IT’S “THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES” in Chicago, a microcosm Tale of Two Cities, with outlying neighborhoods plagued by crime while the urban core prospers. Of 500 highly publicized gunfire incidents recorded in the first two months of this year, 100 of them homicides, a map shows the crimes were restricted to districts wrapped around the inner city, where not a single shooting took place. Despite a loss of revenue from the bankrupt State of Illinois floundering to work out a budget, outside the beleaguered area development manages to thrive. Home to more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies in manufacturing, insurance, food processing, printing and publishing, Chicago rates among the world’s 20 largest economies.

AQUA BUILDING © JIM ROBERTS | DREAMSTIME.COM

The heart of the city, one of the world’s most important Central Business Districts, the Loop embraces business and government office towers, a theater district and a wealth of cultural institutions: the Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony and Joffrey Ballet. The former Marshall Field’s department store is being repurposed, and the iconic Palmer House Hotel has been fully renovated. Extensive railroad yards that once overran the lakefront have revitalized into a green urban park with an amphitheater designed by Frank Gehry; Jeanne Gang’s award-winning Aqua mixed-use residential office tower; and Anish Kapoor’s silver Cloud Gate sculpture, nicknamed The Bean, with a shiny surface that reflects the surrounding urban activity.

Property values are soaring in the West Loop, a gritty industrial area of wholesale markets, meat packers, food distributors and warehouses rapidly transforming into a lively area of hotels, offices and apartments. McDonald’s is relocating its headquarters from Oak Brook to a super-sized office building on the former site of Oprah’s Harpo Studios in the Fulton Market District, and Caterpillar announced plans to move its global operation to town from Peoria. Farther west in Garfield, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is converting a 30,000-square-foot warehouse into a consignment business to sell furniture and decorative art online. Nearby, an 80,000-square-foot entrepreneur incubator, The Hatchery, will provide space to foster 75–100 food service startups which reinforce the city’s active restaurant scene.

Another incubator, 1871, acquired space to nurture tech startups among the longstanding showrooms for interior design, furniture and apparel in the mammoth 4.2-million-square-foot Merchandise Mart. Named for the year of the Chicago fire, which led to an innovative rebuilding of the city, 1871 provides an affordable downtown place for tech startups “to share ideas, make mistakes, work hard and build up businesses intended to change the world.”

Massive expansion of O’Hare International Airport with flights to more than 150 domestic destinations, a Midway Airport upgrade and reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expressway all enhanced the city’s accessibility. Located in the middle of the country with both U.S. coasts and Washington, D.C., easy daytrips away, the city offers a convenient out-of-town commute for lawyers, consultants and bankers.

MURALS ON A BUILDING IN PILSEN © STEFANIA ROSSITTO | DREAMSTIME.COM

Gentrification progresses in neighborhoods contiguous to the central city without sacrificing ethnic and historic character. Latino Pilsen maintains its colorful murals, Humboldt Park remains rich in Puerto Rican heritage, and landscaped boulevard medians make up the “emerald necklace” embracing Logan Square. Farther afield, the Barack Obama Presidential Library is expected to boost revitalization of Jackson Park.

A wealth of outdoor fitness options, many linked to the shores of convenient Lake Michigan, balance the city’s gourmet bounty. Within walking distance of office towers discover wide, sandy beaches where swimmers can also rent canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. Cyclists and joggers enjoy several designated paths, notably the Lakefront Trail, stretching 18 miles past museums, harbors, monuments, beaches and high-rises. Those undaunted by the notorious winters can ice skate outdoors at several city rinks. Local concessions offer snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and curling; and right downtown (and lit at night) sits the 220-foot slope of the Soldier Field Sledding Hill. Less strenuous therapies await at distinguished downtown day spas such as Charles Joseph Salon and Spa, the Red Door and Mario Tricoci.

With North America’s largest convention center, McCormick Place, and facilities at Navy Pier, the city is a leader in group tourism. A consolidation of tourist and conference agencies into the official sales and marketing promoter Choose Chicago bolstered tourism, and the 2016 tally was already within a million of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s goal to reach 55 million visitors by 2020. Chicago frequently ranks as a top city to visit, a fitting tribute to America’s nicknamed Second City.

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Outlying areas offer worthwhile daytrip destinations. An hour and a half north in southeast Wisconsin, Lake Geneva was the popular summer retreat of Chicago’s wealthy barons. Their Gilded Age mansions line Shore Path, and the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa was the site of Hugh Hefner’s original Playboy Club.

Heading south to Peoria, the 150-mile drive passes the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Kankakee, 1,200 acres of restored meadow grassland inhabited by a herd of bison. Capponi’s and Mona’s restaurants in Toluca make popular stops for tortellini or signature fettuccini. In Peoria sample whiskey at J.K. Williams Distilling or 175 whiskeys on hand at the Hearth Restaurant, serving wood-grilled steaks and chops.

