Chicago Tourist Attractions – In this article, you’ll find out the best tourist attractions in Chicago that you must visit. Chicago offers the best things to do this weekend, which are good for kids, couples, groups of friends, families, and more.
Generally speaking, Chicago, also known as the “Windy City,” is on the shores of Lake Michigan. This city draws people from all over the world because of its lively arts scene, many cultural attractions, great shopping, and interesting architecture.
Chicago is full of people, food, culture, and history and has entertaining things to do. It’s known for hot dogs, pizza, jazz, 1920s gangsters, and natural history museums. Indeed, Chicago attractions are a must-see.
This is why Chicago has so much to do. Public parks and green spaces are large. The past is shown at museums and art galleries. There’s something for all ages, preferences, and needs here.
Top 20 Tourist Attractions in Chicago 2022
Here are the top tourist attractions in Chicago and fun things to do this weekend. If you’re ready for some adventure, check out Chicago’s top attractions that you must visit.
Table of contents
- Top 20 Tourist Attractions in Chicago 2022
- 1. Millennium Park
- 2. Art Institute of Chicago
- 3. Field Museum of Natural History
- 4. Navy Pier
- 5. Chicago Riverwalk and Lakefront Trail
- 6. Adler Planetarium
- 7. Garfield Park Conservatory
- 8. Museum of Science and Industry
- 9. Chicago Children’s Museum
- 10. Willis Tower SkyDeck
- 11. Buckingham Fountain
- 12. 360 Chicago and the John Hancock Center
- 13. Shedd Aquarium
- 14. Wrigley Field
- 15. Lincoln Park
- 16. The Magnificent Mile
- 17. Lincoln Park Zoo
- 18. The Rookery Building
- 19. Chicago Pizza Tours
- 20. Maggie Daley Park
- Useful Links
1. Millennium Park
The Millennium Park is one of the tourist attractions in Chicago, and it is a popular place for both locals and tourists to go because it has a lot of different kinds of art, including visual, performance, and agricultural art. It is one of the free things to do in Chicago, Illinois with kids. They’ll totally enjoy this place.
Additionally, Grant Park Music Festival is the best things to do in Chicago this weekend. It is a favorite summer event for people who love classical music and want to see a show under Chicago’s skyline.
Furthermore, Millennium Park is well-known in Chicago, and you can’t visit the city without going there. The Cloud Gate, or “The Bean,” It’s one of Chicago’s most popular sights and one of the best and famous tourist attractions in USA that you must visit.
Address : 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602
2. Art Institute of Chicago
Anyone who likes art knows that the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the best places to visit in Chicago. There are more than 300,000 pieces of art in the museum.
It is especially known for its large collections of French paintings from the 19th century (especially Impressionist works) and paintings and sculptures from the 20th century.
In short, you’re looking at art as soon as you walk in! Inside, you’ll find works from the Byzantine period, works by masters like Renoir, van Gogh, and Monet, and a huge collection of art from other continents.
As a result, it has become one of the top Chicago attractions and one of the best places to visit.
Address : 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
3. Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is a well-known place in Chicago and one of the best natural history museums in the world. Their amazing collection of more than 24 million objects is used to make amazing exhibits about everything from ancient cultures to the latest scientific discoveries.
The Museum is famous for its exhibits and scientific collections, which serve as a field guide to the whole planet and show a wide range of cultures from around the world.
Additionally, about 20 million artifacts and specimens from many different fields, such as geology, botany, zoology, and anthropology, are in the permanent collection. The most famous thing about it is SUE, the largest and most complete T-rex skeleton ever found.
People love to look at her for a while and be amazed by her 58 teeth and 40-foot length from nose to tail.
Address : 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
4. Navy Pier
The Navy Pier first opened in 1916 as a place to have fun and ship goods. It is now one of the tourist attractions and most popular places to visit in Chicago. The Pier is the site of events all year long, like the Chicago Festival in August.
Today, the Navy Pier is made up of 50 acres of gardens, attractions, shops, restaurants, concert halls, and parks. In Navy Pier Park, there is a 150-foot Ferris wheel and an old carousel.
