Chicago Tourism: Things To Do In Chicago

Chicago is not just a business and financial hub. There is more to it than just stunning architecture. It offers a whole gamut of entertainment. Chicago has several tourist attractions and is a warm and friendly city.

The Hancock Observatory offers a panoramic view of the city. The John Hancock Center was constructed in 1970 and is 100 stories tall. The Hancock Observatory on the 94th floor is opened to the public along with the Signature Room restaurant on the 95th floor. The Observatory is 1000 feet above the Michigan Avenue. There is the Skywalk, which is an open-air viewing area. There are interactive kiosks, which provide a video tour of 80 Chicago attractions. There is a headphone audio tour of 16 stops around the observation deck. There are talking telescopes that provide narration of what you are viewing. There are over 100 historical photos on the 80-foot history wall.

One can visit Wrigley Field, which is the home of the Chicago Cubs the second oldest major league ballpark in the United States. It is one of the most famous baseball stadiums. Good pubs and restaurants surround it.

The Shedd Aquarium is another tourist attraction. It is one of the best aquariums in the United States. It has different exhibits. The Caribbean Reef is a 90,000-gallon circular tank and filled with stingrays, sharks, eels, a sea turtle, and tropical fish. A diver hand feeds the fish and answers questions of visitors while underwater several times a day. The Amazon Rising exhibit has toxic frogs, huge spiders, piranhas, and an anaconda. The Oceanarium exhibit ‘s objective is to recreate the peaceful rain forest of the Pacific Northwest, and has sea stars, otters, dolphins, and beluga whales. The Wild Reef exhibit has live coral, and over two dozen sharks swimming in a 400,000-gallon tank.

The Sears Tower is 110 stories tall. It is the tallest building in North America. It has a Skydeck observatory, which gives a view of Chicago at 1353 feet. There are interactive Chicago history exhibits. There are multi-language (English, French, German, Japanese, Polish and Spanish) kiosks that guide you through a tour of Chicago landmarks. There is Knee-High Chicago, a ‘kid-level’ display that teaches kids about Chicago sports and history. There are also high-powered telescopes in place.

The Navy Pier is a tourist attraction. It has several parts. There is a 19-acre Gateway Park, which has a water fountain and computerized jet streams. The Family Pavilion has the 50,000-square-foot Chicago Children Museum, an IMAX Theater, the Crystal Gardens indoor botanical park, and several restaurants and shops.

The South Arcade has many shops and restaurants as well as the 3-D ride Time Escape, and the Chicago Shakespeare TheaterFestival Hall is the area of Navy Pier dedicated to trade shows and exhibitions. Festival Hall is over 170,000 square feet. It has 36 meeting rooms, up to 60 foot ceilings, and a full range of telecommunications and electrical needs. Festival Hall also has the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, a display of 150 beautiful and historic stained glass. The Navy Pier Park has the famous 150-foot-high Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, a high-flying swing ride and a miniature golf course.