Cruise along the river and get unobstructed views of the famous Chicago skyline and architecture. The ride is 90-minutes long and you pass by over 50 of the city’s majestic buildings. You can choose to sit indoor or outdoor and snacks are available on the ship.

Take CTA RED LINE TRAIN (TO 95TH/DAN RYAN)

Tip: Order the CAF membership online because if you are doing more than one tour with the group, you will receive a buy one get one free, the phone operator will help you decide and give you the details.

Newly renovated, spectacular views spanning up to 80 miles and 4 states. Located at the John Hancock Center. Admission: USD9.95 adults, USD7.50 senior citizens, USD6 children (5-12), children under 4 free.

From the Kennedy Expressway, exit at Ohio Street (both Ohio exits are eastbound only) and proceed East to Michigan Avenue. At Michigan, take a left (North). Proceed to Delaware Street and turn right (one-way heading east). Unload at the first building entrance. The escalator in the Delaware lobby will take you directly to The Hancock Observatory entrance.
Traveling South on Lake Shore Drive, exit at Michigan Avenue. Proceed South on Michigan to Delaware Street, turn left (one-way heading east) and unload at the first building entrance. The escalator in the Delaware lobby will take you directly to The Hancock Observatory entrance.
Traveling North on Lake Shore Drive, exit at Monroe Street and proceed West to Michigan Avenue. At Michigan, turn right (North). Proceed North until Delaware Street, and turn right (one-way heading east). Unload at the first building entrance. The escalator in the Delaware lobby will take you directly to The Hancock Observatory entrance.
The garage has entrances on Chestnut Street (westbound) and Delaware Street (eastbound).

Shopping here is like shopping on Rodeo Drive. A mile of exquisite top-of-the-line shopping. Stores on Sunday close by 7 p.m.

Eight-level atrium featuring more than 100 stores, restaurants and some specialty shops and boutiques.

Downtown Chicago

Link to Directions

The stadium was built in 1914 and it is the home of the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley Field is the second oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball, the oldest ballpark still active is Boston’s Fenway Park.

The CTA red line stops directly at Wrigley Field at the Addison station.

Ballpark tours available here
The Chicago Cubs operate a shuttle and parking service at the DeVry University campus located off Addison St. and Western Avenue for all weekend and night games. For $6.00 you can park your vehicle and all occupants ride the shuttle free to and from the ballpark. Take advantage of the savings with the easy in and out of our secure remote parking facility. The first shuttle leaves two and one half hour prior to the game. The shuttle runs for one hour after all Night Games and for two hours after all Weekend Day Games.

Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers.
Among Millennium Park’s prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion , the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza.
Since its opening in July 2004, Millennium Park has hosted millions of people, making it one of the most popular destinations in Chicago.

Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, Columbus Drive to the east, Randolph Street to the North and Monroe Street to the South.

Enjoying the music and various performances on the lawn is awesome. Huge outdoor amphitheatre and an obvious Frank Gehry work of art. Admission is always free.
Visitors to the Millennium Park are encouraged to make the Millennium Park Welcome Center their first stop. The Welcome Center is located at 201 E. Randolph Street in the Northwest Exelon Pavilion.
The Welcome Center has information about the park, including maps and program schedules or you could download a map of Millennium Park now.

Exceptionally scenic fountain, and well-known by Chicagoeans. The sculpture displays giants sea horses that spray rainbow jets of water into the lagoon. It was originality built in 1927 and has since been fully renovated to restore it’s true luster.

Check it out at night when it lights up to a beautiful site! During the peak seasons this place can draw decent sized crowds.

Chicago’s largest collection of vintage posters.

Great collections including pieces from Gustave Caillebotte and Edward Hopper.
Adults: $12
Children, Students, and Seniors (65 and up): $7 Children under 12 are free.

The Art Institute is located just one block east of the Loop and is easily accessible via the city’s “El” train system. The Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines all stop above ground at Adams/Wabash, in front of the museum. The Red and Blue lines stop underground at Monroe, just a few blocks away. A number of bus lines also stop in front of the museum. Currently, El fare is $1.75 per adult with an El card; $2 with cash.

