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Primarily because of its location, Chicago has become the third largest city in the United States. Its proximity to Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River makes it a natural hub for transportation and its position in the Midwest makes it a logical gateway between the West and East Coasts. With so much economic traffic moving through the city, it isn’t surprising that Chicago also has the third largest gross product in the nation. With so much diversity in the city, Chicago attracts all sorts of people to the area.
Fortunately, the Chicago real estate market is as plentiful and varied as the people that move there. Condos, townhouses, apartments, single-family homes and even a few empty lots for building are available in and around the city. Unfortunately, even though there are a lot of options to choose from, they usually aren’t that cheap. For example, rent for a typical apartment can be as much as $1,200 a month and the median price for a single-family home is about $250,000. Typically, the closer you are to the downtown area called The Loop, the more you will pay for housing. For example, apartments in the Chicago Spire, a new high-rise residential tower that is under construction, cost as much as $1,000 per square foot!
The neighborhoods in the South side cover almost sixty percent of the city’s area and consequently have a lot of different housing options available but if you have a smaller budget, the West side would be a good section to start looking for a home because housing is a little cheaper in that area. The North side of Chicago, which is popular for its many parks, beaches and harbors, has some of the nicest homes and apartments around Chicago. Houses in the North side tend to be more expensive though and they sell pretty quickly because of demand.
Living in the suburbs does mean a longer commute to work, but public transportation like the EL (elevated train) can make that commute fast and affordable. Besides, some families truly prefer the slower pace of life and peaceful environment found in suburbs to the bustle of the city – especially when they have the option of taking occasional visits to the city for entertainment and shopping. Regardless of what your preferences are, it would probably be useful to have a local Chicago Realtor to show you around the city. After all, someone with insider knowledge can save you a lot of time.
When someone is new to Chicago and they ask about local hot spots, the first place that crosses my mind is Navy Pier. There is something about this vibrant, area, where locals and tourists all come together to play, dine and enjoy the incredible views that says, “This is Chicago!”
This 3,300-foot long pier was constructed along the shore of Lake Michigan in 1916. It was designated as a cargo facility for freighters and provided docking space for passenger steamers. As ground transportation became more and more popular, the pier was used less for industrial purposes, and evolved into a public gathering space. Eventually it served as a campus for the University of Illinois and was booming with activity. This was short-lived, however, in 1965, the University changed locations and due to lack of use, the pier fell into disrepair. The 70’s brought renewed interest in this historical landmark and funds were allocated for its reconstruction.
Today, you’ll not find a better way to while away a beautiful summer afternoon, then at Navy Pier. With over 50 acres filled with, shopping, restaurants, rides, and attractions for all ages and thrill levels, this landmark offers something for everyone. Ride a giant ferris wheel, take a guided tour of Chicago on a segway, rent a bike, or see an IMAX film. Experience a trip to the moon or race in the Grand Prix via the Transporter FX, a virtual reality attraction.
You’ll be entertained by a constant flow of musical and theatrical performances including jugglers, magicians, and seasonal dance and music from all over the world. Fireworks fill the sky every Wednesday and Saturday night during the summer months.
Theater buffs will love the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a seven-story glass building featuring a 510-seat theater, rehearsal spaces, an English-style pub, Shakespeare resource center, and gathering areas with views of Lake Michigan and Chicago’s skyline. So impressive is this facility, it received the 2008 Tony Award for excellence in regional theater.
After a few hours of walking, take a break and quench your thirst at Chicago’s Beer Garden at Navy Pier. Order up a cool drink on the lakefront patio, and enjoy the best views of the fireworks during the summer months. The Bud Light Stage serves up featured entertainment Wednesday through Sundays by some of Chicago’s most popular bands, and there’s never a cover charge. The Beer Garden is also a great place to hold a private party, with space and catering available for 20-500 people.
When you’re ready for a meal, you’ll find everything from food court eating to fine dining – there are restaurants for everyone’s tastes and budget. Take in some live Chicago-style jazz and hickory-smoked ribs at Joe’s Be-Bop Cafe & Jazz Emporium, or fill up on every style of shrimp dish imaginable at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. For a memorable evening with breathtaking views, try Riva, a Phil Stefani Signature restaurant featuring seafood, steaks and an extensive wine selection.
