I am going on a tour of Chicago, great lakes, Cleveland, Milwauki, Detroit, Lake Eri, Michigan, and Pittsburgh. What to shoot? Is there something unusual that people miss, seldom photograph, landscapes, time of day, etc. ? What are best/worst hoods, and must see/avoid, or any festivals or other goings on Sept.11-15?
I am not a pro, and am not publishing photos in mags, or selling, just a hobby.

Hi Pomah,
IMO, here's some beautiful scenes in Chicago:
- Lincoln Park: standing in front of North Pond Cafe looking south over the pond to city skyline (nature, pond, skyline). Traveling south from this point, around North Pond, across Fullerton to the Lincoln Park conservatory, through the Lincoln Park Zoo, past the Arts & Craft style Cafe Brauer and around South Pond will provide lots of photo opps.
- Downtown: the south garden of the Art Institute museum (beautiful "fountain of the great lakes" by Joe Marinaro, hawthorne trees, pea gravel underfoot).
- Downtown: Not overlooked, but walking on Olive Park (south end of Navy Pier) will give you a beautiful skyline view of the city and you can avoid Navy Pier crowds
You'll have so much to photograph -- the architecture in Chicago is the most stunning in the country. Hope you have a great time!

Is the 11-15 just for Chicago?

If you like a more urban, industrial vibe - Take Division to the River (near 90 expressway). You can easily find it on Google Maps. Lots of options for neat photos and very overlooked.

Sorry... correcting the artist who created the fountain at the Art Institute -- Lorado Taft. (And I thought I knew that, but a source on the internet convinced me I was wrong, and I quickly crumbled.)