In the Suburbs

Over a long weekend visit when I last flew to Chicago, I barely had time to sleep. There was so much more to do than there were hours in the day.

I applauded a touring Broadway production. I cheered myself hoarse at a basketball game. I stuffed myself at a Cajun seafood brunch and at an Italian steak house, savored the delicacy of Japanese sushi and observed the obligatory rituals of Chicago-style hot dogs and deep-dish pizza.

A day-long shopping expedition took me from a superstore specializing in sleek Swedish furnishings to some fashionable clothing boutiques where my wife shopped. By night, we bar-hopped from a piano lounge to a comedy club to a rock roadhouse. Then we returned to our French-themed hotel.

You'd expect this dazzling array of options in cosmopolitan Chicago. But on this trip, we never ventured into the city. Instead, we remained in the northwestern suburbs close to O'Hare Airport (15 miles from downtown).

What was once known as sleepy suburbia has awakened. It's lively and more diverse, with a range of restaurants and nightlife that rivals the city's. Yet the suburbs retain some distinct advantages, from free parking at restaurants and shopping malls to interstate highways that lead to sports and concert arenas.

No, there isn't any substitute for the sizzle of the city. But if you lack the time to head into the Loop when a business trip brings you to O'Hare, or if you don't feel like braving the traffic, you can have a Chicago-worthy experience without leaving the 'burbs.

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