Day Sightseeing Trip to Chicago: A Guide

Chicago is a big, beautiful and bustling city and a great destination for travelers. If you're in town for a convention or on a layover take advantage of the city's treasures on a one-day trip of the sights of Chicago. The itinerary below will provide you with a sampling of what Chicago has to offer.

9:00 am: Field Museum1400 South Lake Shore Drive
Admission: Children $9, Seniors, $11, Adults $14
Permanent exhibits include animals, geology, plants from around the world; cultural exhibits including ancient Egypt and native American displays. Past temporary exhibits have included: Jackie Kennedy, King Tut and Auschwitz. Check the museum's website for current exhibits.

Walk to McFetridge and Museum Campus Drive; take Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Bus 146 to North Michigan and Grand

12:00 pm: Magnificent Mile
Stroll this 8 block mecca of boutiques and exclusive shops, luxury hotels, and a wide range of restaurants. Lunch can be as simple as a quick sandwich and chocolate at 900 Shops or a scrumptious Lobster and Rock Shrimp "Cobb" Salad at the Four Seasons Café.

Walk south along North Michigan Avenue to the John Hancock Observatory (2 minutes).

2:00 pm: John Hancock Observatory 875 North Michigan Avenue
Admission Children $9, Seniors, $13, Adults $15
Up the speedy escalator 94 stories and enjoy the view of the Windy City from the open-air skywalk while listening to David Schwimmer narrate the multi-media tour.

Continue walking south on Michigan Avenue to Illinois Avenue. East on Illinois and south on North McLurg to Chicago From the Lake 465 North McLurg Court; 10 minute walk.

4:00 pm: Chicago From the Lake boat tours465 McLurg Court
Admission Children $20, Seniors, $30, Adults $34
90-minute narrated boat tours of Chicago. Choose from architectural, historical or you may want to wait till evening and take a cocktail cruise, fireworks cruise or the city bridges and lights tours.
Walk back out to East Illinois, then south to North Streeter Drive (2 minutes) to Navy Pier.

6:00 pm: Navy Pier 600 East Grand Avenue
Enjoy a walk along Navy Pier and take in the sights and sounds of this 50 acre extravaganza on Lake Michigan. Watch the street entertainment, shop for souvenirs, take in the Children's Museum, or wonderful displays like the Stained Glass Windows at the Smith Museum. For the young at heart, ride the 150 foot high Ferris Wheel or the charming musical Carousel. The IMAX Theatre on site offers a variety of exciting presentations.
Stay for dinner and choose from casual family dining to romantic dinners for two.
To finish the evening off, take in the magnificent Fireworks displays Wednesdays (9:30) and Saturdays (10:15).

Of course there are many more sights and activities to partake in Chicago. You might want to substitute Sear's Tower for the Hancock Observatory and the Shedd Aquarium for the Field Museum. Another option is to skip the boat trip from McLurg Court and choose from the several boat sightseeing trips on Navy Pier. What ever you choose to do, you will find that Chicago is a lively, vibrant and beautiful city.