Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
176
Walker's Warning
Chicago is a great city to explore on foot, but I must warn people against tr ying
to cross Lake Shore Drive on foot. People have been seriously injured and even
killed attempting to dodge the traffic on the drive. Look for the pedestrian
underpasses at Chicago Avenue, Oak Street, and North Avenue, among other
locations.
Lake Michigan and various shoreline residential areas. (Many people don't agree with me,
however, because more than 1.5 million people go up the S ears Tower each year.)
Although it's not as famous as the Sears Tower, for many local residents, the Hancock
remains the archetypal Chicago skyscraper, with its bold, tapered shape and exterior steel
cross-bracing design. The building rises to a total height of 1,107 feet abo ve Michigan
Avenue—1,456 feet if y ou count its twin 349-foot antennas. The view from the top of
Chicago's third-tallest building is enough to satisfy, and some high-tech additions to the
experience include “ talking telescopes ” with sound effects and narration in four lan-
guages, history walls illustrating the growth of the city, and the Skywalk open-air viewing
deck—a “screened porch” that allows visitors to feel the r ush of the wind at 1,000 feet.
It's a sky-high step outside. Kids can check out the buildin 's infrastructure on computers
and locate 80 Chicago attractions on virtual-reality television screens. 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 particularly
dramatic. It stretches from the nearby Oat Street and North Avenue beaches, along the
green strip of Lincoln P ark, to the line of high-rises tracing the shor eline that suddenly
halt just below the boundary of the northern suburbs. A high-speed elevator carries pas-
sengers to the observatory in 40 seconds, and the entrance and observatory are accessible
for people with disabilities. 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. (F or about the same cost as the obser va-
tory, you can take in the vie ws with libation in hand.) During the day plenty of tourists
make the place kid-friendly; at night it 's more adult-oriented. I n the afternoon it 's not
very crowded, so don't be afraid to bring the family for r efreshments.
94th floor of the John Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave. (enter on Delaware St.).
&
888/875-VIEW
(875-8439) or 312/751-3681. w ww.hancock-observatory.com. Admission $11 adults , $8 seniors , $6.50
children 5-12, free for children 4 and under. Daily 9am-11pm. Bus: 145, 146, 147, or 151. Subway/El: Red
Line to Chicago/State.
6
Navy Pier
All ages.
Because Navy Pier juts 3,000 feet into Lake M ichigan, the view
from the end of the pier looking toward the city is fabulous—the next best thing to see-
ing the Chicago skyline b y boat. And, if y ou like heights, hop aboar d the Ferris wheel
and get a 15-stor y-high vantage point. Go early in the morning to see the sun rise, the
rays gleaming off the glass M ies van der R ohe buildings lining Lake S hore Drive. Sur-
rounded by Lake Michigan, lush gardens, and sculpture, the view from the Navy Pier is
one of the best in the city . See the review in the previous section for more details about
the other attractions at Navy Pier.
600 E. Grand A ve. (at Lake M ichigan).
&
800/595-PIER
(800/595-7437, outside the 312 ar ea code), or
312/595-PIER. www.navypier.com.
