Tour the States: Illinois

Showing posts with label Illinois. Show all posts

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Field Museum of Natural History - Chicago, Illinois

With more than 20 million artifacts, the Field Museum of Natural History is an engaging museum filled with both interactive and imaginative displays. The big attraction is the Tyrannosaurus rex named "Sue," a 13 foot (4 meter) tall, 41 ft (13 m) long beast who menaces the grand space with ferocious aplomb.

The most complete T-Rex ever discovered, it takes its name from Sue Hendrickson, the fossil-hunter who found the 90 percent complete skeleton in South Dakota in 1990.

Dinosaurs loom large in the Field Museum. At the Evolving Planet exhibit, you can also watch staff paleontologists clean up fossils, learn about the evolution of the massive reptiles, and even learn about Homo sapien's evolutionary ties to the extinct beasts. Away from the prehistoric giants, the “Inside Ancient Egypt” exhibit recreates an Egyptian burial chamber on three levels. The mastaba (tomb) contains 23 actual mummies.

Click here for:

John G. Shedd Aquarium - Chicago, Illinois

The world's largest assortment of finned, gilled, amphibious, and other aquatic creatures swims within the marble-clad confines of the John G. Shedd Aquarium.

Permanent exhibits include the multilevel Oceanarium, which mimics ocean conditions off the northwest coast of North America. The beluga whales inside are remarkably cute creatures that come from the pint-size end of the whale scale. Their humped heads and natural “smiles” make them look eerily human. You'll also see Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbor seals, and sea otters.

Don't linger only on the main floor; you can go underneath the cement seats and watch the mammals from below through viewing windows. The “Wild Reef” exhibit will have sharkophiles and sharkophobes equally entranced; over a dozen sharks cut through the waters in a simulation of a Philippines reef ecosystem. And the “Amazon Rising” exhibits offer a captivating look at a year in the Amazon River and rain forest.

Click here for:

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Lake Michigan - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes, which stretches from western Michigan, 118 miles across, to the shores of Illinois and Wisconsin in the west and Indiana in the south.

The lake borders the city of Chicago, and within the city limits there are 26 miles of shoreline, 15 beachfront areas and several marinas housing thousands of boats. In fact, Chicago operates the nation’s largest municipal harbor system, making it easy to get out on the water by boat.

There’s even an 18-mile park, the Chicago Lakefront Bike Path where locals and visitors walk, bike and run along the shoreline. In warmer months, it’s possible to kayak or canoe on Lake Michigan, with boat rentals available right downtown.

More passive passengers can opt for a sail or a ride on a traditional schooner, or go for the luxury experience with a lunch, brunch, dinner or sunset cruise on an elegant multilevel ship with indoor and outdoor space and seating for up to 600 people.

Click here for:

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Millennium Park - Chicago, Illinois

One of Chicago’s most stunning parks, Millennium Park - part of larger Grant Park - is a showcase for modern architecture. It features, among other highlights, the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink, the peristyle at Wrigley Square, the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, AT&T Plaza, Chase Promenade, and the Trees in Millennium Park. Millennium Park is often considered the largest roof garden in the world, having been built on top of a railroad yard and large parking garages.

A major highlight is Frank Gehry's 120 foot (36 meter) high swooping silver band shell anchors what is, in essence, an outdoor modern design gallery. It includes Jaume Plensa's 50 ft (15 m) high Crown Fountain that projects video images of locals spitting out water, gargoyle fountain-style. Kids of all ages will surely love it.

Also here is the famous Cloud Gate sculpture, otherwise known as “the Bean,” a highly polished reflective steel sculpture.

Click here for:

Chicago River - Chicago, Illinois

Winding its way through the heart of the Windy City, the Chicago River flows past some of the city’s most spectacular architecture, especially downtown. Here, river walks dotted with restaurants take you under some of the movable bridges that connect the Loop to Chicago’s Near North Side.

To see some of the prettiest views of the city, hop in a boat, kayak, canoe, or gondola and sail down the river. From the mouth of the river on Lake Michigan heading inland you’ll pass Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Marina City, and the Merchandise Mart. Heading down the south branch, you’ll pass Union Station and the Civic Opera House.

One of the most spectacular events on the Chicago River is St. Patrick's Day, when the river is dyed green. The actual event does not necessarily occur on St. Patrick's Day and is scheduled for the Saturday of the closest weekend.

Click here for:

Willis (Sears) Tower - Chicago, Illinois

Once the world’s tallest building, Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower) is still the USA's tallest building, and it's still way up in the clouds. Its observation platform - the Skydeck - draws 1.5 million people a year who are eager to ascend the 110-story, 1,454 foot (443 meter) building for awesome panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside.

On good days, however, you can see for 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometers), as far as the states of Indiana, Michigan. Iowa, and Wisconsin.

While you wait, you can watch a film about Willis Tower factoids like its 43,000 mi (69,200 km) of phone cable and 2,232 steps to the roof. Then you'll wait a little longer before the ear-popping, 70 second elevator ride up to the 103rd floor deck. From here, the entire city stretches below, and you can see exactly how Chicago is laid out.

Click here for:

Tour the States

Pages

Magical Journeys to the USA