10 Sights of Chicago
1. River Cruise: The 40 minute Chicago River Architecture Cruise has a more sedate pace, and gives you a clear view of more than 40 listed landmarks.
2. Skydeck: The 442-metre Willis Tower was the tallest building in the world for 25 years, and is still among the top 25. Featureing the legendary ledge of glass.
3. Grant Park: These 319 acres contain lots of Chicago’s top attractions like Millennium Park, the Museum Campus Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago, Maggie Daley Park and the epic Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears NFL team.
4. Millennium Park: the 2.5-acre Lurie Garden is part of the world’s largest green roof, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion is an 11,000-capacity band-shell was conceived by Frank Gehry.
5. Riverwalk: A feat of urban planning, the Riverwalk is 1.25 miles long, made up of six coves or “rooms” up to Wolf Point. The route will take you past photo opportunities like the Wrigley Building and a whole of host of head-turning works of public art.
6. Navy Pier: in 50 acres you’ll come across the vast multisensory Funhouse Maze and the 65-metre Centennial Wheel, footed by fairground rides and amusements. There’s also weekly fireworks in summer, an IMAX Theatre, the Chicago Children’s Museum and the Crystal Gardens botanical garden with more than 80 palms.
7. Cloud Gate aka The Bean: You can take photos of your own reflection against the distorted Chicago skyline, and while passing under the 3.7-metre, look up into the “omphalos”, a concave chamber that twists and multiplies reflections.
8. John Hancock Center: A mainstay of Chicago’s silhouette, 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) is a 344-metre skyscraper on the Magnificent Mile. There’s a cafe and bar up, as well as interactive displays labeling the landmarks on the horizon in each direction.
9. Maggie Daley Park: The whimsical Play Garden, for kids up to 12, is a playground like you’ve never seen, with six different zones like the Watering Hole which has a giant breaching whale, and the Enchanted Forest where you’ll walk under upside down trees. There’s also a quarter of a mile in length, picnic groves, an 18-hole mini golf course and rock-climbing walls.
10. Buckingham Fountain: Hewn from Georgia pink marble, the Buckingham Fountain is one of the largest in the world, standing almost eight meters tall, with nearly 200 jets and a pool measuring 85 meters across. At any one time there’s 5,700,000 liters of water in the Buckingham.
5 Things to Enjoy
1. Woodfield Mall: One of the biggest malls in America you are bound to find something for everyone!
2. Rosemont: Rosemont has quite a bit! You can check out parkway bank park where you can find many great restaurants and bars! Also on location is a great vintage bowling alley, a movie theater, and across the street you can find the outlet stores that features many favorite brands and even some high end brands!
3. Indoor play grounds: Playroom cafe in Des Plaines and the Whimsy Play Cafe in Buffalo Grove are great places to take the kids! Both include a cafe for parents to enjoy coffee and snacks while the little ones play!
4. Khols Children's Museaum: a wonderous place for children to explore and learn hands on!
5. Top Golf: Enjoy some fun and drinks while shooting little white balls yards away!