Chicago Essentials- Top 10 Experiences in the City You Cannot Miss – News18

Last Updated:January 09, 2025, 11:46 IST

Chicago’s top 10 greatest sights and experiences include the magic of Millennium Park and its iconic Cloud Gate sculpture by Indian Origin artist – Anish Kapoor

Chicago is the centre stage of history, culture, and diverse neighbourhoods, all of which blend into an unforgettable experience of one of the world’s great cities. Chicago’s top 10 greatest sights and experiences include the magic of Millennium Park and its iconic Cloud Gate sculpture by Indian Origin artist – Anish Kapoor, family fun of Navy Pier, and the iconic deep-dish pizza to the vibrant performing arts scene, showcasing the very best of the windy city.

1. Marvel at the ArchitectureThe city’s skyline reflects more than a century of architectural exploration sparked, in part, by the Great Fire of 1871, which decimated hundreds of old wood-frame and brick buildings on the lakefront. In their place came a new generation of steel structures perfected by the original Chicago School of architects. Today, the Windy City is known worldwide for its collection of towering skyscrapers. Visitors explore the city’s architectural display with tours by foot, water, bike, bus, trolley, or train. Stops include imposing, spare modernist towers reflected in the flat expanse of Lake Michigan and older, smaller buildings packed with history. Moreover, the Loop and the Pilsen neighbourhoods, Oak Park, Wicker Park, and the University of Chicago Campus all preserve and present Chicago’s deep-rooted history and evolving architectural.
2. Browse through the Rich Collection at the Art Institute of ChicagoNo trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the Art Institute, rated among the world’s top museums. The Art Institute of Chicago is home to the greatest collection of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris, including works by Monet, Renoir, Seurat, and Van Gogh. Explore the Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing and its extraordinary collection of works by Chagall, Dalí, Matisse, Picasso, and Pollock, and visit the Ryan Learning Center, a free space offering programs and art-making activities for the whole family.
3. Spend an Eventful Day at Millennium ParkCompleted in 2004, Millennium Park is a state-of-the-art collection of architecture, landscape design and art located in the heart of the city. Chicago’s second-largest visitor attraction is a lively gathering spot welcoming five million visitors annually to enjoy hundreds of cultural programs including concerts, exhibitions, tours, and family activities. A park of this stature would not be complete without a significant nod to Chicago’s architectural pedigree. One of the park’s most famous architectural elements includes the iconic sculpture officially named Cloud Gate, but known by most as The Bean, designed by Anish Kapoor.
4. Explore the Navy Pier Like a LocalCentrally located on Chicago’s beautiful lakefront, Navy Pier is a civic landmark and one of the top-visited leisure and cultural destinations in the world. It serves as a world-class public place in the vein of famed architect Daniel Burnham’s vision for the Chicago lakefront—as an attractive and useful public space where the people of the city and from all over could gather to play, interact, and foster community. Open year-round, Navy Pier offers entertainment, food, and cultural attractions for the whole family.
5. Enjoy 360-degrees view of Chicago360 Chicago is an attraction that will forever change the way visitors see Chicago. TILT debuted in the spring of 2014, providing the ultimate window to the Windy City. A one-of-a-kind experience, TILT is an enclosed, glass and steel moveable platform that holds up to eight visitors per cycle. Once safely situated inside, the platform slowly tilts outward to an adventurous angle, generating downward-facing views of Chicago – from one thousand feet above The Magnificent Mile providing thrill-seekers an exciting and safe way to take in unsurpassable views of the city, from a never-before-seen angle.
6. Dish on Chicago-Style PizzaChicago-style pie was born in 1943 when The Pizzeria downtown placed a thick crust in a pie-like pan with sides and “inverted” the toppings. Cheese, vegetables, and meat come first, followed by sauce on top. Today, some of the best deep-dish pizzas in Chicago can be found at Pizzeria Uno, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Giordano’s, Gino’s East, and Pequod’s Pizza and every local debates the best!
7. Experience the Amazing Chicago NightlifeChicago has some of the nation’s best restaurants, a deep-rooted history of music, and a diverse theatre and comedy scene that is full of talent. Enthusiasts will love the city’s famed Chicago comedy clubs like Second City and Zanies for laughter-filled evenings. For the best bars in Chicago, there is a wide range of historic taverns, speakeasies, dives, chic rooftop lounges, and cocktail-focused spots all around the city. Add to that a thriving LGBTQ community that invites everyone to enjoy some fierce drag performances and epic dance parties, and you have a city that really comes to life after hours.
8. Hear the Chicago BluesThe city’s signature sound developed when African-American musicians joined the Great Migration north from the Mississippi Delta region after World War II to find work and escape Deep South discrimination. Their traditional Delta blues set tales of rural troubles against a backdrop of acoustic guitars and harmonicas that gradually evolved into the modern Chicago blues sound. Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation displays a rich collection of memorabilia in the former home of Chess Records, a leading blues label that employed Willie as a writer, producer, and session musician. Top places in the city to catch a show include Buddy Guy’s Legends, House of Blues Chicago, Kingston Mines, and Rosa’s Lounge.
9. Catch a Performing Arts ShowBroadway in Chicago offers the latest and greatest award-winning musicals in Chicago’s vibrant and bustling theatre district at three of the city’s most historic theatres, the Cadillac Palace Theater, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and the CIBC Theatre. Chicago’s theatre scene would not be complete without the performing arts. The Joffrey Ballet is a world-class ballet company presenting classic, cutting-edge, and breathtaking works like Nutcracker. Contemporary dance has a long history in Chicago thanks to the Hubbard Street Dance Company. If classical music is your passion, then do not miss a visit to Symphony Center to see the acclaimed Chicago Symphony Orchestra and legendary conductor, Riccardo Muti.
10. Get Your Retail Fix at Magnificent MileChicago’s famous Magnificent Mile is a bustling hub for stores, restaurants, attractions, and architecture with shopping here being an experience not to be missed. Start at The Shops at North Bridge, a collection of upscale stores and restaurants that serve as the base of North Michigan Avenue. Here you will find one of the country’s largest Nordstrom stores, as well as chic shops like Hugo Boss, Swarovski and Vosges Haut-Chocolat, all in an ultramodern, mega-mall setting. On the north end of the Magnificent Mile lies the 900 North Michigan Shops, where more than 70 luxury retailers such as Gucci, Michael Kors, and Bloomingdale’s combined with diverse dining options create a retail retreat where you will want to stay all day.