Thursday from 5:00pm-8:00pm “Free Hours.”

Beautiful park with a scenic lake view alongside Buckingham Fountain.

Adult 12-64 $ 11.95
Senior 65+ $ 9.95
Youth 3-11 $ 8.50
Children Under 3 Free

From the Loop:
Take Adams Street west (It’s a one-way street. You can only go west!)
Just after you pass the Sears Tower, turn left on Wacker Drive.
Drive to the end of the block; turn left on Jackson. (It’s one-way too. Keep to the left!)
Entrance to the Skydeck is on Jackson between Wacker and Franklin.

The largest T-Rex named “Sue.” Be sure to checkout the “The Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaoh Exhibit.”
Adults $12.00 ($10 for Chicago residents)
Children (ages 4-11), Students, Seniors $7.00 ($6.00 Chicago residents)

From the CTA Orange, Red or Green lines: Exit the trains at the Roosevelt stop. From there, you can take CTA bus #12 Roosevelt Road, which will drop you off right across the street from the Museum.
Both garages, as well as the Adler Planetarium parking lot, can be easily accessed via the 18th Street exit from Lake Shore Drive. Exit on 18th Street and follow 18th Street east to Museum Campus Drive and then Museum Campus Drive north to the garage entrance. Entrance to the North Garage is off Museum Campus Drive.

• go early in the morning for the King Tut exhibit. Lines in the afternoon can grow horribly long.
  
• Do NOT bother with the Tut exhibit, it’s a rip-off. The ads lead you to think that it’s the real thing and in fact it’s not even close.

Wild Reef Mini Pass: See Wild Reef, Waters of the World, Amazon Rising and the Caribbean Reef. Adults $18, Senior Citizens (65+), Children (ages 3-11) $14
Aquarium Only: See Waters of the World, Amazon Rising and the Caribbean Reef. Adults $8, Senior Citizens (65+) Children (ages 3-11) $6

Admission: USD16 adults, USD15 seniors, USD14 children (4-17). Mondays and Tuesdays are free throughout part of Jan, Feb, Sept-Dec months.

Admission: Adult $11.00, Child (3-11) $7.00, Senior (65+) $9.50, seperate charges for various exhibits and features. Parking available in underground garage for USD5

Trains stop at the 57th Street station, just two blocks from the Museum’s north entrance. Turn left as you exit the station. Chicago South Shore and South Bend trains only stop at the 57th Street station.

The Oriental Institute is located on the campus of the University of Chicago, in the southside Chicago community of Hyde Park.
For more directions go here

Renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright himself termed this house “the cornerstone of modern architecture.” The majority of the architectural world agrees. It is the best representation of Wright’s Prairie period and also a national landmark. The bold horizontal lines and the overhanging roofs are distinctly Wright. The house is maintained by the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation.
Admission: $8, $6 seniors and children 7-18.

This was the home of the famous architect and his family during the prime years of his career.
Admission: USD9 adults, USD7 youth and senior citizens; children under 6 free.

Downtown Chicago (Metra)
Board train at Northwestern Station (Clinton & Madison). Take westbound train to Oak Park. Exit at Oak Park stop. Walk north on Marion Street Mall to Lake Street. Turn right on Lake to Forest Avenue. Continue north on Forest to Chicago Avenue. The Home and Studio is on the corner of Forest and Chicago. 10-15 minute walk.
Downtown Chicago (CTA)
Take westbound Green Line to the Oak Park Avenue stop. Walk under tracks and go north on Oak Park Avenue to Chicago Avenue. Turn left (west) and walk 3 blocks to the Home and Studio. 10-15 minute walk. Trains run approximately every twenty minutes. $1.75.
Downtown Chicago
Take I-290 West. Exit at Harlem Avenue (Rte. 43) Turn right (north), and drive 1.5 miles to Chicago Avenue. Turn right (east) on Chicago. The Home and Studio is 3 blocks east on the right side of the street. Oak Park is ten miles west of the Chicago Loop

baggage check facilities for the duration of your tour.

