What to do in Chicago - Things to see and places to go in Chicago while on a short trip

Here are, according to us and our local team, the things to do and see in Chicago in order to get the real vibe, real essence of the city.

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1. Of course you could do all of the following or just register to our cultural scavenger hunt!

2. Take a look at this map of the city to have a real idea on how it is built and organized.

3. Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago is a world class museum with hundreds of thousands of artworks. The diverse collection spans thousands of years and includes pieces from a variety of media including painting, prints, photography, sculpture, decorative arts, textiles, architectural drawings and more. The Institute is known for its collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings including Georges Seurat's 1884 "A Sunday Afternoon on La Grand Jatte," Renoir's 1879 "Acrobats at the Circque Fernando" and numerous paintings by Claude Monet.
The main building, designed by Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge in beaux-arts style, was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Several other buildings have been added on over the years and today the complex measures 400,000 square feet.
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4. Millennium Park

 Millennium Park is located in downtown Chicago bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, Columbus Drive to the east, Randolph Street to the North and Monroe Street to the South. The main features of Millennium Park include the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, an outdoor concert venue; the interactive Crown Fountain; Lurie Garden; and the Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza.
Located close to many of the major attractions, as well as great shopping.
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5. Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile

 Michigan Avenue is probably one of the most attractive boulevards in America. The city's famous Magnificent Mile is a section of Michigan Avenue north of the Chicago River, with numerous galleries, boutiques and luxury shops. Some of the attractions along here include the John Hancock Center, the Wrigley Building, and the Tribune Tower. Michigan Avenue splits between North and South designations at Madison Street.
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6. John Hancock Center

The John Hancock Center stands 1,125 ft high and is easy to recognize by its dark metallic looking exterior and cross-braced steel design which runs up the outside of the building. As well, two 345 ft high telecommunications aerials project up from the roof. Visitors can enjoy the views from the 94th floor observatory. The building, constructed in 1970, contains a variety of shops, offices and apartments.
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7. Lincoln Park

 Lincoln Park is a 6 mile stretch of green space along the edge of Lake Michigan, and Chicago's biggest park. This popular park is home to the lovely Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the country. Also located here are the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the Chicago History Museum. For those who simply want to enjoy the outdoor space there are playing fields, bike trails, jogging paths, and beaches. Visitors can see a number of significant statues and pieces of public art within the park grounds including Augustus Saint Gaudens' Standing Statue of Lincoln (1887).
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8. Navy Pier

The Navy Pier originally opened in 1916 as an amusement area and shipping facility but is now one of Chicago's most popular tourist attractions. Today, the Navy Pier is made up of 50 acres of gardens, attractions, shops, restaurants, concert venues, and parks. There is a 150 ft Ferris wheel and an historic carousel in Navy Pier Park. Visitors can also watch a film at the 3D Imax Theater, watch actors perform the classics at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, or visit Crystal Gardens, a one-acre, six-story, indoor botanical garden. Also located here is the Chicago Children's Museum. The Pier hosts year-round festivities, including the Chicago Festival in August. Cruise ships leave from here on various sightseeing excursions.
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9. Shakespeare Theater

 The Shakespeare Theater in Chicago has a permanent facility at the Navy Pier. The seven-story, glass curtain-walled theater houses a 500 seat courtyard theater and a 200 seat flexible black box theater.
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10. Lyric Opera of Chicago

 The Lyric Opera of Chicago offers a full opera season, from October to March, with well known classics. It began in 1954 and is today world-renowned.
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11. Willis Tower SkyDeck

 Until 1996, when the Petronas Towers were built in Kuala Lumpur, the 110 story Sears Tower, now Willis Tower, was the world's tallest office block. While there are now several taller buildings, the view from here is incredible. On a clear day you can see 40 to 50 miles over four states, and gain a bird's eye view of Chicago's impressive architecture.
The Willis Tower took three years to build and was opened to the public in 1974. The building is 1,453 feet tall with an observation area, called the SkyDeck, on the 103rd floor, 1,353 feet above the ground. A glass box with a glass floor, known as the Ledge, juts out from the SkyDeck, where visitors can stand and look directly down at the city below.
If this is your first visit to Chicago, the SkyDeck is a must-do.
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12. Garfield Park Conservatory

 Built in the early 1900s, the Garfield Park Conservatory is an historic, publicly owned botanical garden, operated by the Chicago Park District. The gardens grow plants which are used in the numerous city parks and gardens. The glass and metal prairie-school structure was designed by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen. His revolutionary design has been referred to as "landscape art under glass".
Some of the highlights include the Children's Garden, the Demonstration Gardens, and the Monet Garden, based on Claude Monet's garden at Giverney, France.
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13. The Rookery Building

The Rookery Building was designed by architects Daniel Burnham and John Root in 1888, but the interior lobby and patio were remodelled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. This 12 story building has a Roman Revival and Queen Anne style facade but it is the inside and courtyard that are the true gems. The Rookery, named for the large number of pigeons that frequented the building, is listed on the Register of National Historic Places.
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 Angela is our Chicago local representative, we asked her what an ideal day of leisure in Chicago could look like, what she would suggest doing from early morning to late at night.
Here is what she suggests.Don't hesitate to contact Angela on Twitter @bigcitychase #Chicago #questionforAngela if you have questions for her, we may publish your conversation in this blog if she thinks it might be useful to other Chicago visitors.

  Angela from Chicago for Big City Chase Chicago : 

"Hello, my name is Angela, I was born in Chicago, grew up there, studied at NYU, the got back here where I'm an architect. I will be pleased to share travel and leisure tips with you about our great city of Chicago