The Real Chicago Kind of Town

When a Chicagoian hears the name Sammy Cahn or Jimmy Van Huesen, it is unlikely he or she will immediately affiliate those names with this great city of Chicago, or The Drake Hotel per-say. However, this is probably because they’re ultimately unaware, or simply forgot, that these two gentlemen collaborated to make Chicago not just a destination, but a state of mind, when they wrote My Kind of Town in 1965.

Let’s be frank though, it was a Sinatra who ultimately gave the town a feeling one could relate to when he sang those infamous lyrics to audience after audience for the next few decades, always evoking a feeling of authenticity related to this place we call the Windy City. To Frank, the city’s 2.8 million residents, and its three million visitors each year, Chicago is truly that town that won’t let you down. This city is Real.

Our quandary, and the purpose of this blog: We know Chicago is Real… but “What is Real Chicago?”

Sinatra of course gave us a few hints, exclaiming it to be the “Wrigley Building, the Union Stockyards, the razzmatazz and all that jazz.” But really, what is making us “tug at your sleeves, saying please never leave”? Well, simply stated, it’s everything you’ve yet to see!

From the perspective of The Drake staff, their family and friends; our regulars, our neighbors, and our social media commentators, we will take you on a first person adventure through the great city of Chicago–beyond the confines of The Drake’s freshly painted interior and the Gold Coast neighborhood. Yes, The Drake is Real Chicago, of course, an iconic hotel and Chicago staple that has seen the skyline build and the city prosper. Movies were made here, royal teas hosted, and foreign dignitaries greeted. The weddings, the galas, the generation upon generation of families visiting, staying, and dining with us for over 90 years, all of these elements make The Drake an authentic Chicago landmark. But, the Drake would be very little, see very little, and write a very short story, if it were not for the city of Chicago and the tales this city has been able to tell, and the people it’s been able to invite here, for over 100 years and will continue to welcome here fore many centuries to come.

From the secret venues known only to the locals to the tourist must-sees, these are Real Chicago. From the greatest nightlife to the spots that take you from China, to Greece, to Mexico and around the world, these are Real Chicago. From the family-friendly favorites to the natural escapes within this vibrant urban culture, these are Real Chicago. And, the list goes on….

We will help you explore the city through the eyes of one who has. What may not be close to The Drake may be close to your heart, and we’ll take you there. What may be 1000 miles away from where you live, yet you wonder what all the buzz is all about, we’ll take you there. What you discovered on your last visit here, and want to find just one more reason return, we’ll take you back.

Real Chicago is a feeling, but it is also so much more. We’ll take you there… and as Frank Sinatra, one of our famous visitors, once said, “we won’t let you down.”