Best Things To Do in Chicago 2025 4K

The Magnificent Mile is known for high-end upscale shops, the Water Tower Place, the 360 Chicago observation deck, the Tribune Tower, the Wrigley building, and the Chicago Riverwalk, making it a must-visit area in Chicago.

Navy Pier is a popular area on Lake Michigan's Lakefront, featuring an IMAX theater, the Chicago fun house maze, Crystal Gardens, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and the Centennial Wheel, with dining options, shopping, and special festivals.

The Chicago Riverwalk is a pedestrian walkway along the South Bank of the Chicago River in downtown, featuring the marina Plaza, the river theater, The Jetty, the boardwalk, and numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants with views overlooking the Riverwalk.

The Field Museum is a Natural History Museum in Chicago with over 40 million specimens and artifacts, including dinosaur skeletons, mammals, birds, and insects, and is part of the Chicago City pass.

Chicago 360 Observation Deck, formerly the John Hancock Tower, offers views from the 94th floor and features the tilt attraction where glass goes right over the road; it can be accessed with the Chicago City pass.

The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the best museums for art in the country, with a collection spanning over 5,000 years and featuring works including American Gothic by Grant Wood and Vincent Van Gogh's bedroom.

The Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, was once the tallest building in the United States and offers great 360-degree views from the top.

Millennium Park is a 24.5-acre park in the heart of downtown Chicago along the lakefront, featuring the cloud gate sculpture (the Bean) and the Jay pritzer Pavilion, a popular place for jazz festivals.

Lake Michigan offers opportunities for boat tours, sailing charters, kayaking, jet ski rentals, and water taxis, with blue water comparable to the Caribbean.

The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world, featuring an awesome toy train track, an indoor tornado, and Apollo rocket shuttle capsules; it is worth the admission but not part of the Chicago City pass.

The Centennial Wheel is a 200-foot Ferris wheel on Navy Pier, offering skyline views, with climate-controlled gondolas and a 15-minute rotation.

The Waterfront walkway, also known as the Lakeside Trail, runs along the Eastern edge of Lake Michigan stretching 18 miles, offering a place to walk, ride a bike, or run, with highlights including Navy Pier, Grant Park, Millennium Park, and Museum campus.

The Chicago Theater is a historic theater where you can watch shows.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is a free exhibit with over a thousand animals on 35 acres, including African Apes, a sea lion pool, and a Children's Zoo.

The Shedd Aquarium is located on the shores of Lake Michigan with over 32,000 animals from across the world including sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, and Penguins, with a Caribbean Reef exhibit and an Amazon Rising exhibit, and is part of the Chicago City pass.

The Adler Planetarium offers Sky shows, exhibits, and telescopes for people who want to explore space science and astronomy, and is included in the Chicago City pass.

The cloud gate sculpture is the bean which is 110 ton stainless steel structure that was created to reflect the city's Skyline.

The Jay pritzer Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue.

Giordano's is a restaurant where they can taste a popular deep dish pizza.

Water Tower Place is a multi-level shopping mall.

Tribune Tower is one of the buildings located along the Magnificent Mile.

The Wrigley Building is one of the buildings located along the Magnificent Mile.

Grant Park is one of the highlights along the Lakefront Trail.