Eat BREAKFAST

0.5-1.0 hr stay

John Hancock Building & 360 Chicago ($$)

875 N Michigan Ave, chicago

360 Chicago is an observatory located on the 94th floor of the historic John Hancock Center in the heart of downtown Chicago. It offers breathtaking views of the city and Lake Michigan from over 1,000 feet above the Magnificent Mile. Visitors can also experience "The Tilt" for an additional fee; a series of floor-to-ceiling windows slowly tilt outside the building to 30°. There is also a Bar (CloudBar) to enjoy a drink (or two) while overlooking the view.

1.0-3.0 hr stay

Navy Pier (Free Entry)

600 E Grand Ave, chicago

Chicago's lakefront treasure, Navy Pier, is 50 acres of unparalleled attraction space. Nearly nine million people visit Navy Pier annually, making it the most visited attraction in Illinois and the Midwest. There are many indoor and outdoor attractions at Navy Pier, such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Children's Museum, impressively large Centennial Wheel, Carousel, Drop Tower, Navy Pier Beer Garden, and many more. You will also find shops, eateries, and theatres.

Eat LUNCH

1.0-3.0 hr stay

Grant Park (Free Entry)

331 E Randolph St, chicago

312.98 acres Grant Park, proudly referred to as Chicago's front yard offers many different attractions in its ample open space, including Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum Campus. It is home to baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and breathtaking gardens. The park hosts music and food events, including the famous Taste of Chicago event, Grant Park Music Festival, and Lollapalooza, a well-known outdoor music festival.

0.5-2.0 hr stay

Maggie Daley Park (Free Entry)

337 E Randolph St, chicago

Maggie Daley Park is a 20-acre magnificent recreation park offering a children's playground, a climbing wall, mini golf, picnic groves, a skating ribbon, tennis courts, roller blades, Micro Scooters & Bungee, and a formal garden. It also hosts a popular summer day camp. The park is named in honor of Maggie C. Daley (1943 – 2011), Chicago's longtime first lady, who was deeply committed to improving the lives of children and making the city culturally rich for all its citizens.

Eat DINNER

Eat BREAKFAST

2.0-3.0 hr stay

The Field Museum ($$$)

1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr., chicago

Named after Marshall Field, who donated $1 million to build the museum, The natural history museum has nearly 40 million artifacts and specimens, showcasing 4.5+ billion years of history. One cannot see so many artifacts in a day, let alone a few hours, so visitors should devise a plan beforehand on what to cover. There are additional exhibits that cost extra.

Eat LUNCH

1.0-2.0 hr stay

Shedd Aquarium ($$$)

1200 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr., chicago

Shedd Aquarium, a national historic landmark, has been home to more than 32,000 unique animals since 1930. It welcomes more than 2 million visitors to meet beluga whales and bluegills, rockhopper penguins and rockfish, alligators and an alligator snapping turtle, and so much more from the world's oceans, lakes, rivers, and reefs. Several permanent exhibits at Shedd include Waters of the World, Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising, Wild Reef, Stingray Touch, Oceanarium, Fantasea, One World, and 4D Theater.

1.5-3.0 hr stay

Adler Planetarium ($$)

1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr, chicago

The Adler Planetarium museum is dedicated to studying astronomy and astrophysics, founded by Max Adler. The planetarium is a twelve-sided building that includes two sky theaters. The theaters depict the night sky and allow visitors an up-close look at distant planets, moons, and galaxies. There are full-size theaters, extensive space science exhibitions, and a significant collection of antique scientific instruments and print materials. Its exhibits Astronomy in Culture, Chicago’s Night Sky, Mission Moon, Our Solar System, Planet Explorers, Space Visualization Lab, Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass, The Universe: A Walk Through Space and Time, and many more.

Eat DINNER

Eat BREAKFAST

0.5-1.5 hr stay

Wrigley Field (Price varies)

1060 W Addison St, chicago

The home of the Chicago Cubs, originally known as Weeghman Park, was built in 1914. A unique piece of sports history still stands while most other venues get knocked down and rebuilt, it is the second oldest ballpark. An iconic landmark, it is known for its ivy-covered brick outfield wall and hand-turned scoreboard. Visitors can see this place from the outside for free or buy tour tickets to go inside, and they can also purchase tickets on the game day to get the real experience. The games are fun and exciting, regardless of the outcome.

Eat LUNCH

1.0-2.0 hr stay

Lincoln Park (Free Entry)

N Lincoln Ave & W Fullerton Pkwy, chicago

Lincoln Park is one of the most affluent and picturesque neighborhoods in Chicago. It's a few stops from the city with many exciting places, including the namesake park (Lincoln Park), beach, restaurants, museums, theatres, shops, and bars. The neighborhood is home to the country's oldest free zoo. Visitors will enjoy the manicured gardens, many lakefront green spaces, and breathtaking city views.

1.0-3.0 hr stay

Lincoln Park Zoo (Free Entry)

2001 North Clark Street, chicago

This 35-acre, beautifully landscaped zoo is the only privately managed free zoo in the USA. Established in 1868 has one of the best collections of gorillas and chimpanzees in the world. They are home to snow leopards, sea lions, penguins, Stilts, polar bears, snakes, and many more. There are plenty of hands-on exhibits, with displays set up to be informative and engaging.

Eat DINNER

Eat BREAKFAST

2.0-4.0 hr stay

Museum of Science and Industry ($$)

5700 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr., chicago

One of the largest science museums in the Western Hemisphere! This fourteen acres museum offers more than 35,000 artifacts, including the World War II submarine, five-story movie screen, 40-foot tornado, and the actual United Airlines Boeing 727, hands-on activities, and interactive experiences with impressive displays. MSI is not a place where you walk around quietly and observe but to explore and expedite.

Eat LUNCH

0.5-1.0 hr stay

Buckingham Fountain (Free Entry)

301 S. Columbus Dr., chicago

Buckingham fountain, one of the largest in the world, runs daily from early May through mid-October. Visitors can enjoy a major water display for 20 minutes every hour when the water goes 150 feet in the air. It is considered one of the finest ornamental fountains in America.

1.0-2.0 hr stay

Chicago Cultural Center (Free Entry)

78 E Washington St, chicago

The Chicago Cultural Center, which opened in 1897, is a Landmark housing designed to impress and prove that Chicago had grown into a cosmopolitan metropolis. The building currently boasts two magnificent glass strained-glass domes, including the world's largest stained glass Tiffany dome ― 38 feet in diameter with some 30,000 pieces of glass. It also features mosaic walls, free music, dance and theater events, films, lecturers, art exhibitions, and family events.

0.5-1.5 hr stay

The Second City (Price varies)

230 W North Ave, chicago

The improv comedy club has launched some of the biggest names in the business, including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, and about 500 others. They also offer improv lessons. The comedy shows are filled with never-ending laughter. There are many levels of shows, from amateur to professional, with their own charms. It is the oldest running improv club.

Eat DINNER