"Walking Navy Pier" Top 5 Page for this destination Navy Pier Tip by deecat

Even though I have been to Navy Pier many times, I had never walked the entire area until my friend Rosie [rozehill} and I spent several hours there in October, 2008.

I will say that I was impressed with the vastness of the area, the historic significance of the architecture, and the number of different activities offered.

The first thing that we saw was 19 acres of park called Gateway Park. Of that area, I enjoyed the digital computerized granite fountain as seen in my 5th photograph. Rosie and I were mesmerized by the shooting water, colored lights, and continual patterns created.

After the lovely park, we came upon the Headhouse and Auditorium, two historic buildings on the Navy Pier. Both buildings were designed by architect Charles Summer Frost in about 1916. They are the most western of the structures here. My first photograph is of Navy Pier Headhouse. This name comes from the area at the time of its construction [Headlands]. Then, the two towers housed tanks for the fire sprinkler system. Today, the Headhouse is the Chicago's Children Museum.

You cannot go to Navy Pier without seeing up close the 1893 World Columbian Exposition Ferris Wheel. This Ferris Wheel is 148 feet high. See Photograph #2

Moving eastward, we saw an attractive glass structure towering over the area. It is the seven-story Shakespeare Theater Complex that features a 525 seat theater. I just read in the paper, that one of the plays presented there this summer has won a Jefferson Award.

Rosie and I also saw the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows which did not open until 2000. I have a tip about it also

I also thought the 44 foot high musical carousel with its hand-painted animals was a delight.

In addition Navy Pier features: an 18-hole miniature golf course, an IMAX Theater, a 40 foot high wave swinger, and a Fun House Maze. [because it was October, a special Halloween exhibition was available]. Furthermore, Navy Pier has the Crystal Gardens ( one-acre indoor glass atrium with 70 palm trees.

No doubt, the boat trips available at Navy Pier are numerous. There are so many cruises from which to choose. I have a tip about the cruise that Allan and I took with grand daughter Sabrina.

Navy Pier's long and interesting history: It was first known as Municipal Pier and originally designed as a shipping & entertainment area, but during both WWI and WWII, it was used as a military facility. In 1927, it was renamed NAVY PIER in honor of WWI Veterans.

Then in served as the Chicago branch of the University of Illinois. Once the university move [1965], the pier went into decline. In 1976, redevelopment began and went on until 1994. The updates, additions, and renovations are continual. Today, it attracts over 8 million visitors per year. Rosie and I were two of those visitors!

Directions: A large pier that juts out into Lake Michigan near Streeterville, which is close to downtown Chicago. You Cannot miss it.