Additionally, you can find events, free public programs, attractions, culture, dining, shopping, and more at Chicago’s Navy Pier. It’s a place where fun is big, whether you live there or are just visiting.
Address : 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
5. Chicago Riverwalk and Lakefront Trail
The Chicago Riverwalk and Lakefront Trail is a park and walking path along the south bank of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago. During the summer, this beautiful walkway has restaurants and food stands, benches and lookout points, boat rentals and tours, and theater-style seating for shows.
Take a walk in Chicago Riverwalk and Lakefront Trail are one of the best and most fun things to do this weekend. In addition, you’ll see a variety of historic buildings, open green spaces, and lots of restaurants, hidden wineries, cozy cafes, and other places. It has beautiful views of the skyline and a lot of things to do on the water.
Address : E Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
6. Adler Planetarium
The Adler Planetarium is one of the tourist attractions in Chicago. It is a public museum where astronomy and astrophysics are studied, and it is a National Historic Landmark.
Additionally, the Adler Planetarium is much better than the ones most kids get to go to on school trips, and people of all ages will enjoy its shows and extensive exhibits.
The planetarium has two dome theaters with shows about Chicago’s night sky, the solar system, and the moon, among other things.
Moreover, there is also a wide range of exhibits that look at things like life on other worlds, meteors and meteorites, space exploration, the history of science, and even the history of astrology.
Address : 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois
7. Garfield Park Conservatory
The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is one of the country’s largest and most beautiful botanical conservatories. The Conservatory is often called “landscape art under glass” because it has eight indoor gardens that show off thousands of plant species from all over the world.
Each garden is designed around a different theme and has a different set of plants. It is a 184-acre park with a swimming pool, a lagoon for fishing, sports fields, tennis courts, and more.
Address : 300 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60624
8. Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is one of the world’s biggest science museums. It has more than 400,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits that are meant to get people interested in science and inspire them to be creative.
There are so many cool and fun things to see and do in Chicago with kids, at the Museum of Science and Industry that it’s impossible to list them all.
Additionally, it is one of the tourist attractions in Chicago. It looks at how natural laws can be used to make technological and industrial progress. Not a single inch of that space is wasted, and there are over 35,000 different artifacts and hands-on displays on site.
Address : 5700 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois
9. Chicago Children’s Museum
The goal of the Chicago Children’s Museum is to make children’s lives better by building a community where playing and learning go hand in hand. The museum’s main visitors are kids from birth to age 10, their families, and the caregivers, teachers, and communities that help kids grow and learn in a healthy way.
The Children’s museum is one of the Chicago tourist attractions and a place that caters to children’s interests by having exhibits and programs that encourage learning and curiosity.
Address : 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
10. Willis Tower SkyDeck
The Skydeck, which is the name of the Willis Tower’s observation deck, opened on June 22, 1974. It is on the 103rd floor at a height of 1,353 feet (412 m). It is the highest observation deck in the U.S. and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chicago.
It’s not surprising that the Willis Tower SkyDeck is a popular place to visit in Chicago, where the views of the city are really amazing. Over 2 million people visit it every year and go up to the 103rd floor of the 110-story Willis Tower, which is the second-tallest building in North America.
Address : 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
11. Buckingham Fountain
The Buckingham Fountain is 85 meters across and one of the biggest of its kind in the world. It’s more than 7 meters tall and has three levels of basins that are surrounded by four pairs of bronze seahorses.
It is known as one of the biggest fountains on Earth. During the big show, a central jet shoots water 150 feet into the air. Major displays start every day at 9 a.m. and keep going every hour on the hour after that.
When it’s getting dark, lights are added to the water show, making it a must-see if you’re in the area at night.
Address : 301 S Columbus Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
12. 360 Chicago and the John Hancock Center
From the top of the old John Hancock Center, where 360 Chicago is located, you can get the best views of Chicago. The 360 Chicago Observation Deck is one of the tourist attractions and things to do with your kids.
On a clear day, you can see up to 55 miles in almost every direction from 360 Chicago. On an interactive screen, you can find out what buildings and landmarks you can see.