The best way to view Chicago’s shoreline is from the water, and this is an easy task with one of the many boat cruises available along Navy Pier’s Dock Street. Experience a ride on Tall Ship Windy, a 148-foot, four-masted schooner; or go for a high-speed thrill ride on one of the fastest speedboats in the country with Seadog cruises. Go on a relaxing dinner cruise on a 600-passenger yacht, or whoop it up on a party boat til the wee hours.
Navy Pier is open year-round with the exception of Christmas and Thanksgiving Day. It’s located at 600 East Grand Avenue in Chicago, and is easily accessed by car or public transit, and offers on-site parking.
There’s no business like show business, and there’s no place to kick back and enjoy show business like Chicago! Chicago is a hub of activity for artists, musicians and the average Joe that likes to enjoy all of them. Unfortunately, what makes Chicago such a great place to be also makes it hard to find cheaper Chicago auto insurance.
Think about it for a minute. When you look out on the Chicago streets in the middle of the afternoon, especially around rush hour, what do you see? Those aren’t matchbox cars out there! Chicago is full of people. People means cars, and cars means heavy traffic. The heavy traffic day in and day out means more traffic accidents, which in turn translates to higher auto insurance premiums.
(For those of you who just tried to figure out what that just said, look at it like this: People=cars=traffic=accidents=more expensive Chicago auto insurance.)
That doesn’t mean that finding cheaper Chicago auto insurance than the guy across the hall who’s living on Ramen and bananas to pay his premiums is impossible, it just means you’re going to have to look a little harder! Here are some tricks that Chicago drivers (and city drivers in general) can use to lower their auto insurance premiums:
1) Cut the commute. Chicago is filled with opportunities for public transportation, and taking public transport to work will cut down on the time you spend on the roads. Less time spent cruising the highways means less opportunity for an accident. Hop on the “L” and watch your insurance costs tumble. (It’s good for the environment too!)
2) Ask for discounts. The real secret to cheaper Chicago auto insurance is in the discounts-and you’ll be amazed at what they’ll shave 5% or more off your auto insurance premiums for! Your age, your job and your credit score are only a few of the factors they’ll consider when calculating your insurance costs. Anti-lock brakes, automated security systems and airbags shave dollars off your premiums too.
Every Chicago auto insurance provider has their own policies when it comes to their discounts, so make sure you touch base with yours as soon as possible to make sure you’re not missing out.
3) Follow the rules of the road. The single most important considering factor when it comes to cheaper Chicago auto insurance is your driving record. A more expensive car or a lack of safety features might raise your insurance premiums a little bit, but an accident or a ticket can send them flying through the roof! Insurance companies assume that if you’ve caused an accident (or ignored street signs blatantly enough to catch the eye of the Chicago PD) once you’re more likely to do it again-which means you’re more likely to have to file a claim in the future.
Insurance providers really hate that.
Living in the city predisposes you to higher rates on your insurance, but cheaper Chicago auto insurance is out there. All you have to do is a little bit of homework!
Michael McDonough is a National Account Executive for QuoteScout.com. For more information on cheap Chicago auto insurance, visit them on the web at http://www.QuoteScout.com.
“The City That Works” located between portage of Great Lakes and the river Mississippi is one of the most important transportation hub in the North America. For people who are interested in history, the first controlled nuclear test was conducted at the University of Chicago as a part of the undisclosed Manhattan Project. The city is suitable for journey at any period of the year; however, September is the best period of year to visit Chicago.
As city is full of vividness, to view city properly, it is best for a passenger to have a car rental at Chicago airport to avoid traveling clutches at airport as there are some places in Chicago which are The tour to Chicago should be one of the most memorable experiences of your life as beyond the reach of public transport, hence, in such a position it is airport car rental Chicago which can solve your problems to a greater extent.
