Chicago

Chicago - darkometer rating : 2 - The third-largest city in the USA , (after New York and L.A. ) and one of its most spectacular as far as skyline (skyscrapers!) and location are concerned. The latter benefits from being on the shores of the vast Lake Michigan as well as from the Chicago River. Both give the city centre an extra “maritime charm”. From a dark-tourism perspective, the city doesn't have all that much to offer, though the main exception to this, the Illinois Holocaust Museum , has to rank as one of the top institutions of its kind in the country. > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos What there is to see: The one top destination for the dark traveller here is in fact not strictly speaking in Chicago itself but in the northern suburb of Skokie (which is, however, part of the Chicago metropolitan area): - Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Apart from that prime institution, there isn't much of a specific dark nature that is developed for tourism. There may be many dark aspects of the city (e.g. its pivotal role in the development of the meatpacking industry), but as far as I could see these mostly do not really form part of its tourism portfolio. An exception can be found in the specialist guided bus or walking tours which follow Chicago's connection with the Mafia and organized crime as a whole. After all, Al Capone , arguably the most (in)famous gangster of all time, had his main stomping ground in Chicago in the 1920s. However, since I am personally not a great fan of such crime-scenes guided tours I didn't go on one and hence can't say anything about them from first-hand experience.