Chicago, also known as Windy City, is one of the largest and popular cities in United States. It is located in Illinois State and by the shores of Lake Michigan.
The city offers a lot of attractions for tourists which includes architecture, art, museums, parks, skyscrapers, etc. Most of the must see attractions are located within the Chicago loop area.
Below are the top 12 must see attractions in Chicago that I would like to cover in this post.
1. Millennium Park
This is a public park located in the Chicago loop area and by the shores of Lake Michigan. Cloud Gate sculpture, Wrigley’s square, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden, etc., are some of the attractions within the Millennium Park. The Park forms a part of the large Grant Park.
Wrigley’s square contains the Millennium Monument which is a semicircle stone sculpture with 12 paired columns and a fountain in front of it. The square also has a large lawn located in front of the monument. Do not miss to visit this area after sunset for a beautiful and colorful night view of the monument.
Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the place where various music band events, Orchestra and other similar events are hosted. The pavilion is suitable for small events with capacity of around 10-12 thousand people. Lurie garden is located next to the lawn of this pavilion and is separated by hedges. This is also a public garden where one can see shrubs, trees, and various seasonal flowers.
2. Cloud Gate (The Bean)
Cloud Gate is a bean shaped sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor and located at AT&T plaza in the Millennium Park. The sculpture is also known by the name “The Bean” because of its shape. It’s made of stainless steel plates and is very highly polished to give a mirror like surface. A portion of its surface reflects the city’s skyline. Moreover visitors can go around the cloud gate and take pictures of their reflections too. You can also go underneath the sculpture where the Omphalos, a concave chamber, multiplies the reflections. This is one of the crowded attractions in Chicago loop area during peak hours of the day.
You can also view the combination of city skyline and cloud gate sculpture by standing a little far away from the sculpture. Again if you plan to visit Millennium Park after sunset, check out the view of cloud gate with the city skyline in addition to the Millennium Monument.
3. Willis (Sears) Tower & Skydeck Chicago
Willis tower, also known as Sears Tower, is a 110 story skyscraper located in Chicago loop area. It is one of the most popular tourist attraction because of its Skydeck observatory. It is at quite a walkable distance from the Buckingham fountain.
Skydeck is the observation deck located on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower. It has 3 glass bottom balconies mounted over the ledge. If one visits Willis Tower, they do not miss to take photos standing on the ledge. Usually the ledge is crowded by tourists and you would have to wait in a long queue for your turn to take photos. One of the ledge has attendants who manage the crowd usually only one family at a time to experience the deck and take official photos. Moreover you can request them to take photos in your phone or camera. The official photos are also available for purchase. The other 2 ledges have no crowd control and are usually packed by visitors. If you are visiting during peak hours, I would suggest going for the one that has attendants. There is also a second observation deck on the 99th floor that is used as an alternate to Skydeck observatory.
If you plan your visit just before it gets dark, you can also see beautiful view of sunset from the observatory. I would suggest you plan to visit the attractions couple of hours before sunset so that you can cover both day and night view from the deck.
4. Navy Pier
Navy Pier is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and is called so in honor of naval veterans. It has parks, gardens, shops, restaurants and other entertainment attractions. This is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Chicago. There is a beautiful garden in front of the pier.
One can enjoy the centennial wheel ride, musical carousel, light tower ride, etc. You can take a walk and go around the pier. There is an anchor located at the end of it which is from the naval vessel ‘USS Chicago’.
If you plan your visit to the pier in the evening, you can also see the beautiful view of city skyline at sunset.
5. Shedd Aquarium
This is one of the largest indoor aquarium and is located on the Lake Michigan. The area where it is located is called the Museum Campus. Moreover it is near to the Field Museum of natural history and Alder Planetarium. There are various exhibits within the aquarium and is the home for a large number of species including fish, mammals, birds, snakes, insects, etc.
In addition to the above, there is also a 4D theatre and a one world show featuring dolphins, penguins, etc. You will need atleast 4-5 hours to cover this, so plan accordingly when you are there.
One can also get to see the beautiful view of the Chicago city skyline and Monroe harbor from the gallery located outside the Shedd aquarium food court.
6. The Field Museum of Natural History
This is one of the largest natural history museum in the world because of its size and also because of the extensive scientific specimen and artifact collections. This is again located in the Museum Campus just outside the Chicago loop area, and is near to Shedd Aquarium and Alder Planetarium.
As you enter its huge main hall, you will see the skeleton of a huge dinosaur and 2 giant elephants. There is also a information center in the hall.
