Whether you’ve come to the city for work or pleasure, there is no doubt that sooner or later, you’ll want to have a good meal that shows you the best of what the Windy City has to offer. Downtown Chicago hotels bring you right to the heart of the city’s diverse food culture, with ethnic neighborhoods and some of the best restaurants just a few steps away. With so many flavors and cuisines to explore, there’s no doubt that you can take your taste buds around the world without taking a step out of Chicago.

Before exploring the city’s international fare, why not get acquainted with some of the city’s trademark dishes? After all, no visit to the city would be complete without trying the Chicago deep-dish pizza and the Chicago-style hotdog.

Unlike other pizzas around the world, the Chicago deep-dish pizza stands out for its pie-like structure, making a slice about two inches thick. You can expect all kinds of ingredients in a deep-dish pizza, but what makes it distinctly part of Chicago’s culinary identity is the thick, uncooked tomato sauce that gives it a tangy kick. Staying at Chicago hotels located downtown would make it easy for you to take a leisurely stroll down to Pizzeria Uno on East Ohio St., the birthplace of this classic dish.

Don’t expect anything ordinary when you’re looking to try the Chicago-style hotdog. Unlike your ordinary frank in a bun, this dish is practically a full meal for a nickel-a hotdog “with a salad on top,” so to speak. Aside from the sausage that makes up the core of this delicacy, the elements of a Chicago-style hotdog include a poppyseed bun, celery salt, mustard, fluorescent-green relish, lettuce, tomatoes, a spear pickle and sport peppers. You will want to resist the urge to add ketchup to it. Many locals would call it a crime to sully this dish with it.

After you’ve sampled these local delights, you’ll want to explore the city’s international cuisine. When you stay at your choice of downtown Chicago hotels, you’ll have easy access to the city’s public transportation system, including the rail system, also known as the “L.” From the L, you can get to virtually any of the ethnic neighborhoods in the city, from Chinatown via the Red Line to the Ukrainian Village via the Blue Line.

Whether you’re in the mood for comforting soul food at Hyde Park or some of the best moussaka from Greektown, west of The Loop, it’ll help to book accommodations at a place that keeps you close to everything. A stay at your choice of downtown Chicago hotels can satisfy all your culinary cravings, with delectable cuisines just a few steps away from the door.

Don’t let the Windy City’s reputation as a formidable business center fool you. Families can find all sorts of exciting things to do here, whether it’s learning about the city’s culture or simply discovering new things at Shedd Aquarium or the Children’s Museum. Staying at hotels in downtown Chicago makes all these attractions and more only a few steps away.

But what exactly can your family find on a trip to Chicago? A walk around The Loop downtown will give you a clear idea of the many amazing things your family can find in the city.

A good place to start exploring would be the Chicago Cultural Center. Aside from housing a Visitor Information Center where you can find out all the events currently happening in the city, the Cultural Center also hosts the free LunchBreak programs. This noontime program features different music genres every weekday, from Classical Mondays to Acoustic Café Fridays.

Would you want to get your kids to appreciate art? The Loop is also home to Daley Plaza, where you can find Pablo Picasso’s untitled sculpture. A work of art that has come to be one of the city’s familiar icons, it isn’t just a pretty sight-in fact, kids are allowed to slide down the steep part of the sculpture, which proves that art is truly meant to be enjoyed.

You can also find Millennium Park close to hotels in downtown Chicago. Here, you can take the kids to explore the Cloud Gate or see the clowns, jugglers and stilt walkers roving around the park. Millennium Park has its own share of surprises for families, too.

Crown Fountain is practically a water park featuring two 50-foot tall towers, where the water cascades from. That isn’t all, though. The Crown Fountain is also an interactive work of art, featuring the faces of a thousand Chicagoans. Watch out when the faces pucker up, though! You can expect to get really wet if you get close enough to them.

These are just a few of the things you can find close to many hotels in downtown Chicago. There are still more things for kids to discover and enjoy, such as annual events like the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival or year-long attractions like Shedd Aquarium’s 4D theater and the Chicago Children’s Museum’s daily discoveries. The best part about these is that with a stay at a hotel in downtown Chicago, especially one with an indoor pool, you won’t need to worry about traveling far to take your kids back to the room at the end of a fun-filled day.