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MILLENNIUM PARK
Located in downtown Chicago on Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Monroe Streets, the 24.5-acre park is an unprecedented center for world-class art, music, architecture and landscape design, where you can experience everything from interactive public art and ice skating to al fresco dining (in the summer) and free classical music presentations by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus. Among the park’s prominent features is the dazzling Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States, designed by Frank Gehry, one of
the world's greatest living architects.
The Navy Pier is also a starting point for many boat trips. You have ample choice: You can take a trip on a 148ft high, four-masted schooner or you can hop on one of the 4 seadogs reaching speeds of up to 25 knots (www.seadogcruises.com). Architecture cruises and water taxis (www.shoreline sightseeing.com) are also available. You can also opt to take a romantic dinner cruise and you can even charter ships. One of the boats you can charter is the historic 'El Presidente' which was used by US presidents. www.navypier.com
MUSEUM CAMPUS
The Museum Campus is a scenic 57-acre Lake front park that connects three of Chicago's world-class institutions. The Campus unifies the three museums into a collective destination with more than four million visitors each year. The Museum Campus grounds feature terraced gardens, lush green spaces and broad walkways, which provide an easy and scenic route to the three museums. This setting allows the museums to extend their teaching outdoors, working with the Chicago Park District &the City of Chicago to provide educational & recreational programming that combines learning & fun.
Founded in 1879 as both a school and museum, the building that originally housed the Art Institute of Chicago was built atop rubble from the great Chicago fire.By the 1890s, however, with the impending 1893 World Columbian Exhibition scheduled to take place in Chicago, trustees of the museum and school saw fit to recommend a new building and site. Thus, in 1893, the magnificent Beaux Arts building that now houses the art institute was opened.Designed by the Boston firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, the building has been earning accolades ever since its inception.
Inside the Museum
The permanent collection inside the Art Institute of Chicago is so extensive that it’ll take you several hours to explore the whole thing.
The museum’s collection of Impressionist Art is certainly one of the finest in the country and lovers of Claude Monet will be especially thrilled. Also highly acclaimed is the Art Institute’s exhibit of contemporary American and European works, where you’ll find stunning works by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse.If those don’t peak your interest, consider the Arms and Armor exhibit, spanning four centuries; exquisite European decorative arts; the museum’s celebrated photography collection; or the Asian exhibits, featuring 5,000 years of art work from China, Korea, Japan, India, southwest Asia, and the Near and Middle East.
If you’ve got kids in tow, head to the Kraft Education Center for some interactive fun – something you don’t often find in the world’s stuffy art museums.
For your convenience, there’s also a full-service restaurant, a cafeteria, and in the summer, an outdoor café. Take some time to visit the large gift shop, full of treasures from around the world. http://www.artic.edu/
WALKING TOURS
Looking to find endless options for guided tours in the city? Enter the Chicago Architecture Foundation.The CAF offers a whopping 88 tours in total. You can explore the city by bus, boat, bike on foot or even via a segway. Want to get out of the city? Sign up for a number of suburban tours, most notably to Oak Park to see some Frank Lloyd Wright homes in person. The CAF also offers happy hour tours which end at a number of different bars or restaurants depending on the day.
OR.....
Visitors can discover Chicago's unique charm and many offerings while learning something new about the city with a Chicago Greeter. Catch the enthusiasm of city-wise locals who volunteer to share their knowledge and love of the city through visits on foot and public transportation. Enjoy the local points of interest on these two to four hour visits as well as some of the Greeters' favorite spots.
