discover chicago’s world-class museums, music scene and shops all just steps from your door.
Chicago’s charm is indisputable. Here, impeccably clean streets and a Midwestern-friendly vibe serve as a perfect complement for the alluring mixture of lush parks, lakefront attractions and slick skyscrapers. Take a moment to go over our list of downtown Chicago attractions before you head out sightseeing – just to make sure you don't miss something right up your alley. Hyatt Regency Chicago is located within walking distance to all of the premier Chicago tourist attractions, just off the Magnificent Mile.
Not sure where to start? Visit our knowledgeable Concierge, where you’ll find a friendly team ready to help you plan an adventure tailored specifically to your interests.
landmark attractions
sears tower skydeck
On a clear day, you can see forever – or at least to Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana – from this 103rd floor observatory. While you’re up there, visit the interactive exhibits dedicated to Chicago’s dreamers, schemers, architects, musicians, writers and sports greats.
millennium park
Gaze into the Bean – a luminous polished-steel sculpture – as it
plays tricks with the reflection of Chicago’s skyline. The Park is also
home to Jay Priztker Pavilion, where an incredible audio system allows
audiences to enjoy concert-hall sound in the great outdoors.
magnificent mile shopping
Stroll the exclusive northern half of Michigan Avenue – home to some
of the most elegant boutiques, department stores and shops found around
the world. Indulge in a few of the little luxuries you can’t find
anywhere outside of Milan or Paris. Enjoy the comfort of vertical shopping
malls, which allow you to shop to your heart's content without a care
about the weather.
john hancock center observatory
If you're looking for panoramic views of the lake and surrounding skyline,
this is the place to find them. At 1,127 feet high, “Big John” is the third-tallest
building in Chicago. Visitors flock to the 94th floor observatory where
– on a clear day – they can see four states. Of course, the observatory isn’t
nearly as interesting as the bar that adjoins the Signature Room
restaurant on the 95th floor. Here, you can enjoy a little more casual atmosphere while savoring
the view, by purchasing a cocktail instead of paying the
observatory entry fee.
museums
museum of science and industry
Explore
this extraordinary museum, which has something for the child in
everyone. Be enchanted by a fairy castle so detailed that the tiny
chandelier flashes with real diamonds, and the floors are laid with
intricate stone patterns. Marvel at how scientists can make frogs’ eyes
glow, or watch baby chicks emerge from their shells at the
“Genetics-Decoding Life” exhibit. Enjoy science- and space-related
films in the Omnimax Theater. Grab an ice cream between exhibits in the
old-fashioned parlor, which offers a genteel re-creation of an Illinois
main street from a bygone era.
adler planetarium & astronomy museum
Explore space, the last frontier. Visit the planetarium that brought
star-gazing to a new level for cities across America. Older children
will enjoy the interactive science exhibits and the high-tech Sky Pavilion,
while younger visitors can explore hands-on activities within the cultural
exhibits.
the art institute of chicago
Come for the country’s best collection of impressionist and
post-impressionist art, including an entire room dedicated to Monet. Linger
over the comprehensive photography collection and the fine American
works. Discover paintings, drawings, sculptures and design spanning from the
ancient to the contemporary world.
frank lloyd wright architecture
Wright’s Prairie School captured the flat, expansive Midwestern
plains he saw around him. The Chicago suburb of Oak Park has many fine
examples, though one of the best is Robie House in Hyde Park, which is
open for tours daily.
parks & zoos
Chicago is arguably one of the prettiest cities in the country.
Architect Daniel Burnham designed the city to have abundant green space,
to encourage outdoor relaxation. Even the smallest patches of green
usually display some sort of public art. With winter temperatures serving as a reality
of life in Chicago, residents take to the parks and zoos at the first
sign of spring, and retreat to the conservatories when the weather is less than ideal.
Stroll through splendid Victorian glass rooms of lush tropical
palms, spiny cacti, turtle-filled ponds, and a children’s garden with a
slide that winds through the trees. The Sweet House is filled with
chocolate, sugar cane, figs and other plants that are the ingredients
of a confectioner’s dream.
Host to many of the city’s outdoor events, Grant Park is also home
to two of Chicago’s greatest treasures – Buckingham Fountain and The Art Institute. The exquisite fountain – located between Columbus and
Lake Shore Drives east of Congress Plaza – has pink-marble
seashells, water-spouting fish, and bronze sculptures of sea horses. It was
patterned after a fountain at Versailles, although it is twice the size of its
model. Between May 1 and October 1 each year, it is elaborately illuminated at
night and sprays colorfully lighted waters.
Rare orchids reside near rooms filled with palms, ferns and special
holiday displays of Easter Lilies or Chrysanthemums. The peaceful and
lush greenery of this 1892 urban conservatory is a welcome contrast to
the hurried pace of life outside its doors.
Begun in 1868 with a pair of swans donated by New York’s Central
Park, Lincoln Park Zoo grew through donations of animals from wealthy
Chicago residents and the purchase of a collection from the Barnum
& Bailey Circus. Today, visitors can face off with a lion, separated by a window outside the Lion House; watch 24 gorillas “ape”
their reactions to the crowd; and witness some rare and endangered species,
such as the spectacle bear or the Australian koala. Kids love the Farm
in the Zoo area, filled with farm animals, a learning center and the Conservation Station, featuring hands-on
activities.
