Seven necessary items for your trip to Chicago

Hand sanitizer: Although this isn't city specific, travelers exchange items a lot--money, baggage and food, in addition to shaking hands and touching poles, benches and seats. You're no good to anyone if you don't keep your hands clean as much as possible, especially on public transportation. Hand sanitizer may be tricky to carry on a flight depending on airport security and alert levels, but dollar stores and pharmacy locations like Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy sell these items regularly. It's also useful to have onhand for bathrooms that don't have soap or anytime you're in a location where you need to wash your hands.

Money clip: Pickpocketing happens all the time no matter what city you're in, but tourists look even more vulnerable and bigger cities can always spot them with or without the camera. Keep a money clip for large amounts of bills. Attach the money clip inside a bra strap or in the inside of your shirt pocket. The inside of a coat is a bad idea because picketpocketers often bump or "accidentally" fall into you to get to the inside of your coat.

Cell phone: If you're ever in a bind and don't know where to go, especially downtown where people are constantly moving around, keep your phone nearby. You can contact RTA Chicago to give you nearby directions as long as you have an address or intersection. Try not to be too chatty on your cell phone when traveling because you never know when you'll really need to use those minutes or need a charged battery.

ID: If something was to happen to you while traveling, your ID is the most imperative piece of information someone can use to identify you besides a cell phone calling record. Do not leave your ID in your hotel room or out in public areas. It's risky to leave such vital information laying out for the public to see because of identity theft too.

Extra change: Traveling through different expressways (I-90 to I-94 or I-90 to I-294) sometimes require toll change. Usually there are toll booths with human beings behind them, but try to keep exact change with you. Web sites like Mapquest.com will usually just say ("Portions Toll") without the exact amount you'll need because the amount changes. Your best bet is to keep quarters handy. Be careful about driving through I-PASS lanes. Those are for people who have toll pass membership accounts so they don't have to pay each time. If you'd like to purchase an I-PASS to avoid constant lines in toll lanes, visit IllinoisTollway.com, but you must be willing to deposit $50 in order to get started.