Chicago Greeter is a free service designed to help visitors become familiar with the city of Chicago and its many neighborhoods. At this time, our focus is to help visitors and those brand new to Chicago, by matching them with a greeter. This service is also beneficial to Chicago residents hosting visiting friends and family who want to send their guests out into the city with a trusted local "expert" to experience a particular Chicago subject or neighborhood. http://www.chicagogreeter.com/
ARCHITECTURAL & RIVER BOAT TOURS
A ninety minute river cruise places you at the feet of over a hundred skyscrapers. Each designed or inspired by the Modernists of nearly a century ago. As you travel through the birthplace of modern architecture, a specially trained guide describes the work of those who revolutionized the building arts and how they are linked structurally and architecturally. www.wendellaboats.com
TROLLEY TOURS
On a Chicago Trolley or Chicago Double Decker bus, visitors to the city can enjoy a tour led by the most knowledgeable & entertaining drivers aboard Chicago's largest Trolley fleet of outdoor touring vehicles. With an all-day pass, you can ride both the Trolley and the Double Decker bus, starting at any stop on the 13-mile route to eat, shop, and see the sites. Hop on or off any Trolley or Double Decker at any of our stops! That's two great tours for one low price! From Sears Tower to the Water Tower; from River North to Chicago's Museum Campus; from State Street to Navy Pier, an all-day pass for the Chicago Trolley & Double Decker bus is all you need to discover the Windy City, past and present. www.trolley.com
Museum of Science & Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry, one of the most beloved and visited museums in the world, has origins that are tied to two great World's Fairs and to civic spirit and imagination of Chicago businessman Julius Rosenwald. Rosenwald, then Chairman of Sears Roebuck & Company, was inspired by a 1911 visit with his son to the Deutches Museum in Munich. He returned to Chicago determined to create America's first center for "industrial enlightenment," a vehicle for public science education. With the help of other Midwest business leaders, Rosenwald restored and converted the Palace of Fine Arts, the last remaining major structure from the 1893 World's Fair, into a new type of American museum - where visitors could interact with the exhibits, not just view displays and artifacts. In 1933, the Museum of Science and Industry opened to the public, at the same time as the Century of Progress Exposition.
Michigan Avenue Bridge
First opened to traffic in 1920, the beautiful Michigan Avenue Bridge connects Chicago’s north and south and accommodates thousands of cars and foot passengers each day.
Building the Bridge
The idea for the Michigan Avenue Bridge was first conceived when architect Daniel Burnham outlined his “Plan for Chicago,” written in 1909. When it came time to build the bridge, Edward Bennett was chosen to draw the design, and work on the bridge commenced in 1917. After three years, the stunning Beaux Arts-style bridge was complete, connecting north and south Michigan Avenue across the Chicago River. The ceremony to celebrate the opening of the bridge featured much pomp and circumstance, with hundreds crowded onto the bridge, several marching bands, and a gala fireworks display.
About the Bridge
Technically speaking, the Michigan Avenue Bridge is a double-deck, double-leaf trunnion bascule bridge, the first of its kind ever built. Specifically, a bascule bridge is a drawbridge hinged with a counterweight that continuously balances the leaf throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic. (Michigan Avenue is the leaf.) Because it has two leaves, the Michigan Avenue Bridge is known as a Double Bascule Trunnion. Trunnion refers to the pin and supporting bearing that forms the hinge, allowing the leaves to move up and down. So precise is the balance of the leaves and trunnions of this double-deck bridge, say engineers, that it only takes two 108-horsepower motors to open and close each of the 3,750-ton bridge leaves.(1)The bridge was considered an engineering marvel of its time and engineers are still impressed with the nearly-century-old bridge’s mechanical prowess.
Aside from the mechanics, however, it’s the bas relief sculptures on the bridge that make it one of the most photographed sights in Chicago. The sculptures depict important events in early Chicago history and are easily viewed while traversing the bridge on foot. http://www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/michiganavenuebridge.htm
Best Chicago Beaches:
Oak Street Beach (1000 North)
A unique experience: Lake Michigan facing you, the LSD behind you, the Magnificent Mile to your right, and miles of bike path and beach to your left. Where else but Chicago can you experience this? Stay late and watch the downtown lights while sitting in the sand. (Supposedly, the only Chicago beach where people can scuba dive.)
