For over a century, Chicago was known as the "Second City", second only to New York in size and prosperity. Though other cities have surpassed its size, this Midwestern metropolis has nevertheless evolved into a world-class center of commerce and culture. While nine million people reside in the Metro area, only about 3 million of those actually reside in the city. As a result, Chicago has all of the services, sights and sophistication of many larger cities, without the same level of crowds and congestion that usually follow. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, downtown Chicago is fairly compact and easy to get around. The central hub of the city is called the Loop, for the subways and elevated trains that loop the area. Downtown and the Near North Side is where you'll find many of the city's major hotels, restaurants and hot spots, including the incredible architecture that is an attraction in itself. The outlying suburbs offer everything from historic homes on tranquil, tree-line
