The John Hancock Observatory: See the City of Chicago from New Heights

The John Hancock Observatory was Definitely Worth the Admission Price

A few years ago I visited Chicago on Thanksgiving Weekend and stopped by the John Hancock Tower. Unfortunately, at the time we were there, the line was a mile long with kids going to see Santa. We passed on seeing the tower on that trip, but when planning our August 2008 trip to Chicago, I researched and asked for advice online about the John Hancock Observatory so that I could make sure we could see it this time around. The first thing that I found many people saying was that the Hancock was definitely better than the Sears Tower. After reading that from many sources, there was no question that I would be doing the John Hancock Tower instead.

Now the question became whether or not I should go to the Observatory floor or try the restaurant or lounge that many people were talking about. While many people said the lounge/restaurant was a better option, I got a response from at least one tourist who was very disappointed in the lounge and stated you couldn't actively walk around to see the view from all sides. That squashed any ideas I had about not doing the observatory and I made a plan to get there shortly before sunset.

Getting There
If you are in a hotel anywhere near the Michigan Avenue/Magnificent Mile area, you can easily walk to the Hancock Tower. It's a straight shot down Michigan Avenue, right in between all the action of this strip. You simply cannot miss the tower as it approaches and towers over everything around it. When you enter from the Michigan Avenue entrance, it is only a few feet away to the entrance to the observatory. Tickets for adults is $15 with a discount for kids and seniors.