The best way to get an overview of the city is from 1,000 feet up at either the John Hancock Observatory or the Willis Tower Skydeck. After climbing 110 stories in a high-speed elevator, the latter rises to 1,454 feet to offer fabulous views of both the North and South sides of the city as well as the sprawl of Lake Michigan. To avoid long lines and waits, head out early.
To get a taste of Chicago's lively urban atmosphere, swing by Millennium Park. Take in picture-perfect skyline views, the colorful Crown Fountains and the unique reflections of the Bean while soaking up the atmosphere in the heart of Chicago. During summers, the park is stacked with musical events around the pavillion, while an ice skating rink brings out the whole family in the wintertime.
Professional sports rosters in Chicago have featured some of sports' most legendary names, including His Airness, Michael Jordan. Check out his bronze statue before taking in a Bulls game in "the house that Jordan built," the United Center. If it's baseball season, grab a seat in historic Wrigley Field, the second-oldest major league ballpark in the country, for a Cubs game and a hot dog. If you're an NFL fan, support the Bears in recently renovated Soldier Field, originally built in 1924.
Few cities can rival Chicago's wealth of museums and galleries. Peruse the exhibits of the Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, stop by the fascinating Adler Planetarium and gape in awe at the largest preserved T-Rex in the world at the Field Museum of Natural History. The Art Institute of Chicago boasts a vast array of exhibits featuring some of the past few centuries' finest works, from the Italian Renaissance to the Tang Dynasty.
Open every day of the year, Lincoln Park Zoo has no entry fee despite being one of the oldest and best-kept zoos in the country. To the west of Chicago, in Brookfield, Illinois, is Brookfield Zoo, boasting more than 2,000 animals. For marine life, check out Shedd Aquarium, the largest indoor aquarium in the world, boasting more than 8,000 sea creatures representing more than 700 species from every corner of the submerged globe.
