Chicago: The Windy City

Travel Blog By J
Sep 2010


Second time in Chicago to visit my brother.  Chicago in October had beautiful bright sunny days and chilly mornings and nights.  What I love best about Chicago is that it is not as busy as some major cities could be.  I love walking the streets of downtown at a leisurely pace, visiting the parks and museums, and taking a cruise along the river.  If you have the luxury of time, you can take a drive to nearby Wisconsin to see Door County (There are lots of lighthouses here!  I will have to make a separate blog for this :)

Here are some of my favorite Chicago stops during my 1st visit in 2008 and my second this year, 2010:

Chicago Architecture Cruise
Fancy taking a cruise like the one Jules (Julia Roberts) and Michael (Dylan McDermot) did in "My Best Friend's Wedding?"


With my family.  Lots on board the cruise as it is
one of the most popular tours offered in Chicago.



Skyscrapers stand proud!



John Hancock Observatory
100 stories, 1,127 feet tall; the 6th tallest tower in the world.  The entrance ticket covers the use of an audio commentary narrated by David Schwimmer (Ross from the hit TV show F.R.I.E.N.D.S), a Chicago native.



View of Lake Shore Drive from JH Observatory


Chicago's concrete jungle as viewed from JH Observatory

Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower)
108 stories, 1451 feet tall; the tallest buidling in the US and the 5th talllest building in the world!

Went here late in the afternoon to catch the sunset.





sunset view from the Sears Tower





View of the Chicago Skyline from the Adler Planetarium


Sat on the grass and enjoyed the view Chicago's skyline...



Lincoln Park Zoo
Open everyday and free!







Millennium Park
"Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers."




Jay Pritzker Pavilion - an outdoor concert venue

The Cloud Gate -- which reflects the city's famous skyline


The Crown Fountain.  A unique fountain which projects video images
of various Chicago citizens which appear to spew water from their mouths.





John G. Shedd Aquarium
An indoor public aquarium that houses over 25,000 fish.




Navy Pier
Originally built to function as a storage facility for lake freighters but is now a popular attraction with rides, boat cruises and gardens.




Ride the 150-foot high Ferris Wheel to get a bird's eye view of the city.

Buckingham Fountain
A beautiful fountain located in Grant Park.  It is one of Chicago's famous landmarks.



Buckingham Fountain and the city-scape

And while in Chicago, you MUST try Uno's  Deep Dish Pizza!
It pioneered Chicago's Deep Dish Pizza -- generously topped with tomatoes, meat and cheeeeeese!  Worth all the calories :)



Goodness in every bite!


Can't wait to visit Chicago again! :)





* All photos used here are the writer's own.


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