Amenities: ADA and Stroller Mat, Bathroom, Oak St. Beachstro, Pedestrian Underpass, Shan's Sunglasses, Volleyball
North Avenue Beach (1600 North)
Chicago's busiest beach, it sometimes feels like a 4th of July celebration, with all its vendors, families, and BBQs. But if you're into people-watching, this is definitely the right beach for you: There's even an open-air gym there.
Amenities: ADA and Stroller Mat, Bathroom, Beach House, Benches, Bike Rentals, Drinking Fountains, Nature Area, Chess Pavilion, Beach Hockey, Parking, Pedestrian Underpass, Stefani's Castaways Restaurant, Volleyball
Grant Park Spirit of Music Garden -
Chicago SummerDance Festival
An 11-week festival features one-hour dance lessons followed by live music and dancing. The Nomadic DJ Series features local and international acts at multiple venues across the city (no dance lesson). Hear world music on Thursdays; Latin, jazz, country and funk on Fridays and Saturdays; and ballroom/big band tunes on Sundays. The DJ series invites you to shake it with dance music.
CHICAGO'S BEACHES
The Lakefront is probably Chicago's greatest attraction. The beaches below are among the most popular of Chicago's 30 beaches. You, however, may prefer a beach that isn't crowded, or where the water is deeper. For a first-hand look at Chicago's beaches, why not get on a bike and take a trip up and down the 18-mile lakefront path that runs from Ardmore to 71st Street? A reminder: the beaches are open roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9 am to 9 pm; and parking is scarce.
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
Pritzker Pavilion --Millennium Park (free)
Millennium Park offers something for all music lovers. From concerts by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus and Chicago's jazz greats to the Gospel Music Festival, each year the park hosts a roster of music events that is as diverse as the City itself. Pack a gourmet picnic (baskets in the apt's) and head down to Millennium Park for an unforgetable evening!
MOVIES in Grant Park
Creating avenues for Chicago families to enjoy summer in the city, the Chicago Park District announces Movies in the Parks where current and classic movies will be shown in Grant Park throughout the city, every Tuesday Evening from June through September. Grab a picnic basket and a blanket and enjoy the show. You bring the snacks, we'll bring the stars. (free)
ART INSTITUTE of Chicago
From the famous bronze lions that grace its elegant exterior to the centuries of artwork that hang on the walls of this expansive gallery, the Art Institute of Chicago is a Chicago gem – inside and out.
The exterior of the Art Institute is one of the most photographed landmarks in Chicago. The two huge lions that greet visitors at the entrance to the museum were designed and crafted by sculptor Edward Kemeys in 1894 and attract as much attention today as they did more than a century ago.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO & CONSERVATORY
Lincoln Park Zoo is everyone’s zoo. And although it is among the oldest zoological gardens in the country (established in 1868), it also is among the most modern—a leader in wildlife conservation, community education and recreation. A premier Chicago attraction, Lincoln Park Zoo each year welcomes more than three million visitors, providing them with remarkable learning experiences as well as fun and enjoyment. And it's free! www.lpzoo.org.
GRANT PARK
The Park's structure is based on the French parks with geometric designs. It consists of a series of bridges which cross the Railway tracks that are still on the park's compound. After the bridges, the park is divided in sections with lawns, trees and monuments, one of them being a statue of Abraham Lincoln. The front near Michigan Lake provides a favorite track for many strollers, joggers and bikers. http://www.aviewoncities.com/Chicago/grantpark.html
The John Hancock Center
Known locally as 'Big John', the John Hancock Center is probably the Chicagoans favorite skyscraper. The 100 - story building, completed in 1969, has a remarkable design, with the huge X-braces serving both a structural and a visual purpose.