You can go around various exhibits like animal halls, evolving planet, ancient Egypt and Americas, underground adventure, etc.
Specimen from Birds Exhibit at Field Museum
You will need another 4 hours to cover this museum. So one can plan Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum on the same day because they are located close to each other.
7. Magnificent Mile
This is an upscale street in Chicago city that provides a mixture of shopping, dining, entertainment options. It starts from the Chicago River and runs towards 360 Chicago or John Hancock Center.
This is one of the most expensive streets in the United States. Many of the world’s leading branded retail and luxury shops like Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue, Prada, Michael Kors etc., are located on this street.
8. 360 Chicago & John Hancock Tower
John Hancock Tower is 100 story skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. The building has several restaurants and offices. One can see breathtaking views of Chicago city and Lake Michigan from the restaurant located on 95th floor. This attraction is also near to Navy Pier.
360 Chicago is an observatory located on the 94th floor of the building and provides a 360 degree view of the city. You take elevators to reach the observation deck. It has a TILT platform which is basically a floor that tilts slightly outside the building towards the south at a certain angle and one can see a side of the city while experiencing the tilt. There is an additional fee for the TILT attraction and is not included with the admission of 360 Chicago.
One can also see this tallest building from various locations like Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, Willis Tower, etc.
9. Grant Park & Buckingham Fountain
This is a large urban park located in the Chicago loop area and by the shores of Lake Michigan. Millennium Park & Buckingham fountain are couple of prominent attractions within this park.
Buckingham fountain is the centerpiece of the Grant Park surrounded by seasonal plantings and gardens. One would not want to miss the beautiful view of the fountain with the city skyline in the background. The fountain also features a water display or show that runs every 20 minutes.
The park is at a walkable distance from Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum or one can even walk down a few streets from Millennium Park or Cloud gate.
10. Lincoln Park & Zoo
Lincoln Park is Chicago’s largest park and is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The park consists of landscaped gardens, a lily pool, zoo, pond, etc.
The park is known for its zoo and is one of the free of its kind in United States that is open throughout the year. It is a home for wide variety of animals like Lion, Zebra, Rhino, Penguins, Hippo, Meerkats, Giraffe, etc. It also has an exhibit for birds of prey, McCormick Bird house consisting of wide variety of birds and reptile house.
There is a Lionel train adventure ride and carousels too. If you plan the trip with kids/toddlers, this park is one of the attractions to visit.
You can also get to see a view of Chicago city skyline from the nature boardwalk located near the south pond inside the Lincoln Park.
To go through the entire park, you will need around 4-5 hours. So plan accordingly.
11. Chicago Riverwalk
This is a 1.25 miles pedestrian walkway alongside the Chicago River. On your way, you can see restaurants & bars, boat rentals, art, museum and other activities. One can even sit back and spend some peaceful time at this attraction.
12. Chicago’s Architecture River Cruise
There are a few river tours that takes you around the heart of the city through the Chicago River. The tour will have a guide who will tell you the story about various architectures, buildings and landmarks on the way. Most of these depart from the Chicago Riverwalk at Michigan Avenue or from Navy Pier. The tour duration may vary from 75 to 90 minutes based on which one you choose.
Suggestions:
1. Accommodation: There are various hotels located in the center of the city but I would suggest to go for something that is at a walkable distance to many of the attractions. One such hotel we stayed in was River Hotel located on 75 E Wacker Dr and opposite to the Trump International. Hotel room was good and had a view of Chicago River. Many attractions like Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, Chicago Riverwalk, Grant Park, and Willis Tower were quite near from this hotel.
2. Attraction Admission Fees: Another suggestion is to purchase Chicago CityPASS which is a package of Chicago’s top attractions from the must see list and also at a very reasonable price. One will definitely see a significant saving when compared to purchasing individual attraction tickets. Also it includes express or priority entries to most of the attractions. The ticket is valid for 9 consecutive days from the first day of use.
CityPASS admission Includes below attractions
– Shedd Aquarium
– Skydeck Chicago
– Field Museum
– Adler Planetarium OR Art Institute of Chicago
– Museum of Science and Industry OR 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck
3. Commute/Local Transportation: Most of the attractions are nearby and at a walkable distance to each other but depending on your itinerary and stay, you may require to use local transportation to reach one or few of the attractions. I would recommend using Uber cabs is which is more convenient than other local means. One can also try for Uber pools for cheaper option.
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