Location: Chicago
Top Things to do in Chicago
Top 10 Sights & Landmarks in Chicago, Illinois (IL)
The windy city is a cornucopia of modern art, fine dining, cutting edge comedy, and die-hard sports fans. Snap a photo of your reflection in the silver Cloud Gate sculpture at Millennium Park before heading to Grant Park to get hit with the refreshing spray of Buckingham Fountain. There are dozens of museums and theater companies in Chicago, so a cultural experience is never hard to find. You’re sure to laugh your head off at the Second City Theater, the professional launch pad of many famous comedians.
Restaurants in Chicago
1. Chicago Skyline
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 687 reviews
Reviewed By AlexB10499 - Providence, United States
Not only is the Chicago skyline one of the most recognizable in the United States – it’s also frequently ranked as one of the most impressive. The tallest landmark, of course, is the Sears Tower, one of the nation’s tallest buildings at around 1,450 feet. Trump Tower is the city’s second-tallest building and has a distinctly modern look to it – as well as a great location on the Chicago River. A few good spots to view the skyline include Navy Pier, Grant Park, the Nature Boardwalk in Lincoln Park, some of the skyscraper observation decks, and even from the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, if you want to take a quick cruise. One other anecdote about the Chicago skyline: you can see it on the horizon across Lake Michigan from the Indiana Dunes National Park, more than 50 miles away. That’s how tall those buildings are.
2. Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17,474 reviews
No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago! Treat yourself to a "one stop Chicago" experience on your journey to the 103rd floor. Enjoy 360-degree views spanning up to 50 miles and 4 states and our most spectacular view - 1,353 feet straight down! "Dare to Stand Out" on The Ledge - glass balconies extending 4.3 Feet outside the building provide a thrilling, once in a lifetime experience!
Reviewed By manjushap1907 - Visakhapatnam, India
A must visit place when u visit Chicago.. A unique experience when you stand in the glass box and have unparalleled views of Chicago city.. Advise don’t visit this place during long weekends as the waiting time is too long and you cannot have a good experience due to the rush of the crowds.. You are given 1-2mins to just take pics and you cannot really enjoy the experience..
3. Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 808 reviews
To ensure the health and safety of our guests, tours at Robie House return on June 11 and are limited to nine guests per time slot. (Updated 6/2/20) The Frederick C. Robie House on the University of Chicago campus is considered one of the most important buildings in the history of American architecture. This Prairie style masterpiece is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright List. Discover the residence Wright described as “a cornerstone of modern architecture” on guided tours that take in both the exterior and interior of the building. Inspired by the expansive landscape of the Midwest prairie, Wright’s Robie House is the most famous of the architect’s groundbreaking Prairie houses. Public tours are available Thursday - Monday. The museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit flwright.org to learn more.
Reviewed By reneeu435
We enjoyed the tour and wished we had been able to take the in-depth tour. I have toured a couple FLW houses and this one is beautifully restored.
4. Chicago Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,992 reviews
The Chicago Cultural Center is the nation's first free municipal cultural center and one of the most visited attractions in Chicago. The stunning landmark building, opened in 1897 as the city's first public library, is home to two magnificent stained-glass domes, and annually presents hundreds of free cultural exhibits and performances. Admission is free.
Reviewed By pookala - Philadelphia, United States
Aside from being a beautiful building filled with finely executed mosaic work, a lovely marble staircase and an always interesting array of changing exhibits; the Cultural Center also has a free weekly recital under the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. The 45 minute Wednesday concerts take place in the Preston Bradley Hall at 12:15 pm. Be sure to get there early (20-30 minutes) if you want to sit up front. The space fills up quickly. If you have nothing planned afterwards go to the Randolph St entrance after the concert and go on a tour of the building. Space is limited for this tour and they start at 1:15 pm daily. Check out their calendar of events before planning your Chicago itinerary to take advantage of this excellent cultural institution.
5. Wrigley Field
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,799 reviews
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the legendary home of the Chicago Cubs with Wrigley Field Tours. Built in 1914, this must-see Chicago attraction houses more than 100 years of history. New this year, fans can join us on a non-gameday Ivy Tour which includes the opportunity to take a photo in front of Wrigley Field’s historic ivy wall.
Reviewed By MarkT4358 - Houston, United States
This is an old stadium.But everything was clean.The restrooms and seats were new.The stadium was huge.When I was in Fenway, Boston, I thought Fenway was small.But Wrigley was big.It was a Tuesday night after Labor day.I could see a lot of people.Windy City really love Cubs.If you are a baseball fan, Wrigley is a must-visit.
6. United Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,481 reviews
This modern arena replaced the old Chicago Stadium as home court for the NBA's Bulls and the NHL's Blackhawks.
Reviewed By ToleyTheTolerBear - Chicago, United States
I watched Tool perform here this past Sunday night 11/3/19! I was lucky to have scored 5th row seats! They were mind-blowingly awesome!! What a great time and a great venue! The view/sight lines and the sound quality were both excellent! Also, the food and drinks here are also great! I’ve previously watched Black Hawks and Bulls games here and have had GREAT times watching both teams WIN whenever I was here!! Definitely 1 of my FAVORITE places to watch live events!!