A multifunction building. It includes 48 stories of apartments (with a total of 711 apartments), 29 stories offices, shops, a hotel, a swimming pool, an ice rink, restaurant (Signature Room) and on top of the 344 meters tall building radio and television facilities. On top it offers services like its own post office and a refuse collection. The apartments are located at the top of the tower. Some of them are so high that the inhabitants sometimes have to call the doorkeeper to ask what the weather's like down on the ground, as the apartments are sometimes above the clouds. http://www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/johnhancockcenter.htm
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MCA)
One of the nation's largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. www.mcachicago.org
The most eye-catching is the 148 ft Ferris Wheel. It was modeled after the first Ferris wheel built for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. Near the Ferris Wheel is a 44ft high musical carousel with 36 hand-painted animals.
Navy Pier features:
- The skyline stage, a 100ft high vaulted roof structure, is used as an ice skating & as a 1500-seat theater during summer
- Two museums: the Children's museum (www.chichildrensmuseum.org)
- A 7 story Shakespeare theater complex with a 525 seat theater.
- Climbing wall
- An 18 hole miniature golf course
- A funhouse maze
- A 40ft high wave swinger
- IMAX theater
TRIBUNE TOWER
The Tribune Tower was completed in 1925 and reaches a height of 141 meters. It is located at North Michigan Avenue, near the Chicago River. The tower has been modeled after the Button Tower of the Rouen Cathedral in France. With its decorative buttresses at the top, the Chicago Tribune Tower remains a remarkable architectural monument.
Rock Collection
An interesting fact is that the Tribune Tower contains many famous stones incorporated in the wall, including rock fragments from the Alamo, the Colosseum and the Chinese Wall. A steel fragment from the World Trade Center in New York is also added to the wall. All these objects are labeled and visible from the street level. The most famous part of the collection is a moon rock which is not incorporated in the building but on display.
Jammin’ At The Zoo
2009 Schedule
Chicago CityPass captures the city’s cultural gusto and its Lake Michigan landscape. Hugging the shoreline, the city stretches across great neighborhoods, universities, the sophistication of the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Avenue) shops and restaurants, along white sand beaches, signature marinas, historic and contemporary skyscrapers, to the ritzy North Shore. Valid for 9 days after initial use
Chicago GO card
Admission to over 25 of the Chicago's
best attractions & tours
- The Hancock Observatory OR Sears Tower Skydeck
- VIP ticket to Shedd Aquarium
- The Field Museum
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum & Sky Theater Show
CTA Visitors Pass
1-2-3 & 5 Days
Unlimited Rides on EL & CTA Buses
Click to Purchase
Chicago Food Planet, Inc
Offering unique food tasting and cultural walking tours through Chicago’s most delicious and historic neighborhoods. We provide a non-touristy, local experience so you feel like a native Chicagoan. Our adventure truly began 7 years ago when we started exploring Chicago's neighborhoods, investigating alleyways, engaging with residents, sampling cuisine, and shopping local merchants in search of the true Chicago pulse.
Our goal is to tease your taste buds and entice your mind with the sights, flavors, and way of life in Chicago. Our friendly and passionate tour leaders are proud to share our knowledge and discoveries with you. We recommend taking our tour at the beginning of your stay so you can return and enjoy these wonderful neighborhoods at your leisure. http://www.chicagofoodplanet.com/html/about_us.html
GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY
in Chicago, Illinois is one of the largest and most stunning conservatories in the nation. Often referred to as "landscape art under glass," the Garfield Park Conservatory occupies approximately 4.5 acres inside and out, and includes cold frames and propagating where thousands of plants are grown each year for displays in City parks and spaces. Garfield Park Conservatory is located in Garfield Park — an 184-acre site located on Chicago's redeveloping Westside designed as a pleasure ground by William LeBaron Jenney — and is the oldest of the three great original Westside parks
OAK STREET
An International style center, housing many of the world's most exclusive boutiques and salons. It is a street which attracts shoppers from all over the world who seek only the best. Oak Street has become a true "destination", a street of dreams where excitement is generated by sophistication and great taste.
