Downtown Chicago is enclosed by the constant hum of the city’s ubiquitous elevated train, the “El.” Within the loop of the El is the core of downtown, bursting with museums, skyscrapers and department stores. Chicago’s central public library, Harold Washington Library, was built in 1987 and is the namesake of the beloved late Mayor Harold Washington. The ten-level library’s massive 13 million-piece collection includes rare manuscripts, books and art.

The steel and aluminum behemoth, the Sears Tower, looms over the city, offering unparalleled views of the city and the surrounding area, including Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin on clear days. The 103rd floor features the Skydeck, with interactive exhibits of Chicago history and a high-powered telescope. The Skydeck is open 365 days a year.

The Art Institute of Chicago, considered one of the world’s premier art collections, contains exhibits spanning centuries of human artistic endeavor. African ceramics, sculptures and textiles are featured, as well as a European Painting collection of over 950 works, ranging from the Middle Ages to 1900. European Decorative Arts Department houses enamels, ivory and furniture, while the Department of Textiles presents selections of lace, tapestries and woven silks in its collection. One of the most comprehensive collections is the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art, with over 1,500 paintings and sculptures from every European and American movement throughout the 20th century. Highlights of the museum include Grant Wood’s American Gothic, Picasso’s The Old Guitarist and Monet’s Impressionist masterpieces.

One of Chicago’s most popular attractions is Navy Pier. A 150-foot Ferris wheel, musical carousel, 18-hole Chicago-themed miniature golf course and the Chicago Children’s Museum provide family-friendly entertainment. Theater patrons flock to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a 500-seat courtyard venue. Navy Pier’s Festival Hall accommodates trade shows and other events, while two performance stages present live music from May through October. Boat tours are available at the Pier, from dinner cruises to speedboat rides along the lakefront. Visitors can rent bicycles or skates at Bike Chicago, located on the Pier.

At the edge of the Loop lies “Chicago’s front yard,” Grant Park, the city’s most prominent park. The park’s Petrillo Music Shell brings an assortment of outdoor concerts, including blues, jazz, gospel, country and classical music, to the city. The park was renamed in 1901 in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, and is home to the illustrious Taste of Chicago, the summertime food festival. The park’s Museum Campus on the south end of the park houses Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute and the Field Museum of Natural History.

One of the most significant millennium projects was the transformation of parking lots and railroad tracks north of Grant Park into Millennium Park, a 24.5-acre park filled with interactive public art, meticulously manicured landscapes and al fresco dining. Take in a concert at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a sophisticated outdoor concert venue designed by Frank Gehry. The Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus presents free classical music performances at the park.

Near North

The John Hancock Center stands 100 stories with a tapered design for space-efficiency. One of Chicago’s most well known buildings, the space includes apartments, offices, shopping, hotel, ice rink, restaurants and radio and television facilities.

A shopper’s mecca, the Magnificent Mile stretches from the Chicago River to Oak Street on Michigan Avenue. Lined with hundreds of chi chi boutiques, bakers, galleries and souvenir shops, the Magnificent Mile is never unoccupied. At the north end, shoppers find three malls: Chicago Place Mall, Water Tower Place and the 900 North Michigan Shops.

Lakeview

Rainbow-colored pylons line the streets of Chicago’s vibrant gay community. Hot nightspots abound, including Berlin, a late-night dance club, and the popular Roscoe’s Tavern. A few blocks west is Wrigleyville, a haven for Chicago’s barhopping denizens. Numerous taverns surround the legendary Wrigley Field. Thick ivy and natural grass envelop one of the country’s oldest ballparks. Chicago Cubs players take fans on tours of the stadium several times during the baseball season.

South Side

Soldier Field, home of football’s Chicago Bears since 1971, is a sacred landmark to many residents, with its open spaces and natural grass. Renovated in 2003, the stadium is now a world-class venue that hosts concerts, rodeos, fireworks displays and circuses throughout the year. A 250-foot granite-wall memorial honors the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.

Named after the family that invented the reaper and ran the Chicago Tribune for many years, McCormick Place features 2.2 million square feet of convention space. The hall hosts an annual automobile show, boat and RV shows and book conventions, among others.

On the west side of Lake Shore Drive lies the home of the Chicago White Sox, Comiskey Park. The baseball stadium features an exploding scoreboard and a Sony Jumbo Screen.

Guests won’t want to miss Adler Planetarium, located off of Lake Shore Drive at Grant Park’s Museum Campus. The Planetarium houses an impressive collection of historical space artifacts that astronomy buffs will enjoy, but the interactive exhibits are sure to hold even the mildly interested visitor’s attention. With more than 35,000 square feet of exhibit space, favorites include a to-scale model of the Solar System, the Sky Theater and the StarRider Theater, a virtual outdoor space environment that takes guests on a tour of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Aquatic creatures from over 700 species are housed in the world’s largest indoor aquarium, Shedd Aquarium. More than 8,000 animals are represented, including moray eels, sea otters and beluga whales. Divers hand-feed sharks, sea turtles and eels several times a day, while Animal Encounters allows guests to learn about and touch animals, such as Chilean rose tarantulas, leopard geckos or king snakes. Guests explore the Caribbean waters of the 90,000-gallon coral reef exhibit, teeming with bright tropical fish, sharks and sea turtles.

At the Museum of Science and Industry, visitors learn the basics of DNA in the Genetics exhibit, modern rail operation at the Great Train Story exhibit, the functions of the human heart and commercial flight at the Take Flight exhibit. Imaginations are stretched and questions are answered at this impressive museum, located in the charming district of Hyde Park.

The Field Museum of Natural History was originally founded to house the biological and anthropological findings assembled for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Permanent exhibits explore topics such as bird habitats, fossils, sea mammals and Eskimos. Guests observe remnants of bygone cultures, including the dramatic Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton acquired in 1997. Guests go beneath the surface at Underground Adventure, an exhibit displaying soil and how it sustains life above ground.