Choose Chicago

We did it -- again! 🏆 Chicago has been named Best Big City in the U.S. by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards for an unprecedented 8th consecutive year! 🎉 Over 575,000 readers from around the world cast their votes, and yet again Chicago came out on top. Thank you to all of our incredible partners in the tourism and hospitality community whose hard work and dedication ultimately led to this award. And thank you to each and every Chicagoan who goes out of their way to create welcoming experiences for our visitors. You are truly the reason we continue to win this award year after year! 🔗 Read all about what makes Chicago the Best Big City here: https://lnkd.in/eJdi4BEz

Happy holidays to our amazing partners, friends, families, and all Chicagoans! 🥰 We partnered with the wonderful local artist Alyssa Low on our 2024 holiday card. How many Chicago icons can you find in her design? 👀

Our Choose Compassion Holiday Celebration Event was soooo fun! 🎉 Our staff broke up into teams to decorate workspaces and share information about a variety of winter holidays highlighting global cultures. Thanks to Chloe W. Chan, Roz Stuttley, CMP, CDE, and especially Claudia Sanchez for organizing! Looking for some Chicago Style holiday fun? Check out our neighborhood holidays landing page for the download on activities and events happening throughout our diverse communities: https://lnkd.in/gc55sMDT

Belated welcome to two amazing staff members who recently started in our Sales department! Brynn McCarthy and Jill Muth, HMCC, we're so glad to have you on the Choose Chicago team. 🙌

Great day at the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association 2024 Stars of the Industry Awards event this afternoon! Congratulations to all this year's awardees, especially our CMO Lisa Nucci, who received the first-ever Allied/Strategic Partner Employee of the Year award! 🎉🥇 And amazing co-emceeing by our Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Roz Stuttley, CMP, CDE.🎙 Learn more about all the world-class, award-winning hotels in Chicagoland here: https://lnkd.in/gYS-kXkJ

Reservations are NOW OPEN for Chicago Restaurant Week 2025, proudly produced by Choose Chicago! 💥 During our 18th annual event, enjoy special prix fixe menus from restaurants throughout the city and suburbs: $30 for brunch or lunch, and $45 and/or $60 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). 📅 Jan. 24 - Feb. 9, 2025 🍽️ 470+ restaurants ❤️ 140+ women and minority-owned businesses 🏘️ 34+ distinct neighborhoods represented ☝️ 70+ first-time participating restaurants TIP: Use special search features to find restaurants by neighborhood, cuisine type, meal option, women- and minority-owned businesses, and even vegetarian and/or gluten-free options. 🔗 Tap for more info and to book your table: https://lnkd.in/e59gG-aT #ChicagoRestaurantWeek

Today, our Board Chair Glenn Eden joined Shedd Aquarium President and CEO Dr. Bridget C. Coughlin and Board Chair David J. Koo for the official opening of the new "Wonder of Water" exhibit. This new permanent exhibit in the Shedd's historic rotunda space will welcome and inspire visitors for generations to come while helping researchers identify new solutions to help marine ecosystems everywhere. More about all new and planned exhibits at the Shedd here: https://lnkd.in/gvaA9mwh

Love spreading holiday cheer with our friends at My Block, My Hood, My City ✨️🎀🎄 Over twenty Choose Chicago staff members volunteered to decorate houses as part of the Be a Part of the Light initiative. Learn about the organization’s annual effort to illuminate Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and decorate homes in South Side neighborhoods here: https://lnkd.in/gBXp-Upm And check out our directory of winter holiday activities in neighborhoods across Chicago here: https://lnkd.in/gc55sMDT

That's a wrap for our Chicago Style: Miami Edition popup! 🙌 We brought a taste of Chicago down to Veza Sur Brewing in Miami for a day of live mural painting from Chicago street artist Sentrock, artist-designed pint glass giveaways, a custom Magnificent Mile Mule cocktail, live heat pressed travel bags with Chicago designs, and a claw machine stocked with prizes from our wonderful partners: Garrett Popcorn Shops®, Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, National Museum of Mexican Art, The Silver Room, All Star Press Chicago, Transit Tees, You Are Beautiful, and Raygun. Huge thanks to our partners at Muros for helping bring the vision to life! Stay tuned for the final reveal of the custom Chicago Style Sentrock mural! 👀

First Bites Bash tickets are on sale now!!! 🎫🎉🥂 First Bites Bash is the official kickoff party for Chicago Restaurant Week and one of the most anticipated culinary events of the year. This year, we're returning to the Field Museum for the big night on January 23, 2025 in partnership with Host Chef Soo Ahn of Adalina in Gold Coast. 🔗 Learn all about this year's Bash here, including participating restaurants and vendors: https://lnkd.in/gSjRWptJ 🔗 And get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/gfjzgrZX A portion of First Bites Bash event proceeds will go to our longtime partner The James Beard Foundation, furthering its commitment to championing a more sustainable, equitable, and thriving independent restaurant industry. #FirstBitesBash #ChicagoRestaurantWeek