If you want to travel to a new city, why not try Chicago? Planning this trip will be fun, so put your ipad to better use than the bingo and begin planning your trip.

Chicago is famed for many things, but is probably best known for its architecture. Visitors marvel at the tall buildings which are densely packed into the city centre.

Amongst the favourites are the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) where you can soar at great speed up to the 103rd floor where you’ll find the observation deck. Whilst queuing to have your turn on the deck, the nerves may set in and you’ll realise this isn’t an activity for the faint hearted!

The observation deck is essentially a glass box that sticks out of the 103rd floor! When it’s your turn, you’ll be invited to enter the box  – DO look down!

Chicago is a big city and it’s one which we’d advise you to cover as much of as you can. To do this we’d suggest hiring a scooter or a bicycle – the latter of which is probably easiest thanks to the readily available bike hire stations.

Once you have a set of wheels you’ll realise how well suited this city is to cycling. You’ll quickly be able to travel along the water front which of course is Lake Michigan and you’ll be able to continue your journey for miles along the lake front trail.

The lake front trail offers plenty of places to stop off for refreshments and there are plenty of activities along the way. One of the best is probably Lincoln Park, Chicago’s city centre zoo which is home to hundreds of different animal species as well as plants, fauna and flora.

Whilst in Chicago, be sure to check out the cuisine. The first thing that will probably come to your mind is the Chicago Town pizzas (possibly thanks to the brand which ships world wide).

Do your homework and find a good place to sample this local delights, we’d recommend Giordano’s! If you only take one piece of advice from this piece, arrive hungry, you’ll thank us for this later.

No trip to Chicago would be complete without a stroll down Navy Pier. The pier provides breathtaking views across lake Michagin and will form a full morning or afternoon out which could be extended even further should you wish to take a boat trip from the pier. Navy Pier is has something for everyone with fairground rides, shops and food.

If you come from a city that doesn’t have metro trains, you may enjoy a trip along Chicagos metro. The railway is famous thanks to being starred in countless movies and the sight of a metro train running high above street level is something of a Chicago icon.

A further enjoyable past time in Chicago would be going for a stroll along the Chicago Riverwalk. The walk will take in many beautiful bridges as well as giving you a view of the city from a different angle.

We’d recommend staying in Chicago for at least a couple of nights, but if time permits, up to one week. Even for those on a budget, as we’ve hopefully shown you in this piece, Chicago offers plentiful activities that won’t break the bank.