Chicago
Courtesy of choosechicago.com
Visitors rated Chicago's skyline and views second in the country. Its cultural offerings—including theater (No. 2), classical music (No. 3), and museums and galleries (No. 3)—also placed well. But the cold weather (No. 25) was a turnoff.
Best Feature
Skyline/views (#1)Worst Feature
Weather (#25)| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Classical music | 4.47 | 3 |
| Historical sites/monuments | 4.24 | 12 |
| Live music/bands | 4.75 | 5 |
| Museums/galleries | 4.86 | 3 |
| Theater | 4.69 | 3 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Cafés/coffee bars | 4.54 | 7 |
| Destination restaurants | 4.81 | 4 |
| Ethnic food/cheap eats | 4.78 | 1 |
| Farmers’ and specialty food markets | 4.17 | 11 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Break | 3.55 | 17 |
| Summer Vacation | 4.61 | 4 |
| Thanksgiving | 4.06 | 11 |
| Winter/Christmas | 4.13 | 16 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail hour/lounge scene | 4.71 | 5 |
| Late-night/club scene | 4.60 | 6 |
| Singles/bar scene | 4.67 | 5 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Athletic/active | 4.06 | 15 |
| Attractive | 4.18 | 12 |
| Diverse | 4.62 | 5 |
| Friendly | 4.34 | 9 |
| Intelligent | 4.27 | 10 |
| Stylish | 4.13 | 7 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 3.44 | 14 |
| Cleanliness | 4.32 | 7 |
| Environmental awareness | 3.91 | 11 |
| Noteworthy neighborhoods | 4.70 | 3 |
| Peace and quiet | 3.31 | 18 |
| People-watching | 4.44 | 10 |
| Public parks and access to the outdoors | 4.74 | 6 |
| Public transportation and pedestrian friendliness | 4.23 | 3 |
| Safety | 3.84 | 11 |
| Skyline/views | 4.92 | 1 |
| Traffic | 2.94 | 12 |
| Weather | 3.02 | 25 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Antique stores | 4.17 | 6 |
| Art galleries | 4.61 | 3 |
| Local boutiques | 4.61 | 4 |
| Luxury boutiques | 4.68 | 4 |
| Vintage stores/flea markets | 4.07 | 8 |
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Rank (out of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Active/adventure vacation | 3.51 | 17 |
| Cultural getaway | 4.56 | 7 |
| Family vacation | 4.35 | 8 |
| Relaxing retreat | 3.68 | 16 |
| Romantic escape | 4.27 | 8 |
| Wild weekend | 4.46 | 6 |
+ See T+L's Chicago guide