7. Michigan Avenue Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 969 reviews
The view from the bridge is one of the best vistas the city has to offer.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
The Michigan Avenue Bridge, which was renamed the Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable Bridge in 2010 in honor of the Founder of Chicago and the city's first permanent non-Indigenous settler, is a bascule bridge that carries Michigan Avenue across the Chicago River in downtown Chicago. Opened in 1920, it provides passage for vehicles and pedestrians on two levels and carries more traffic per day than any other bridge in Chicago. The location is significant in the early history of Chicago, connecting on the north side near the 1780s homesite of Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable and on the south the early 19th century site of Fort Dearborn. Officially, it is a double-leaf, double-deck, fixed counterweight, trunnion bascule bridge, the first of its type ever constructed. The steel structure can carry about 30,000 people daily. The southwest bridgehouse has been converted into a museum, the five-floor, 1,613-square-foot McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, with its entrance off the Chicago Riverwalk. It includes exhibits on the history of the Chicago River and the bridge. Visitors are allowed to access the bridge's gear room in the spring and fall to see the bridge's lifting gears in operation. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and designated a Chicago Landmark in 1991.
8. Tribune Tower
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 626 reviews
The neo-gothic tower's signature is the exterior collection of stones from other famous edifices, like the Parthenon, St. Peter's Basilica, Notre Dame, the White House and most recently, the Berlin Wall.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
As a retired newspaperman who worked for the competitor across the street for more than 30 years, I can't get over the fact that the publishing, editorial and advertising offices of the Chicago Tribune no longer are housed in iconic Tribune Tower. It's like taking Mickey Mouse out of Disneyland or Babe Ruth out of Yankee Stadium. Located at 435 North Michigan Avenue, the 470-foot-tall, 36-floor neo-Gothic skyscraper was built between 1923 and 1925. The tower features carved images of Robin Hood and a howling dog near the main entrance to commemorate the architects John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood and the top of the tower is designed after the Tour de beurre of the Rouen Cathedral in France. While it has been recognized for its classic architecture and has earned a reputation as the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world, it is most noted for the rocks and bricks that Tribune correspondents brought back from a variety of historically important sites throughout the world at the request of then Tribune publisher Colonel Robert McCormick to be incorporated into the lowest levels of the building. In all, there are 149 fragments in the building, including a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center and a rock from the Moon. In addition, there are stones from the Taj Mahal, the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia, Corregidor, Westminster, the Alamo, the Great Pyramid, Notre Dame de Paris, Abraham Lincoln's tomb, the Great Wall of China and Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Today, Tribune Tower is being converted into condominiums with work expected to be completed by 2020.
9. The Magnificent Mile
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15,639 reviews
The Magnificent Mile is one of the great avenues of the world and is at the center of all that makes Chicago an international destination. One of the top 10 hospitality, dining and retail destinations in the world, with endless shopping, international cuisine, top rated hotels, lively entertainment, majestic architecture and natural beauty at every turn, The Magnificent Mile offers visitors to Chicago a one-of-a-kind city experience. The Magnificent Mile is the 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue that runs from the banks of the Chicago River to the south, to Oak Street to the north. The Magnificent Mile district extends a full square mile from North Michigan Avenue. The Magnificent Mile is a spectacular showcase of style, flavor, entertainment and fun. With more than 460 stores, 275 restaurants, 60 hotels and unique entertainments and attractions packed and stacked along its length, The Magnificent Mile has an indulgence for every passion and every pocket.
Reviewed By christiano242
The Magnificent Mlle is certainly magnificent with the high end stores and other shops along with the historic and new architecture for which Chicago is so justly proud. Just walking along the Mile, one can hear languages from many countries. Each season the street is decorated with theme-based decorations. Along with shopping I enjoy people watching.
10. Wrigley Building
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 303 reviews
This white, terra-cotta landmark was built in 1922 as headquarters for the Wrigley chewing gum company.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
My wife and I have fond memories of the Wrigley Building. As a sportswriter for the Chicago Daily News in the 1970s, I once joined a platoon of other sportswriters that gathered at Philip Wrigley's top-floor office to learn about a reported Chicago Cubs trade. My wife worked in an office in the Wrigley Building for more than 20 years. I used to get monthly haircuts in the Wrigley Building's barber shop. We used to enjoy breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the old Press Club, which was headquartered in the Wrigley Building. And I cashed my weekly checks at the bank that once was housed on the first floor of the Wrigley Building's South Tower. Today, it remains a Chicago Landmark, an architectural beauty, one of the city's most distinguished buildings. Located at 410 North Michigan Avenue, on the Chicago River, at the head of the Magnificent Mile, the Wrigley Building was built from 1920 to 1924 to house the corporate headquarters of the Wrigley Company, which sold chewing gum and owned the Chicago Cubs. It was the first major office building north of the Chicago River and the city's first air-conditioned office building. The glazed terra cotta structure was designed by the architechural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White using the shape of the Giralda tower of Seville's Cathedral combined with French Renaissance details. The 425-foot, 30-story South Tower was completed in April 1921 and the 21-story North Tower was completed in May 1924. Walkways between the towers were added at the ground level and the third floor. In 1931, another walkway was added at the 14th floor. A signature feature is the clock tower. Who hasn't walked across the Michigan Avenue Bridge or along the Chicago River and glanced up at the Wrigley Building's clock tower to check the time of day? Today, the bank is gone. So is the Press Club. And the barber shop. But the new owners, who purchased the building in 2011, have added a Walgreen's drug store, Giardelli chocolate shop, coffee shop, fitness center and a nursing room for mothers. At night, bathed in lights, the grace and elegance of the Wrigley Building is beholden to one and all.
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