A Whirlwind Weekend in the Windy City

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Mix and match a stop from each category to create your own must-do lineup. The best part? Next time you visit, you can mix it again to create a whole new adventure.

Your weekend will include an iconic Chicago experience, a unique food outing, a world-class museum, an architecture tour and millenium park.

Choose an Iconic Chicago Experience

Michigan Avenue/Oak Street

Michigan Avenue/Oak Street

Famed storefronts and unique boutiques line this shopper’s paradise.

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Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field

Catch a Cubs game and snap a pic with the famed marquee.

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Navy Pier

Navy Pier

With stunning views and a children’s museum, the city’s playground juts into Lake Michigan.

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Theaters

Theaters

Improv comedy, Shakespeare, Broadway shows—the stage is set.

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Skydeck

Skydeck

Step out onto The Ledge in Willis Tower to see the city from 1,353 feet up.

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Pick a Unique Food Outing

Deep-dish Pizza

Deep-dish Pizza

The joke goes that it’s not pizza unless it’s thicker than the table. Dive into a classic pie at Gino’s East.

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Chicago Dog

Chicago Dog

This delicacy comes loaded with trimmings, including peppers, tomato and a pickle, but never, ever ketchup. For an authentic experience, try the Jumbo Hot Dog at a Portillo’s restaurant.

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Celebrity Chefs

Celebrity Chefs

Sample the scene and the grilled pork belly at Stephanie Izard’s Girl and the Goat, or ceviche and anything with mole at Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill.

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Food Emporium

Food Emporium

Eataly Chicago, a two-story market and high-end food court, celebrates Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. Swing by to taste Sicilian cannoli or see burrata made.

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Popcorn

Popcorn

Get the Garrett Mix, a combo of cheddar cheese with buttery caramel, at Garrett Popcorn Shops.

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Visit a World-Class Museum

The Field Museum

The Field Museum

Peer up at Máximo, a titanosaur. He’s not only the biggest dinosaur but the largest land animal—ever—on the planet.

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Museum of Science and Industry

Museum of Science and Industry

Tap into your inner explorer at the Western Hemisphere’s largest science museum, complete with a tour of the German U-505 submarine captured during WWII.

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Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium

See more than 32,000 animals from the Great Lakes to the deepest reaches of the Amazon. In a special exhibit, Underwater Beauty, jellyfish pulse and eels change colors.

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Adler Planetarium

Adler Planetarium

Cast your eyes to the sky and view celestial objects trillions of miles away at the Adler’s Doane Observatory.

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Art Institute of Chicago

Art Institute of Chicago

Immerse yourself in art from ancient days to today at the Art Institute, where a pair of bronze lions famously flank the entryway.

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Go on an Architecture Tour

By Boat

By Boat

Join the volunteer docents of the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady to learn the history behind the city’s famous skyline.

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By Bus

By Bus

Catch a lift with the knowledgeable guides of a hop-on, hop-off, double-decker bus tour to hit the city’s downtown attractions at your own pace.

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By Train

By Train

All aboard the elevated train—or the L, as locals call it—for a top-down perspective on
the city’s must-see sights, courtesy of Chicago Architecture Center guides.

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By Foot

By Foot

Chicago is known for groundbreaking architecture and trendsetting neighborhoods. To see both in one trip, tour with an expert from Inside Chicago Walking Tours.

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By Exhibit

By Exhibit

Visit the Chicago Architecture Center above the Riverwalk to explore a model of the city and visit a skyscraper gallery.

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Take a Trip to Millennium Park

Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate

Gaze at your reflection—and the skyline’s—in this 110-ton seamless steel sculpture affectionately dubbed The Bean.

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BP Bridge

BP Bridge

Wind along a ribbon-like path framed in glittering stainless-steel panels to earn a full view of Millennium Park.

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Lurie Garden

Lurie Garden

Stroll this sanctuary where plants rise taller than people.

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Crown Fountain

Crown Fountain

Splash in the reflective pool between two 50-foot glass towers that project the diverse faces of Chicago’s citizens.

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Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Take in a concert or film beneath a trellis of stainless-steel beams designed for both acoustics and aesthetics.

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