Born and Raised in Chicago, Illinois. Here is a list that I put together of some of the more interesting places to check out here in the Windy City.
1. The Sears Tower
(233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago)
Still the tallest building in the United States, the Sears Tower built in 1973 is a skyscraper that stands 1,451 feet high (442 meters – 108 stories). It was the tallest building in the world for almost two decades until 1998 when the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia overtook that record.
One of Chicago’s top and most famous tourist attractions, the Sears Tower sky deck is located on the 103rd floor. On clear days visitors on the sky deck observation deck can see far over the plains of Illinois and even across Lake Michigan to neighboring states like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. On Windy days, visitors can feel the sway of the Sears Tower as they stand up on the sky deck.
A great destination to see the beauty of the city of Chicago from high above it. Definitely not for any person who is scared of heights.
2. Museum Of Science and Industry
(5700 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago)
Located in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The Museum of Science and Industry is the fourth largest cultural attraction here in Chicago. It houses many wonderful exhibits that are fun and very educational. The Museum is known for its unique and quirky exhibits and it also has many interactive exhibits as well. These interactive exhibits allow visitors to get a hands on experience.
Since 1954, the Museum has had the U-505 Submarine, one of just two German submarines captured during World War 2 and the only one currently on display in the United States. The museum also has two World War 2 warplanes donated by the British government. A Super marine Spitfire plane and a Stuka divebomber (one of only two Stukas left in the world).
The museum also has a life-size mockup of a space shuttle and the real Apollo 8 capsule which was on the first lunar orbital mission. One of my favorite exhibits is the yesterday’s main street exhibit. It features a life-sized mock-up of a common street from the early 1900’s complete with a cobblestone road, old-fashioned light fixtures, old-fashioned fire hydrants, and several old-fashioned shops. Two of the shops, Finnigan’s Ice Cream Parlor and The Nickelodeon Cinema can be entered and are functional businesses. Walking through this exhibit can make you feel like your back in time.
In addition to its three floors of standing exhibits, the Museum of Science & Industry also hosts temporary and traveling exhibitions as well. It would take too long to list all of the current exhibits because there is so many of them. To check out most of the museum, a person would need a few hours at least. The Museum of Science & Industry can be fun for people of all ages but a few of the exhibits might not be suitable for younger children.
3. Navy Pier
(600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago)
Located off the shore of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier has been a Chicago landmark since it first opened in 1916. Originally designed as both a shipping yard and a recreational facility, the Pier has also served as a military training site during world war 1 and world war 2. It has even been a place for concerts and other events throughout the years. Every year over 8 million people visit the Pier. Today, Navy Pier showcases a number of restaurants and shops. From McDonalds, to a hot dog stand, to fancier restaurants, Navy Pier caters to a variety of taste and styles. In addition to unequaled recreational areas the Pier also has a awesome amount of entertainment exhibit facilities as well.
Navy Pier Park also includes the 1,500-seat Skyline Stage, which features musical performances ranging from classical to pop, blues and jazz to alternative, rock and reggae, as well as dance, theater, comedy and film. Dock Street runs the length of the Piers South Dock and is reserved for pedestrians, bicyclists and joggers. In season, four performance areas feature entertainment ranging from jugglers, mimes, stilt walkers, comedians, singers, and other musicians too. Dinner cruise ships continue to operate from Dock Street, and on some summer evenings, fireworks entertain the Piers evening visitors.
Festival Hall serves exposition and special event needs, with more than 170,000 square feet of exhibit space, and also houses the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, which is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows housed in an 800-ft.-long series of galleries along the lower level terraces of Festival Hall. The East End of Navy Pier offers the citys best view of the spectacular skyline and lakefront, and it is the perfect place for lunch or a sunset stroll.
Navy Pier is a beautiful, awesome, and fun place to go to. I have been there many times and I definitely plan on going back many times more. The best time to go check out Navy Pier is the summer time.
4. The Magnificent Mile
(On Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Oak Street)
The Magnificent Mile is one of the city’s most prestigious residential and commercial areas. It includes fine restaurants, hotels, stores, and several of the tallest buildings in the world. A number of prestigious buildings are located along the Magnificent Mile, such as the Wrigley Building, the John Hancock Center, Water Tower Place, the Tribune Tower, and the Allerton Hotel.
The Magnificent Mile contains a mixture of upscale department stores, restaurants, luxury retailers, residential and commercial buildings, financial services companies, and hotels, and it caters primarily to tourists and the affluent. Many of the world’s leading retail stores are found here on the mile including Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macys, Lord & Taylor, and others as well. The Magnificent Mile includes 3.1 million sq. ft. (288,000 sq. miles) of retail space, 460 stores, 275 restaurants, 51 hotels, and a host of sightseeing and entertainment attractions. More than 22 million visitors come to the Magnificent Mile every year.
Each season the ambiance of the Magnificent Mile changes. During the Christmas season, the city decorates the Magnificent Mile with millions of dollars worth of lights and Christmas decorations. The tradition of lighting the trees of the Magnificent Mile to start the holiday season extends for over forty years. During the event Mickey Mouse walks the Magnificent mile from Wacker Drive to Oak Street, stopping at each block to light the trees. This event is considered the first annual Holiday event of the year in the nation. Winter also brings the Light Nights on The Magnificent Mile featuring weekly fireworks over the Chicago River.
In the spring, Tulip Days occurs here from mid April until the end of May. Hundreds of thousand of tulips bloom on The Magnificent Mile. Typically, they bloom between April 16th and May 7th.
During the summer the “Gardens of the Magnificent Mile” festival event occurs. It is a self-guided landscape display walking tour. The flora from around the world put up on display and are identified with horticultural sign age in each of the gardens and planters. With so many different kinds of flowers it is definitely a beautiful sight to see.
With so much to see and do here, its no wonder that this area is called the Magnificent Mile. A great place to go with friends, family, and even allow. As long as you got the money, the options are endless here.
5. Shedd Aquarium
(Lake Shore Drive and E. Roosevelt Road, Chicago)
Chicagos Shedd Aquarium is located at the Grant Park Museum Complex. It is an indoor aquarium that is one of the largest in the world. It is the second most popular cultural attraction in the city of Chicago, and over 2 million people visit it annually. The Shedd contains over 2100 species including fish, sharks, whales, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, reptiles, and even insects. The Shedd has over 25,000 living fish in it and all of them are on display for the public to view.
The Aquarium contains several exhibits, the most notable are the Caribbean Reef and the Oceanarium exhibits. The Caribbean reef contains about 70 species of animals, including fish, sharks, and stingrays. Visitors get a up close look at the animals from the Caribbean through thick glass windows. The Caribbean reef exhibit aquarium is filled with over 90,000 gallons of salt-water and it is definitely a very nice site.
The huge 3 million gallon oceanarium, gives an overview of the sea life at the pacific northwest coast. The oceanarium contains Beluga whales, sea otters, and seals, but the stars here are the Pacific white-sided dolphins. Shows are scheduled during the day. Thanks to the massiveness of the aquarium, the dolphins have alot of room to show off their speed to the spectators. You can watch them from the windows at the lower levels or during the shows from the amphitheater.
The Shedd Aquarium is a great place for people of all ages. It engages and inspires the young, and it entertains and educates the rest of us.
