Things to Do in Chicago
Navy Pier, with its rides, restaurants and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, attracts crowds looking for family fun. But the city's true signature is its skyline, dominated by bold skyscrapers. Architectural icons like the Willis Tower and the John Hancock Center offer breathtaking views from their observation decks. Not to mention world-renowned museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, home to prestigious collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
Navy Pier
It's Chicago's most visited attraction, with shops and cafes.
Chicago Riverwalk
On the banks of the Chicago River. Pedestrian promenade, terraces.
Route 66
Route 66 is a 2,500-mile road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Chicago L Subway
The train runs on elevated tracks through the city of Chicago.
Willis Tower (Sears)
It remained the world's tallest skyscraper for 25 years.
Skydeck Chicago
Four glass skyboxes on Willis Tower's 103rd floor facade.
Hancock Observatory
360° view from the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center.
Palmer House
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was the largest hotel in the world.
Trump Tower
It is one of the 10 tallest buildings in the world.
Carbide & Carbon
Historical building. Top shaped like a champagne bottle.
Chicago Theatre
Its giant sign with the name of the city is an icon.
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
An open-air concert hall with acoustics like no other.
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Guided tours of Chicago's iconic buildings.
Chicago Picasso
Picasso's pioneering work of "Public Art" in Chicago.
Buckingham Fountain
The largest fountain in the world. Located in Grant Park.
Art Institute of Chicago
One of the most prestigious collections of Impressionist art.
Cloud Gate (The Bean)
This large, bean-shaped mirror offers a stunning reflection of the city skyline.
The Crown Fountain
Interactive video sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park.
Chicago River
156 miles long, its flow was reversed in the 19th century.
Grant Park
Downtown's largest park is home to several museums.
Millennium Park
Monumental outdoor works of art grace Millennium Park.
Lake Michigan
The lake is the largest in the US and the fifth largest on earth.
Chicago Beaches
Chicago boasts 28 miles of shoreline and more than 30 beaches.
Magnificent Mile
Chicago's chicest avenue with prestigious boutiques and hotels.
Water Tower Place
A large shopping center in the heart of Chicago.Chicago happenings
Chicago Blues Festival
Every June, the Chicago Blues Festival welcomes the biggest names in blues to the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park. It's the largest free music festival in the world.
Since its inception in 1984, the festival has hosted the biggest names in blues, from B.B. King to Chuck Berry, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Keith Richards, Ray Charles and many more. In recent years, the festival has opened its program to other bluesy trends such as blues-rock and jazz-blues.
Grant Park Music Festival
Since 1931, the Grant Park Music Festival has been held annually in Grant Park. For ten weeks in the summer (between June and August), several concerts are held each week in the open air, under the metal arch of the Jay Pritzker Pavilon with its exceptional acoustics (it is located in the newly created southern section of the park called "Millennium Park").
The concert series features the Grant Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Chorus, who welcome renowned soloists and conductors for the occasion.
Chicago Jazz Festival
Every summer, for four days around Labor Day weekend, the Chicago Jazz Festival takes place at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park, on the shores of Lake Michigan.
The event, one of the most prestigious of its kind, has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald...
Taste of Chicago
Every summer, it's a can't-miss event for food lovers: the world's largest food festival sets up shop in Grant Park, offering a wide range of local and far-flung specialties.
Admission is free, and many brands offer free samples of their products: a great deal.