Places to See in Chicago

A great list of things to do and places to see when you visit Chicago, IL.

  1. The Museum of Science and Industry has a WWII German Submarine, and a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer
  2. Ride the 150-foot ferris wheel at Navy Pier (a 50 acre park with lots to do)
  3. Learn about Chicago’s architectural heritage by taking a tour
  4. The largest public park in Chicago is Lincoln Park and the Lincoln Park Zoo (free) is one of its top attractions
  5. Go downtown and see your reflection in “The Bean” at Millennium Park
  6. Walk down Michigan Avenue (or go shopping) at sunset – the Magnificent Mile
  7. Intelligentsia Coffee has wonderful coffee downtown
  8. Take in the view at Skydeck Chicago (formerly Sears Tower Skydeck)
  9. Tour the Chicago Cultural Center where you can listen to free music, and see a variety of exhibitions
  10. Learn about space at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
  11. Bring the kids to the Kohl Children’s Museum
  12. The Chicago River is a beautiful tour, and if it’s St. Patrick’s Day they dye it green
  13. Learn the history of Chicago at the Chicago History Museum
  14. View the Shedd Aquarium – Wild Reef, Amazon Rising, Waters of the World, Caribbean Reef
  15. See the most complete T-Rex in the world at the Field Museum of Natural History (also Ancient Egypt, the Pacific Northwest, Native Americans, and Tibet)
  16. Catch a show at The Chicago Theatre
  17. Eat some Chicago-style pizza at Gino’s East
  18. Catch a game at Wrigley Field – home to America’s favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs
  19. View a large collection of Monet, Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol paintings at the Chicago Art Institute Museum
  20. The Taste of Chicago is an annual event (usually held in July) that brings over 2.5 million visitors to Grant Park
  21. Check out foodlife (14 kitchens that serve interesting food) at Water Tower Place
  22. Take your daughter to see the American Girl Place Chicago at the Water Tower Place
  23. Hear great music at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  24. Watch a Chicago Bulls basketball game
  25. Catch a theater production at Lookingglass Theatre Company
  26. Watch a play at Navy Pier at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater
  27. Check out the new Chicago Design Museum
  28. Find a beach along Lake Michigan and see the skyline of Chicago
  29. The John Hancock Observatory offers some unique downtown views (4th highest building)
  30. The Oriental Institute Museum is devoted to ancient Egypt, Nubia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and the ancient site of Megiddo
  31. Ice skate in Millenium Park during the winter months
  32. The Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago landmark
  33. Run along the lakeshore and see the amazing Chicago skyline
  34. Curious City did a crawl to find Chicago’s best doughnut

Places to See in Chicago