Secret Chicago: The Unique Guidebook to Chicago's Hidden Sites, Sounds & Tastes (Secret Guide series)

Annotation New visitors and longtime residents alike will find unique locales in this guide to the Second City's hidden treasures. Far beyond the predictable tourist routes, these listings reveal the arcane, cool, and hush-hush hotspots of Chicago. From white sand beaches that include urban skylines and smoky jazz clubs where it's always midnight to piercing palaces and tasty taquerias, Chicago's diverse destinations are described in detail for travelers willing to step off the beaten path Ah, the thrill of discovery. It's exhilarating to unearth new favorite haunts. But how do you discover them if you never stray from the pack? There are thousands of tourist guides but it's no secret that they'll steer you towards safe, predictable, well-trodden places. SecretTM Chicago is all about leaving the herd behind and making the Windy City your own. It's a treasure map to the arcane, the cool, and the hushhush hot spots that the locals love. Beautifully illustrated with original photos, SecretTM Chicago celebrates Chicago's diverse ethnic population. Sam Weller will take you to a rowdy beer garden, a Persian bakery, and a Vietnamese grocery. And he'll be your guide to the city's many traditions and quirky oddities. Go to downtown blues and comedy clubs, participate in Chicago's annual “smelt season,” and visit the country's only holograph museum. It's all here, written by a no-nonsense local from the city renowned for telling it like it is. Ditch the crowds and discover your SecretTM Chicago — completely revised and updated for 2002.