Top Things To Do In Chicago

With more than 2 million guests every year, John G. Shedd Aquarium is Chicago’s most visited cultural attraction. The aquarium is conveniently located in Chicago's Museum Campus, right next to the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium.

Voted the #1 museum in the world by TripAdvisor in 2014, the Art Institute of Chicago is definitely one of the top things to see in Chicago. Inside you'll see famous masterpieces like American Gothic, as well as the greatest impressionist collection outside Paris.

Adler Planetarium, which appears ready to launch itself into Lake Michigan from its lakeside perch, brings the universe to its visitors. The planetarium is also home to one of the world's most technologically advanced dome theaters.

The Field Museum is your passport to travel the world and back in time with 4.5 billion years of history under one roof. Field is also one of the few places in the United States where you can visit an ancient Egyptian tomb.

The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere beckons with its eye-popping views of Chicago and beyond. Located atop the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), Skydeck Chicago attracts nearly 1.3 million visitors each year.

Located in the heart of the Windy City’s tourist district, 360 CHICAGO — with its one-of-a-kind open-air Skywalk — is open until 11 p.m. daily. The fastest elevators in North America zoom to the 94th floor — 1,000 feet (305 meters) up — in only 40 seconds.

The largest science center in the Western Hemisphere, the Museum of Science and Industry was the first museum in North America to offer visitors the chance to touch and interact with exhibits.

Encompassing more than 50 acres (20 hectares) of prime Chicago lakefront territory, Navy Pier is truly a city within the city. With shopping, restaurants, parks and gardens, museums, stages and attractions galore, this Chicago landmark attracts millions every year.

This may be one of Chicago’s newest places to visit, but Millennium Park has quickly become a destination of choice for travelers and locals alike. With hundreds of performances throughout the year at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, you're likely to be able to catch one when you're in town.

Do you like shopping? Aptly named, The Magnificent Mile is a mecca for tourists and business people, and bolsters Chicago’s claim as one of the great cities on the world stage. The Magnificent Mile is also the heart of Chicago's dining scene.

Grant Park is Chicago's front yard. Between the towering architecture of the city and the lakefront is a marvelous piece of land free of buildings and full of life. With over 300 acres of space, Grant Park has plenty to offer.

Lincoln Park accurately represents Chicago’s motto, urbs in horto, or "City in a Garden." The center of the Lincoln Park neighborhood beams with an exuberant nightlife, but it's the scenic outdoors that make Lincoln Park so wonderful.

Football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, whatever sport it may be, Chicago proudly sports them all. From the Bears and the Blackhawks to the Cubs, the Bulls, and the White Sox, Chicago is the epicenter of all things major league.

A futuristic, silvery bean known as Cloud Gate made it’s way to Chicago at the grand opening of Millennium Park in 2004. It's seamless design and shiny exterior produces entertaining and distorted reflections of anyone and everything, 360 degrees around.

The Chicago Theatre boasts elegant design and classy character with it’s near six stories high, vertical C-H-I-C-A-G-O sign. Alternatively, The Goodman Theatre is Chicago’s oldest not-for-profit theater, known for high quality productions and artistic diversity.

Lake Michigan makes Chicago ever the more beautiful, and the city’s Lakefront Trail provides the greatest view of all. The 18-mile path stretches across multiple lakefront neighborhoods, and is the most scenic route you can take to Chicago’s hotspot destinations.

In a big city like Chicago, skyscrapers and urban enchantment will likely take up the majority of your travel itinerary. But if you want clean air and a green getaway, the Chicago Botanic Garden might be just what you’re looking for.

At the Chicago Cultural Center, you’ll experience the Chicago art and music scene in a building that looks like an ornate masterpiece all on its own. The Chicago Cultural Center coalesces history, beauty, and culture into one brilliant attraction.