Address : 94, 875 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
13. Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium is one of the oldest and most well-known aquariums in North America. Now, it is one of the tourist attractions in Chicago. The Aquarium takes care of more than 32,000 animals and has the most diverse collection of aquatic animals in the world, with over 1,500 different species.
Additionally, the aquarium has different habitats that are made to look like real places so that aquatic animals can live there safely. This gives each animal a safe and happy place to live! It has a lot of fun things to do in Chicago with your kids.
Address : 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
14. Wrigley Field
The Wrigley Field is one of the Chicago attractions and is known for its ivy-covered brick outfield wall. The strange wind patterns off Lake Michigan, the famous red marquee over the main entrance, the hand-turned scoreboard.
Additionally, Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs play, was built in 1914. It is the second-oldest Major League Baseball park in the US, after Boston’s Fenway Park.
Address : 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613
15. Lincoln Park
The Lincoln Park is one of the tourist attractions in Chicago and is known for its large mansions, lots of shops and restaurants, and views of Lake Michigan. To the east of the neighborhood is a large park with the same name. Before 1864, a lot of the land in Lincoln Park was used as a cemetery.
Additionally, there are a lot of fun and best things to do in Chicago with kids this weekend. There are playing fields, bike trails, running paths, and beaches for those who simply want to relax in the great outdoors.
Address : Neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. (Lincoln Park is near the center of Chicago, which is a good thing)
16. The Magnificent Mile
One of the best places to shop in Chicago is The Magnificent Mile. If you like to spend a lot of money, you’ll love walking down this part of Michigan Avenue.
The Magnificent Mile is a 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue that goes from the banks of the Chicago River in the south to Oak Street in the north.
The Magnificent Mile district covers a full square mile from North Michigan Avenue east to the beautiful lakefront. The famous Magnificent Mile is a stretch of Michigan Avenue north of the Chicago River that has many galleries, boutiques, and high-end shops.
Address : North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
17. Lincoln Park Zoo
The Lincoln Park Zoo is on the north side of the well-known Lincoln Park. It is one of the best places for animal lovers to visit in Chicago and it has about 200 different kinds of animals and is free to visit if you make a reservation ahead of time.
More than 1,100 animals from all over the world live at the zoo. These include mammals, primates, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and many rare and endangered species. Make sure to see the award-winning Regenstein African Journey exhibit, which has giraffes, rhinos, and pygmy hippos.
The zoo has both animal displays and open green spaces. You’ll see hippos, zebras, sloths, camels, apes, and lots of other animals.
Address : 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
18. The Rookery Building
The Rookery is one of the most historically important buildings in Chicago. It is a unique place for businesses that want to be seen as important and it is built in a unique way, with load-bearing walls on the outside and a steel frame on the inside.
The inside is just as beautiful, with elegant staircases, decorative ironwork, and a beautiful light court. The 12-story building has a Queen Anne and a Roman Revival look, as well as other interesting architectural features.
Address : 209 S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60604
19. Chicago Pizza Tours
Since 2004, Chicago Pizza Tours has been giving bus and walking tours that give people a dynamic look at Chicago pizza. You’ll feel like a real Chicagoan when you try everything from historic slices to new pizzerias that are changing the city’s unique pizza culture.
Chicago is known for its great pizza, so it makes sense that one of the best things to do in the city is to find the best places to eat it.
Each tour takes a maximum of nine people on a small bus, so it’s not too big, and everything is well planned. On the way to each place, you learn about its history and the methods and processes used to make Chicago-style pizza. You also get excited to eat.
Address: 27 N Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
20. Maggie Daley Park
The Maggie Daley is one of the best things to do with kids in Chicago. It is now a beautiful recreation center with a children’s playground, a climbing wall, mini golf, picnic groves, a skating ribbon, tennis courts, and a formal garden.
The Chicago Park District’s popular Summer Day Camp and other programs are held at the Maggie Daley Fieldhouse.
You’ll love everything Maggie Daley Park has to offer, no matter how much you plan to spend.
Address: 337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601