was most interested in how well this book satisfied. Well, to end any suspense as to my answer, it satisfied very well indeed.

As with any guidebook, there will be questions about why certain sights were mentioned, certain hotels selected, certain restaurants singled out, etc. But that is a part of development of any guidebook. Choices must be made.

The first part of the book provides background context on Chicago--from four suggested tours of Chicago to a brief history of the place and other introductory information. On pages 21-25 are some bold selections. On Page 21, the top ten tourist attractions (I'm not sure that these would be my Top 10, but some are no brainers, such as the Art Institute, the Magnificent Mile, the Field Museum, and so on). Pages 22-23 feature the best museums in the city--and the choice is pretty reasonable.

One of the standard features of any guidebook for a city is a consideration of the different areas within the city. Here, I'll just mention a couple.

One, the downtown core, including the Loop (defined by a loop in the elevated train tracks). There are some great buildings and museums here--the Art Institute (both a great piece of architecture and a stunning museum), the old Marshall Field's flagship store (now Macy's; it's still hard to refer to the place as Macy's!), Sears Tower, Auditorium Building, and Millennium Park. Places to stay? I love the old classic Palmer House. I also enjoy staying at the Hyatt Regency (its restaurant, Stetson's is also worth mentioning, although it's not listed in this guide). Some grand ones. I always enjoyed Miller's Pub, with its fine baby-back ribs. And walk out toward the Lakefront from here and enjoy the view.

Two, the North Side. Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building are wonderful. Want to shop till you drop? Check out the Magnificent Mile; in the process go up to the observation deck of the Hancock Building. I'm nervous about heights and get conniptions, but I can survive because of the splendid view! Some fine steak houses are located here--the well known Morton's and a Don Shula.

There is also a valuable guide as to where to go for antiques, art and art supplies, books, gifts and souvenirs, sporting goods, and so on.

As someone who has visited Chicago numerous times and has a soft spot in his heart for the Windy City, I find this a very good volume. So, a strong recommendation!

For the most part, Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guides are terrific both as a backpack resource and as a keepsake afterward. I have about a dozen of their books at home, and I return to them frequently since I am a fan of the pleasing graphics and intuitive organization by neighborhood. The New York City guidebook (or more accurately, the Manhattan guide) is a particularly strong entry in the series, but the slim volume put together for Chicago, last published in 2003, is a relative disappointment. The gap comes from how the editors define the city's boundaries or at least what they perceive to be the areas of highest interest. Of course, the Loop and the Near North Side are covered thoroughly, but popular neighborhoods like Lakeview and Lincoln Park are given short shrift relegated to small paragraphs in the Farther Afield chapter.

The first part of the book presents a brief history of the city that is interesting if rather cursory with events that are cross-referenced to the more popular sights you would want to see there. There is a well-presented survival guide toward the end of the book that highlights important travel information as well as recommendations on where to stay, shop and eat. Moreover, there is a comprehensive street finder, which helps you navigate without the inconvenience of fold-out maps. But again, the shortcomings reflect the selection of key areas at the expense of others. Even with copies of Chicago and Time Out, I was not able to achieve a more holistic view of the city when I traveled there.

The pluses remain in its format. All the information is contained within a user-friendly, laminated paperback format that slips easily into backpacks and holds up well against inclement weather. Of particular use are the detailed pictorials showing animated aerial shots of neighborhoods and cut-away floor plans of the more heavily visited buildings like the Art Institute of Chicago. However, the net result is a guidebook that provides only marginal value in spite of the high quality of the series as a whole.

For the most part, Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guides are terrific both as a backpack resource and as a keepsake afterward. I have about a dozen of their books at home, and I return to them frequently since I am a fan of the pleasing graphics and intuitive organization by neighborhood. The New York City guidebook (or more accurately, the Manhattan guide) is a particularly strong entry in the series, but the slim volume put together for Chicago, last published in 2003, is a relative disappointment. The gap comes from how the editors define the city's boundaries or at least what they perceive to be the areas of highest interest. Of course, the Loop and the Near North Side are covered thoroughly, but popular neighborhoods like Lakeview and Lincoln Park are given short shrift relegated to small paragraphs in the Farther Afield chapter.

The first part of the book presents a brief history of the city that is interesting if rather cursory with events that are cross-referenced to the more popular sights you would want to see there. There is a well-presented survival guide toward the end of the book that highlights important travel information as well as recommendations on where to stay, shop and eat. Moreover, there is a comprehensive street finder, which helps you navigate without the inconvenience of fold-out maps. But again, the shortcomings reflect the selection of key areas at the expense of others. Even with copies of Chicago and Time Out, I was not able to achieve a more holistic view of the city when I traveled there.

