Around Willis Tower
Chicago - Illinois
Downtown stroll
Description: One of the most famous attractions in downtown Chicago is certainly the High Line - Chicago Elevated, or simply L. A ride through the skyscraper canyons is simply part of a Chicago visit.
There are also plenty of sculptures and architecturally interesting buildings to be found between the city's skyscrapers. The Flamingo by Alexander Calder (50 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60610) or the Chicago Picasso by Pablo Picasso (50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602) are just two of them. The Miro´s Chicago – 77 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 - was unfortunately hidden behind construction fences during our visit in May 2017. Also an eye-catcher is the huge mosaic Four Seasons by Marc Chagall (10 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60603).
Our rating: We can recommend a walk around downtown to every Chicago visitor. Just to walk through the skyscraper canyons is an experience. This is then garnished by places with huge, very worth seeing sculptures. We had a lot of fun here.
Blues Brothers in Chicago
Description: There are a few locations in Chicago that were used for the filming of the Blues Brothers . One of the most famous is the County Building (118 N Clark St #112, Chicago, IL 60602,) and the Treasurer's Office located inside. This is where one of the crucial scenes of the movie takes place. Many of the movie locations in and around Chicago can be found here.
The Cook County Building is located directly between the Chicago Piicasso and the James R. Thompson Center designed by Helmut Jahn.
For the GPS: 118 N Clark St #112, Chicago, IL 60602
Our rating: Being a huge Blues Brothers fan, a visit to the Cook County Building was an absolute must-see for Gerd. But also for non Blues Brothers fans the building and the surrounding area offers a nice sight.
Willis Tower
Description: The 1450ft high Sears Tower was opened in 1974, after 4 years of construction. At the time, with 108 floors, it was the tallest building in the world. Since 2009, the building is called Willis Tower. Since this was not very popular with the population, it is still often called Sears Tower. On the 103rd floor is the Skydeck, from which you have a great view over the entire city. In 2009, three glass balconies were installed here from which you can step outside the building and have a clear view 1352ft down.
With the City Pass you get the Fast Pass automatically. Especially on holidays and weekends, a Fast Pass can save hours of waiting time.
Our rating: When visiting Chicago this is definitely a must see . Even if we liked the view from 360 Chicago better, a trip here to the Willis Tower is a must. The glass balconies alone are worth a visit. The view of the city and Lake Michigan is simply magnificent.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 25$/person (one way), 75$/person with Fast Pass
- Daily from 9am - 10pm (March to September) and from 10am - 8pm (October to February).
Everything you need to know about a visit can be found on the official webpage.
For the GPS: 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
