Top Attractions

Top Attractions

Sears Tower Skydeck

Take the ear-popping ride to the 103rd-floor observatory, where, on a clear day, you can see to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. At the top, interactive exhibits tell about Chicago's dreamers, schemers, architects, musicians, writers, and sports stars. Kids love Knee-High Chicago, a 4-foot-high exhibit that has cutouts of Chicago sports, history, and cultural icons at a child's eye-level. Security is very tight, so figure in a little extra time for your visit to the Skydeck.

John Hancock Center Observatory

The third-tallest building in Chicago has the most impressive panoramic views of the lake and surrounding skyline -- it's high enough to see the tops of neighboring buildings in vivid 3-D, but not so remote that you feel like you're looking out from a plane. Our tip? Skip the observatory and head to the bar that adjoins the Signature Room restaurant on the 95th floor -- you'll spend your money on an exorbitantly priced cocktail instead of the entrance fee and enjoy the same view. Women, head to the 95th floor ladies' room for the best view in the whole building.

Shopping on the Magnificent Mile

Exclusive shops, department stores, and boutiques line the northern half of swanky Michigan Avenue. Even better, the concentration of prestigious stores in vertical malls means you can get a lot of shopping done in winter without venturing into the bluster outside.

The Blues Scene

Explore jumping North Side clubs, like Kingston Mines, or South Side venues, like the Checkerboard or Lee's Unleaded Blues (where greats like Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy first honed their talent), for the sound Chicago gave birth to -- the scintillating electric blues. If you're here in June, don't miss the Chicago Blues Festival, which packs in fans every summer.

Navy Pier

Yes, it's a little schlocky, but Navy Pier is fun, especially for families. Everyone can fan out to shop in the mall, play minigolf in the Crystal Ballroom in winter, see a movie at the IMAX Theater, or explore the Chicago Children's Museum. Plus, there's a stained-glass museum, a maze, and a 3-D ride that whizzes through scenes of Chicago. Meet up later at the Ferris wheel for a photo op or just settle on the pier with a drink and enjoy the view.

Art Institute of Chicago

This Chicago cultural gem has the country's best collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art. It's also a great place to see all those paintings you've only seen on postcards, like American Gothic and Nighthawks.

Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum

How can you not enjoy the snazzy 3-D sky shows at the country's oldest planetarium? Older children and physics fanatics get geeked about the interactive science exhibits and the high-tech Sky Pavilion, while younger visitors get a kick out of the cultural exhibits.

Field Museum

Say hello to Sue, the Field's beloved gigantic T. rex, before immersing yourself in this extraordinary museum's collection of anthropological and paleontological artifacts and animal dioramas. The dinosaurs are the thing here, but surprising collections of items like Tibetan Buddhist alters, mummies, and the re-creation of famous gems may entice you to linger for hours.

Museum of Science & Industry

Travel down an elevator to a "working" coal mine, walk down the cobblestone streets of old Chicago, explore the caves of a human heart, or watch quietly as a baby chick pecks its way out of its shell at this unusual museum.

Shedd Aquarium

We find the experience of watching entire universities -- not just schools -- of fantastically colored fish, as well as dolphins and whales, completely mesmerizing. Don't miss the Wild Reef exhibit, where stingrays slide quietly under the Plexiglas at your feet.

Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School captured the flat, expansive Midwestern plains he saw around him. Oak Park, a Chicago suburb, has many fine examples, though one of the best is Robie House in Hyde Park, which is open for tours.

Millennium Park

Make a beeline for Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where an incredible sound system allows audiences to enjoy concert-hall sound in the great outdoors. The Bean is a luminous polished-steel sculpture that plays tricks with the reflection of Chicago's skyline.