Chicago has to be one of my favourite cities in America. It is situated on Lake Michigan in the state Illinois. It reminds me of a less hectic and more beautiful New York City. The architecture is incredible and the views of Lake Michigan from the sky scrapers are just stunning. I do like the busy-city-lifestyle but I also enjoy being able to go somewhere open and peaceful where I can enjoy a nice view.
If you ever plan on visiting Chicago (which you MUST!) here are my 10 favourite things to do…
1. THE BEAN – If you have not heard of the bean (originally called Cloud Gate), it is a bean like silver structure located in Millennium Park which reflects Chicago’s stunning skyline
2. GRANT PARK – Have lunch in Grant Park by Buckingham Fountain, one of the largest fountains in the world.
3. LAKEFRONT TRAIL – Take a walk along Lakefront Trail to north Avenue Beach, here you will get a wonderful view the John Hancock Building and the Navy Pier.
4. THE TILT – On the 94th floor of the John Hancock building there is an observation deck where you can enjoy 360 degree views of Chicago at 1000 ft high! They have also recently introduced The Tilt which is where you stand and hold onto the glass wall and it tilts you so you can see all the way down to the ground… scary but amazing!!
5. CHEESE CAKE FACTORY – If you have never been to a Cheese Cake Factory, then you have not lived! It is located at the bottom of the John Hancock building (maybe eat AFTER you try out The Tilt…!)
6. MAGNIFICENT MILE – shopping, shopping and more shopping!
7. SKY DECK – The Willis Tower is the 2nd tallest building (behind the One World Trade Center in NY) in the western hemisphere at 1353 ft! (yep, it’s taller than the Empire State Building!) The Willis Tower is home to the Sky Deck, which offers different views of the city to the John Hancock building, and it also has some glass ledge boxes that extend 4.3 feet from the Sky Deck, allowing you to step out onto them and see right down to the ground, yikes.
8. NAVY PIER – The Navy Pier has shops, restaurants, a cinema, a museum, a small theme park, cruises and tons more! I loved going on the Ferris wheel during both the day time and in the evening, you get two completely different views of the city.
9. BOAT TRIP – There are many boat trips you can take in Chicago, I could not decide on my favourite so I am going to talk about two. The first is a boat trip along the Chicago River. This allows you to see all of the amazing architecture and sky scrapers. The second is a boat trip from the Navy Pier to the Shedd Aquarium. Taking you far out on Lake Michigan, you are able to see all the Chicago sky scrappers from a distance. And once you get to the aquarium, you are treated to even more beautiful views!
10. BEST MAC ‘N’ CHEESE – Jack Melnick’s Corner Tap was the very first restaurant we discovered in Chicago and it is my absolute favourite. They have burgers, pizzas, Ribs and of course, the best Mac ‘N’ Cheese I have ever tasted!!
Thanks for reading! If you visit Chicago, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Sophie :)