Tourist Attractions & Monuments Chicago

Timetable

The vast majority of Chicago's attractions and museums are open every day of the week, usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., throughout the year, with the exception of certain holidays, including December 25, January¹ and Thanksgiving. If you visit the city between May and October, expect a fair amount of traffic, especially during the summer months. From November through March, the city remains vibrant but sees far fewer tourists. The idea of spending the winter in the Windy City does cool off a lot of visitors!

To be booked

Aside from your accommodations, which you should book as soon as possible, you can visit Chicago just fine without a military organization. If you only have a few days and it falls on a weekend, it may be wise to buy your ticket for the Willis Tower observatory, since you can select the day of your visit on the website, but it is really not a must. On the other hand, if you want to attend the Lollapalooza festival, at the end of July-beginning of August, book your tickets as soon as possible, because they go like hotcakes!

Budget & Tips

Admission to museums, whether in Chicago, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Madison or Detroit, is about $15. Sightseeing and guided tours are more expensive; for example, you'll need to pay $30 to visit the Willis Tower Observatory or 360 Chicago. Your total expenses will depend on how many cultural activities you want to do during your visit

Be aware that free events are organized every summer in the city's parks: outdoor movies, festivals, sports sessions... Check out TimeOut Chicago(www.timeout.com/chicago) or Choose Chicago(www.choosechicago.com) for events during your visit.

Main events

Chicago is bustling with activity, especially during the summer festival season. But you'll find plenty to keep you busy throughout the year!

In the spring, there's the festive St. Patrick's Day Parade, which sees thousands of people dressed in green. Even the Chicago River is dressed in emerald green! In May, Cinco de Mayo is a big party that celebrates Mexican heritage in the United States, especially in the Pilsen neighborhood

When summer comes, a festive atmosphere takes over the city! The festivities are launched with the Chicago Blues Festival, followed by the Pride Parade which celebrates the LGBT community in a colorful parade. Taste of Chicago delights foodies, while Lollapalooza delights fans of rock 'n' roll and many other genres. In late August or early September, the Chicago Jazz Festival hosts international artists. Finally, throughout the summer, Grant Park hosts classical music at the Grant Park Music Festival

Then comes the fall, its Indian summer and two of the most important events of the year for Americans: Halloween and Thanksgiving. On the occasion of the latter, a big parade with giant balloons is organized on State Street. The end of the year is approaching, and with it, the preparation of Christmas celebrations: the mayor lights the tree in Millennium Park, the store windows are illuminated and, on December 31, fireworks are launched from the river to mark the new year

Guided tours

There is no shortage of guided tours in Chicago, and the good thing is that there are almost every theme. Taking part in one of them is a great way to get a feel for the city. To learn more about Chicago's architecture, the reference is the Chicago Architecture Center(www.architecture.org), which offers nearly 80 thematic tours. And one of them that greatly interests visitors is obviously the mafia. Untouchable Tours(www.gangstertour.com) goes back to this part of Chicago's history. For foodies, the Chicago Food Planet tours(www.chicagofoodplanet.com) will allow you to discover the best of Chicago's culinary scene in record time! Then, the Chicago Greeters tours(www.chicagogreeter.com) will give you the opportunity to explore some of Chicago's neighborhoods with passionate locals who love to show off their city so much that they do it for free! Finally, in the summertime, it is unthinkable not to take part in a cruise on the Chicago River, and the Chicago's First Lady organization(www.cruisechicago.com) does it very well, as it focuses on the architectural aspect

Smokers

The city of Chicago has put in place a lot of measures to discourage smoking. Smoking (electronic or otherwise) is prohibited in all city parks, but also at the beach, in stadiums and swimming pools. Smoking is not permitted within 15 feet (4.5 meters) of the entrance to a building or any common area, including outdoor areas, that are part of a public or residential building. However, with the legalization of marijuana in 2020, it is not uncommon to smell it in public spaces...