Regular Admission $8.00
Discount Admission $6.00
Seniors 65 & over
Students 22 & under w/ID
Groups of 15+
Free Admission
Children 5 & under

By Train: Take the Green Line “El” to Oak Park Avenue. Walk under the viaduct, north one block to Lake Street, and west one block to Unity Temple.
By Car: From Chicago, take the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) west to Harlem Ave & exit north (right). Go one mile (1.6 K) to Lake St. Go east (right) about .5 mile (.8 K) to Kenilworth Ave and Unity Temple.

Open for visits but the structure is undergoing a complete restoration until 2009.

Easily accessible via car or public transportation, Navy Pier offers endless entertainment and attractions to Chicagoans and their guests of all ages. No matter what the season, come to Navy Pier to experience timeless natural beauty and lively attractions every day of the year. No Admission.

The CTA’s #124 bus provides convenient and direct service from Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station to Navy Pier.
TMA offers daily free trolley service between Navy Pier and State Street along Grand Avenue and Illinois Street. Current Trolley are Mondays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trolleys typically run every 20 minutes. Pick-up points are indicated by “Navy Pier Trolley Stop” signs posted along the route. For more information on the TMA, visit www.tylin.com) offers daily free trolley service between Navy Pier and State Street along Grand Avenue and Illinois Street. Current Trolley are Mondays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trolleys typically run every 20 minutes. Pick-up points are indicated by “Navy Pier Trolley Stop” signs posted along the route. For more information on the TMA, please visit www.tylin.com.
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Great place to stroll on the pier overlooking Lake Michigan. It’s got a ferris wheel and boat tours. Excellent for a daytime lunch.

Free 40-minute tour of Chicago’s business district. Get a chance to learn about the city’s history and the famous “el” train system. Presented by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. No Admission.

Obtain tickets at the Chicago Cultural Center Visitor Information Center, 77 East Randolph St at Michigan Ave.

Definitely not one of the country’s largest Chinatowns, but still worth a quick visit nonetheless. Wentworth Avenue is where all the main action is. Great place to see a wide variety of unique shops and delicious restaurants. A new shopping center was recently completed here, and the city is currently trying to develop, expand and improve the area.

I think it should be worth the brief side trip from the Loop.

Contemporary Art dating back to 1945. See permanent exhibits from Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Franz Kline and more.
Suggested General Admission – $10
Students with ID and Senior Citizens – $6
MCA Members and Children 12 and under, members of the military – Free

The MCA is located four blocks east of the Chicago Avenue rail stop on the CTA Red Line, and is easily accessible by the #10 Museum and #66 Chicago Avenue buses, as well as several Michigan Avenue bus routes.

Admission is free all day on Tuesdays

World renowned comedy club. This place help spawn popular shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and “The Kids in the Hall.” Stars that began their career here are Bill Murray, Jerry Stiller, John Belushi, Elaine May and many more. Located in Old Town part of Chicago.

No Admission.

The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum is located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago, 800 S. Halsted Street, Chicago. It is easily reached by public transportation, the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90). Parking is available at Halsted and Taylor Street garage.

Great place to see for architecture lovers. Once a huge travel station, it now serves a more modest crowd, but the amazing architecture remains the same. Large Roman columns extend from the floor to the ceiling with statues atop that look down on the travelers below. Amtrak and Metra commuter trains can be found here.

The “Central Park” of Chicago. In fact this park was designed by the same landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead. The park reaches from North Avenue all the way to Ardmore, encompassing over 1,000 acres of land. Visitors can find scenic views, ponds, lakes, numerous statues and large open spaces. Features include the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago Historical Society and the statue of General Grant.

Go biking through the park!

Your chance to see hundreds of different species and exotic wildlife against a gorgeous backdrop of the Chicago skyline. Highlights include a $12million greenhouse with rain forest, an ape house, the Children’s Zoo and “Farm-in-the-Zoo.” Also checkout the gift shop or dine at the Gorilla Grill or Park Place Cafe. General Admission: Free

Brookfield has a Dolphin show, which Lincoln Park Zoo does not.

Tropical greenhouse displays split up into four different viewing areas: Palm House, Fernery, Orchid House and Show House. The structure was built in the late 19th century and has a host of permanent exhibits as well as seasonal ones. If you are in town during the holidays, be sure to checkout their Christmas exhibit.