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333 N. Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois 60654

Chicago Illinois Things To Do

A vibrant Midwest travel destination, Chicago is packed with cool things to do and amazing attractions. Explore Chicago's energetic culture, iconic architecture, impressive museums and art galleries, beautiful parks, exciting nightlife, historic theaters, professional sports, and endless shopping and dining.
Located in the heart of downtown, Sax Chicago, a Thompson Hotel, is the perfect location to explore exciting attractions like Wrigley Field, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and the Art Institute of Chicago. From the Magnificent Mile to Navy Pier, the Windy City offers diverse sights, sounds and sensations that captivate your spirit.
Chicago Marina City, Illinois

Marina City

Spanning an entire city block on State Street in downtown Chicago, Marina City is a historic shopping, dining and lifestyle destination on the Chicago River. Marina City is a lively complex of two 60-story iconic cylindrical towers with condos, offices, restaurants, entertainment venues, shops and a boat dock on the Chicago River. Anchored by the Sax Chicago, a Thompson Hotel, Marina City boasts great restaurants including Bin 36, Harry Caray's, Crossroads, Smith & Wollensky and Dick's Last Resort, as well as the House of Blues and the 10pin Bowling Lounge.

Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile is Chicago's downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment pulse. Spanning eight blocks on Michigan Avenue, the "Mile" features 460 world-class stores and four shopping centers, including Chicago Place, 900 North Michigan Shops, Water Tower Place, and The Shops at North Bridge. The Magnificent Mile boasts hundreds of shops, boutiques, art galleries, theaters, museums, festivals and the city's top restaurants. Enjoy shopping at Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, American Girl, Niketown,Neiman- Marcus, Forever 21, Zara, Eddie Bauer and Saks 5th Avenue with spectacular skyline views. Don't miss the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival every November Visit www.magnificentmile.com to see a complete listing of the "Park Ave of the Midwest"

Navy Pier

Chicago's playground on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is an exciting entertainment destination with waterfront attractions, entertainment, restaurants, shops, exhibitions and events. Ride the 15-story Ferris wheel, see a movie at the IMAX Theatre, and have fun at the Chicago Children's Museum and Family Pavilion. Navy Pier features unique attractions, including the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, and Crystal Gardens - an indoor botanical park. Enjoy dining at wonderful restaurants or take a cruise boat ride from the South Dock on the Tall Ship Windy. See the Chinese acrobats in Cirque Shanghai at the Pepsi Skyline Stage or groove to live music at the Bud Light Stage at the Navy Pier Beer Garden. Ride the historic Musical Carousel and old-fashioned swing ride. Visit www.navypier.com.
Chicago Art Institute, Illinois

Art Institute of Chicago

One of the great art museums of the world, the Art Institute of Chicago features an amazing collection of art illustrating the world's diverse cultures - from 3,000 B.C. through the present. This fantastic Chicago museum presents over 300,000 works of art, including iconic French Impressionist paintings and drawings - with 30 by Claude Monet - a famed collection of 20th-century art and spectacular galleries of modern art, photography and many other mediums. Check out the new modern wing by Renzo Piano, as well as changing exhibitions. Visit www.artic.edu/aic.

Millennium Park

The cultural soul of Chicago, Millennium Park is an urban oasis for art, music, architecture, and landscape design. The beautiful 24-acre park features annual concerts, exhibitions, tours, family entertainment and festivals, including the Chicago Dancing Festival, Million Dollar Quartet, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Enjoy concerts at the dazzling Jay Pritzker Pavilion - the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue in the country - and the breathtaking Lurie Garden. Explore the park's stunning architecture, sculpture and landscapes including Cloud Gate, a mammoth steel sculpture at the center of the park, Crown Fountain, and the Wrigley Square and Millennium Monument. Hit the ice or dine al fresco in the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink and Plaza, or enjoy music and dance performances at the Harris Theater. Visit www.millenniumpark.org.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Get wild in the shadows of the skyscrapers at the historic Lincoln Park Zoo, a natural habitat for over 1,000 mammals, reptiles and birds from around the world. Roam tropical rainforests, forests and savannas to encounter amazing creatures, like lions, gorillas, zebras, gazelles, and the new Eurasian Lynx. Swing by the Regenstein Center for African Apes and meet silverback gorillas and chimpanzees, and the Regenstein African Journey, where monkeys swing, giraffes graze and hippos swim. Explore many fascinating animal exhibits including the Pritzker Family Children's Zoo, Kovler Lion House, and the Nature Boardwalk. The Lincoln Park Zoo also hosts fun events, including Jammin' at the Zoo. Visit www.lpzoo.org
Chicago Shedd Aquarium, Illinois

Shedd Aquarium

Dive into fun at the world's largest aquarium. Shedd Aquarium inspires, entertains and connects people with more than 19,000 aquatic animals from the planet's water worlds. Explore amazing galleries and exhibits, including Waters of the World, Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising and the Polar Play Zone. Get a diver's view of giant sharks, eels and iridescent corals in the Wild Reef. Discover beluga whales, Pacific dolphins, sea otters and sea lions at the Oceanarium, and see the dolphins soar and whale dance at the new Aquatic Show. Be transported to the mysterious world of sea jellies in Shedd's special exhibit, Jellies. Visit www.sheddaquarium.org.

Adler Planetarium

Explore the universe at Adler Planetarium - America's First Planetarium. Located on Chicago's museum campus, a short cab ride or walk from the Sax Chicago, a Thompson Hotel, Adler Planetarium features three theaters, exciting space science exhibitions, sky shows, and activities for unforgettable space adventures. Climb aboard the deck of a futuristic starship on the Adler's Deep Space Adventure, surrounded by the larger-than-life Universe. Explore fascinating exhibitions, such as Planet Explorers, Galaxy Wall and Our Solar System. Experience amazing sky shows like Night Sky Live! and Journey to the Stars, narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, in three spectacular theaters, including the Grainger Sky Theater, Definiti Space Theater and the 3D Universe Theater. Stop by for Far Out Friday on the first Friday of every month! Visit www.adlerplanetarium.org.

Field Museum of Natural History

Discover 4.6 billion years of science, history, art and archeology at the Field of Natural History. Enjoy amazing collections, innovative exhibits and education programs that explore natural history and science - from the world's most famous dinosaur to the cultural history of chocolate. Field Museum offers engaging traveling exhibitions to help us understand natural history, contemporary science, art, and popular culture. Meet Sue, the largest and most complete T. Rex ever found. Learn how nature's forces shape our planet in Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters. Go on an awe-inspiring journey through 4 billion years of life on Earth in the Evolving Planet. Visit www.fieldmuseum.org.
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Illinois

Museum of Science and Industry

The largest science museum in North America, the Museum of Science and Industry offers engaging exhibits that spark your imagination and curiosity. Explore an awe-inspiring environment with interactive science experiences - from the Coal Mine to the new permanent exhibit Earth Revealed. Get "inside" the internet in NetWorld, learn about space exploration at the Henry Crown Space Center, explore science through fun activities at the Idea Factory, and feel the connection between the human mind, body and spirit at YOU! The Experience. Watch eye-popping 3D films at the Omnimax Theater, now featuring Tornado Alley. Visit www.msichicago.org for upcoming exhibits.

Chicago Events & Business

  • McCormick Place Convention Center - www.mccormickplace.com
  • The Merchandise Mart - www.themerchandisemart.com