From ballet to baseball, from cutting-edge art to historic architecture, from T. rex to tea parties, Chicago has the makings for a jam-packed vacation. The Windy City is the third-largest city in the country, known for its strong working class history and ethnic neighborhoods, its historic skyscrapers and award-winning public spaces, local style hotdogs and pizza, and legions of loyal sports fans.
You can catch the Cubs in iconic Wrigley Field or the White Sox across town at U.S. Cellular Field, the very much updated location of old Comiskey Park. The Bulls and the Blackhawks both play at the United Center. And “Da Bears” play at Soldier’s Field on the shore of Lake Michigan.
The city is comprised of 77 different community areas and 200 separate neighborhoods, each with their own distinct flavor. Downtown Chicago contains The Loop, the financial, historic, and theater district of the city. The famous Joffrey Ballet is just one of the cultural institutions found here. State Street, one of the country’s great shopping districts, runs through the loop. Nearby is the flagship American Girl Place, where fans of the dolls and their stories can get their doll’s hair done, have a tea party, and shop for an endless array of accessories.
Grant Park, next to Lake Michigan, is home to several world-class museums. The Field Museum’s most iconic resident is Sue, the largest T. rex skeleton known to man, and more than 21 million other specimens of natural history. The Adler Planetarium is the oldest planetarium in existence and was the first in the western hemisphere. And the Shedd Aquarium, with its 5 million gallons’ worth of tanks, is one of the largest in the world.
Navy Pier is a popular destination with 50 acres of parks, shops, places to eat, and rides. Take in gorgeous views of Chicago’s famous skyline from the 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel, an attraction that was invented in Chicago for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition.
CityPass and Smart Destinations both offer tourist passes for Chicago. CityPass offers discounted, pre-paid admission tickets to a handful of the most popular places and can be redeemed over nine days. Smart Destination’s Go Chicago Card has unlimited admission to a wider variety of Chicago attractions over a specified period of calendar days. The Go Select Pass and get discounts on as many attractions as you choose.
Top Chicago Tourist Passes
Chicago CityPASS
See 5 of the Windy City’s best attractions for one low price—99% of Chicago CityPASS customers would recommend it to others.
Go Chicago Card
Experience a range of the region’s most popular sites and attractions at a discounted rate. The card allows carriers free entry to an extensive list of Chicago area locations.
Chicago Explorer Pass
If you are pretty set on how many attractions you want more time to see them the Explorer Pass is for you.