Chicago Things to Do Tips by Toughluck

More than 'Cloud Gate' Millennium Park Review

Millennium Park consist of several different venues. Cloud Gate is just the neatest part. Among Millennium Park's areas are the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza. It's interesting to watch people as they approach Cloud Gate. First, all you can see is the tops of buildings and the sky. As you get closer, you begin to see more things closer to the ground. You have to get right up to it to see yourself. You'll see people nearly leaning into it.

All around, there are others who are eating lunch, kids running and playing. The entire area is busy. Over by the Pritzker Pavilion, there are frizbee games, dogs playing, people lounging on the grass. You'll find a bit of peace or hubs of activities. You choose.

Address: Randolph St & Michigan Ave

Website: http://www.millenniumpark.org

Tall buildings Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower) Review

The Willis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower and the Hancock Tower are the two tallest (until the Trump Tower is built) in the city. It is a 108-story 1,450 feet (442 m) skyscraper in When it was completed in 1973 it was the tallest building in the world. Currently, it is the tallest building in the U.S. and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world.

In March 2009 the Willis Group Holdings, Ltd., (London-based insurance broker) lease a portion of the building and obtained the building's naming rights as part of the agreement. On July 16, 2009, the building was officially renamed Willis Tower.

Skydeck Chicago opened as The Sears Tower Skydeck observation deck in 1974. It's on the 103rd floor at 1,353 feet (412 m) above the ground. From the 103rd floor, you can see weest across Illinois and east across Lake Michiga. On a clear day, you can see parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. The elevator takes just over a minute to reach the 103rd floor.

In July of 2009, the Skydeck opened the glass balconies. These all glass balconies extend four feet over Wacker Drive 1,353 feet (412 m) below. The all-glass boxes allow visitors to look through the floor to the street . A second Skydeck on the 99th floor is used when the 103rd floor is closed. The tourist entrance is on Jackson Boulevard side of the building.

Address: 233 S Wacker Dr

Directions: Jackson Blvd and Wacker Dr.

Phone: (312) 875-9696

Website: http://www.willistower.com

Chicago Board of Trade Financial District Review

The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), was established in 1848. It is the world's oldest futures and options exchange. It merged with the CME under the CME Group holding company in 2007. The building was designed by architects Holabird & Root, It is 605 feet (184 m) tall. This Art Deco building incorporates sculptural work by Alvin Meyer and is capped by a 31 foot (9.5 m) tall statue of the Roman goddess Ceres in reference to the exchange's heritage as a commodity market. Ceres is faceless because its sculptor, John Storrs, believed that the forty-five story building would be sufficiently taller than any other nearby structure and as a result that no one would be able to see the sculpture's face anyway.

Additional information is available at their web-site or at Wikipedia

Address: LaSalle Street

Directions: Corner of Jackson and LaSalle Streets.

Phone: 866-716-7274

Website: http://www.cmegroup.com/

Great Art Museum Art Institute Review

The The Art Institute of Chicago Museum. I last visited the museum with a class of 7th graders (12 year olds). They had a great time and so did I.

I'm just loading pictures and place holders until I can get back and add some text. Come back in November and see what's been added.

Address: 111 S Michigan Avenue

Directions: East Loop, on Grant Park

Phone: 312-443-3600

Website: http://www.artic.edu

Traditional Chicago Michigan Avenue Review

Did you know that once Michigan Ave was the beach on Lake Michigan? Hence it's name. Since the cities founding, the shore line has been pushed eastward into the Lake, creating parks and more space.

The city of Chicago, passed a law, called the "Burnham Plan" that set aside everything to the east of Michigan Avenue as public park. Thus as the shoreline was filled in, first by the railroads, to push closer to downtown (they're below street level), then by the city to create either sites for Worlds Fairs (1890's and 1930's) and then later under the Burnham Plan for public parks. Michigan Avenue has become the quintessential face of Chicago. It's not the sky-line. It's not the center of Shopping (that's the loop and north Michigan Avenue). It's the historic hotels, grand vistas and link to the cities heart.

Natural History and Native History at it's best Field Museum of Natural History Review

So, I'll get back by November. Maybe November a year later. Aside from my slowness, this is the best museum in the midwest and possible the entire country for Natural History, including Native Americans. It's been a few years, but there are several exhbits that are worth finding.

First: The Dinosaur exhibit. It's in the northeast corner of the building. Full size replicas, with samples of the habitat that probably existed at that time. It includes two levels, with a ramp that lets you look down on the scenes and be at the same level as the larger beasts. There are explanations of fossils and palenentolgy (sp?). It's wonderful.

Second: The other exhibit is further down the hall to the south. It's the native American, i.e., the Indian; exhibits. Laided out by cultural groups (not necessarily the same as tribal groups), you'll find the Plains Indians to be the very interesting. Partly because this is where the American architype for an Indian comes from. Feathered war bonnet, horse riding, buffalo hunting, etc. Also because, there is an earthlodge* constructed in the gallery. You can go inside an see how the Hidasa and Arikara people lived.

Third:* There's Sue. This is back at the dinosaur hall, second floor. The largest T-Rex discovered. The skull and the story of the discovery are here. There is also a lab where you can watch the scientist cleaning and examining the fossils.

Address: 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr

Phone: 312.922.9410

Website: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Symphony Center Theater & Music Review

I'm just loading pictures and place holders until I can get back and add some text. Come back in November and see what's been added.

Address: Michigan Ave

Unique Architecture Harold Washington Library Review

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Address: 400 S. State St.

Phone: 312-747-4300

Website: http://www.chipublib.org

Lincoln at Grant Park Grant Park - Buckingham Fountain Review

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Address: 500 S Lake Shore Dr

Directions: east of the Loop

Phone: 312-742-7529

Website: http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/

Federal Plaza, a Caulder piece

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