Essential Chicago: What Every Visitor Must See

The City of Chicago can be intimidating for first time visitors because of its size and the amount of sites that demand attention. There is a different version of Chicago for every visitor that passes through, but there are some things that every visitor must see. The essential Chicago includes famous landmarks, great architecture, shopping destinations, and tourist traps.

Here is a guide to the essential parts of Chicago that every visitor must see. Everything included in the guide can be seen in a single weekend and without a car, public transportation and walking are the best ways to see Chicago.

Millennium Park

Chicago's Millennium Park is the newest addition to downtown and has quickly become the place to be in both the summer and winter. Millennium Park is situated along Michigan Avenue where a free ice rink is filled with skater and tourists positioning themselves for postcard snapshots. In the summer the ice rink is an outdoor patio for the resident restaurant, Park Grill. Overlooking the rink is the most popular sculpture Chicago has, Cloud Gate, which resembles a kidney bean. Crown Fountain features two towers of LCD displays that feature individuals, water sprays down the sides making it a family and summertime favorite. Finish your visit with a stroll through the Lurie Gardens.

Navy Pier

Even though Navy Pier is considered a tourist trap by many it is a huge part of Chicago and has the best view of the lakeshore. The pier caters to families with its amusement park rides including the giant 150 ft Ferris wheel and carousel. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater and IMAX draw college students and theater buffs and the Beer Garden is packed during the summer evenings. A convention center and the pier itself play host to various events and festivals year round and don't forget about the variety of marine vessels that are docked for tours and private parties.

Water Tower