If there’s anyone who can truly explain what a wonderful city Chicago is, it has to be the locals. Chicago is not just about looking at travelogues and walking to wherever it leads you. It’s also about going right to the heart of the people who continue to make it the iconic city that it is.

If you’re in town for a few days, instead of burying your nose into a travel guide written by someone who’s probably not even from around these parts, get out there and start talking to people. A great place to start would be Chicago cabbies, so download the Universal Taxi app, book a ride, and experience a city tour that’s straight from the eyes of a true local.

Here are a few tips that locals would probably tell you:

• Be ready to blow your diet.

Chicago has such a rich culture, and when we say culture, it’s not just about the art and the architecture. This includes food as well. Exhibit A: The Chicago deep dish pizza. Yes, it has more calories than you would dare take in on any normal day. But this is not a normal day, this is a day when you expect to experience what Chicago is all about, and pizza is one of the best ways to do just that.

• Be ready to stay up late.

Yes, there are late night bars in Chicago that would serve you drinks until the wee hours of the morning. Where other bars around the country are already on their last call, the partygoers in Chicago are just starting to warm up. This is a special license though, so you can’t exactly demand the same kind of service in every bar. Ask your Universal Taxi cabbie and he’ll probably know every place that has this service.

• Oak Park is where most dreams are made of.

Sure, taking a glimpse of the Magnificent Mile can give you a glimpse of some great architecture. But if you’re looking for something more personal, then consider yourself warned. Taking a walk through Oak Park will have you hoping that you lived here.

There are 25 structures in Oak Park designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and if you have zero idea about who he is, then you’ll remember him from now on. The amazing architecture scattered all over a residential street can make you remember about childhood dreams you probably had about how life is going to be when you start building a family.

• Navy Pier is overrated.

Yes, every single travel guide will tell you how cute the carousel and Ferris wheel is at the Navy Pier. But for locals, this is one place you should avoid by all means, unless you’re really itching to see the Shakespeare Theater. It’s overcrowded and there really isn’t much to see. Period.

These are things that you probably won’t hear from your usual travel guides, but then again, that’s the exact reason why locals are the best people who can show you around.