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1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-922-STAR
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This planetarium was the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and was established back in 1930 by Max Adler, who was an executive at Sears, Roebuck. Inside, visitors can take a virtual reality tour of the entire galaxy, where they can see stars even bigger than Michael Jordan. Highlights include the computer generated show at StarRIder Theater, and the space-themed movies showing at the Sky Theater.
Field Museum of Natural History
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-922-9410
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For over a hundred years, this gigantic museum has been bringing the world back to Chicago, and it’s got six acres of exhibit space to prove it. Here you can see everything from dinosaur bones to Egyptian mummies and back again. This massive museum is one of the true highlights of any visit to Chicago.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-939-2438
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Not only is it one of the best spots for families in all of Chicago, it’s the second largest indoor aquarium in the whole world. Almost every creature that has dorsal fins and a tail is on display here, and even many that don’t. Once you add it all up, it’s over 2,000 different species. In addition to seeing the creatures of the deep up close in realistic habitats, you’re not going to want to miss the shows at the Oceanarium. Here, they’ve got a thousand-seat amphitheater for live educational shows.
875 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-751-3681
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Presiding over all this retail mayhem on the Magnificent Mile is the biggest skyscraper on this side of town, the John Hancock Center. At just over eleven hundred feet, the Hancock isn’t quite as tall as the Willis Tower on the other side of town, but there are some who say that view from its 94th floor Observatory is just as remarkable. Magnificent? You better believe it.
Lake Michigan Beaches
East of Downtown
Chicago, IL 60610
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Lake Michigan 22,000 square mile body of water is the only one of the Great Lakes that is totally inside the United States, and it’s the fifth largest lake in the entire world. On the sandy shores east of downtown, one of the most popular spots to beat the heat is North Avenue Beach, which has become a haven for sun worshippers, volleyball players, and basically anyone else who can sneak away from work during the day. This is one of a whole series of beaches in this part of town, all connected by a bike and foot path that runs parallel to Lakeshore Drive. In summertime, it’s a great walk from here to the Oak Street Beach to the south.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2200 North Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 312-742-2000
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Just a short drive north of the Magnificent Mile, this animal park is the country’s oldest zoo, dating back to 1868. Among the most popular attractions at the zoo are the sea lion pool and the Pritzker Children’s Zoo, which could almost take up a whole afternoon by itself. And after giving the credit card a work out on Michigan Avenue, maybe the best news of all is that the Lincoln Park Zoo is completely free, 365 days of the year.