Chicago Attractions

Lincoln Park is one of the best residential neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois. It features vintage townhomes that offer single family and apartment-style living. The streets are tree-lined and many houses even boast a small yard. Parking is difficult though. If you don't have a residential parking permit, you may find yourself circling the blocks for quite some time, looking for a parking space.

In addition to its residential charm, Lincoln Park is host to numerous Chicago attractions. The best known are the Lincoln Park Zoo, North Avenue Beach, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

Lincoln Park Zoo is open year-round and has free admission. Between this and their high-quality exhibits, the zoo attracts upwards of 3 million visitors a year. It is best to visit in the morning before the crowds grow too large. The zoo was first opened in 1868, and has been continuously committed to providing Chicagoans and visitors with a unique wildlife experience...

Located on the corners of Michigan and Monroe Avenues in downtown Chicago, Illinois, the Art Institute of Chicago was founded back in 1879 to serve as a museum and an arts school. The museum is home to thousands of different art works and artifacts which have been categorized into different collections to celebrate the beauty and glory of different works of art throughout the centuries. The exquisite artifacts and art works that have made the Art Institute of Chicago its home have drawn many art students form its arts school that could be seen in different sections of the museum sketching their own interpretation of selected artworks.

The Art Institute of Chicago is a great place to spend an educational weekend with your family. The Ryan Education Center in the museum hosts a variety of fun and interactive activities for families, children and teenagers. One of the special programs offered here is the Mini Masters program which is designed for children between 3 and 5 years old...

The city of Chicago, Illinois, is one that is lined with skyscrapers. One of the most famous of these skyscrapers is the John Hancock Center. Dubbed simply as "Big John" by the locals, the John Hancock Center was completed in 1969 and stands 100 stories tall. It is known for its distinct X-shaped braces that serve as the decoration of the façade of the building as well. These braces allowed the engineers to construct the John Hancock Center in such a way that it would withstand the powerful wind forces that blow about in the Windy City.

Currently, the John Hancock Center is one of the many multifunctional skyscrapers that dot the Chicago skyline. It is home to 48 floors of apartments, 29 floors of office spaces, a hotel, swimming pool, a television and radio station, an ice skating rink, and numerous shops and boutiques...

Originally established as the city's Public Library, the Chicago Cultural Center was built in 1897. Its designed was inspired by the neo-classical style of the World's Columbian Exposition which was held four years earlier. The Chicago Cultural Center is considered to be one of the most expensive buildings ever constructed. At the time of when it was built, the Chicago Cultural Center's construction was pegged at $2 Million. The interior of the building are crafted using the highest quality marble, hardwood, stained-glass, polished brass and glass mosaics.

The main showstopper of the building is its stained glass dome which is valued at $35 Million. Measuring 38 feet across, the stained glass dome located at the southern end of the building is the largest Tiffany stained glass dome in the world. Recently the Tiffany dome underwent some much needed renovation and restoration back in 2007 and was completed a year after...

Wrigley Field is the second oldest baseball stadium in the United States. Home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, Wrigley Field was established back in 1914 under the name of Weeghman Park, after Charles H. Weeghman who was once the owner of the property where the Wrigley Field now stands. The name was changed to Wrigley Field in 1926 in honor of William Wrigley, Jr. who was the owner of the Chicago Cubs. The baseball stadium had become the site of some of the most historic moments in baseball history. One of the most memorable historical moments happened during the 1932 World Series where Babe Ruth pointed to a bleacher before hitting a homerun for the Chicago Cubs and sending the baseball flying towards the same bleachers he initially pointed.

Today, Wrigley Field stands as one of the most beautiful ball parks in the country and has become one of the most popular tourist destinations for travelers visiting the city of Chicago, Illinois...

Millennium Park stands between Michigan Ave. and the waterfront in the heart of Chicago. For many, this park is also Chicago's heart. It represents over twenty-five years of lobbying by the philanthropic community and its eventual collaboration with the City of Chicago to construct. Now, Millennium Park is a major Chicago landmark.

Visitors to Millennium Park will enjoy the wide, grassy spaces and the modern sculptures and design. Many Chicagoans find the park a relaxing place to picnic, read, play Frisbee, or listen to music.

Arguably, the most iconic image of Millennium Park is Anish Kapoor's enormous Cloud Gate sculpture. However, ask a native for directions to the Cloud Gate sculpture and he'll give you a funny look. In Chicago this reflective, organic, and interactive art work is known as The Bean...

At the heart of the Millennium Park in downtown Chicago, you will find Cloud Gate which is now becoming one of the most popular attractions in the city today. Created by a British artist named Anish Kapoor, the Cloud Gate sculpture got its name from the fact that 80% of the entire sculpture reflects the Chicago skyline. Made out of pure stainless steel plates craftily arranged to provide its seamless look, the Cloud Gate sculpture was unveiled in July 2004. It measures 66 feet long, 35 feet wide and weight 110 tons.

The Cloud Gate sculpture is known among the locals as "The Bean" due to its bean-like shape. Some locals have also called it the "Electric Kidney Bean." What enthralls locals and tourists alike is the fact that this sculpture is extremely interactive. Viewers of the Cloud Gate sculpture get their own unique experience from simply viewing this sculpture that gives an impression of a drop of mercury that has been suspended in time and space...

Soaring at 1,450 feet, Willis Tower (formally Sears Tower) is one of the world's tallest buildings. When you include the twin antenna towers, the building's height is at 1,730 feet. In fact, it owned the title of world's tallest building from the time it was built in 1974 until 1996. Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur has disputed that honor, but still, if you only count height in terms of highest roof, highest occupied floor and highest antenna, Sears Tower is still the tallest building in the face of the earth. This is a must-see when in Chicago, as it affords a jaw-popping view of the city, with a thrilling elevator ride to the top as a bonus.

This building was designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer Fazlur Khan. Its elegant exteriors are covered with stainless aluminum and glass. Located at 233 South Wacker Drie, Chicago, this is undoubtedly one of the city's top landmarks...

Adler Planetarium is located in Chicago, Illinois, just off Lake Shore Drive next to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. It is open year-round, but its hours change during the summer. Make sure you check out their website before planning your trip. The price of general admission to the exhibits is $10 for adults and $6 for children. The cost increases depending on the number of shows you want to see. There are also a number of free days throughout the year sponsored by the Charter One Foundation. These days are also listed on the Adler Planetarium website.

The Adler Planetarium features a number of permanent and rotating exhibits and shows. The breadth of topics covered by the exhibits is amazing. One can view early telescopes and sundials, hear stories of the Moon landings, learn more about our solar system and the Milky Way, or look through the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and see gravitational waves disturbing the surface of our space-time much like ripples on the water of a still pond...

Located just two blocks south from the Millennium Park, the Chicago Architecture Foundation was established right across the Art Institute of Chicago. It is one of the prime tourist destinations for travelers who desire to learn more about the history of a particular city and how it came to be as it is known today. The Chicago Architecture Foundation provides locals and visitors alike a gateway into the deeper understanding of the architecture styles that dominate the city of Chicago in Illinois. One of the highlights of the Chicago Architecture Foundation is the large scale model of the entire downtown Chicago district. This model provides an overview of the different innovative ideas by the people that shaped Chicago into the cosmopolitan city it is known today.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation also offers a total of 85 different tours of the downtown city and its surrounding neighborhood. Each of these tours provides travelers a unique glimpse into the Windy City...