A fitting destination for this 150th anniversary year of Frank Lloyd Wright is a visit to the architect’s studio and the world’s largest collection of his designs in Oak Park. The Chicago suburb, a half hour west of downtown, claims 21 Wright-designed structures which can be toured by foot, car or a special two-hour pedal tour.

WITH GLORIOUS BEACHES, reliably mild weather and world-class attractions, San Diego is often called America’s Finest City. The country’s 17th-largest metropolitan area is also a business hub, and no matter whom you ask, the answer is always the same: The local economy’s top three sectors are innovation, tourism and the military. New developments are reinvigorating all three.

With visitors bringing $10 billion a year into the local economy, tourism remains the city’s second-biggest factor. The renowned San Diego Zoo, Sea World, the USS Midway Museum — along with the seashores and golf courses — continue to attract thousands of domestic and international visitors each year, principally from China, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom. Recently built underground parking garages that expand parks and open space further enhance the urban atmosphere.

ZOOKEEPER FEEDING CHEETAHS AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO © WOLLERTZ | DREAMSTIME.COM

Brewery bus tours represent an emerging draw. Generating $851 million in sales last year and employing 4,500 workers, craft beers are booming, with 114 homegrown breweries organizing trips and tasting events. Stone Brewing, the largest, invites guests to its restaurant and tap room and is currently building a beer-themed hotel next to its major plant. This will join other new hotels now under construction downtown after a post-recession lag.

Perennially ranked among the country’s top five destinations for meetings and events, the San Diego Convention Center brings an annual $1 billion into the regional economy. With the immensely popular annual Comic-Con convention straining its facilities, the tourist bureau, hotel and restaurant association, city and port authority are reviewing potential plans for expansion. Earlier this year, the city shelved the potential construction of a new downtown stadium when the San Diego Chargers football team made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles.

The military sector runs a close second to tourism. Home port of the Pacific Fleet and one of the country’s largest naval bases, San Diego supplies support services from housing and food to medical care and counseling. With military forces shrinking in numbers amid a shift to tactical strategizing, the city is seizing on new technological opportunities to attract more government investment to the city.

And military advances are only one aspect of the blossoming business innovation in biotech, medicine, life science, engineering, energy, clean green, solar and HVAC — startup businesses which expanded exponentially during the past 15 years. In contrast to Stanford, which attracts major Silicon Valley angel investors, San Diego boasts a network of community-based centers providing guidance and mentorship to grassroots innovators. Stoked by the preponderance of military veterans and the University of California at La Jolla, which attracts many Asian students, the region is ripe with ideas that transform into viable businesses.

Industry is sustained by a cross-border labor force that enables engineering and manufacturing resources south of the border in Baja to buttress the innovative activity up north. To facilitate that exchange, the city approaches the locale not as two nations but as one Cali-Baja region and is making efforts to build bridges and ports of entry.

Fortifying development, a city charter passed last year dedicates a specific percentage of revenue to infrastructure, targeting improved roads, increased water and sewer capacity, and water recycling. A seawater desalination plant recently came online to ensure access to the fresh water crucial not only to the population but also to manufacturing and biotech.

Rebounding after the recession, prices are back up, in some cases to record highs. Neighborhoods are hitting their stride, particularly in the downtown area. The same attributes that attract tourists also appeal to residents who appreciate the easy access to hiking, bicycling, swimming and climbing. That outdoor culture draws free thinkers who also make great employees, luring companies to relocate here. “It’s a beautiful, innovative, creative city,” a Chamber of Commerce spokesperson explains, “a place where you’d like to live and work.”

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While beer commands the city proper, nearby wineries offer attractive daytrips. Drive north on Route 15 past citrus groves and vine-covered hillsides through Escondido to Temecula, where antique shops and wine-tasting bars await behind the Western frontier façades of Old Town. A half dozen local, family-owned wineries lie east of town along Rancho California Road. Sample a full line of varietals and vintages at Bel Vino. Trendy Miramonte is apt to offer live entertainment for those sipping wines it calls “adventurous and succulent.” Along with its award-winning wines, Callaway Winery’s Meritage Restaurant offers farm-to-table meals and panoramic views. Thornton Winery is designed like a French château, and early California-style Mount Palomar Winery overlooks the valley.

South of the border explore Valle de Guadalupe, an emerging region of up-market wines and dining. Locals recommend taking the Tecate border crossing to a ride through rolling hills on Mexico Highway 3. L.A. Cetto is one of the largest producers; Paralelo boasts a fruity Sauvignon Blanc; and 20-year-old, family-run Casa de Piedra produces some of Mexico’s finest wines.