A hired car rental outside the Chicago airport lets you to have independence and freedom to travel at any part of the city without being depending on any mode of public transport. Moreover, you are free of strict timelines so you can start your day, whenever, you please to begin it. But, there are many yes and no to car rental in Chicago.
You can begin process of choosing the car rental even quite before reaching the Chicago Airport by booking a car online, rest you have to pick up your car before the Dublin Airport. But before deciding about the type of car, first it is to determine the suitable car according to your car travel needs, most importantly, the number of people visiting with you. On the basis of accommodation most of the car rental companies divide their fleet into Mini, Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full-size, Luxury, Premium, Minivan, 12 Passenger van, Exotic.
If you wish to save money on car rental and petrol and Keep Company up to two people, it is the smallest available model either in intermediate or standard category is the best as it provide flexibility to travel through the traffic of big cities and are quite easier to park.
However, if you are traveling along with your family or in group of friends, obviously with lot of luggage you will be looking for a car to accommodate all. If you have six members family then you will require 7seater family car. In case you have some extra equipment then in case you can have 9-seater passenger van with 9 full seats. Child seat would also be available to you on request for an extra charge. Rest that you can do is that you can seek information Chicago Airport Car Rental online from the number of websites providing valuable information on car rental at Chicago airport.
A trade show is an excellent venue for companies to attract and target consumers with an interest in a particular industry. However, with the hundreds, and sometime thousands, of exhibitors at a Chicago trade show, displays must get the attention of potential clients in only a few seconds.
Exhibitors, therefore, need to create an attractive, visually-pleasing booth that will generate a buzz at the show, reinforce a company’s brand, and ultimately generate sales leads. Designers of trade show exhibits in Chicago provide a variety of formats and services to help companies attract prospective clients with a visually-pleasing trade show booth. Here’s an overview of four types of trade show displays.
Pop-Up Displays
Create an eye-catching backdrop for your trade show booth with a pop-up display. This type of display consists of a folding frame structure that is covered with graphic panels when opened or “popped-up.” It usually fits the full width of your display area, allowing ample space for images and information.
Its large size also gives off an impressive visual impact to passing visitors, and the lightweight expandable frame structure allows for easy transport and set-up. Designers of trade show exhibits in Chicago offer this format of booths in a variety of shapes and sizes. However, once designed, the exhibitor has little flexibility with the size of the display, as the frame must be fully open at all times.
Panel System Exhibits
The series of panels in this type of display can also be set-up to make a wall at the back of trade show exhibits. Chicago companies can easily add to or update this type of booth because of its modular structure. Its unique construction also provides versatility to fit into a variety of spaces, no matter the size. However, this quality also inhibits just one person from setting the display up and the ease of transporting the display.
Table-Top Displays
A table-top display is designed and manufactured to sit on top of a draped table and can be enhanced with the addition of overhanging spotlights. Table-top displays accommodate small space trade show exhibits. Chicago businesses will also benefit from the value and versatility of a table-top display, which can be used at a variety of other functions, such as sales presentations and recruiting opportunities. Keep in mind that the small size of a table-top display limits its ability to stand out in a large scale Chicago trade show. Displays of this size, however, are lightweight and easy to transport.
Banner Stands
A free-standing, vertical banner display is the perfect accessory for attention-getting trade show exhibits. Chicago companies use banner stands at a show to maximize visual impact and to display supplemental information or graphics. If permitted, the banner display should be placed in the aisle or the lobby of the convention center to attract visitors to your booth. A banner display also provides versatility to be placed in the company lobby or at other special events, after the trade show. Exhibitors will have no problems with transportation and set up of a banner display because of its lightweight quality. A banner display can often have a custom shape, designed specifically to emulate your product’s look or company’s logo.