The pluses remain in its format. All the information is contained within a user-friendly, laminated paperback format that slips easily into backpacks and holds up well against inclement weather. Of particular use are the detailed pictorials showing animated aerial shots of neighborhoods and cut-away floor plans of the more heavily visited buildings like the Art Institute of Chicago. However, the net result is a guidebook that provides only marginal value in spite of the high quality of the series as a whole.

I think these are the best travel guides. I wish they had them for every city!!

I used to live in Chicago, and I can tell you that had I had this book back then, I would have visited lots of places I never knew existed or didn't fully appreciate at the time. As in most DK Travel Guides, there's lots of information, photos, maps and graphs.

Sure, the book is a bit outdated, but then again, IT'S A BOOK! In any case, the good people at DK keep updating their books from time to time.

I do have one complaint, in the fact that this book has less than half the pages that the New York book's got. Because it's less famous it doesn't mean that Chicago is less of a great city as the big apple is...

I used to live in Chicago, and I can tell you that had I had this book back then, I would have visited lots of places I never knew existed or didn't fully appreciate at the time. As in most DK Travel Guides, there's lots of information, photos, maps and graphs.

Sure, the book is a bit outdated, but then again, IT'S A BOOK! In any case, the good people at DK keep updating their books from time to time.

I do have one complaint, in the fact that this book has less than half the pages that the New York book's got. Because it's less famous it doesn't mean that Chicago is less of a great city as the big apple is...

Great book, but not as great as other books from that series.

The ethnic neighborhoods, which Chicago is quite famous for, is barely mentioned and offers no instructions on how to visit them. This book is much thinner than the other Eyewitness city Guides.

After living in Chicago for the first 7 years of my life, I always wondered what it would have been like to continue living there. I've visited the Museum of Science and Industry and thought it was pretty fascinating.

I must admit, something in this book started to stir up some feelings from my childhood. It was something akin to nostalgia. After reading this book, I have the strongest desire to get on a plane and go visit my aunt who still lives there. It would also be fun to go visit the Chateauesque Charles Gates Dawes mansion or wander aimlessly through the Lincoln Park Zoo or enjoy a night out at the restored Chicago Theatre.

More than 100 places are described in the Area by Area and Beyond Chicago sections of this book. The museums alone would be worth the trip! If you want to venture further into Illinois, you will enjoy the rich mix of historical sights, recreational activities and picturesque countryside.

A good basic guide you could easily carry around with you or use to plan quite a fun trip.

~The Rebecca Review

After living in Chicago for the first 7 years of my life, I always wondered what it would have been like to continue living there. I've visited the Museum of Science and Industry and thought it was pretty fascinating.

I must admit, something in this book started to stir up some feelings from my childhood. It was something akin to nostalgia. After reading this book, I have the strongest desire to get on a plane and go visit my aunt who still lives there. It would also be fun to go visit the Chateauesque Charles Gates Dawes mansion or wander aimlessly through the Lincoln Park Zoo or enjoy a night out at the restored Chicago Theatre.

More than 100 places are described in the Area by Area and Beyond Chicago sections of this book. The museums alone would be worth the trip! If you want to venture further into Illinois, you will enjoy the rich mix of historical sights, recreational activities and picturesque countryside.

A good basic guide you could easily carry around with you or use to plan quite a fun trip.

It is a good guide. It could be better. The four regions of the city they focus on are far too restictive. They could spend more time in the North Side. Alot of the tourist-friendly sights of Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field, or Belmont and Clark arent even in the detailed parts in the book. The South Side has lots of space, which is good. Yet the City goes farther north, and alot of those areas are the places tourists love. Some of the maps of greater Chicago arent overly to scale, or realistic. I forgive though, its the first edition, always more to tweek it!

I purchased this book for my daughter who is going to college in Chicago. I read it first and liked it so much I am ordering one for myself and for a friend of mine. Gives you alot of information on places to see, how to get there, history and tips for touring Chicago. I recommend this book.

This is a legendary style of Chicago book. Living in Illinois for years, I would like to recommend this book since it really highlights the special Chicagoan atmosphere only available in Chicago. However, if you have been with DK's books, this guide inherits Eyewitness' stylish format. Though already having a couple of Chicago travel guides, I still cannot help to pull out my credit card for it.