THE MAGNIFICENT MILE
The Magnificent Mile, the northern part of Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River & Lake Shore Drive, is Chicago's version of the Champs-Elysees: a grand wide boulevard with exclusive shops, museums, restaurants and ritzy hotels. Architectural landmarks like the John Hancock Center, Wrigley Building & The Tribune Tower can be found all along the avenue. You'll want to bring your camera! http://www.themagnificentmile.com/
BIKE TOURS
LOCATIONS: Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach, Millennium Park, River Walk,
Bike Chicago offers the largest bike rental fleet in town! Over 500 all-new Trek bikes, including mountain, comfort, and road bikes, cruisers, hybrids, tandems, kids’ bikes, accessories, and more! (773) 404-2500
SUMMER
M-F 6:30a-8p | S-S 8a-8p
SPRING / FALL
M-F 6:30a-7p | S-S 9a-7p
WINTER
M-F 6:30a-6:30p | S-S Closed
BIKE TOURS
LOCATIONS: Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach, Millennium Park, River Walk,
Bike Chicago offers the largest bike rental fleet in town! Over 500 all-new Trek bikes, including mountain, comfort, and road bikes, cruisers, hybrids, tandems, kids’ bikes, accessories, and more! (773) 404-2500
SUMMER
M-F 6:30a-8p | S-S 8a-8p
SPRING / FALL
M-F 6:30a-7p | S-S 9a-7p
WINTER
M-F 6:30a-6:30p | S-S Closed
AGORA located in the area of Grant Park along Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road. "Agora" is the Greek word for "meeting place" in a town. This site is populated by 106 cast iron figures, each about 9 feet tall, shell-like, frozen in walking movement. People love it or hate it. There's nothing in between,'' said Bob O'Neill, president of the Grant Park Advisory Council.
Work said to reflect anxiety
The 76-year-old artist avoided spelling out exactly her intent with her piece, telling reporters, "art is beyond words.'' But she did allow that filling out the 1,800-pound cast-iron figures with heads and arms "would be literal. It would be television.''
Abakanowicz has said her works, which can be found around the world, reflect anxiety over crowds, over isolation and over the dangers of lockstep societies -- feelings she developed as a child when her family lost their country estate to invading Nazis, forcing her to grow up in a densely populated Warsaw neighborhood.
Designed to be walked through and around, Agora, being erected on cement pads at Michigan and Roosevelt, presents a setting in which the visitor "can ask questions and maybe find an answer,'' she said. "You can come alone and maybe be inspired.''
With a bark-like texture, the 9-foot-tall figures also resemble trees. Abakanowicz suggested children might want to try climbing them, though Chicago Park District Supt. Timothy Mitchell nervously added, "at a safe level.''
Forged in Poland and transported to America by ship, Agora has a $3 million price tag. Donors, including actor Robin Williams, working through the park district-affiliated Parkways Foundation, are contributing about $700,000, with the rest coming from the Polish government and a Polish foundation. Mitchell said no tax dollars are being used.
The Wrigley Building
Sitting at one of the most prominent locations of all of Chicago is one of the most famous Chicago buildings .The Wrigley building serves as the headquarters of the Wrigley (chewing gum) company and was built in 1920 by the company's founder, William Wrigley Jr.
It was the first of a series of landmarks at the southern end of the Magnificent Mile: its famous neighbors are the Tribune Tower (1925), the 333 North Michigan Avenue (1928) and the London Guarantee Building (1923). The Wrigley building stands out with its sparkling white terra-cotta cladding, the well-proportioned architecture and the nighttime floodlighting.
The Wrigley building was modeled on the Giralda tower of the cathedral in Sevilla. It consists of 2 sections: the tallest, 30 story southern building has a 121 meter high tower and was completed in 1921. The largest, 21 story northern section was completed in 1924. The 2 structures are connected by an open walkway on street level and 2 elevated walkways on the 3rd and 14th story.
Between the two structures is the small Wrigley plaza. It was originally designed by the Wrigley building's architects, Graham, Anderson and Probst, but wasn't built until 1957 by Louis Solomon and John Cordwell. www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/wrigley.htm
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