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A Week in Chicago: Exploring the Windy City's Best Attractions

Ana Karen Quintero Hernández

18 Oct 2023

0

Join me on a thrilling 7-day adventure in Chicago, where we'll visit iconic landmarks like Cloud Gate, Buckingham Fountain, and Navy Pier. Indulge in delicious breakfasts at local favorites like Intelligentsia Coffee and Lou Mitchell's Restaurant & Bakery. Get ready for a memorable trip filled with culture, nature, and breathtaking views!

Trip to Chicago

Tours & Activities

Viator Tours

Day 1

+

$16

Intelligentsia Coffee

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$16

3 - 4 min

~

Directions

Chicago Cultural Center

Free art & shows in an 1897 Beaux-Arts building with vaulted lobby, mosaics & 2 stained-glass domes.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

4 - 5 min

~

Directions

Cloud Gate

Huge outdoor sculpture shaped like a bean & allowing for views from its many mirrored sides.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

•

Free

4 - 5 min

~

Directions

Crown Fountain

Public sculpture with 2 50-ft. LED towers & a reflecting pool, by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

•

Free

11 - 16 min

~

Directions

Buckingham Fountain

Among the world’s largest, Grant Park’s 3-level rococo fountain (1927) offers light & water shows.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

Day 2

+

$30

·

$ 10

Inspiration Kitchens

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$30

5 - 8 min

~

Directions

Garfield Park Conservatory - Reservations Required

184-acre park with a swimming pool, fishing lagoon, athletic fields & tennis courts.

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

~

Directions

National Museum of Mexican Art

Some 18,000 paintings, photographs, sculptures & more are housed at this art museum.

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Ping Tom Memorial Park

Chinatown park on the Chicago River with Chinese-style landscaping, a playground & kayak rentals.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

Day 3

+

$77

·

$ 5

Colectivo Coffee Roasters

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$14

10 - 15 min

~

Directions

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Thousands of exotic plants in an 1890 glass structure, plus outdoor gardens & fountains.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

5 - 8 min

~

Directions

Lincoln Park Zoo

Small, free zoo with lions, primates, reptiles, a children's area & an interactive farm exhibit.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

8 - 10 min

~

Directions

360 CHICAGO

Observatory on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building with a tilting glass lookout 1000ft up.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

$63

Day 4

+

$87

·

$ 5

Kanela Breakfast Club

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$24

9 - 14 min

~

Directions

Navy Pier

Former Navy training center draws crowds with carnival rides, restaurants, shops & fireworks.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$63

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Millennium Park

24.5-acre green space with a video display, the reflective "Bean" sculpture & an outdoor theater.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

Free

Day 5

+

$83

·

$ 5

Lou Mitchell's Restaurant & Bakery

Lou Mitchell’s is not only a classic Chicago icon, but our food is recognized both nationally and internationally with endless accolades. Among the list are USA Today, American Way, newspapers, magazines, food critics, television. It’s a must see place.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$20

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

Skydeck Chicago

103rd floor of the Willis Tower with clear observation boxes & views extending to four states.

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

•

$63

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Riverwalk

Riverside pedestrian path featuring city views & dining, plus bridges, fishing piers & boat docks.

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

•

Free

Day 6

+

$85

·

$ 5

Intelligentsia Coffee

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$22

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

Willis Tower

Iconic, 110-story skyscraper featuring expansive views of Chicago from its 103rd-story Skydeck.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$63

9 - 11 min

~

Directions

Museum Campus

57-acre grounds with the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium & Field Museum, plus dining & lake beach.

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

Day 7

+

$18

Grant Park Bistro

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$18

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

Grant Park

312-acre centerpiece of Downtown housing some of the city's busiest attractions.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

Free

Budget breakdown: $424 In total

Activities & Food:$394

Transport:$30