Chicago, Illinois is known for many symbols, deep dish pizza, Al Capone, Michael Jordan, and the Sears Tower. However, no one ever mentions group travel headaches, and uncoordinated transportation plans. Picture this; you need to coordinate your group of 25 of more, family members, business associates, cub scouts, church choirs, military personnel, etc to various locations within the Chicago metropolitan area. Next you weigh your options, public transportation, rental cars, or a limousine fleet. While the most economical choice, public transportation is often crowded and not always available for drop off at the exact location. As for rental cars, would you want to go through the trouble of ordering a caravan of rental cars and expect all of your passengers to navigate through Chicago’s crowded streets and neighborhoods? Finally, limousine service will provide transportation in style, but for large groups, who wants to coordinate multiple pickups? The answer that is economical, comfortable, punctual, and sensible is charter bus rentals in Chicago.
Charter bus service in Chicago will allow your group the chance to relax and put the driving in Chicago traffic to a professional that knows the area. Tired of pulling over for rest stops or trying to keep a group of antsy kids occupied? Most charter buses in Chicago provide onboard restrooms and DVD entertainment options. Chicago already has the world’s busiest airport in O’Hare International Airport, the world’s busiest expressway in the Dan Ryan, and the World’s largest convention center in McCormick place, add 7 million people to that mix and you have one bustling city. Chicago charter bus rentals allow groups to set up one point of pick up and drop off together. Oftentimes charter buses are allowed very close to the entrance of most destinations.
Whether your group is visiting Chicago’s many sporting events, cultural attractions or festivals, charter bus service allows for easy one spot parking, and a way for your group to stay together before, during and after the event. As most adults like to indulge in a few sprits to make their time with friends or family more enjoyable, charter bus service in Chicago also becomes the safe option for group travel. Whatever your group decides to partake in, Chicago has many options to make your stay enjoyable. Renting a charter bus in Chicago will allow you to enjoy the event with your group to its fullest.
The BusBank, is a charter bus rental service headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Charter bus rental service in Chicago
Chicago – the city that has it all – from a diverse population, world-class educational institutions, and sensational restaurants to a breathtaking skyline and countless museums. Dubbed the ‘Windy City’ in 1893 by Charles Dana, the editor of the New York Sun – not for its weather but for its long-winded politicians, Chicago has grown from a village of just 350 to a bustling city of almost three million.
Transportation
Airports Serving Chicago
There are two airports that service the Chicago area – O’Hare International and Midway. O’Hare (ORD) is the larger of the two airports, servicing over 70 million travelers per year. Located 20 miles from downtown, there are many transportation options including public transport, taxis, shuttle services and hire cars.
O’Hare is an airport full of modern amenities and services. Recent upgrades have been completed at the International Terminal 5 and additional renovations are underway at Terminals 2 and 3. Expected completion date is later this year.
Midway (MDW) is significantly smaller than O’Hare, serving 17 million travelers per year, but is only 10 miles from downtown. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offers transportation from Midway to downtown Chicago via the orange line buses. Other shuttles, regional buses and of course taxis and car services also offer transportation to downtown.
Midway has all of the amenities that you would expect from a major airport, including restaurants and gift shops. You can do some sight seeing in Concourse A where the Battle of Midway Memorial and an SBD Dauntless dive bomber are housed.
Getting Around Chicago
Getting around town is much easier in Chicago than in some other big cities. Renting a car is a good option if you need to visit different locations during your visit. The city has several major highways, but plan to avoid them from about 7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 7 pm on weekdays – the traffic delays can be very frustrating. To avoid traffic delays, the train system in Chicago can get you almost anywhere in the city – making it another good choice for business travelers that are sticking to downtown.
The Loop is the heart of the downtown business district – named for the elevated train tracks that circle the area. All of the cities addresses begin at the corner of Sate and Madison streets in The Loop, making the streets easy to navigate. Each 400 increment in an address equals one half mile.
What to See
There is an endless list of things to see and do while in Chicago. If you like to shop, be sure to check out The Magnificent Mile, a one-mile stretch of shops between the Chicago River and Oak Street Beach. There are also numerous internationally known museums in the city. The Field Museum of Natural History is home to the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and the Art Institute of Chicago is famous for its collection of French Impressionists art.
