Your Chicago Dilemma May Be Too Many Great Choices

The Institute on Psychiatric Services will greet you in early October with wonderful autumn weather, and Chicago, the “Urbis in Orto” (City in a Garden) will be showing off its fall colors as well as spectacular sites and events. The institute's location, the newly renovated Palmer House Hotel, is centrally located in the Loop, within walking distance of all the major downtown attractions, as well as some of Chicago's best new restaurants.

Chicago surprises newcomers with its beauty, friendly people, and cornucopia of museums, sports and music venues, parks, and theaters.

The Art Institute of Chicago, located a few blocks from the Palmer House, has one of the finest collections of Impressionist art in the world, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, north of the river, is a striking building with innovative exhibits and installations. The Museum Campus, located just south of the hotel, contains three fascinating museums: the famous Field Museum of Natural History (home to Sue, the tyrannosaurus), Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium.

Further south is the Museum of Science and Industry: where else can you see model trains make a cross-country trip of the United States (in miniature) or take a trip into the bowels of a coal mine, walk through a model of the human heart, and tour the interior of a captured German submarine?

In addition, Chicago has a host of smaller centers for experiencing art, history, and nature. Archicenter of Chicago sponsors architecture tours and has many models of area buildings. One of the best ways to see Chicago is on an architectural boat tour of the Chicago River and Lakefront—visitors board where Michigan Avenue crosses the river. For architecture buffs, a trip to the near-west suburb of Oak Park is essential. There you can tour the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, as well as Unity Temple and many private homes designed by the world-renowned architect.

The Newberry Library is a humanities-based research library housed in a beautiful Art Nouveau building on quaint Washington Square. The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago is a showcase of history, art, and archeology of the Near East. The DuSable Museum of African American History, named for one of Chicago's first settlers of African descent, has a large collection depicting multiple aspects of African-American history. The Spertus Museum explores Jewish History, religion, art, and culture and contains North America's first permanent collection about the Holocaust.

For sports fans the choice is the Cubs or White Sox, but if you haven't visited famous Wrigley Field, a trip to view its ivy-covered confines is essential.

Chicago's music scene deserves an entire article. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the finest in the world. And Chicago has long been a pioneer in the development of blues and jazz. For blues fans there are big clubs such as House of Blues and Buddy Guy's Legends, but some of the best places are the small clubs on the city's near West Side. Jazz clubs of all types are scattered about Chicago (to name a few, Andy's, Cotton Club, and Green Dolphin Street).

And then there is the acclaimed theater scene. Chicago is home to the famous Steppenwolf Theater, started in 1974 by the likes of John Malkovich and Gary Sinise. The Goodman Theater is internationally recognized and is within walking distance of our hotel. And Chicago has its own Globe Theatre replica on Navy Pier, home of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Of course, there is Second City, which spawned many of the best comedians in the country, including cast members of Saturday Night Live.

Just a few blocks from the Palmer House is Chicago's new Millennium Park—a magnificent green space bordering Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, and the Art Institute. It would take several hours to explore its wonders fully, but at least take a brief tour of the exotic bandshell and winding wooden bridge over Lake Shore Drive designed by Frank Gehry, the Lurie wildflower garden, and the unusual sculptures on the west border. Among the interesting sculptures are the Crown towers, which project giant-size faces of Chicagoans, and “Cloud Gate,” the huge sculpture that irreverent Chicagoans have nicknamed “the Bean.” The Park Grill, on the west side of the park, is a terrific spot for lunch or dinner.

If you love being by the lake, take a mile-and-a-half walk or bike ride (or the trolleys, which stop at convenient locations) east to Navy Pier, a wonderful exhibition space with trendy restaurants and a lighted Ferris wheel. Navy Pier caters to tourists and tends to be crowded on weekends, but there is no better place to view Chicago's nighttime fireworks display.

Some people come to Chicago just to shop. In addition to all the usual department stores, chains, and expensive boutiques, Chicago has a wealth of neighborhoods with shops for unique clothing, antiques, and art. Some nearby areas to explore include River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Pilsen.

Chicago has attractions for everyone attending the institute October 2 to 5—the main challenge for visitors will be choosing what to visit first!▪