A Perfect Day: Chicago in One Day

A perfect day starts for me with breakfast at Lou Mitchell's, a diner located right at the start of the famous Route 66, which runs 4,000 km from Chicago to Los Angeles. The portions there are generous and the pancakes taste phenomenal. 

The Skydeck of Chicago’s tallest skyscraper, the Willis Tower, is a must. There you can look out over the city through glass floors.

In Millennium Park you should take a selfie with the sculpture Cloud Gate, nicknamed The Bean. The whole city is reflected in it.

The "deep dish pizza" with a particularly thick and fluffy crust is a local specialty. It tastes best at the Pizzeria Uno.

The Riverwalk leads right through the city along the Chicago River to Lake Michigan. Here I like to lie down on one of the loungers, watch the kayaks and electric boats and gaze up at the skyline. Pure holiday feeling!

One special thing about Chicago is that there are beaches in the center of the city. I like to lie on Ohio Street Beach and eat an ice cream from The Original Rainbow Cone or go swimming with a view of Chicago’s skyscrapers. It’s bizarre, but the water in the lake is actually crystal clear.

In the Museum of Science and Industry, I have already walked through a human heart and learned all about the development of the telephone. A wonderfully illustrative museum.

The best spare ribs are served at Miller’s Pub. The service is extremely friendly – just like almost everyone in Chicago.

Whenever I sit at the bar in the 100-year-old Ale House pub, I always strike up a conversation with someone. This is where you get to know the real Chicago. The people here are wonderfully sociable and open-minded.

About:

Flight attendant Peter-Jürgen Jilke lives in Greifenstein near Limburg and has been working for Lufthansa since 1993. He is Purser II, the head of cabin crew on long-haul routes, and flies particularly frequently to the USA.