One of the most frequent asked questions is what are the must see sights and things to do when visiting Chicago. There is a long list of great attractions and it would take months to visit them all. So we have compiled a ten best list for tourists with only a couple of days. Everyone’s list would be a little different but this is our opinion of what are the best things for tourists to do. A more extensive description of the attractions is available on the Sights page.
1.
Michigan Avenue- A Chicago institutions. You have not really been to Chicago if you have not strolled along one of the countries' best shopping streets. It is great for window shopping, people watching or actually buying things. It consists of mostly nationally known high-end stores like; Crate & Barrel, Apple, Nike, William Sonoma and Tiffany's.
2. The Art Institute of Chicago- One of the world's best art museums. It contains works from many famous artists like; Picasso, Monet, Grant Wood, Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe and Renoir to name just a few. Even if you are not a huge art fan you can see two of the countries most famous painting, American Gothic and NightHawks. The collection is not limited to paintings and sculptures. There is furniture, pottery, and ancient art from places like Rome, Mexico, India and China.
3. Observatories at The Hancock Building and Willis Tower (Sears Tower)- Truly great ways to see everything at once. Not only will you get to see the great buildings of downtown you will also see a sweeping view of the lake and the surrounding suburbs.
4. Restaurants- As one of America's best food cities there are a lot of highly rated establishments run by famous chefs. If you venture out of downtown you will find eateries from all over. Some of the best offer Mexican, Ethiopian and Greek food.
5.Boat Tours-With a lake fronting the whole city and a river running right through downtown boat tours are a natural. River tours are short and bring you up close to many of the historic high-rises that make the city an architectural marvel. Lake tours give you a spectacular view of the skyline from over the water. If you have time you can do a combined tour. It is a great way to see a lot if you have limited time or you just want a chance to get off your feet.
6. Shedd Aquarium- The world's oldest and second largest aquarium. The top attractions are the Beluga Whales, dolphins, sea otters and the amazing skyline views. It is expensive and the lines can be very long.
7.Navy Pier-The states most visited tourist attraction. There is a little bit of something for everyone. There are carnival rides, fun stores, fireworks, boat rides, people watching and food. It can be extremely crowded in the summer.
8. Millennium Park- Chicago's newest attraction. It is second only to Navy Pier in number of visitors. It is a great place to spend an hour on your way to the Art Institute or "Sears Tower". The "Bean" with its photo op has become a symbol of the city. The lush gardens and skyline views makes for a relaxing atmosphere.
9. Field Museum- An enormous museum loaded with natural and human history pieces. There is plenty to hold a child's interest. There are Egyptian mummies, dinosaurs, animals and gems to name just a few of their collections. The main attraction is Sue the world's most complete tyrannosaurs rex skeleton.
10. Buckingham Fountain- The original symbol of the city. The skyline setting tmakes it a favorite spot for photographers. Summer weekends bring bus after bus of wedding parties taking their photos.