Feeding time must be a really coordinated effort for a zoo with
nearly 3,000 animals. Where do you start? Well, maybe the Tropic World
– a simulated tropical rain forest with monkeys, otters, birds and
other rain-forest inhabitants that move about in a carefully
constructed habitat of trees, shrubs, pools and waterfalls. Test your
flying strength in the “Be a Bird House” by flapping your “wings” on a
machine that decides what kind of bird you would be, based on how you
flap.Visit this popular zoo for a truly wild adventure.
professional sports
In case you haven’t heard, Chicago has two professional baseball teams. Almost nothing in the city fuels a heated discussion more
than the question: “Who are you rooting for?” It’s an argument that has been going on
since 1901. And, of course, there are “Da Bears” and the Bulls – without any relation to
Wall Street. Chicagoans are fiercely devoted to their teams, whether
they’re winning or losing. To get into the Chicago spirit just pick a
team and take a seat; you’re sure to get carried away with the crowd in no
time.
Football in the Windy City is messy, dirty and usually quite exciting. Catch a game during the season, August through December, at Soldier Field.
Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson’s “dynasty” teams are gone but certainly not
forgotten. The “Baby Bulls” are heating up, and the United Center is
rocking again. See all the action November through April.
Founded in 1890, the Chicago Cubs – originally known as the “White Stockings” –
are Chicago’s oldest baseball team. Their last World Series appearance
was 1945. In spite of the dry spell, the fans love their “Cubbies.”
Most notably, their famous announcer Harry Caray took singing off-key
to a new high when he sang his own rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field.
In 1900, this second baseball team moved to Chicago from Sioux City, Iowa, bringing with them
the famous – and now infamous – “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Having last won a
World Series championship in 1917, the Sox took the World Series win in
2005. Their home turf is U.S. Cellular Field.
chicago-style entertainment
From great performances to music that will rock your soul, Chicago
has the means to put you in your seat and inspire you to rise for a
standing ovation. Our knowledgeable Concierge can help you plan an
evening to remember. Listed here are some of the superb choices in town.
Experience Chicago’s premier classical dance company.
Brace yourself for physically and artistically daring works.
The alumni roster for this legendary theatre company reads like a Who’s Who of theater, as John
Malkovich, Gary Sinise and Joan Allen all honed their skills here.
Enjoy sensational musicals based on popular African-American icons.
the blues scene
Listen to the soundtrack of the Windy City. The music flowed through
the waters of the Mississippi and landed on the shores of Lake Michigan,
where legendary talent like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon,
and Koko Taylor bent it and reshaped it into a sound that became
unmistakably Chicago. Today, you can still hear the blues in the South
Side clubs where it all began, or check out the current scene on the
North Side. Some of the best places to hear the blues are:
chicago after dark
Chicago after dark is as eclectic as it is electric, with classic hot spots and continually new places to relax, unwind and “take it all in.”
Opened in 1914, The Green Mill is a lively spot on the Far North Side, where you can enjoy passionate jazz amid dark-wood booths.
Since 1960, this bar has served as a local favorite for cutting-edge music and “dance ‘til you drop" partying.
As an institution since 1959, this improv troop has launched the careers of Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and many more.
Head to this multicultural, pansexual dance club for electronic dance music and fun theme nights.
Experience the nation’s largest festival for improvisers, which occurs each spring.
Absorb the scene of Chicago’s trendiest and busiest dance club.
Enjoy globe-spanning musical offerings, with Spanish guitar one night and mambo the next.
Drop into this famous setting, featuring a live piano music and a small dance floor.
Delight in this sophisticated cabaret, booking both local and touring acts.
fabulous festivals
Chicagoans love to have a reason to party, and their festivals range from local neighborhood get-togethers to citywide extravaganzas. People fly in for the Chicago Blues Festival, but the local neighborhood street fairs can’t be beat for great people-watching and killer fried dough. Some weekends, primarily summertime, there are two or three festivals at once.
You simply can’t resist the lure of the holiday lights and the celebration the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There’s music, ice carving contests and stage shows. The culmination is the illumination of more than one million lights.
Nowhere else – perhaps outside of Ireland itself – will you see a city dye their river green. Shamrocks decorate the streets, the center stripe of Dearborn Street is painted green from Wacker Drive to Van Buren Street. Take in all the bagpipe music and green beer you can hold. The parade can last up to four hours.
Tap along to this four-day, three stage event in June, starring the Who’s Who of the blues from Chicago and around the country.
Enjoy the joyful sounds of this Grant Park event in early June.
What do you feed 3.5 million people over 10 days? Pizza and cheesecake and other Chicago specialties, of course! Held before July Fourth, the event includes top pop acts as well as novelties – like high divers who torpedo into small swimming pools.
Cool tones float in the air around Grant Park for four days during Labor Day weekend.
Celebrate all things Irish – including food, art, storytelling, dance and a bagpipers circle – held in Grant Park during the month of September.
just beyond the city limits
You could easily spend a month or two exploring all Chicago has to
offer, but the surrounding towns are also rich in history, culture and
activity.
Part of the literary legacy of Oak Park, this three-story turreted
Queen Anne Victorian stands in frilly contrast to the many streamlined
Prairie-style homes elsewhere in the neighborhood. There are
period-furnished rooms and many photos and artifacts pertaining to
Hemingway’s early life. You can even look inside the room in which the
author was born on July 21, 1899.
Watch the stars and listen to music at this outdoor venue. The
Ravinia Festival is the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Come for jazz, chamber music, pop and dance performances. Sit on the
lawn or reserve a seat in the pavilion.
Among the 23 inspiring and distinctly different gardens are a
three-island Japanese garden, a waterfall garden, a sensory garden and
a four-acre fruit and vegetable garden. Three immense greenhouses showcase
a desert, a rain forest and a formal garden where flowers bloom all
through the winter.