The Beautiful City of Chicago
Chicago is among the biggest tourist destinations. At attractions around every corner, from high-flying observatories to Millennium Park where art and music mix with lots of room to play, you'll find fun every day of the year.Explore amazing Navy Pier, and discover the thrilling rides, activities, dining, shopping, museums, and cityscape views that make it the top destination in the Midwest.
Top attractions in Chicago
1. Millennium Park
This 24.5-acre park features Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion
and serpentine bridge; sculptor Anish Kapoor's 110-ton Cloud Gate and Jaume
Plensa's Crown Fountain, with its ever-changing array of locals' faces spewing
water every five minutes in the summer months. The Lurie Garden wows with
year-round flower displays and monthly garden walks.
2. Art Institute of
Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-class museum with
hundreds of thousands of artworks. The diverse collection spans thousands of
years and includes pieces from a variety of media including painting, prints,
photography, sculpture, decorative arts, textiles, architectural drawings and
more.
3. 360 Chicago
Formerly known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 Chicago
offers dining, sights and an interactive tour far above the city streets. From
1,000 feet up on the 94th floor, you can see up to 55 miles out and four
states—you'll feel as if you're along for the ride as you watch airplanes whiz
by. A recent addition is the Tilt attraction, which allows visitors to step
onto an enclosed platform that extends from the building at a 30-degree angle.
4 Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile
Michigan Avenue is probably one of the most attractive
boulevards in America. The city's famous Magnificent Mile is a section of
Michigan Avenue north of the Chicago River, with numerous galleries, boutiques,
and luxury shops. Some of the attractions along here include the John Hancock
Center, the Wrigley Building, and the Tribune Tower.
5. Garfield Park Conservatory
It is also described as “landscape art under glass” when it
opened in 1908, the conservatory, while being one of the largest in the world,
also boasts revolutionary architecture. About 120,000 plants representing some
600 species occupy the conservatory’s 1.6 acres, and four times a year flower
shows premiere to herald the change in seasons.
6. The Second City
Even if you know nothing about improv, chances are you've
heard of Second City. This is the place that put both sketches and improvised
comedy on the map while launching the careers of many distinguished comics
including Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, John Belushi, Joan Rivers,
Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell. Mainstage revues are occasionally stodgy, but
most shows are still top-notch.
7. Lincoln Park Zoo
See some 1,200 animals, from apes to zebras, at the oldest
and one of only a few free zoos left in the country. It is small, only 35
acres, but attractions like the Kovler Lion House and the Regenstein Center for
African Apes pack a big punch. The newest feature: The Regenstein Macaque
Forest, where snow monkeys swing through trees and relax in a hot tub.
8. The Field Museum
Founded to house the biological and anthropological
collections assembled for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, this
massive natural history museum still packs ’em in with more than 30 permanent
exhibitions covering 300,000 square feet. Inside the permanent displays, you
can see glowering dinos, marvel at ancient artifacts from a royal Egyptian
tomb, check out artifacts in the Cyrus Tang Hall of China or take a stroll
through the newly rehabbed Halls of Gems and Jade.
9. Navy Pier
The Navy Pier originally opened in 1916 as an amusement area
and shipping facility but is now one of Chicago's most popular tourist
attractions. Today, the Navy Pier is made up of 50 acres of gardens,
attractions, shops, restaurants, concert venues, and parks. There are a 150 ft
Ferris wheel and a historic carousel in Navy Pier Park. Visitors can also watch
a film at the 3D Imax Theater, watch actors perform the classics at the Chicago
Shakespeare Theater, or visit Crystal Gardens, a one-acre, six-story, indoor
botanical garden.
10. Lyric Opera of Chicago
The Lyric Opera of Chicago offers a full opera season, from
October to March, with well-known classics. It began in 1954 and is today
world-renowned.
11. The 606
A formerly abandoned stretch of elevated railway track that
runs through Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Wicker Park and Bucktown has found
new life as the 606. Named after the first three digits of every Chicago zip
code, the 2.7-mile path provides a quick way to travel east and west on the
North Side, connecting several parks and public art installations. Prepare to
dodge strollers, bicycles, and residents out for a very slow jog on this
popular throughway
12. Museum of Science and Industry
If you’re into exhibits loaded with interactive bells and
whistles, this expansive Hyde Park locale is your ticket. The museum’s focus is
broad, with permanent displays that include the popular mirror maze in the
"Numbers in Nature" exhibit, the whiz-bang "Science Storms,"
plus the old faves: a restored U-505 German submarine, a simulated coal mine,
and a vintage diesel-electric train.
13. Shedd Aquarium
Anchoring the aquatic offerings at this 75-year-old
institution are enduring favorites such as piranhas, frogs and snakes of the
Amazon; rays, turtles and moray eel of the Caribbean; frightening predator
sharks and, the most storied of them all, a 100-plus-year-old Australian
lungfish believed to be the longest-living fish in any aquarium in the world.
14. Chicago History Museum
Not so long ago this vibrant museum was the stodgy ol'
Chicago Historical Society, which let you cull through thousands of archived
photographs and curio. Well, that library still exists, but joining it are
several permanent and temporary exhibits, the largest of which is
"Chicago: Crossroads of America," a treasure trove of historical
objects, including a chunk of the original Fort Dearborn. Other exhibits
include “Sensing Chicago” and revolving displays showing off one of the world's
largest costume collections
15. John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center stands 1,125 ft high and is easy to
recognize by its dark metallic-looking exterior and cross-braced steel design
which runs up the outside of the building. As well, two 345 ft high telecommunications
aerials project up from the roof. Visitors can enjoy the views from the
94th-floor observatory.
Chicago, the "Windy City" as it is often called,
lies along the shores of Lake Michigan. It is known for its vibrant arts scene,
numerous cultural attractions, excellent shopping, and interesting
architecture. It is a must visit place in the world having an amazing art
history.