Here’s a movie about Chicago. This movie will give you a quick impression of the destination. The movie is not made by our own IFLY crew members. A special IFLYtheworld movie is in production and will be online soon.
IFLY tips
Great view from Willis Tower (2 hrs)
The Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, is with its 1,450 feet and 110 stories high, the tallest building in the western hemisphere. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the skyline of the ‘windy city’, Chicago. The building held the title world’s tallest building until early 2009 when Burj Dubai topped out at over 2,600 feet, making it the tallest man-made structure ever built.
Approximately 1,3 million tourists visit the tower every year to enjoy the great view from the skydeck of this building. You’ll see the best view and best overview of Chicago. At 1,353 feet (412 meters), the Skydeck is the highest observatory in Chicago.
But there’s a new exhilarating experience since July 2009: the Ledge. At 1,353 feet up, The Ledge’s glass boxes extend out 4,3 feet from the skyscraper’s Skydeck on the 103rd floor, providing never-before-seen views of the city. An unmatched view is not all the Skydeck offers.
Willis Tower is located in the heart of Chicago at 233 South Wacker Drive. The skydeck is open from 9 am to 10 pm from April till September. From October till March it’s opened from 10 am to 8 pm. A ticket is $15,95.
The Art Institute Of Chicago (2 hrs)
The Art Institute of Chicago has a huge collection from all parts of the world. There’s African art, American, Asian and European. There’s ancient art and contemporary, photography, prints, drawings and textiles. So there’s really a lot to see. When in Chicago this museum is a must see
More information about the museum and the exhibitions can be found here. The museum hours are: Monday–Wednesday: 10:30 am to 5 pm. Thursday: 10:30 am to 8 pm. Friday: 10:30 am to 5 pm. Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm. The admission fee is $18. The museum is located at 111 South Michigan Avenue. At Thursday from 5 to 8 pm the entrance is free.
John Hancock Center (2 hrs)
Of course the Willis Tower is impressive, but don’t forget the Hancock Center. So if the other tower is too busy, you’ll get a great view from the Hancock Center’s 94th floor.
From the open-air skywalk you can feel why Chicago is called the Windy City. Although there’s no glass, there’s a high strength stainless steel screen to protect you.
The admission is $15. The observatory is open daily from 9 am to 11 pm. To avoid the crowds, come before 11 am or after 6 pm. John Hancock Observatory is at 875 N. Michigan Avenue.
Sailing in Chicago (½ - 1 day)
Chicago is situated at Lake Michigan, so in summer you have to enjoy the lake as well. A good place to go sailing is at Chicago Sailing. In a little more than twenty years, Chicago Sailing has grown to be one of the nation’s largest full service sailing facilities, serving thousands of sailors annually.
You may rent a boat and set your own course, or charter a boat so you can relax while one of the Coast Guard licensed captains takes you where you want to go. Feel free to bring your own refreshments.
There are many options. For more details and prices visit their website. Chicago Sailing is located at Dock B, Belmont Harbor North, 3256 North Recreation Drive
Millennium Park (1 - 3 hrs)
If you’re done with shopping and museums and just want to walk outside, go to Millennium Park. This is a beautiful park just off the centre of Chicago. This is the place where everybody goes jogging for example. But there’s much more.
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.
Among Millennium Park's prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States and Anish Kapoor's hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza.
Since it’s opening in July 2004, Millennium Park has hosted millions of people, making it one of the most popular destinations in Chicago.
Architecture cruise (1 hr)
Chicago is the city where the skyscraper was born, and there’s a lot of architecture to see. But Chicago has a lot of water as well, so isn’t it a great idea to make an architecture cruise?
Chicago’s First Lady is the official Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise. The boat offers guests two decks: an open-air upper deck and a fully enclosed temperature-controlled carpeted main salon. During the cruise you will see many wonderful buildings along the Chicago River.
Tours will start from early may and stop late November. A tour is about 60 minutes and cost $32. It’s a wonderful tour so don’t miss the boat.
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Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Chicago.