Chicago Attractions That You Have to See in 2024
The largest city in the Midwest, I truly believe that everyone needs to make at least one trip to Chicago. I might be biased (ok, I am a bit) since I used to live in the city near the University of Chicago, but I am yet to bring any friends or family to Chicago who said they had a bad time. There is so much to see in this historic city in addition to amazing food and plenty of shopping. And unlike other major cities such as New York, Chicago is very clean and the public transportation is almost always on-time!
When you make your trip to Chicago, you need to have a slice of deep-dish pizza and a Chicago style hotdog. Although any food you get in Chicago will be delicious, these two items are the city’s claim to fame. Whenever I have any friends tell me they are going to be in Chicago for a weekend and want to know where they should go, I give them these 5 recommendations. I highly suggest you check them out too:
1. Navy Pier
An icon of Chicago, you can easily spot it from the air if you are flying into Chicago O’Hare airport and are flying in from east of the city. You can spend an entire day at Navy Pier visiting any of the shows passing through or the Children’s museum. You can also take a boat tour along Lake Michigan; there are several tour operators and dinner cruises. You need to make sure you ride the iconic Ferris wheel as well!
2. Sears (Willis) Tower
A trip to Chicago wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t go to the top of the tallest building in the country (and the 7th tallest building in the world). You can enjoy breathtaking views of the city from the observation deck. It’s so high up that you can even see Michigan on a clear day! As a word of advice, some taxi drivers get very upset if you tell them to take you to the Willis Tower. But if you ask to go to the Sears Tower, they’ll take you there promptly!
3. The Field Museum
Located right along the gorgeous Lake Shore Drive, the museum is home to several world-famous exhibits. If you stop at the museum, you need to visit Sue, the largest and most complete tyrannosaurus known in the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75dfOo68jis
4. Michigan Avenue
For those who love to shop while on vacation, there is no better place to do so than the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue! There are so many shops that have everything you could possibly imagine. Make sure to stop at the historic Water Tower Place to continue shopping once you have walked past the stores outdoors. There are also plenty of restaurants, for those that want to grab a quick bite or cup of coffee while window shopping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrBKODogOsM
5. The Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium recently passed the Field Museum as the most popular cultural attraction in Chicago, and you are sure to enjoy this amazing aquarium. There is so much to see at the Shedd Aquarium that you can spend the entire day there without realizing how quickly time flies.