Like every town in America, Chicago has had its share of highs and lows.
It won international glory with Barack Obama, but lost its 2012 Summer Olympic bid. The Bears put in a lackluster performance last year, and the Cubs aren’t doing any better, as per usual.
So when the Chicago Blackhawks seized the Stanley Cup this week for the first time in 49 years, you can bet the city erupted in rapture. It needed to.
That’s right, folks, now is a very good time to visit Chi-town.
On Friday, locals welcomed the Hawks home with a ticker tape parade worthy of a team that fought mightily for its place in history. Office workers took the day off, crowding Wacker Drive and the Magnificent Mile in jerseys of red and black. Pubs, like the Kerryman Bar & Grill on Erie and Clark, were packed all day long as folks imbibed alfresco and watched the World Cup.
Here, where any day that you don’t have don your North Face jacket is a very good day, the summer is truly a celebration.
If you’re planning an extended stay, Chicago vacation rentals are the best way to experience the city. From downtown lofts to vintage apartments, lodging comes in many forms and at reasonable rates. The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom downtown vacation home featured rents for a doable $2,500 a week, which is surprising considering all its amenities: Bosch and Fisher & Paykel appliances, slate tubs and floor-to-ceiling windows as dramatic as the local architecture.
And with major festivals like the Taste of Chicago, Old St. Pat’s World’s Largest Block Party and Lollapalooza on the summer roster, the party has only just begun.
Don’t be late. Winter is an ice cold you-know-what.
