Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.
&
312/939-2438.
www.sheddaquarium.org. All-Access Pass (to all exhibits) $21
adults, $15 seniors and children 3-11; admission to aquarium and either Oceanariumor Wild Reef$17 adults,
$13 seniors and children 3-11; aquarium only $8 adults, $6 children and seniors. Free admission to aquarium
Mon and Tues Oct-Feb (except the last 2 weeks of Dec). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (until 6pm Memorial Day to Labor
Day); Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Bus: 6 or 146.
3 North of the Loop: The Magnificent Mile & Beyond
North of the Chicago River are a number of attractions you should not over-
look, including several museums and buildings, the city's greatest park, a zoo,
and one of the world's most impressive research libraries. Most of these sites are
either on the Magnificent Mile (North Michigan Ave.) and its surrounding
blocks or not too far from there, on the Near North Side.
The Hancock Observatory
While not as famous as the Sears Tower, for
many locals the Hancock remains the archetypal Chicago skyscraper, with its
bold, tapered shape and exterior steel cross-bracing design. The Hancock Obser-
vatory delivers an excellent panorama of the city and an intimate view over
nearby Lake Michigan and the various shoreline residential areas. The view from
the top of Chicago's third-tallest building is enough to satisfy, but some high-
tech additions to the experience include “talking telescopes” with sound effects
and narration in four languages, history walls illustrating the growth of the city,
and the Skywalk open-air viewing deck—a “screened porch” that allows visitors
to feel the rush of the wind at 1,000 feet. On a clear day you can see portions
of the three states surrounding this corner of Illinois (Michigan, Indiana, and
Wisconsin), for a radius of 40 to 50 miles. The view up the North Side is par-
ticularly dramatic, stretching from the nearby Oak Street and North Avenue
beaches, along the green strip of Lincoln Park, to the line of high-rises you can
trace up the shoreline until they suddenly halt just below the boundary of the
northern suburbs. A high-speed elevator carries passengers to the observatory in
40 seconds, and the entrance and observatory are accessible for people with dis-
abilities. Allow 1 hour.
“Big John,” as it's referred to by some locals, also has a sleek restaurant, the
Signature Room at the 95th, with an adjoining lounge. For about the same cost
as the observatory, you can take in the views from the latter with a libation in
hand.
94th floor of the John Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave. (enter on Delaware St.).
&
888/875-VIEW
or
312/751-3681. www.hancock-observatory.com. Admission $9.50 adults, $7.50 seniors, $6 children 5-12.
Daily 9am-11pm. Bus: 145, 146, 147, or 151. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago/State.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The MCA claims to be the largest
contemporary art museum in the country, emphasizing experimentation in a
variety of media—painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, dance,
music, and performance. But much of the space seems to be taken up with the-
aters and hallways; seeing the actual art won't take you long. Sitting on a front-
row piece of property between the lake and the historic Water Tower, the
gloomy, imposing building (designed by Berlin's Josef Paul Kleihues) looks like
something out of Communist Russia, but the interior spaces are more vibrant,
with a sun-drenched two-story central corridor, elliptical staircases, and three
floors of exhibition space. The MCA has tried to raise its national profile to the
level of New York's Museum of Modern Art by hosting major touring retro-
spectives of working artists such as Cindy Sherman and Chuck Close.
You can see the MCA's highlights in about an hour, although art lovers will
want more time to wander (especially if a high-profile exhibit is in town). Your