Chicago has always been an activity rich and highly desirable destination for the weekend traveler. With its major sports teams as well as number of cultural events going on almost every week many consider it the ultimate weekend getaway. Museums, art galleries, major conventions, concerts, theaters and night clubs give Chicago its unique character and attract tourists from all over the world.
As with anything else planning a trip to Chicago can help avoid problems and maximize your good time in the city. Transportation is a key to seeing the windy city quickly and affordably.
Most visitors arrive in Chicago through one of its two major airports O’Hare or Midway. Both are located on the outskirts of the city but offer many ground transportation choices.
Tourists arriving at O’Hare can choose among shuttle, taxi and limousine services as well as use one of the public transportation options. Being a major international airport and one of the busiest in the world O’Hare has subway line going from the airport to the Loop. Subway trains offer an affordable and practical way to move about the city. Use the Subway Blue Line to get Downtown.
Other airport transportation choices are also available. Shuttle and taxi cab companies try to accommodate even the most demanding of clients. To order a pickup, passengers can use free airport phones readily available throughout the terminals.
If you like traveling in style using one of the Chicago’s limousine companies is always a good idea. Most of them offer low flat rates which often don’t exceed taxi cab fees. A cost of a typical trip from O’Hare to Downtown should not exceed $45. Be aware that airport pickup at O’Hare can be a challenge. The city officials have devised an Chicago airport transportation pickup procedures.
Knowledgeable limousine drivers serve as great guides and offer insight into the city attractions. When ordering a limo from a respectable company doesn’t forget to inquire about the city tours. City tours provided by limousine companies offer a convenient way to see Chicago’s landmarks and hot spots.
Although smaller, Midway airport offers transportation option similar to O’Hare. Located on the southern side of the city it is known for the affordability of its flights. If you are arriving at Midway you will find this airport less crowded then O’Hare. Use Orange Subway Line to get downtown. Shuttle, taxi and limousine services are also available.
For more information please visit http://www.rushlimousine.com
In general Windy City business travel can be a pleasurable and lucrative experience. The key to the successful trip often lies in preparation. As a large metropolitan area Chicago can present transportation challenges to even most experienced corporate travelers. Traffic, highway construction as well as scores of major events happening around the Chicagoland can considerably extend visitor’s travel.
Most businessmen will enter Chicago through one of its two major airports O’Hare or Midway. Every year over 13.5 million passengers pass through O’Hare making this northwestern Chicago airport one of the nation’s busiest. Fortunately plenty of transportation options are available. Visitors on the budget can always count on the city’s subway trains. CTA Blue Line is always a good choice to inexpensively travel to the loop. Taxis, shuttle vans and limos are also available. Most major hotels and limousine companies can be accessed through a network of airport phones conveniently located throughout the terminals. Business travelers arriving at O’Hare airport need to be aware of the rules and regulations governing the passenger pickup. Chicago Airport Transportation Authorities devised a Chicago Limousine Passenger Pickup Procedures.
It is always recommended that corporate travelers visiting the city on regular basis will establish a relationship with on of the Chicago limousine companies. Major Chicago limo corporations offer low flat rates, expert knowledge of the city and usually guarantee their services. Large vehicle pools provide choices from sedans to stretch limos. Major companies also supply vans, shuttles, busses and taxis; becoming a top transportation choice for flight crews and businessmen. Expert and courteous limo drivers act as valuable guides during city’s sporting, cultural, and professional events; offering a real glimpse into the city’s rich night life. A cost of an average trip from O’Hare to Downtown should not excide $45 dollars. Corporate travelers visiting the Windy City regularly can negotiate better monthly rates depending on vehicle used.
Clients looking to enhance their sales process through a luxurious limousine trip combined with the sampling of Chicago’s countless entertainment options will not be disappointed. With six major league teams, theaters, concert halls, museums and fine restaurants the city has a lot to offer.
Chicago is also a host to many convention and expos including The Chicago Auto Show. Boating and motorcycle expos as well as other industry specific trade shows offer plenty of business development opportunities. Major Exposition Centers like McCormick or O’Hare Expo Center are conveniently located near major express ways offering plenty of parking space, as well as access via public transportation.
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