Chicago

Chicago - the starting point of Route 66 and many of the great rail routes across the West - is nevertheless not everyone's first thought for a visit in its own right. However, Chicago attracted over 30 million tourists last year, drawn to its first-class boutique shopping along the Miracle Mile, the stunning architecture and thousands of restaurants - this is the city that gave the world the deep-dish pizza as well as being the birthplace of the skyscraper! Parks and gardens and the waterfront location offer oases of peace and quiet, while the city's most popular attraction is Navy Pier, a 3,000 foot pier housing shops, museums, exhibitions, amusements and theatres.