1. Magnificent Mile
One of the best places to shop, the Magnificent Mile is home to an incredible number of department stores and luxury retailers. Stretching from Oak Street to the Chicago River, this section of Michigan Avenue is the place to go if you want to shop until you drop. The “Mag Mile,” as its sometimes called, also provides access to many of the numerous landmarks and tourist attractions in Chicago, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Wrigley Building and the Chicago Water Tower.
2. Navy Pier
Navy Pier juts into Lake Michigan and offers up all kinds of fun and family-friendly entertainment. The kilometer-long pier has something for everyone to enjoy with countless restaurants and shops also dotted about. While wandering along the pier, you’ll come across everything from theaters and museums to public plazas and performance spaces with lots of cultural events and festivals held here over the course of the year. On top of this, there is a towering Ferris wheel and historic carousel to try as well as mini-golf and sightseeing cruises.
This is also the venue for the cocktail hour and reception, so you will get a glimpse of this Chicago landmark regardless!
3. Willis Tower
Originally and still commonly referred to the Sears Tower, the 110-story skyscraper held the title as the world’s tallest building for nearly 25 years. Features some of the fastest elevators in the world, covering as much as 1,600 feet per minute. A 70-second ride takes you to the 103rd-floor Skydeck, the highest observation deck in the United States, and offers sweeping views of Lake Michigan and glimpses of the states of Michigan and Wisconsin beyond. The Ledge, a glass floor balcony juts out from the side of the skyscraper offering unparalleled views from 1,353 feet up.
4. Art Institute of Chicago
The world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago really is not to be missed. Housed in a beautiful Beaux-Arts building that was built for the 1893 World Expo, its extensive exhibitions and galleries can be found in the ginormous Grant Park. Founded in 1879, its captivating collection includes everything from masterpieces by Magritte and Monet to Renoir, Rembrandt, and Picasso. While it is particularly known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, the museum also houses artifacts and artworks from as far away as Africa and Asia. Two of its most famous American works are Grant Wood’s American Gothic and Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks.
5. Millennium Park
Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Aside from plenty of grass and open space, it has modern sculptures in steel and glass, including Chicago’s must-photo for visitors, The Bean (properly known as Cloud Gate), and the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion for outdoor concerts.
6. Chicago Riverwalk
Chicago Riverwalk stretches 1.25 miles from Lake Michigan to Lake Street. Along the way you’ll discover intimate coves, breezy cafes, wineries and bars, public art, monuments, museums, and a boatload of excursions on the water.
Lauded as a “must-do” activity by locals and tourists alike, Chicago River cruise partnered with the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), Chicago’s First Lady Cruises offers visitors the city’s most engaging 90-minute architectural tour experience. Chicago’s First Lady glides down all three branches of the Chicago River, providing guests with an unobstructed, open-air, 360-degree view of the city’s wide variety of architectural styles, including art deco, neoclassicism, mid-century modernism and postmodernism. Highly trained and enthusiastic volunteer CAC docents (guides) provide visitors with a compelling and detailed narrative of Chicago’s numerous architectural styles and the stories of the legendary figures who designed and built the city.
The Chicago Riverwalk is also an excellent starting point to explore the city via kayak. Head to Urban Kayaks, where you can rent a solo or tandem kayak, paddle down the Chicago River, and admire the surrounding architecture.
Art on theMART is the largest digital art projection in the world, covering over 2.5 acres of theMART’s river-facing façade and featuring works by acclaimed local and international artists.
7. 360 Chicago Observation Deck
From the 94th floor of what was once known as the John Hancock Center,you can gaze out over not just the city’s skyline and Michigan Lake but the Magnificent Mile too. Beside basking in breath-taking panoramas which reach up to ninety kilometers on a clear day, you can also enjoy a drink in the super tall skyscraper’s bar. Brave visitors can also try TILT – a thrill ride which tilts so you can enjoy views of the city’s streets, 300 meters directly below.
8. Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum is part of the Museum Campus. Exhibits range from a taxidermy collection of large animals such as African elephants to an extensive collection of Native American artifacts. A 12 meter (40 foot) long Tyrannosaurus skeleton is the most popular exhibit out of the museum’s millions of specimens, and many visitors wouldn’t feel that their trip to Chitown is complete without viewing the dinosaur known as “Sue.”
9. Shedd Aquarium
Located in the same lakeshore Museum Campus as the Field Museum, the John G. Shedd Aquarium is home to more than 1,500 species of sea life, including 32,500 fish, as well as an array of birds, insects and amphibians. Exhibits are organized in themed areas such as the “Caribbean Reef” and the award-winning “Amazon Rising.” The Oceanarium, which features dolphins and beluga whales, is one of the aquarium’s most popular exhibits.
10. Wrigley Field
If you’re after a fun and unforgettable experience, then you can’t beat watching the Chicago Cubs play baseball at the hallowed Wrigley Field. The second-oldest ballpark in the nation, it is located on the North Side of Chicago, just fifteen minutes’ drive from the center.
Named after the chewing gum magnate, it was built in 1914 and still has a lovely old time look and feel. The park is famed for its hand-turned scoreboard and iconic entrance. Besides watching an exhilarating and atmospheric game, you can also take terrific tours that teach you about the team and field’s history. Don’t forget to try out the Chicago-style hot dogs while you are there!
11. Museum of Science and Industry
The largest science museum in the Americas, the exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry include everything from trains and planes to a captured German submarine and full-size replica of a coal mine. While some sections look at anatomy or genetics, others focus on the evolution of industry and transport. With mock tornadoes and science experiments to try and over 75 halls to peruse, this amazing museum is definitely not to be missed.
12. Lincoln Park Zoo
A firm favorite with locals and tourists alike, it has countless expansive exhibits and enclosures for you to explore which focus on different animals and ecosystems from around the world. One of the oldest zoos in North America, now houses over 1,100 animals in total. As well as rhinos, hippos, and gorillas, you can also spot zebras and polar bears with its historic Kovler Lion House being enduringly popular.
The zoo is really close to the Chicago History Museum, the wedding ceremony venue (which is also free to visit to all guests after the wedding). For those coming to Chicago only for a short visit, might be a good idea to combine both these places on the same day.
13. Chicago Theater
The iconic Chicago Theater puts on everything from concerts and plays to magic shows, stand-up comedy, speeches, and sporting events. Instantly recognizable thanks to its illuminated six-story sign, the opulent theater certainly is a memorable and magical place to attend an event. Built in 1921, it boasts a breath-taking neo-baroque interior with its grand lobby and galleries being based on the Palace of Versailles. Its cavernous auditorium is just as spectacular as glittering crystal chandeliers light up the marvelous murals and gilded decorations that adorn its walls and ceilings.
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