A whirlwind Chicago day between RSNA 2020 sessions

The Radiological Society of North America's 2020 Annual Meeting drew thousands of radiology professionals to McCormick Place from 29 November to 4 December, and an Australian contingent arrived from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. After seventeen hours in the air and the leap from Australian Eastern Time to Central Time, the appeal of escaping the convention centre is strong.

Chicago rewards that impulse. The downtown core sits compactly along Lake Michigan, the grid is easy to navigate, and the signature attractions cluster within a few kilometres of the venue. For radiologists balancing plenaries and posters, a single free day covers architecture, deep-dish pizza, a world-class museum and a lakefront sunset. The trick is sequencing it well.

This itinerary assumes ten free hours between sessions and a base in the Loop. It leans on public transport, sensible footwear and a willingness to skip the deepest museum wings.

Morning on Michigan Avenue

Stepping out before sunrise gives Chicago its quietest face. The Magnificent Mile stretches north from the river, and at 7am the limestone facades glow pink. Grab a flat white at a local roaster — Chicago's specialty coffee rivals Melbourne's, though Australians will note the heavier roast — and walk south toward Millennium Park. Cloud Gate is mobbed by mid-morning, so an early visit means calm reflection shots.

By 9am you will want to be heading back. The venue sits about twelve kilometres south of the Loop, and the ride takes thirty minutes on the CTA Green Line. Delegates in official conference hotels near the lake often walked back between sessions, faster than waiting for a shuttle in the late-afternoon rush. The venue information page lists shuttle timetables.

Architectural cruise on the Chicago River

Slot in a 75-minute architecture cruise between sessions. Departures from the Michigan Avenue dock run every thirty minutes, and open-top boats thread through the city's commercial canyon. Guides explain how Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago reshaped the lakefront, why Mies van der Rohe's IBM Building rotates with the grid, and how the Sears Tower earned its bundled-tube engineering.

For Australian engineers and applied scientists in the delegation, the structural lessons translate directly to the Sydney and Melbourne skylines, where similar debates about height and harbour views continue. Buy tickets online the night before.

Lunch break with deep-dish pizza

No Chicago visit is complete without deep-dish, and Giordano's or Lou Malnati's will satisfy a hungry team. Expect a casserole-like pie with cheese under the sauce, a knife and fork, and servings that feed two Australians accustomed to lighter Mediterranean lunches. Vegetarian options are limited and gluten-free bases rare, so plan ahead if your colleagues follow the Australian Heart Foundation's eating guidelines.

If time is tight, grab a folded square of tavern-style pizza from a downtown counter and eat on the move. Many groups pre-book a casual team lunch for the final day as a wind-down before the long flight home via Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Art Institute of Chicago in ninety minutes

The Art Institute on Michigan Avenue is manageable in ninety focused minutes if you skip the deeper wings. Head straight for the Impressionist galleries, where Monet's Water Lilies, Renoir's balconies and Seurat's pointillist A Sunday on La Grande Jatte sit within a short walk. The Thornhill Lounge, with its relocated 1893 World's Columbian Exposition staircase, offers a quieter moment for those interested in the same era when radiology took its earliest X-ray images.

Visiting delegates pay standard admission, and the gift shop is one of the best places to pick up souvenirs for colleagues back home without resorting to airport duty-free. Walk back to the Loop via the Michigan Avenue bridge, where the lift span still raises for summer sailboats.

Navy Pier and Lake Michigan breeze

If the schedule allows, extend the afternoon north to Navy Pier. The 1916 pier juts a kilometre into Lake Michigan and offers a Ferris wheel, a stained-glass museum and wide views back toward the skyline. In late November the air is sharp and the lake steely grey, but the wind is bracing rather than bitter, and enclosed restaurants keep things comfortable.

Australians used to the surf at Bondi or Bells Beach will find Lake Michigan's scale pleasantly surprising. The horizon looks almost oceanic, and on clear days the Indiana shoreline is visible. The pier closes earlier in winter than summer, so check timings before committing. A return taxi to the venue costs around twenty-five US dollars.

Sunset drinks in River North

Wind down in River North, the gallery district just north of the river. Australian radiologists gather here after closing sessions, comparing notes over local craft beer or Midwestern wine. The neighbourhood's converted warehouses house contemporary art spaces and rooftop bars with skyline views.

Reservations are wise during conference week. The walk back to most Loop hotels is short, though delegates who overindulge prefer the seven-dollar rideshare. Finish with a bag of Garrett Popcorn, the Chicago mix of caramel and cheddar that has loyal Australian fans who bring a tin home for the office.

Practical tips for Australian delegates

A few practicalities before you leave Sydney or Melbourne. Australia and the United States share a reciprocal healthcare arrangement only in limited circumstances, so comprehensive travel insurance is not optional — Smartraveller advice is to cover medical evacuation, which can otherwise run into six figures. Devices brought to the conference may need to comply with both the Therapeutic Goods Administration framework and US FDA labelling, so keep paperwork handy.

Most Australian delegates route through Los Angeles, Dallas or San Francisco. In late November, daylight saving is active in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra but not in Brisbane, Perth or Darwin, so the jet lag home is mild. Keep receipts for registration and travel — the Australian Taxation Office allows work-related continuing education expenses to be claimed, and your employer may reimburse a portion.

Option	Walking distance	Best for	Time needed	Cost (USD)
Architecture cruise + Art Institute	3 km	First-time visitors	4–5 hours	60–80
Deep-dish trail + Navy Pier	5 km	Food-focused groups	3–4 hours	40–60
River North gallery loop	2 km	Shorter breaks	2–3 hours	30–50
Willis Tower + Millennium Park	4 km	Photography lovers	3 hours	45–70

For accommodation questions, room block changes or last-minute group arrangements, the conference support team responds quickly and can coordinate with your hotel. Build in a thirty-minute buffer between sightseeing and your next session, and the Windy City's reputation for sudden weather shifts will not derail the day.

If you have not yet confirmed your hotel, lock in a room before the conference blocks fill and rates rise. The official booking portal offers competitive group rates across three-, four- and five-star properties within easy reach of McCormick Place. Australian delegations often coordinate bookings through a single point of contact to simplify invoicing and ensure everyone stays within walking distance of the welcome reception venues.