The Must-Dos: Millennium Park Take a stroll along Chicago’s premiere public park and catch a glimpse of Chicago’s iconic Cloud Gate sculpture a.k.a. “The Bean”. You can't say you've been to Chicago without seeing "The Bean".
Chicago Architectural Tour Take a cruise along the Chicago River and experience “90 Minutes of Amazing” as you learn about the architecture and design of over 50 buildings as described by CAF-Certified Volunteer Docents/Guides.
The Very-Nice-To-Dos: The Museum Campus Go back in time, under the sea and to another galaxy. The Museum campus is a 57-acre (23 ha) museum park by Lake Michigan and is home to three of the city's most notable museums, all dedicated to the natural sciences:
The Field Museum: Regarded as one of America’s premiere natural history museums, the Field features everything from ancient Egyptian tombs to man-eating lions from the 19th century. But the biggest star here is Sue, the largest and most complete T-rex skeleton ever unearthed.
Shedd Aquarium: Next door to the Field Museum is the most visited aquarium in the country, home to more than 1,500 water creatures. Here you’ll find sharks, penguins, beluga whales and the ever-popular Pacific white-sided dolphins that perform their aquatic acrobatics in the Oceanarium exhibit.
Adler Planetarium: Up the street you can explore the universe at America’s first planetarium. Discover hands-on exhibits and artifacts, including a fully restored Gemini 12 capsule. Or visit the world’s most advanced digital theater for an immersive journey deep into space.
Chicago Art Institute Rated as the #1 Museum In The World for 2014 by TripAdvisor, the Art Institute of Chicago features more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world and contains more than 260,000 works of art.
Navy Pier Explore the carnival-like atmosphere of Chicago’s legendary pier. If the giant Ferris wheel doesn’t tip you off to the amount of fun that awaits here, then the stroll along the half-mile promenade will. That’s where you’ll find amusement rides, al fresco dining, live music and more—all set against Chicago’s skyline.
Deep down, you're a foodie! Who isn't?
Signature Chicago Deep-dish Pizza Be sure to take a bite of the Windy City’s signature Deep-dish Pizza. There are several popular restaurants downtown that you can choose from:
Pizzeria Uno (*often reported as the inventor of the Deep-dish Pizza in 1943)
Pizzeria Due
Lou Malnati’s
Giordano’s
Gino’s East
The Purple Pig - Mediterranean food
Quartino - Italian tapas
Eataly - Italian food market
Shake Shack - Chicago’s very own installation of the popular NYC burger shack
The Signature Lounge at the 96th (John Hancock Building) - Contemporary American cuisine, cocktails and a fantastic view!